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Lisa Moore
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| Joined: | Sun Jan 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Zest HQ |
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Posted: Tue Jul 15th, 2008 12:56 pm |
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We are currently planning our third ski trip and need to know roughly how many people are likely to want to join us.
The first year we went away skiing, we booked a ski chalet exclusively for our use and want to do that again next year.
Before we book though we need to know how big a place we need - we can't book a chalet that is so big that we can't fill it but equally we don't want to be too careful and book a small chalet and then not be able to fit you in...
In order to help us plan and book the right size chalet it would be very useful for us to know how many of you are likely to join us. So far I have had interest from the following people who have said that they would definately like to come away with us in January:
Simon Irving
Angela Smethurst
Janice Johnston
Debbie Hilton
Laura Pettit
Jon Neal
Liz Webley
Nikkie Kirby
Alan Armstrong
Adam Petrus
Michelle McCue
Karen Kerrigan
Scary Jo
Ian Roskhams
Ian Roberts
Gill and Darryl Howard
Kate Jones
Alan Coles
Please post a message here if you would like me to add you to this list - you are not commiting at this stage, just helping us plan! Equally, if your name is on the list but you are unlikely to join us, please let me know in plenty of time.
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Linda
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| Joined: | Sat Sep 29th, 2007 |
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Posted: Tue Jul 15th, 2008 07:29 pm |
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| may be interested depending on the cost Linda
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Grace
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| Joined: | Wed Jun 11th, 2008 |
| Location: | Preston |
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Posted: Wed Jul 16th, 2008 12:21 am |
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Will it cater for absoulte beginners?
If so would be interested.
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Lisa Moore
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Posted: Wed Jul 16th, 2008 12:17 pm |
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Hi Grace
We always have complete beginners and competent skiiers on our trips - about half and half. The novices go into ski school in the morming and then we all meet up each lunchtime to have lunch together and then carry on in the afternoon. Ski school is brilliant and you are always put in with people of the same ability but then you can move through the ability groups as you improve. I will put you on my interested list!
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Grace
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| Joined: | Wed Jun 11th, 2008 |
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 11:43 pm |
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| Brill! Thank you!
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Janice
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 12th, 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Jul 21st, 2008 12:22 pm |
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Hi Lisa,
Do you have an idea of the dates for the trip, as I will need to book the time off work as soon as I can?
Thanks,
Janice
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Lisa Moore
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Posted: Mon Jul 21st, 2008 01:03 pm |
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Hi Janice,
It's likely to be around the second week in January - I won't be sure of the dates for a while yet but the last two trips have been around then - I will let you know as soon as poss...
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adam
Member
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 12:01 am |
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Hi Lisa
I am interested in going skiing, I have never tried it before but by the sounds of things its great fun.
Adam
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Scary Jo
Member
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Posted: Wed Aug 20th, 2008 03:25 pm |
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Add me to the list lisa 
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Lisa Moore
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Posted: Fri Sep 19th, 2008 11:45 am |
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Ski Trip January 2009
I have finalised the details of the Ski Trip for January - I have spent many, many days (feels like weeks) searching for a trip that is good value, offers fantastic skiing for all ability levels and has a good apres ski scene and I have come up with what I think will suit you all!
In brief we are off to Serre Chevalier in the French alps in a great clubhotel which is located right on a piste with guaranteed snow. When you step out of the hotel, a gentle 10min push and schuss across a field takes you to the Frejus lifts but the best bit is the blue, right behind the hotel. This takes you down to the Pontillas cable car. An easy red gets you back to the hotel. The Club Med just opposite was only built on condition that this run is kept open all season. In the evening it's a short stroll to the centre of Villeneuve, which is quite lively and has lots of shops and facilities – yes, that means beaucoup de après ski!.
The cost of the trip
The cost of this year’s trip is an incredible £503.
This price includes your flight, return transfer from Turin to resort, airport supplement to fly from Manchester, on board meals, fuel surcharges and airport taxes and one week’s half board accommodation in an extremely well-located hotel.
In addition to this cost we have included a full area ski pass which is £147 which means that the total price you pay is a round £650 (the same as last year but in a far superior skiing area).
