chamonix source magazine - summer '15

c h a m o n i x | m o n t b l a n c

SUMMER 15 - FREE

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Ben Fogle - What makes an adventurer?

Cosmo Jazz FestivalEvergreen Endurance

Project : BASE Human flights forhuman rights

Resort activities, news & eventsTried & Tested local recommendations

issue - 3 summ

er - 14

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#lovechamonix #summerofadventure

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welcome SOURCE AROUND THE ALPS…

Source Magazine started life in Morzine and quickly became the ultimate source of resort information, news and events for the Portes du Soleil. If you’re heading in that direction this summer, look out for your free copy. The Tarentaise resorts of Val d’Isere and Tignes also have their very own issue of Source Magazine too!

Contents

#SummerofAdventure.........................................................................................6

Ben Fogle......................................................................................................................10

Project: BASE ............................................................................................................ 14

evergreen endurance...................................................................................... 16

Mechanised or Motorised............................................................................. 18

Summer BBQ’ing........................................................................................................22

Look Good, Feel Good......................................................................................24

Accommodation Guide......................................................................................27

Chalet Envy, Resolved......................................................................................28

essential events ...................................................................................................30

cosmo jazz festival...........................................................................................32

Claudio Caluori .................................................................................................... 34

Summer Ski Guide ....................................................................................................36

Live Like A Local..................................................................................................... 48

Eat Green .....................................................................................................................40

The TMB........................................................................................................................... 43

Waiting for Winter.............................................................................................. 46

competition...............................................................................................................50

Contributors

Rob PurverSource Magazine Group Editor

RACHAEL STALLWOOD Chamonix Source Magazine Resort Editor

Chloe Hardy

DAN BROMLEY

PHIL SMITH

amie postings

Source Magazine is printed on100% recycled paper.Please recycle this magazine.finished reading?pass it on!

Copyright - Origami Media Ltd 2015Source Magazine is published in the UK by and remains the property of Origami Media Ltd.All material in this magazine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved by Origami Media Ltd.No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers.Dates, information and prices are believed to be correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for omissions or errors.Any correspondence and advertising enquiries should be directed to: [email protected] or visit www.origami-media.comDesign and reprographics by Cuttin Edge Solutions Ltd: www.cuttin-edge.co.uk / [email protected] in the United Kingdom by the Magazine Printing CompanyFront cover graphics copyright Source MagazineMany thanks to the Chamonix Mont Blanc, Offi ce de Tourisme

Welcome to the first issue of Chamonix Source Magazine. Our new bi-annual magazine has been months in the planning and we hope we’ve lived up to your expectations!

Our Chamonix-based team are excited to bring you the most up to date information on what’s new across the Chamonix Mont Blanc valley this summer, both inprint and online at chamonixsourcemagazine.com.On the following pages you’ll find interviews, insightful articles and loads of tried and tested tips from locals to really help you make the most of summer in Chamonix.

This first issue of Chamonix Source Magazine is dedicated to the summer of adventure, and on the pages that follow you’ll find adventurers that come in all shapes and sizes. From TV’s Ben Fogle to downhill World Cup legend Claudio Caluori, from Chamonix BASE jumpers Sam Hardy and Nathan Jones to the team behind the Evergreen Endurance, there’s plenty to inspire you.

We really hope you enjoy the read and we’d love to hear your feedback. In the meantime, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live news, event updates and much more.

Rachael StallwoodChamonix Resort Editor

[email protected]

5your source of information for chamonix, mont blanc


welcome SOURCE AROUND THE ALPS…

Source Magazine started life in Morzine and quickly became the ultimate source of resort information, news and events for the Portes du Soleil. If you’re heading in that direction this summer, look out for your free copy. The Tarentaise resorts of Val d’Isere and Tignes also have their very own issue of Source Magazine too!

Contents

#SummerofAdventure.........................................................................................6

Ben Fogle......................................................................................................................10

Project: BASE ............................................................................................................ 14

evergreen endurance...................................................................................... 16

Mechanised or Motorised............................................................................. 18

Summer BBQ’ing........................................................................................................22

Look Good, Feel Good......................................................................................24

Accommodation Guide......................................................................................27

Chalet Envy, Resolved......................................................................................28

essential events ...................................................................................................30

cosmo jazz festival...........................................................................................32

Claudio Caluori .................................................................................................... 34

Summer Ski Guide ....................................................................................................36

Live Like A Local..................................................................................................... 48

Eat Green .....................................................................................................................40

The TMB........................................................................................................................... 43

Waiting for Winter.............................................................................................. 46

competition...............................................................................................................50

Contributors

Rob PurverSource Magazine Group Editor

RACHAEL STALLWOOD Chamonix Source Magazine Resort Editor

Chloe Hardy

DAN BROMLEY

PHIL SMITH

amie postings



F o r r e g u l a r s u m m e r v i s i t o r s t o t h e C h a m o n i x Va l l e y , t h e a w e s o m e n e s s

o f t h e s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a i s n o s e c r e t . L e s s b e a c h h o l i d a y i n t h e M e d,

m o r e a c t i o n p a c k e d, t h r i l l - s e e k i n g a d v e n t u r e , a s u m m e r h o l i d a y s p e n t

i n t h e m o u n t a i n s i s o n e t o b e r e m e m b e r e d f o r a l i f e t i m e .

