Ode to Mont Blanc: poetry by famous Oxford graduate

The majestic mountains of the Chamonix Valley have been inspiring skiers and adventure seekers for decades. It’s therefore no wonder that their magnificence has also inspired some famous poets. So, as a tribute to our home city of Oxford and its elitest academic history, we wanted to share some mountain poetry with you, written by a well known Oxford graduate!

Percy Shelley, a celebrated English Romantic poet and husband of Mary Shelley (who wrote Frankenstein), wrote about Mont Blanc during a 6 week tour of Europe in 1816 as part of a collection of ‘odes’ reflecting on the scenery through which he travelled. Here is an excerpt from his poem -

Mont Blanc

Lines written in the Vale of Chamouni

Mont Blanc yet gleams on high:-the power is there,
The still and solemn power of many sights,
And many sounds, and much of life and death.
In the calm darkness of the moonless nights,
In the lone glare of day, the snows descend
Upon that mountain; none beholds them there,
Nor when the flakes burn in the sinking sun,
Or the star-beams dart through them:-Winds contend
Silently there, and heap the snow with breath
Rapid and strong, but silently! Its home
The voiceless lightning in these solitudes
Keeps innocently, and like vapor broods
Over the snow. The secret Strength of things
Which governs thought, and to the infinite dome
Of Heaven is as a law, inhabits thee!
And what were thou, and earth, and stars, and sea,
If to the human mind’s imaginings
Silence and solitude were vacancy?

If you’re not quite ready to tackle the power of Mont Blanc just yet, we have plenty of other options to suggest…and we’d love to hear your creative musings. Something to think about on the chair lift??

Send your poetry to info@oxfordski.com or call us on 01993 899 420 www.oxfordski.com

Sight seeing in Megeve

“Hmmmm, yes we think the snow looks pretty good!”

Karen and Ellie, our hotel specialists, are busy visiting some of our favourite hotels and chalets in Megeve this week.  We’re not sure though….this photo seems to suggest skiing rather than inspecting?!

Seriously though, we cannot speak highly enough of the importance of regular visits to all our hotel and chalet partners.  We invest a lot of time and effort into getting to know everything about the properties and resorts in our portfolio so that we can offer you honest, impartial advice. From in depth inspections where we meet all the hosts and managers to checking out  all the latest restaurants and ski schools – we really know our stuff! Occasionally, we also have to fit in a bit of skiing…just so we can tell you which are the best pistes. Purely for research you understand!

If you’re interested in going to Megeve and want to have a chat about it, please give us a call – 01993 899 420

Delicious food with a difference at Le Chardon, Val d’Isere

Egg & Soldiers? Yes…but with a difference!

These are in fact coconut pannacottas with mango puree and caramelised pineapple soldiers! Mmmm delicious!

Just a little taster of what guests at Chalet Mistral, Val d’Isere can expect!

If you’re looking to get away this Spring, Val d’Isere is an excellent snow sure resort for late season skiing. Experience fantastic service, delicious food like this and luxurious accommodation at Chalet Mistral from Sun 22nd – Sun 29th April for the bargain price of just £995 per person based on two people sharing.

Call us for more offers like these! +44 (0)1993 899 420 www.oxfordski.com

We’re raising money by running a 10k!

Four of the team here at The Oxford Ski Company (Harriet, Franki, Grace and Laura) are running in the Carterton 10k Road Race on Sunday 25th March and are raising money to support The Rifles ‘Care for Casualties’ Appeal and Disability Snowsport UK.  

If you’re able to help this cause by making a small donation, we’d really appreciate it! For some of us, it’s our first EVER running event so a real challenge!

The Rifles ‘Care for Casualites’ Appeal supports severely wounded soldiers of the Rifles regiment and their families, giving them the inspiration and the means to rebuild their lives and make the best of their futures following several challenging operational tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.  Laura Willing’s husband Ed and Grace Scott’s boyfriend Allan are both currently serving in Afghanistan with the Rifles along with many of their friends so we are keen to support them all!  Here is our page -The Oxford Ski Company’s Road Race – RIFLES Page!

