Chamonix Apres Ski Report: 21st March 2008
What a great week! We've had fresh snow, bursts of sunshine and a brilliant day at the Boss des Bosses on Wednesday. This annual inter-resort bumps competition is one of my favourite events of the season – guaranteed to draw a big crowd of competitors and supporters from across the Alps. This year was no exception. With the course moving back to its previous location above the restaurant Plan Joran, spectators could get a bird's eye view of the action from the base of the course and the entire length of the Tabé chairlift. As always, skiing legends Glenn and Kimberley Plake were in team Cham and treated the crowd to some spectacular aerial action and a spot of ski ballet. Oddly enough, Mr Plake seemed to be wearing more make up than Mrs Plake this year…..still you get all sorts at the Boss des Bosses! Zermatt had two chickens skiing for them, Meribel has a very brave girl in a teeny tiny kilt (must have stung when she fell!) and Verbier had Iron Mike, resplendent in the brightest day-glo pink one piece and matching beret that Degree 7 could ever have produced. The tunes were pumping out at the base of the course, the BBQ was in full sizzle and I even witnessed a beer or two being consumed! Well done to everyone that took part and I hope that there were no nasty repercussions from some of the bone crunching wipe outs that took place on the big air jump. There was a unified “Oooooohhh!” on more than one occasion from the crowd when the landings didn't quite go to plan, but thankfully (and incredibly), everyone left smiling and in one piece. You can check out some of the action yourself in Mr Trigell's Video Snow Report and we have the full results are posted in the News.
The after parties of the Boss des Bosses are almost always as entertaining as the competition itself, with the main event and prize giving taking place at La Terrasse. The crowd were spilled right out into Place Balmat as the Juggernaut of Rock played from the balcony and the winning teams accepted their prizes. Le Vert also hosted their own after party later on, which, if the music on the hill was anything to go by, was set to be a cracker.
Coming up this weekend, DJ Pico will be getting funky at Le Vert on Saturday night or you can hear DJ IYE95 vs DJ Skred scratch it out at the Monkey Bar in the 3rd round of their Scratch battle. Also on Saturday, don't forget Blind Poets will be playing their last apres set at Chambre from 5 ish. On Sunday, the FuBar in Argentiere is celebrating “Pants Day” and has an array of prizes for the most stylish showing of underwear! Combine that with the fact there is a mechanical rodeo bull in the bar – don't forget your camera!!
If you're feeling hungover on Sunday then the Clubhouse will sort you out with their roaring fire, comfy sofas and Bloody Mary Buffet (€10) from 8am – 1pm. If that's too early, then they also serving a roast dinner from 4-9pm for €20. Sunday roasts are steadily becoming easier to find in resort as more bars cotton onto the fact that there are usually a lot of hung over Brits around. If you need your weekly dose of meat and two veg then you can also head to Monkey Bar (Sunday Roast €10) and The Office Bar (Argentiere) where they apparently serve a roast with “the best Yorkies around!” for €12. Le Vert also does a good roast option on a Sunday but this week it is their 2nd Birthday party, so I imagine they will be more interested in postponing your hangover rather than feeding it!
If you fancy yourself as the next David Bailey, then the Tourist Office is holding the 3rd International Photocross on Wednesday; a competition open to anyone who enjoys photography. Participants are required to take photos on 5 given themes which have been carefully selected by the organisers. An exhibition of all the entries will set up in Place Balmat on Thursday afternoon where they will be judged and the winners announced at 6pm. See here for more details on how to enter.
As always, you can party every night of the week in Cham if you want, so here are a few more choice events that have caught my eye for the coming week:
“Europe vs the New World” wine tasting at Chachacha on Monday (or Champagne tasting on Saturday), DJ Lisa Unique at Le Garage on Tuesday night followed by their Disco Party on Wednesday; live stand up comedy at the Jekyll on Thursday and finishing off with Ladies Paradise at Choucas (also Thursday) from 11 – 1pm, where for two hours it's ladies only entrance and a Chippendales show. There seem to be some battery operated prizes on offer that night too but I don't know what they mean…..
Anyway, it has been snowing so hard outside my window whilst I've been typing this that I can contain it no longer. So that's it from me for another week and I'm off up the hill!! :O)
Happy Easter!
For a full list of this week's events, check out our What's On Calendar.
You can also find full Bar and Restaurant listings in the Dining and Going Out section of the site.
