Book Your Ski Holiday in France Enjoy the French Alps
Ski in Chamonix, Meribel, Tignes, La Plagne, Courchevel and more
When it comes to skiing, France is one of Europe’s top destinations. It is on the French-Italian border that the Alps, Europe’s greatest mountain range, reach their peak, in the eternal snows of Mont Blanc, at Chamonix. The French Alps offer the broadest range of skiing opportunities anywhere in Europe.
Why are Ski Holidays in France so Popular?
They offer an unbeaten combination of:
A vast choice of ski slopes and ski lifts
Snow quality and depth
A well established sports tourism industry
Over 400 fully equipped mountain resorts
The worlds biggest lift-linked ski areas
The potential for off-trail skiing on virgin snow
A choice of snow-boarding, ice skating and so many other winter sports
No wonder the French Alps are in many respects the worlds leading ski destination! Plan your ski holiday in France now. Compare holiday rental accomodation, prices and book online for booking your Alpine ski holidays.
Ski in the Alps with All the Comforts of Home
It is the French Alps that offer the broadest range of resorts, where the snow conditions are most reliable:
Les Portes du Soleil, (Avoriaz – Morzine) the northernmost area has a dozen resorts, including Avoriaz, the capital of snowboarding; and Morzine, a long-established resort, at an altitude of 1000m, with plenty of facilities for beginners.
Chamonix, in the Savoy Alps, lying at the foot of Mont Blanc, was the original French skiing resort, and for many years has been very popular with skiers from all over Europe. The area around Chamonix and Megve offers the fifth largest skiing area in France.
Les Arcs / La Plagne in the Haute Savoie offer plenty of high mountain skiing, so can usually guarantee good snow.
Tignes / Val d’Isre is a high mountain area, with some 300 km of pistes, many of them over 2,500 metres altitude.
The area of Les Trois Valles (Les 3 Valles), including the resorts of Courchevel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires, is the world’s largest ski area accessible with a single pass.
One of the largest resorts in the Alps, l’Alpe d’Huez offers a wide range of facilities, including plenty of slopes for beginners, and also opportunities for off-piste sking.
With 120 km of pistes, the southern Alpine resort of Isola 2000 is one of the sunniest ski resorts in France, one of the coldest, and also one of those that gets most snow.
There are plenty of other areas in the French Alps, but mostly smaller and for this reason often calmer, sometimes cheaper, and more family-oriented.
Online holiday planning sites can help you find catered chalets and holiday home rentals in favourite destinations such as Meribel, Morzine, Courchevel, Chamonix and Megeve, and in most other leading French resorts too. These can be budget options or fully kitted rental holiday homes with all the amenities and comforts of home like Internet, fireplace, sauna, washing machine and dishwasher.
Your ski holiday in France can be truly memorable and comfortable in every way. Search, compare and book online from a huge selection of Alpine chalets and holiday homes in nearly all the ski destinations in the Alps
Keeping the Happy in the Holidays
Keeping the “Happy” in the Holidays
By Lezlie Cebulski , ND , EFT-ADV
With the season of peace and joy upon us, we busy ourselves with holiday activities such as shopping, cooking, decorating and socializing. While it is an enjoyable time of year for many, extra demands are made of our time, energy and financial resources which can leave us feeling depleted. When we pause to restore balance to our body, mind and spirit, we are able to give abundantly to others without resentment. The following are suggestions to help you feel your best during this holiday season.
1. Limit the holiday goodies. Avoid or reduce simple carbohydrates such as white flour breads, cookies, candy and sugar that can cause mood swings and fatigue. If you find that you are unable to resist sweets, see a holistic practitioner which can investigate the possibility of Candida Albicans, hormone deficiencies or food addictions through lab tests or applied kinesiology.
2. Exercise for a healthier mind, body and stress reduction. If you are medically cleared, plan to do at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.
3. Get adequate sleep each night. If you are sleep deprived, mood swings can easily set in. With holiday preparations, you may feel the urge to work past your usual bedtime. Resist this urge. Get enough sleep and enjoy your family and friends. Note: studies have shown that sleep deprivation is linked with weight gain.
4. Supplement your diet with Vitamin D3. D3 has been found to enhance mood in healthy people during the winter. This is particularly important for residents of Michigan as our winter days are often cloudy without much exposure to direct sunlight. In other studies, D3 was also shown to reduce carbohydrate cravings and the excessive desire to sleep in the winter. Other nutritional supplements should be recommended by a qualified practitioner.