To ce lebrate the var iety and qual i ty of the area ’s summer act iv i t ies , we’re dedicat ing th is ent i re issue of Source Magaz ine to the #SummerofAdventure

and we want you to get involved. Whether your s tay is long or short , you have absolute ly no excuse! You’ l l f ind adventure at every turn across our va l ley and we want you to share your exper iences wi th us us ing #SummerofAdventure on

soc ia l media.

I f , l ike Ben Fogle on page 10, you fancy your chances in some of the most adventurous places on earth, consider our l i t t le corner of the French A lps

your t ra in ing ground. We’ve craf ted a #SummerofAdventure scorecard to help you col lec t adventure points , which you can download f rom our websi te and compete for a spot on our leaderboard. Think you’ve got what i t takes? Head to chamonixsourcemagaz ine.com/summerofadventure to get involed. Let the

adventure begin!

1 Point Adventures – how many did you do?

❏ Swim in Lake Passy❏ Ride on the Montenvers Railway❏ Speak French to a local❏ Eat Fondue in a restaurant❏ Complete the circuit at Les Gorges de la Diosaz


❏ Ride on the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi

❏ Go climbing at Gaillands climbing wall

❏ Ride the flume at Chamonix Swimming Pool

❏ Downhill mountain bike on a green run

❏ Go horse riding at The Equestrian Centre

of Mont Blanc in Les Houches


❏ White water rafting on the Arve❏ Hike to Parc De Merlet in Les Houches

❏ Complete the high ropes at the Accro Park des Gaillands

❏ Downhill mountain bike on a blue run❏ Ride the luge at Parc de Loisirs de Chamonix


❏ Hydrospeeding on the Arve❏ Step Into The Void ❏ Hike to Lac Blanc ❏ Downhill mountain bike on a red run❏ Go bouldering in the Aiguille Rouge nature reserve


❏ Tandem parapente flight❏ Canyoning in the Massif des Aiguilles Rouges

❏ Take a guided walk on one of the many amazing glaciers

❏ Complete the Via Ferrata in Passy❏ Downhill mountain bike on a black run

Your Name:

Your Age:

# s u m m e r o fa d v e n t u r e

s c o r e c a r d



S u m m e r L i f t sThe Mult iPass g ives you tota l f reedom to explore the whole va l ley . Use i t to access Brevent - F legere, Grand Montets and Le Tour in addi t ion to l ’A igui l le Du Midi , Les Houches, Les Bosson chair l i f t and the Tramway du Mont Blanc. Passes are avai lable for use f rom 1 to 15 days and can work e i ther consecut ive ly or non-consecut ive ly .

Speci f i ca l ly des igned for those of you wi th a pass ion for b ik ing or paragl id ing, the Pass ’Sports i s for those who only need to go up! Val id for 1 to 5 days, i t inc ludes an unl imi ted number of one-way t r ips up the mountain. You’ l l need to get back down under your own s team but th is shouldn' t be too di f f i cu l t wi th a paragl ider s t rapped to your back!

This i s a subscr ipt ion based, annual pass , g iv ing access to a l l o f the Compagnie du Mont Blanc L i f ts except the Panoramic Mont Blanc. The card g ives you spec ia l dai ly rates and the more you use i t , the more benef i ts you receive. The pass a lso a l lows you to make the most of your t ime in the mountains by sk ipping the queues and g iv ing you every 7th day f ree! Val id for a l l areas inc luding Brevent-F legere, Grand Montets , Le Tour, Les Houches, A igui l le du Midi , Montenver Rai lway and the Tramway du Mont-Blanc.

Y o u ’ l l f i n d a h a n dy s u m m a r y o f C h a m o n i x ’ s s u m m e r l i f t s c h e d u l e o n o u r w e b s i t e , b u t d i d y o u k n o w t h at t h e r e a r e t h r e e g r e at va l u e p a s s e s t o c h o o s e f r o m ?

