It’s that time of year again! The February holiday season is upon us and well, the month ahead is looking great. The skiing and snowboarding here in the Grand Massif is fabulous at the moment but it’s not just on the pistes where you’ll find plenty of fun and entertainment for all the family. This holiday season you’ll be spoilt for choice with all that’s going on in the village of Samoëns. There’s guided visits of the charming, historical centre and gardens, regular wine and food tasting sessions, cooking demonstrations, parades, ice-skating and giant snowball fights to name but a few. Plus, this year Samoëns will be playing host to some exciting, larger events that shouldn’t be missed. And to help you get the most out of your holiday the team at Alps Accommodation thought we’d give you the inside scoop on what’s not to be missed.
When: Friday 21 February 8.30am-5pm
Where: Meet at ‘Le Kiosque’ by the GME
Cost: 10E all inclusive or 5E if you have a skipass already
After an incredibly successful, 5th anniversary Samoëns Envirotrek last summer, event organisers Respect The Mountains are back in town. They’re here to launch EPIC, their first ever winter event aimed at providing kids aged 12-16 with entry level mountain awareness. What is set to be an action packed and super fun day of learning all about the mountain environment has been made possible by a new partnership with The North Face and European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA).
EPIC participants will enjoy a morning of hands-on conservation work followed by some exciting mountain activities, all under the supervision of fully qualified guides and instructors. For those who can already ski and snowboard (min. 3rd Etoile) there’ll be a freeride session to improve off-piste skills. Lower level or non skiers and boarders or those who just prefer a more relaxed pace can enjoy a guided snowshoe walk. There will also be a mountain safety and avalanche training session available to any skiers and snowboarders with at least their 2nd Etoile. And to make sure the kids have all the energy they need to partake in the afternoon’s activities, a traditional and hearty Savoyard lunch, which includes a drink and dessert is provided. The EPIC day will then draw to a relaxing close in front of a film featuring famous French snowboarder Xavier de la Rue.
So what do you think? Pretty epic day huh? Mums and dads, don’t hesitate to get your kids involved in what will be a great and fun learning experience. And kids, if you’re aged 12-16 then you don’t want to miss out on the chance to be involved!
When: Saturday 1 March from 4pm
Where: The Town Square
Cost: Free, though donations are appreciated J
“Soup Disco?” I hear you ask. I too was perplexed when I first heard those words but then I did a little research. And the soup disco, which has its origins in Germany, is actually a fast growing phenomenon in France. Since 2012, voluntary organisations in various locations across the country have been putting on mass soup and salad making soirées, all in the name of speaking out against food waste. Using fruits and vegetables otherwise destined for the poubelle (French for bin) because they were either rejected by the food industry or simply in excess, these organisations have been cooking up a storm whilst educating the public about how to avoid food waste. The idea is to join in with the food preparations – Chop, chat, learn and groove along to some great musical beats.
I’d just like to add, “rejected by the food industry” should NOT put you off!! To explain, here’s an example of one supplier of strawberries to a regular Paris soup disco. He said he can donate strawberries to the disco because his main clients for sale are luxury hotels and if only one strawberry in the box is tarnished then they won’t buy the crate. I know! Crazy! Anyway, rest assured these are good, fresh and tasty ingredients! And for the first time ever, Samoëns will be hosting its very own Disco Soupe. There’ll be mulled wine, music, top tips on avoiding food waste, and not to mention plenty of free soup. So grab your peelers, put on your dancing shoes and come on down to the square for an evening of fun, fun, and food.
Samoëns Disco Soupe is brought to you by local organisation EcoGiffre. For more information why not visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ecogiffre.samoens
When: Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th March
Where: Samoëns 1600 and Village
Cost: Free! Plus a paid entry music event (see website for details)
Try’Add Events, Samoëns and the Grand Massif are excited to be bringing you once again this year the Bet On Orbit invitational freestyle ski contest. The 2014 edition is set to go big so be sure to get up to Samoëns 1600 on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th March to take in all the action. The likes of Quentin Gamon, Julien Eustache, Andy Collet and a dozen other pro-riders will be battling it out on the giant kickers up top for pure gold prizes. This year’s contest will also have a BigAirBag event open to the public with a gold prize up for grabs. Not to mention it’s just a great vibe up there. The spectator’s area is right by the action and has its own bar, BBQ, music and even tombola. And after things die down on the slopes Wednesday be sure not to miss out on the 4th edition of the BOO Party down in town that night. 1000 square metres of party space will be cleared with the BOOP jib session set to kick off around 6.30pm. Enjoy mulled wine, snacks, live music and if you feel the evening take you, move it on in under the big chapiteau for a dance party brought to you by Reverse Side Sound System and Don Camillio. Groove your night away to local boys Snake Eyes and Chinese Man Record artists Taiwan MC and DJ Soap.
So there’s just a few of the exciting things for you to look forward to in this next few weeks, plus don’t forgot all those regular, fun activities put on by Samoëns tourist office. There’s a load to choose from! Samoëns in the Grand Massif really is the place to be this holiday season but don’t worry if you’ve not yet booked your winter break. There’ll be plenty of action still later in March and in fact here at Alps Accommodation we’ve just put on some amazing specials for the whole month of March. For some super great deals be sure to check out the link below… See you soon!
Special Offers: www.alpsaccommodation.com/special-offers.htm