We are also raising money for the fantastic Disability Snowsport UK who provide opportunities for people with a disability the chance to take part in skiing and snowboarding. We raised money for them last year as well by competing in a skiathon! If you would like to donate to this cause instead of/as well as The Rifles, please visit The Oxford Ski Company’s Road Race – DSUK Page!

Thank you so much.

Incredible Mont Blanc Experience Week at Amazon Creek, Chamonix

This season, our friends at Amazon Creek  are offering you the chance to reach the ‘Roof of Europe’ by running a week long adventure course to scale the top of Mont Blanc – the highest peak in the Alps!

Imagine the adrenalin rush of this once in a lifetime experience coupled with the tranquility of a restful break staying at chalets renowned for their excellent service and luxurious accommodation.  We think this would be perfect for a big birthday or wedding anniversary celebration!

Amazon Creek is a fantastic chalet, situated in a peaceful, private, woodland setting with spectacular views of the Aiguille de Midi. It has an excellent spa!

Excellent value ski-in, ski-out chalets in Val d’Isere

Clinging to the hillside in the exclusive Carats enclave in Val d’Isere and spread over 4 floors, beautiful sister chalets Cristal A and Cristal B have arguably some of the best views of all the chalets in the resort.  They’re also ski-in, ski-out AND they offer excellent value for money! What more could you want?

Flexible service? No problem.

Your chalet manager here will arrange and organise anything you require during your stay, acting as your personal concierge to tailor-make your trip, exactly as you want it. Sometimes for example, it’s nice not to be catered for on every night of your holiday, so in the evenings here you can choose to eat out in one of Val d’Isère’s many restaurants, cook for yourself or we can arrange for a chef to prepare and serve dinner for you. The chalet price will be altered accordingly offering excellent value and ensuring you don’t pay for anything you don’t want or use.

There is also a hammam, home cinema and an extensive wine cellar! What’s more, if you enjoy challenging skiing, the formidable Face run is just 50m from the door.

There is still plenty of time to book a ski trip this season but there is very little availability left at these chalets! Book now and save 25% off the normal price for the weeks beginning 3rd March, 17th March and 24th March. Call us on 01993 899420 to find out more.

Short Breaks at Sir Richard Branson’s ski lodge

Sir Richard Branson’s amazing luxury ski lodge in Verbier, Switzerland is a truly incredible chalet! Facilities include an ice rink, indoor swimming pool, spa and party room. Trust us, it’s amazing! Look…

For a limited time only, you can book individual rooms at The Lodge, ‘hotel style’ from 11th March – 19th April 2012 including the Easter long weekend. Prices start from £2,790 for a 3 night stay based on 2 adults sharing.

Latest reports from Verbier tell of  beautiful blue skies and pristine pistes.  Time to slope off we reckon!

Fireworks and an ice bar at Ski Lodge Boreale

We pride ourselves on being able to tailor-make your holiday down to the finest detail so as an example, we thought we’d share these amazing photos with you of an ice bar that was created for guests at Ski Lodge Boreale in Meribel recently. This is one of very few chalets available in the resort with an outdoor swimming pool and as you can see from these pics it’s the perfect setting for spectacular apres ski terrace parties!

The chalet is currently still available for the week beginning Sunday 8th April for £2,250 per person. For details of what this includes, go here. Boreale’s sister chalet Ski Lodge Aurore, is also available for the same week and the two chalets can be booked together for up to 20 guests. A perfect way to celebrate Easter!

SPECIAL OFFER: If you’d prefer to book a shorter break, Ski Lodge Aurore can be yours for £1,200 per person from 6th – 11th March 2012. Call us!

First visit to the Alps? Here’s what we recommend for American visitors…

Skiing in Europe is often a totally different experience to skiing in North America and  narrowing down the options can be difficult when there are so many resorts and properties to choose from for your first trip.  In the Alps you can expect iconic mountain vistas and unbelievable views, culture filled, traditional Alpine lodges and chalets, vin chaud, marmottes, horse drawn carriages, beautiful tree line skiing and charming, ‘chocolate box’ resorts amongst many other things. The ‘apres ski’ is great too!