5. Pray daily and connect with God. Take time to celebrate life and give gratitude to God for all things big and small! Appreciating blessings puts the small hassles of life into perspective. Gratitude to God gives us joy and peace. Staying connected to God gives us strength to fulfill our life purpose.
6. Avoid debt. Set a realistic budget for holiday spending and stick to it. Post-holiday credit card debt can fuel anxiety and depression. Make connection, not commerce your goal this season. If you have difficulty controlling your spending, consider a practitioner who can use Emotional Freedom Technique to clear negative emotions associated with money, debt and over-spending.
7. Volunteer. Consider joining a charity work organization. Giving your talent & services to others in need will be as much a blessing to you as it is to them.
8. Avoid, reduce alcohol. While holiday social drinking creates temporary euphoria, alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system. Excessive alcohol consumption creates mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, skin disorders, liver impairment to name a few. If you are drinking excessively, an Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner can help you release negative emotions underlying the urge to drink. A naturopath or holistic practitioner can recommend a nutritional and detoxification program to repair the body and restore function.
9. Keep holiday plans simple and realistic. Communicate needs and expectations. Share chores. Ask for help. Offer to help. Understand that others may be grieving or lonely.
10. Be flexible. Fond memories are recalled by holiday rituals for many people. This is often why they are treasured, such as a pie or casserole recipe. However, there may be holidays in which the family rituals should be changed or temporarily dropped if there is a recent death in the family or divorce. Last year, my beloved father-in-law died suddenly a week before Christmas. We minimized the Christmas decorations and, for a drastic change, we had Chinese food for Christmas dinner. We were able to enjoy our time together that Christmas day, without triggering memories of Christmas past. It was a few hours of grief reprieve. Flexibility was needed and appreciated by all.
11. Resolve inner emotional conflicts. For some people family holiday gatherings bring old conflicts to the emotional surface. Traumatic memories, disappointments, shame, anger and anxiety can be more intense during the holidays. If you find these emotions are decreasing your energy and joy in life or you suspect that they may be behind a physical illness, seek a skilled, intuitive Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner which can help you release negative emotions energetically and provide counseling.
Using the above strategies will help you stay in balance and enjoy this holiday season.
[Top]Ideal Bras for Holiday Party Dresses
With trick-or-treating in the bag, people are starting to gear up for the busy holiday season that’s just around the corner. Buying gifts, attending holiday parties and finding that perfect holiday dress are all on the agenda. And while this time of year can be stressful, attending holiday parties and feeling fantastic in your dressy clothes shouldn’t be.
To ensure that you look your absolute best in your holiday party dress, it’s imperative to choose the perfect bra to wear underneath. Unsightly bra straps, exposed bras that aren’t pretty enough to be shown, strapless bras that fall down, or worst of all – going without any bra at all — are a few of the pitfalls to avoid when choosing lingerie to pair with your dress.
Knowing what lingerie to wear underneath a party dress is a perplexing complication in the shopping process for many women. In fact, some women turn down an otherwise fabulous dress simply because they don’t know what bra to wear with it. But rest assured, finding a great bra doesn’t have to be difficult. The following guidelines will lead you in the right direction toward finding the ideal bra this holiday season.
Straps
If you have a strapless dress, the most obvious and safe choice is a strapless bra. Many convertible bras have removable straps, so you may have one in your lingerie collection already that will work.
Bras that have decorative straps with embroidery or lace can look very pretty showing underneath a strapless dress or under the straps of a dress. The important thing here is to stay with the same color family of your dress. In other words, a black lace bra strap showing underneath a black cocktail dress looks sophisticated – a fuchsia bra strap does not. Likewise, consider the style you are conveying with your ensemble as well as the event you’re attending. If the event is an office party and your overall look is classic and sophisticated, revealing your bra straps may not be the best choice.
Padding
The amount of padding to choose is mainly a question of personal preference. Some women like to feel more natural and opt for a lightly padded bra such as a bralette or other bra with minimal padding. If you are a woman with a petite bust, there are many options available in the Petite Lingerie market that will enhance what you have and make fitting into a holiday dress easier. For point of reference, Petite Lingerie is made specifically for women with AA bra cup sizes, A bra cup sizes or B bra cup sizes.