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For great advice and to book, visit us at 74 Rue du Lyret, near the Chamonix casino

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Summer Activities



M A K E Y O U R H O L I DA Y H O M E W O R K H A R D E R

A N E W R E S TA U R A N T F O R C H A M O N I X S T E P I N T O T H E V O I D R E O P E N S

S A L L A N C H E S S K AT E PA R K R E O P E N S

Cal l ing a l l Chamonix hol iday home owners! Are you consider ing making your property avai lable as a hol iday le t dur ing the winter and summer months? Are you tempted by the revenue i t could generate, but you’re uncerta in where to s tar t?

We’d recommend leav ing i t to the experts a t Chamonix A l l Year . As one of the most t rusted property management companies in the area wi th over 70 di f ferent chalets and apartments on their books,

Chamonix A l l Year prov ide a fu l ly comprehensive serv ice, market ing your property and managing bookings so you don’ t have to l i f t a f inger . They a lso look af ter the housekeeping s ide of th ings, general maintenance and end of season deep c leans, prov iding a hass le f ree serv ice.

“More than 20% of our customers return to Chamonix A l l Year propert ies each year , thanks to the a l l - round serv ice that we prov ide and the qual i ty and c leanl iness

of our property port fo l io . We’re exper ienc ing increas ing demand year on year , part icular ly f rom fami l ies and profess ional adul ts .”Property owners a lso have access to their own pages on the Chamonix A l l Year websi te , f rom where you can manage your bookings, b lock out the dates you require for your own hol idays and keep t rack of your renta l income.

For more information give them acall on +44 (0) 203 384 1801

or email [email protected]

Descr ibed as ‘ funky dining in the heart of Chamonix ’ , we’re looking forward to t ry ing the new 50-seater Bi zes Gr i l l th is summer. The concept at B i zes is very much barbeque, and they promise that a l l meals are prepared us ing f resh, local ingredients which are f ree f rom lactose, g luten and oi l . The wine l i s t looks pret ty tempt ing too! B i zes is open between 11.45am and 3pm for lunch and f rom 6pm each evening. You’ l l f ind the restaurant over looking the r iver in the centre of town – request a terrace table when you book for the best v iews!

For reservations call +33 (0) 9 51 92 25 03.

As soon as i t opened at the top of l ’A igui l le du Midi in December 2013, Step into the Void became one of Chamonix ’s most breathtak ing v is i tor a t t ract ions, earning the t i t le ‘ the highest a t t ract ion in Europe’ . For those who haven’ t v is i ted the g lass box suspended at 3842 meters , wi th s tunning v iews of the highest peaks in Western Europe and the Bossons Glac ier , make sure you add i t to your #SummerofAdventure l i s t ! S tep in to the Void c losed for essent ia l maintenance works in September 2014 but i t ’ s set to re-open in Ju ly th is year!

Ju ly sees the re-opening of Sal lanches ’ skatepark af ter a whopping €190,000 redevelopment and extension.

Located just down the road f rom Chamonix , the new fac i l i t y measures 770 m2 and inc ludes a bowl wi th two pi ts and a s t reet skate area, connect ing the new s i te wi th the ex is t ing skatepark.

There ’s a lso a mixture of modules des igned for a l l abi l i t ies and here at Source Magaz ine we’re pret ty exc i ted by the plans we’ve seen!

Sallanches Skatepark – Copyright – Constructo 2015



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A N E C O R E V O L U T I O N I N T H E A L P S

L I G H T E N Y O U R L O A D W I T H C R E VA S S E C L OT H I N G

This summer work gets under way on a fu l ly ecologica l and susta inable chalet bui ld. Des igned by archi tectural f i rm ECSUS design and us ing s tate of the ar t K ingspan Structural ly Insulated panels , the bui ld ing wi l l be thermal ly ef f i c ient , reducing i ts carbon footpr int s igni f i cant ly .

An a i r source heat pump, fu l l mechanica l exchange sys tem, solar col lec tors for hot water and ra in harvest ing wi l l a lso feature in

the new chalet , which the owners hope wi l l reduce their ut i l i t y b i l l s by up to 40% each year . Consider ing that the construct ion costs are a lso less than t radi t ional bui ld ing methods, bui ld ing th is way in the future seems l ike a no brainer .

Construction begins in September for completion next year. If you’d like to take a

look at the project, contact Steven Downs of ECSUS Design on +33 (0) 6 85 20 48 09.

Has your sk i k i t seen bet ter days? Do you promise yoursel f an upgrade each and every year , and then forget? Is the prospect of shel l ing out a few hundred quid on a new jacket (and that ’s before the pants and goggles!) just too much? A l low us to introduce you to Crevasse Clothing, a unique sk i and snowboard c lothing renta l serv ice.