Here are some of our top choices for an unforgettable holiday in the Alps -

ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND – home to the Matterhorn

Chalet Grace, Zermatt 

This is an amazing property with incredible Matterhorn views and a designer Alpine finish which we know you’ll love. Zermatt is a picturesque, car free resort with excellent ‘foody’ mountain restaurants. Book a ski guide to take you on a gourmet journey through the mountains or take a help-skiing trip into Italy.

KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND  - the ski resort  favoured by Prince William & the Duchess of Cambridge 

Chalet Bear, Klosters

This centrally located, quintessential ‘chocolate box’ chalet is privately owned and managed, offering exceptional yet informal service that’s ideal for families. The British Royal Family have been coming to Klosters for years.

VAL D’ISERE, FRANCE – one of the largest ski areas in France. 

Chalet Marco Polo, Val d’Isere

Everyone’s talking about this fantastic new ‘uber’ chalet in Val d’Isere right now. It has been finished to an incredibly high standard and has a private indoor pool, spa, fitness area and cinema. Val d’Isere is a high resort so a good bet for great snow cover throughout the season.

COURCHEVEL, FRANCE – the St. Tropez of the Alps 

Chalet Hermine, Courchevel 1850

This is a typical Savoyarde chalet in one of  the chicest resorts in Europe. Offered with a professional chef, manager and driver, this property offers very good value for money in a resort where most chalets with this level of service are twice the price!

MERIBEL, FRANCE – a perfect family ski resort in the heart of Les Trois Vallees – the largest ski area in Europe.

Chalet Trois Ours, Meribel

A great value, family chalet with direct access to the slopes and offering incredible food and service.

ST ANTON, AUSTRIA  - renowned for its Austrian hospitality and après ski. 

Chalet Gertrud Gabl, St Anton

For those looking to travel on a lower budget this is an excellent choice!  The food offered here is truly exquisite and the service is impeccable. The chalet is very comfortable and simply furnished  with everything one needs. You’d normally expect to pay twice the rate for what you get!

Ten of the Best Ski In/Ski Out Chalets!

Being able to step out  of your chalet and ski off straight away is surely an ultimate luxury. It’s definitely close to the top of our list of requirements when we go skiing. After all, who enjoys trudging for miles in cumbersome ski boots and waiting in lift queues? We’d rather save our energy for swishing down the slopes!  We always get asked if the chalet we’re proposing is ski in/ski out and so to help with this, we’ve come up with a list of 10 of the best truly ski in/ski out chalets for you to marvel at -

Ten of the Best Ski in/Ski Out Chalets

1. Le Petit Château, Courchevel 1850 Right on the edge of the Bellecote piste in Courchevel and only 5 minutes from the shops too!

2. Chalet Indigo, Megeve Situated in the wonderfully private Mont d’Arbois area with a  terrace overlooking the piste – wonderful.

3. Chalet La Tene, Val d’Isere The dining room at this beautiful chalet has the formidable le Face run as its backdrop.

4. Chalet Chamois, Courchevel 1650 Literally on the piste and bright and airy throughout.

5. Tivoli Lodge, Davos An exclusive mountain retreat. Intensely private and discreet but still ski in/ski out.

6. Chalet Gentianes, Courchevel 1850 Ski straight back to your door, then dive into your own private swimming pool!

7. Chalet Montana, Val d’Isere The Sunday Times have called this chalet ‘The Best in the Alps’ and it’s right on the Face de Bellevarde.

8. Chalet Trois Ours, Meribel One of the best located chalets in Meribel for ski in/ski out convenience.

9. Hidden Dragon, Les 4 Vallees As the name suggests, this chalet is secluded and exclusive with great ski in/ski out access.

10. Elephant Blanc, Val d’Isere Close to the nursery slopes and with direct access to a blue run – great for more tentative skiers.

To find out more about all of the above chalets and many more with ski in/ski out access, please give us a call – we have personally inspected each and every one!

Happy skiing!