© ChaChaCha
Chamonix Apres Ski Report: 17th December 2009
Another week and another string of parties, starting off with a very pleasant evening at the Clubhouse last Thursday for champagne tasting, hosted by Winter Sessions and the Penet-Chardonnet vineyard near Reims. Pennet-Chardonnet have been producing premium Grand Cru champagnes for 5 generations and they had a selection of 4 delicious wines for us to try last week, ranging in price from a very reasonable €30 to a top notch vintage champagne for €250 a bottle of which there are only 100 bottles remaining. Their wines have a revolutionary 2D label on the back with a bar code that you can scan with your phone and connect directly to their website. Once there, you can find out a load of additional product information as well as download a classical music soundtrack to set the ambiance for you to enjoy their wine to! Their champagne is now on the drinks menu at the Clubhouse so as well their delicious cocktails you can also enjoy a very nice bottle of fizz for €48 beside the fire this winter.
If you enjoy your wine and are interested in learning more about it, then don't forget that Chamonix has its very own wine merchant – ChaChaCha – located at the end of Ave Ravanel le Rouge, just pass Zero G. As well as having an extensive selection of wines, beers and spirits available, they also hold regular tasting sessions (every day except Thursdays and Saturdays) at 6pm and 7.30pm. The theme of these sessions changes daily, enabling you to discover a wealth of wines from across France and the rest of the world. This week you can try wines from Bordeaux, Languedoc Roussillon, the Jura, local Savoie wine and compare Crémant (a type of sparkling white wine) and Champagne. The tasting sessions only cost €15 per person and for that you get to taste 6 different wines. Naturally the commentary is done in English and the staff in ChaChaCha are really lovely and very knowledgeable so it's a great place to pop in for a quiet glass of wine at their bar or to pick up a bottle to wash down dinner. Open daily from 10am -1pm and 4pm – 9pm.
Pretty much all of the bars are up and running again now, I think it's just Privilege on rue des moulins that is still enjoying a pre-season break. Soul Food burst into life at the weekend and had a very lively crowd spilling out on the street on Saturday night for their opener and Mix Bar has been pulling in the crowds for a couple of weeks now, making rue des moulins a great spot to hit for night out.
Elsewhere in town, South Bar in Cham Sud re-opened for business on Sunday and have got a great live music line up planned for après ski this winter. They will have 3 different bands playing throughout the season, including Jerry from the Balboas, who will be in town from February - really great news those of you who remember their legendary après sets in Chambre 9 in years gone by. Monkey Bar has a big party planned on Sunday as they celebrate their 4th birthday (already??) with drinks promos and a DJ. Their Ladies Nights are also back on again every Monday, where girls can drink all the champagne they can manage for a measly €5! Can't say fairer than that! Fusion restaurant Alan Peru (ave aiguille du midi) had a cracking opening party last night to celebrate the unveiling of their new winter menu – free margaritas and €10 bottles of wine washed down some delicious food and the party was pounding until 4am. As a result, my head is still pounding with the after effects some 12 hours later but it was well worth it and it's great to have Alan Peru open for food again. Cham Sud will definitely guarantee you a lively night out.
The big event this week is going to be the Winter Sessions launch party on Friday night at Le Podium bar, next to the Chamonix ice rink. The Godfather of UK Hip Hop, Rodney P (aka Riddim Killa), is headlining, along with some of the finest DJ talent in the area. There will be 2 rooms of pumping tunes - Room 1: URBAN BEATS with FUNKTION-ONE and DJ's Rodney P, IYE 95 + Skred, G-Funk & Delph; and Room 2: TECHNO HOUSE ROOM with Jimbo Sound Delux and tunes spun by DJ's Luluxpo, Corin Martin, Joe Volpeliere & Locust. Tickets are on sale at Zero G and the Tourist Office and cost €15 with a season pass or €18 on the door. Doors open at 10pm and as with all the Winter Sessions events, the party will keep going til 4am. Don't miss this one!
With Christmas looming ever nearer, Argentiere has a Christmas market on all next week with traditional decorations, craft workshops and local produce in a very festive atmosphere. For younger visitors, there will be a children's Christmas puppet show on Wednesday at 5.30pm in front of the Argentiere Mairie for which entry is free, and then the all important arrival of Father Christmas will take place on Christmas Eve at 5pm outside the Chamonix Tourist Office. Make sure you've got your list at the ready and I hope you've all been good this year!
Don't forget to keep an eye on the What's On Calendar for a full list of events over the winter season. You can also find full Bar and Restaurant listings in the Dining and Going Out section of the site.
