Chamonix Apres Ski Report: 18th January 2012

As ever, the live music scene has plenty to offer and there are different bands to choose from every night of the week. On Thursday a few of us headed over to the Jekyll to catch Morgane & Travers in action. The bar was fairly quiet but there was still plenty of ambience thanks to their chilled out sounds and the soulful voice of Morgane; she doesn't look old enough to have such a big voice but she can belt 'em out!

We started the weekend off on Friday night with a few vin chauds by the fireplace in the Vagabond, a cosy little pub with a really friendly atmosphere - a little off the beaten track, it is on the road that leads out of Chamonix towards Les Gaillands but is worth the short walk. After calling into the kebab shop for dinner (so good that one friend has bravely declared, "I'd even eat them when I'm sober") we felt the need to posh it up a bit and headed to the new bar on Rue de Moulin, Les Caves du Pele.

Les Caves du Pele is part of the establishment that is made up by the Cap Horn restaurant and the Cap Blanc sushi bar. All three areas are linked by a staircase but each one is individual and separate, ensuring an intimate atmosphere. Glenn, the lovely doorman, gave us a guided tour and it really is a beautiful building with lots of wooden beams and exposed stonework giving a contemporary Alpine feel without it being in any way "rustic" or "olde-worlde" - not an antique sledge or stuffed marmot in sight. Unfortunately, at this point, my camera decided to retire for the evening, but I'm sure I'll be back again soon so I'll make sure I take photos for you next time. At 7€ for a glass of wine it is not exactly cheap but is a good place to call in for a relaxed drink before dinner in the Cap Horn or one of the other restaurants on the Rue de Moulin.

After all that refined supping it was time to return to our ski bum roots and call into the Terrace for a quick bevvie on the way home. It was in full swing and was packed out with holidaymakers, seasonaires and at least one stag party but it is the kind of bar that can handle a bit of raucous jostling. The house band Rehab were banging out a few tunes and there was a fair crowd of people dancing/stumbling around until the lights came on at 2am - not a great start to the day's skiing I had planned for Saturday but never mind...

Skiing was, therefore, shelved until Sunday when a group of us caught the train to Vallorcine for a day on the Le Tour slopes. The weather was beautifully sunny but Vallorcine is on the shady side of the valley so it is Baltic until the sun hits it later on in the day. A great little spot to warm up with a coffee is the train station cafe at the foot of the ski lift; they also do good lunches for a reasonable price and have a little terrace for when the sun has his hat on. It does get packed out for lunch though, so it's sometimes best to avoid the midday rush hour. The great thing about getting the train to Vallorcine is that it drops you off right by the ski lift (and the cafe) on the way there and on the way back the station is right next to two of Chamonix's best apres-ski bars - Elevation and Chambre 9. We didn't have the energy for a Chambre 9 session (read last week's report to find out why), so we mustered up the strength to lift a few wine glasses to our lips in Elevation instead. The perfect end to a great day.

On Monday I decided that skiing doesn't hurt enough so I would try snowboarding instead. I am still in pain. Me and a snowboarding friend went to the Planards slopes near the centre of Chamonix to swap kit and try to teach each other to ski/snowboard. The Planards pistes are great for beginners as there is an almost flat nursery slope and then a couple of slightly harder ones leading up to a gentle red run, so you can ease yourself in without having to hit the bigger ski areas before you feel ready. After a few hours of tumbling uncontrollably past proficient 5 year olds we decided to treat ourselves to a go on the new and improved luge. The old luge was basically a concrete half pipe that you slid down on a plastic tray, keeping as low as possible so as not to leave parts of yourself on the track. The new one is all shiny and has proper rails and even runs in winter (the old one could only run in warm dry weather without becoming a chariot of doom). The sledges take two passengers each, the heavier person sits in the back and controls the speed/braking stick while the lighter person sits in front and enjoys the view. Kids can ride if accompanied by an adult, see the website for details. The ride only takes a few minutes but is great fun; chugging up the track with stunning views of the mountains all around, then whizzing back down through the forest and hurtling round the bends before coming back to rest beside the foot of the pistes. We got to experience this three times as the man seemed very pleased to have some customers on such a quiet day and wouldn't let us get off. Rides cost 7€ for a driver and a passenger or 5€ if you ride alone, but where's the fun in that?

Coming up this week is more live music such as the talented Daisy B at the Jekyll tonight at 10pm, the awesome Pistey Boys tomorrow 5-7pm at the Savoy Bar in Argentiere (ideal if you've been up Les Grands Montets) and the ever-entertaining Gary Bigham & The Crevasseholes on Friday 9pm at MBC; have a look at our What's On Calendar for more ideas on where to go and what to do this week.

Also on the agenda is the Freeride World Tour, which kicks off this Saturday when some of the best skiers and snowboarders from across the globe will be battling it out for the title of world champion freerider. If you already have a lift pass it is free to watch and is an amazing display of skill and style; the crashes can be pretty spectacular too... The action takes place on the Hotel face at the Brevent, just head up the gondola and ask one of the lifties to point you in the right direction. It's easy to find and in a great spot for spectators.

So, I'm going to limp off now and give this snowboarding malarkey another go - if nothing else, the boots are far easier to dance in than ski boots at silly o'clock in the morning.