Rail travel to the French Alps is becoming increasingly popular especially with the environmental issues but also it is a very relaxing way to travel – if only it was easier to book tickets! At last, the long awaited train tickets to Moutiers for the coming winter season go on sale today, Wednesday 14th October. Moutiers, the nearest station to La Tania is just a 30 minute trip up the hill, so you arrive at your chalet, fresh and raring to go skiing! Rail Europe is now selling tickets covering dates from 13th December 2009 through to 13th January 2010.  Apparently you can only book tickets up to 3 months in advance, but it is now only 2 months to 13th December!  Tickets for the rest of the season will presumably go on sale 3 months in advance.

A new 3 hour Courchevel valley lift pass is to be launched for the Winter 2009-10 season.  The 3 consecutive hours are activated when the skier or boarder goes through the turnstile for the first time. Now people can ski when they want to without being restricted to the half day pass times.  The half day morning pass will be discontinued except for the Three Valleys ski area whilst the afternoon pass from 12.30pm will still be available.  The 3 hour Courchevel valley pass will cost 32 euros and the morning only 3 Valley passes will cost 37.50 euros from 09.30am-12.30pm.

For all other lift pass prices for the 2009-10 Winter seson please see our website.

With Winter now approaching fast, the thoughts of keen skiers are turning to their fitness levels to be on top form for when the snow falls to take full advantage of the snow fields. Many skiers who live in Winter resorts all year round take to their mountain bikes in the summer months. Below are some of the main reasons why skiers mountain bike in the off season.

1. It improves your core by being able to shift the bike underneath you.
2. It works major muscle groups in your legs, which you do when you ski.
3. It helps develope your timing of flexion and extension movements which helps you anticipate bumps and terrain, especially at speed.

For skiing it is important to have a strong core as it keeps your upper body centred while your lower body is moving around.  Sometimes your skis can accelerate out from underneath you and if your core is not strong you will find yourself sitting back or worse-on the deck! In mountain biking you can manouver your bike underneath you by using your strong core. The bike is an extension of your body and you can move it forward and back, left and right and under your body depending upon your intention at the time.

Biking works all the major muscles in your legs like the calves, hamstrings and quadriceps, all the muscles we use whilst skiing. The most common skiing injury these days is a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament and most people incorporate some kind of biking into their recovery after the injury.  Biking strenthens all the major muscles which reduces the risk of an ACL injury in the Winter.

Biking also helps to develope and practice the timing of flexion and extension movements as bikers have to anticipate the terrain especially when you are going fast downhill.  It also helps to develope the timing and awareness of when to bend the knees, pedal, coast or when to push down on the handlebars to maintain ground to tyre contact.

Why not give mountain biking a try and see how you like flying down your favourite ski runs in the summer on a narrow path with a huge smile on your face?

More ski fitness tips to follow.

After over a week of glorious sunshine when we all thought that Spring had arrived, Winter and more snow returned on Monday 22nd March overnight and all day on Tuesday when around 30cm of new snow fell at resort level and more up top, making conditions once again, absolutely superb!

All runs down to La Tania are open and the blue run Folyeres has a massive base and is guaranteed to be open until the end of the La Tania season on Sunday 19th April.  Some Courchevel and Meribel lifts close a week later and Val Thorens closes two weeks later.  There will, as usual, be some fantastic April skiing to be had.

The Boulevard des Arolles, the blue run above La Tania leading down to the Bouc Blanc restaurant, is being widened and snow cannons are being installed. It has been re-named Arolles and will be a nice wide piste to make an easier route down towards Plan des Fontaines piste, (green run) leading down to La Tania.

New snow cannons are to be installed on the Bouc Blanc (red run) down to the restaurant of the same name and there are already snow cannons all of the way down Folyeres (blue run) into La Tania village. This will guarantee the route from Courchevel.

There will be a new piste from the top of Pralong and Biollay chair lifts straight down to the Suisse chair lift. The new piste follows a similar route as the old Super Pralong drag lift that was in use a few years ago and was a popular easy off piste run.

A lot more new snow cannons are being installed on both sides of Saulire.