February half term is nearly here. For thousands of
But whether you’re heading to the slopes for your annual snow fix or living in resort, here are some time tested tips on how to not only get through one of the most chaotic weeks of the season – but enjoy it too.
For the family heading out to the hills
Firstly, choose Morzine, Avoriaz or Les Gets! Not only are they fantastic family resorts, with brilliant terrain, but they’re insanely close to Geneva airport. This means transfer times are well under the 2 hour mark. When you have kids in the party, this can make all the difference.
Organise as much as you can in advance
The great thing about school holidays is that you know when they are, way in advance. This means you can plan your annual trip with plenty of time to spare, and avoid the inevitable ‘fully booked’ email responses.
Transfers, ski and snowboard rental, ski passes. Your chalet company, or your tour operator will often be able to arrange these so they are ready for you when you arrive, saving time and hassle once you’re in resort.
Our friends at Doorstep Skis will deliver your kit to your door, and take it back from your accommodation at the end of the week – no more trudging through resort with heavy snowboards or skis, and no more smelly ski basements trying on boots.
Most importantly, book your snowboard lessons in advance. School holidays are always busy and lessons are in high demand. Make sure you get the lessons you want by booking them as early as possible.
Packing Essentials
Family packing can be chaos. Try our ‘toes-up’ method for each person you’re packing for to make sure you get to resort with everything you and your family need.
It’s simple: start with your feet, and work your way up until you’re fully dressed with the kit you plan to take.
- Snowboard socks – we can’t stress how important the right socks are
- Boots – of the snowboarding kind but don’t forget boots for walking around the resort
- Thermal base layers
- Salopettes
- Tee shirts to use as under-layers
- Hoodie or riding shirt as a mid-layer for cold days
- Snowboard jacket
- Gloves or mitts
- Neck warmer or face mask
- Goggles – check out the latest Dragon goggles available this season for the best eyewear on the hill
- Sunglasses for apres action – always protect your eyes, snow blindness is no fun
- Beanie
- Helmet
- High SPF suncream and lip balm
Get up early, head to the edge of resort, and bring your lunch
The closer the slopes are to the nearest resort lifts, the busier they’ll be. Our advice is to get up early and head to the outer reaches of the resort where the crowds venture least.
Consider taking an early lunch and enjoy slightly quieter half term pistes while everyone else is sat eating their €20 spag bol. If you have your own picnic, find an awesome view, and stop when you want! You can also look for the green ‘salle hors sac’ icons on the piste map. These are sheltered picnic spots dotted around the resort.
Take a break
Yes, you’re on holiday to go skiing but there’s plenty of other things to see and do around Morzine. Swimming pools, skating rinks and bowling alleys are great for indoor fun. There’s also sledging, paragliding and a whole host of events running throughout the winter. Have a look at the Tourist Information site to see what’s on while you’re here.
For the seasonnaires
The lifts are going to have queues like Disney Land, your favourite bars will be full to the brim, and you’re going to trip over kids in the street.
Our advice? Get some rest. Between extra busy work shifts, half term week is the perfect time to give your body a break, so you’re ready to shred when the crowds die down. Catch up on sleep and hustle for your guests to make a little extra money. Above all, enjoy the down time without feeling the FOMO on the hill.
Heading out over half term? Book your snowboarding lessons with REAL Snowboarding and learn to snowboard the REAL way. Get in touch hello@realsnowboarding.co.uk
Photo credit: @samuelmcahon
It’s a question many of our friends have asked over the years, and it’s something we answer again and again every season so, what, exactly, is a snowboard camp?
It’s everything you’ve come to expect from your favourite winter holidays
Relax, we’ll organise everything. From luxury accommodation, and smooth transfers, to wholesome breakfasts, tasty dinners and outstanding coaching, you just need to turn up.
It’s riding with people stoked on snowboarding
The wonderful folk who choose snowboard camps usually do so for one main reason – they’re completely hooked on snowboarding, and want to get better and better at it.
You’ll be supported to stomp your next trick, you’ll chat with people who know what they’re talking about, just like you, and you’ll share a drink at the end of the day with a shred crew to call your own.
It’s not just park laps
Whilst freestyle riding is a big part of a REAL Snowboarding camp progression takes place all-over the mountain! We spend all season hunting for good side-hits and spots to try new and creative things so you can be sure that you’ll be hitting plenty of fun, varied terrain.
It’s becoming the snowboarder you always dreamed of being
We all remember watching our first snowboard video, and dreaming of the day we’d catch that first floaty grab or charge through an untouched powder field with style. But how many of us actually got there? How many of us stopped ‘learning’ once we could happily cruise around the mountain with our friends?
Joining a snowboard camp is about progression. It’s about taking your snowboarding to the next level and learning to express yourself creatively on your snowboard. Most of all, it’s about having fun.
A REAL Snowboarding camp will establish confidence, progress your riding, and develop your style – guaranteed.
It’s damn good value
We understand that snowboarding is expensive. That’s why we work with selected partners to secure the best deals in resort and deliver an unforgettable week.
Join us for a REAL Snowboarding Camp this winter:
Early Season Camp with Hideout Hostel 12/12/19 – 15/12/19 FULLY BOOKED
Trifecta Camp: REAL x Nidecker x Absolute-Snow 12/01/20 – 19/01/20 ONE SPACE LEFT
REAL Winter Camp 15/03/20 – 22/03/20 FULLY BOOKED
There are few things sweeter than a quick snack on your favourite chairlift. We’re all fond of oat bars for the essential shred energy, but sometimes, we just want a warm, pocket squashed pain au chocolat.
What kind of chairlift snacker are you?
The sweet tooth
Everyone’s best friend on the chairlift, you’ve always got a bag of Haribo stashed somewhere in your jacket to dish out. Smurfs one day, Star Mix the next.
The cereal survivalist
You never leave the house without a cereal bar. Just in case. For you it’s somewhere between a healthy snack and a chocolate bar, the substance you crave to keep hunger at bay between shreds. These’ll last for weeks, so no worry of overstocking your pockets.
The chalet sneak-thief
What’s in your pocket today? Whatever was for breakfast at the chalet, obvs. For most of you, this just means a croissant wrapped in cling-film, but for truly ambitious snackers this can be anything from salopette-scrambled eggs to last night’s tartiflette in a baguette.
The hasty pastry
Danish, croissant, pain au chocolat, apple turnover. It’s all good. Scoffing down a tasty pastry from the boulangerie on the chairlift is your favourite, and best of all, you can quickly brush off the evidence before you get to the top. So why not have two?
The protein pro
SKI. LIFT. SNACK. GYM. EAT. SLEEP. REPEAT. Ever conscious of the delicate balance of protein your body craves, you always make sure to top up with your favourite protein bar on the hill.
The bag-o-baguettes
Overzealous snowboard shop assistants will bore you with technical jargon and the latest trendy
Whatever you munch on the mountain, book your beginner, improver, intermediate, or private lessons with REAL Snowboarding on your next winter holiday to Morzine, Avoriaz, and Les Gets, and learn to ride (and snack) the REAL way.
Simple instruction. Stylish snowboarding.
Book your snowboarding lessons today: hello@realsnowboarding.co.uk