Your accommodation
We are staying on a half board basis and all rooms are double or twin, all with ensuite facilities. The bedrooms are simple, clean and comfortable. Some are more modern than others because the hotel has been built in different stages. They are all more or less the same standard though and all have private facilities. There is a lounge and a good, big bar with a small dance floor adjacent. There's also a games area with pool table, table football and arcade games. There is a ski room which is spacious and well organised and it exits directly to the snow. There is a locker for every bedroom.
Next door to the hotel, part of the same building really, is an atmospheric little bar with arches and rough stonewalls. It's a genuine 17th century farm building with pillars and an open fire.
The Skiing
With over 250km of piste, and a fantastic lift system covering 4 areas, this is one of the best ski regions in France and offers fantastic skiing for the complete novice and the more experienced skiiers amongst you. The snow record is excellent; most slopes face North so it can be pretty cold but as you go higher, you are virtually guaranteed the irresistible double whammy – great snow and brilliant sunshine. Surrounded by a National Park, Serre Chevalier has spectacular mountain scenery and beautiful runs through France’s biggest larch forest, giving good protection and visibility, boasting 300 days of sunshine. Above the tree line there are huge, white bowls with mouth-watering opportunities for everyone.
Every variety of skier has an abundance of choice. Intermediates have the best of it as blues and reds cover the whole area giving that enjoyable sense of journey. There’s a fantastic variety; wide motorways, entertaining reds, and fast schusses. Beginners have good village skiing and easy bubble lifts to altitude for the best snow. Because there are so many cruising blues, even snow-ploughers can easily get about. Advanced skiers have loads of challenge; long blacks, savage mogul fields, and virtually unlimited off-piste through hidden valleys and glades.
With its combination of attractively unkempt villages and natural, non-manicured beauty, Serre Chevalier is something of a Provence in the Alps – but with great snow; and because the villages are right below the mountain, it’s all extremely convenient.
There are 4 major focal points. Ancient Briançon, at the southern end of the system, with its medieval fortifications, is one of the showpieces of French tourism. The modern part has its own skiing and gondola. Further north, three rustic farming villages share the same big lift system with easy access and free skibuses at all points. The size of the area will be apparent when we tell you it’s a 15-20 minute drive from Briancon to Monetier! Chantemerle has an attractive old centre with lifts and pistes as close as you could wish. A gondola and chairs feed a large, easy area just above the village. At the northern end is Monetier, connected by lift and intermediate piste. This is a terrific ski area with great variety, long runs and northerly slopes.
Snowboarding
The terrain at Serre Chevalier, Monetier in particular, is superb. It's a snowboarders heaven! Serre Chevalier is like one big adventure park, there's so much variety, with lots of long tree runs, the 200 metres long Aravet half pipe and the snowboard cross, a run with 7 turns fitted and a vertical drop, you will always be kept busy.
Off The Slopes
Just a short walk from our hotel, Villeneuve is our local, lively village. There are plenty of popular bars and restaurants in the modern part but just across the river the old stone town is easier on the eye. Villeneuve has just about the best access of all the villages. Three gondolas and a chair lift take you up to the middle of the ski area, from where there’s easy access to everywhere. To the left lie Chantemerle and Briançon and to the right you can reach the top of Le Monetier after an easy blue and a red. Skiing back from Monetier at the end of the day involves a testing red so beginners might need the bus!
There’s also plenty of other options to keep us busy in the evenings,
Torchlight descents
Ice driving
Skating
38 bars or restaurants
Good variety of shops
2 night clubs
Cinema
Games bar
Ice climbing
Night skiing
Sleigh rides
Snow mobiling
Snow shoeing
Hot baths in Monetier
Ice sculptures
Ski School and equipment hire
These will be an additional cost of your holiday and can be paid in advance or in resort.
If you don’t have your own you will need to hire skis and boots. Also, we will have quite a lot of complete beginners in our group and also some people who have been skiing 1 or times before and so I would recommend that you book into ski school. (For our convenience I have organised for a ski school instructor to actually meet us outside our hotel in the mornings to start your lessons).