If you have a petite bra cup size and prefer a bra with more padding for your holiday dress, look for a push-up bra that has padded inserts or “bumps” that push breast tissue up and in, therefore creating maximum cleavage. No matter how padded your push-up bra is, make sure it is comfortable and fits you properly in the cups and band.
Color
When choosing a bra for your holiday dress, it is important to coordinate the bra color with that of your dress. For example, a black bra is likely to show through a lighter color dress. Contrary to popular belief, a nude bra is the best option to wear under anything white, rather than a white bra. The closer the shade of nude is to your skin, the more the bra will disappear under your clothing.
[Top]A Socialites Guide to the Holidays
If December means a calendar fool of obligations then this article is for you. Making it through the holiday season in one semi sane piece isn’t easy, but with these holiday tips you’ll be sashaying from party to party effortlessly and stress free.
Pack Light: While we all know the advantages of having a nice big purse to lug around everything you may ever need at any given time, during the holiday festivities its just not practical. Before the holiday party season gets underway, you should either clean out your over packed purse or buy a cute, compact wallet size clutch that you can carry only the essentials in. What are the essentials you ask? Limit the contents of your purse to some lipstick or gloss, keys, cell phone, and a few other fashion emergency items like clear nail polish and a needle and thread.
Think Ahead: The average adult spends most of the day on the go. Between work, errands, family, and personal needs, there is barely enough time to breath let alone figure out what to wear. The key to lowering the stress often brought on by busy holiday schedules is to plan well in advance. Planning doesnt necessarily mean that you have to try the outfit on weeks in advance, but it does mean you should start piecing together outfits and make lists in your head so you have a point of reference when you hit the stores.
Dress for the Occasion: Are you going to a party inside or outside? Is it a short get together or an all day affair? By asking yourself these questions you should be able to rule out what not to wear to your holiday get together. If youre going to be standing around for several hours, you may want to live the super high ultra skinny heels at home and look for something a little more practical and comfortable. If youre going to be at a party held out doors or in less than cozy conditions, make sure you dress warm and leave your strapless cocktail dress at home on the hanger.
Bring a Gift: If youre going to a gathering at someones house and you are basically enjoying a night of entertainment, food, and beverages all on the hosts bank account, its a good idea to bring a small token of thanks. It doesnt need to be elaborate or expensive. A small bottle of wine or a Christmas decoration is just fine.
Mingle: Holiday parties are a great time to chat with people you don’t normally get a chance to see. When you get to the party, say hello to the host/s, chat with them a bit, and then move on. Not only do you need to make your way around the room, but the individual/s responsible for the party have a million things to do, including speaking to guests. Save the deep discussions for later on in the party when the party has calmed down a bit and your host has time to have a conversation.
[Top]Taking a Holiday in Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is situated on the beautiful Fylde Coast in Lancashire. The town is famous its Victorian heritage, and the town grew in popularity as a holiday destination for the well-heeled folk from the inland towns and cities of the industrial north.
Lytham sits alongside its rather noisier neighbour, Blackpool. Blackpool of course needs no further introduction, apart from to say that in recent years the town has undergone somewhat of a revival. The football team are sitting high in the premiership, and although the efforts to bring the supercasino to Blackpool ultimately failed, the town still has grand visions for a renaissance for much of its more salubrious areas.
But back to Lytham St Annes. The town has long been a haven for the retired, looking to settle down after a working career, in the quieter and refined surroundings of this picturesque place. Lytham is famous for its shopping and boutique stores, as well as its bustling cafe culture. St Annes is more of a holiday destination, boasting a wealth of quality hotels and holiday accommodation.
In particular, many of the St Annes hotels can be found along North Promenade, either side of the old Victorian pier. A lot of the hotels in St Annes cater equally well for families and business functions, although in line with many of the prevailing trends in recent years, many of them have had to move with the times and adjust their service offerings accordingly. A number of them have moved to exploit the wonderful array of golf courses in the area. Others now feature leisure facilities and spa packages.
Local hoteliers understand their market however, and pricing and facilities are always competitive. Hotel owners Lytham St Annes operate in a different environment than their counterparts further along the coast in Blackpool. Blackpool hotels very often rely for their trade in the peak summer months and the illuminations.
Lytham St Annes continues to thrive as a destination for holiday makers and day trippers alike, and with such a fine range of hotels, shops and attractions right on its doorstep, there is no reason why this shouldnt continue for many years to come.
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