Ski equipment and ski school can be booked and paid for once we arrive but as we are a large group it probably makes sense that we book everything in advance to save any waiting around. The approximate costs are:
6 days Ski hire £52
6 days boot hire £31
6 days Snowboard and boot hire £60
6 days Ski School (approx 12 hours) £60
6 days Snowboard School (12 hours) £85
I will put a booking facility on the website soon so that you can pre book your equipment.
As you know the cost of these you could always ask for them as a Christmas pressie!
Flights
We have got great flight times…!
We fly from Manchester to Turin and the transfer time is just under 2 hours.
Outbound Sunday 11th January
Depart Manchester 14.50
Arrive Turin 17.55
Homebound Sunday 18th January
Depart Turin 18.55
Arrive Manchester 20.00
Nearer the time I will organise a transfer to Manchester Airport - this normally works out to about £15 to £20 per person for the return journey. If you prefer to make your own way to the airport that’s fine – we will talk about it in December.
Your weight limit on the aircraft is 20kgs. If you want to take your own ski or snowboard there will be an additional cost of 21 – please let me know asap if you intend taking any. If you have your own ski boots there is no additional charge but they must go into the hold and will make up part of your total weight limit of 20kgs.
Insurance
We strongly advise that you take out adequate winter sports insurance. On the last two ski trips that we have run we have been able to get you a very good deal through one of our discount partners, Quoteline Direct. We will look at this shortly and provide an approximate price should you wish to arrange your insurance through them.
Booking
We have an option for 20 people on the ski trip. We really have got a very good deal and these prices can only be held for 14 days from now (19th September). We may be able to get the same deal after this date but it is unlikely, therefore if you want to book on the trip please do so as soon as possible.
At the moment in order to book we require a non-refundable deposit of £150 per person. If you cancel after you have paid your deposit unfortunately we will not be able to refund this amount. Also, if we are unable to fill your place you will be liable to pay the full amount of the trip. So, before you book, please ensure that you are able to get the leave from work etc. Of course if you are unable to travel for medical reasons or similar you should be able to claim on your travel insurance and reclaim the full amount.
You can pay your deposit on the booking link located on the Zest website on 1st November and pay online. Alternatively you can phone the office and pay your deposit over the phone.
In order to keep our costs to a minimum we really would appreciate people paying either by cheque or via internet banking so that we do not incur administration costs associated with taking credit and debit card payments over the net. If you would like to pay over the internet please contact me for details of how to set that up.
** Please note that full payment is due on or before the 31st October **
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Lisa Moore
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Jan 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Zest HQ |
| Posts: | 364 |
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Posted: Fri Sep 19th, 2008 12:20 pm |
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Want to know who's booked?
Laura Pettit
Jon Neal
Janice Johnston
Liz Webley
Alan Armstrong
Simon Irving
Angela Irving
Adam Petrus
Debbie Hilton
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lankySimon
Member
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Posted: Sat Sep 20th, 2008 09:55 pm |
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Will try to organise my leave on Monday - if I don't get it, I'll just have to throw a sicky!!!!
Sounds great and looking forward to it. I need another holiday.
Just to let people know, consults will be at £100/hour and will only be available between the tim taken to get my skis off and get to the bar!!!
Just for Angela's information, how many people can safely dance on the bar at the pub next to the hotel????
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lankySimon
Member
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Posted: Wed Oct 1st, 2008 11:13 am |
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If you put a pre-booking facility online, will there be different ski packages (ie the gold, silver and bronze level skis) like last year?
Message to anyone not sure about going/ worried about being a beginner. Just try it - book it! Its great fun. My top tip would be to get a few lessons at Chill Factor prior to going. If you learn the basics indoors, its a lot more fun (and a lot less standing about) when you get to the slopes!
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Jon Neal
Member
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Posted: Tue Oct 14th, 2008 10:54 pm |
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I've just seen this article on the Telegraph web-site:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/france/3173145/Serre-Chevalier-ski-guide-introduction-and-basics.html
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Tertia
Administrator
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Posted: Fri Oct 24th, 2008 11:30 am |
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Hi Skiiers!!
I have changed the booking link on the calendar so you can now pay the balance on line. Alternatively you can give us a ring in the office and we will take payment over the phone
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