For just £69 Crevasse Clothing wi l l del iver a Westbeach outerwear set , p lus a pair of goggles to your sk i chalet . Imagine the space sav ing in your luggage too!

Crevasse c lothing is the brainchi ld of Michael Winter ton, who’s been providing c lothing renta l serv ices to music fes t iva ls and s tudent events across the A lps s ince 2010. Michael saw that the cost of k i t was put t ing of f many new sk iers and snowboarders , prevent ing them from even g iv ing the sport a go. The Crevasse serv ice is now avai lable in a l l European resorts .

For more information on Crevasse Clothing rentals, or if you’d like to offer the service to your chalet guests next winter, contact

Michael on +44 (0) 20 328 74740 or +33 (0) 6 95 48 65 68, or visit crevasseclothing.com



10

We were f i rs t in troduced to Ben Fogle in Castaway 2000 – TV ’s or ig inal real i ty ser ies set on the remote, uninhabi ted Scot t ish is land of Taransay. Last ing a fu l l year , th i r ty -s ix men, women and chi ldren were tasked with bui ld ing a susta inable se l f -suf f i c ient community as part of a bold mi l lennium exper iment , f i lming everything themselves a long the way. The Big Brother house th is was not . The community reared their own animals , bui l t a wind turbine and a hydro-electr ic dam, and l ived in tur f covered eco pods.

There was no winner, no pr i ze , and no magaz ine deal a t the end of Castaway 2000. But for Ben, a successful career as a te lev is ion presenter and genuine adverturer beckoned.

A real l i fe adventurer might swim wi th crocodi les , row 3000 mi les across the At lant ic , run 260km across the Sahara Desert or race across the Antarc t ic P lateau. Ben’s t i cked a l l four of f h is adventure l i s t . But what real ly makes an adventurer?

Ben, here at Source Magazine we’re calling this the ‘Summer of Adventure’, which chimes nicely with your quest to find Britain’s next great adventurer. Tell us about your involvement…

I have teamed up wi th Mumm Champagne, Land Rover and Canada Goose to f ind Br i ta in 's next adventurer . I belong to a c lub of adventurers , c l imbers, sa i lors and maver icks who have excel led in the ar t ofadventure and we wanted to help someone else of f the s tar t ing gr id.

( I f you prov ide the winning idea for the compet i t ion, Ben and his team of fe l low adventurers inc luding Bear Gry l ls and S ir Ranulph F iennes wi l l prov ide the expert ise to make i t happen th is year .)

There’s a real appetite for adventure these days, amongstpeople from all walks of life and all backgrounds.What do you think is the catalyst for this?

I th ink that the evolut ion in technology has created an increas ingly s tat ic , cocooned way of l i fe .People are looking for ways to escape the conformity and consis tency of modern day l i fe .

All of your adventures include quite a large chunkof risk. Is risk an important ingredient in adventuretravel? Or is the ‘risk’ part optional?

There is no adventure wi thout r isk . Adventure is merely a form of tak ingyoursel f out of your comfort zone, which inev i tably enta i ls a degreeof r isk . Apart f rom that , i t i s up to the indiv idual to dec ide thedegree of r isk and i t ' s important to manage that r isk throughplanning and preparat ion.

A d v e n t u r e r s a r e t e n - a - p e n n y t h e s e d a y s . E v e r y n e w r e a l i t y T V s h o w s p a w n s a n o t h e r n e w d a r e d e v i l , d e s p e r at e t o m a k e a n a m e f o r t h e m s e l v e s b y d o i n g s o m e t h i n g c r a z y. I f y o u ’ v e w at c h e d J o e y E s s e x i n A f r i c a y o u ’ l l k n o w e x a c t ly w h at I ’ m t a l k i n g a b o u t . D o t h e y i n s p i r e u s ? U n l i k e ly. W i l l t h e y l a s t ? P r o b a b ly.

i n t e r v i e w B y A m i e P o s t i n g s

images - © ben fogle



e v o l u t i o n i n t e c h n o l o gy h a s c r e at e d a n i n c r e a s i n g ly s t at i c , c o c o o n e d

w a y o f l i f e . P e o p l e a r e l o o k i n g f o r w a y s t o e s c a p e t h e c o n f o r m i t y a n d

c o n s i s t e n c y o f m o d e r n d a y l i f e .



12

Many of our readers will be in the mountains as they read this interview, many on family holidays. Having a young family of your own, can you give us your top three adventure breaks with kids in tow?

We just returned f rom a fami ly hol iday in Tanzania. Camping, safar i and epic landscapes. Ludo is f i ve and Iona is three, but they loved i t . I t gave them a l i t t le window into another way of l i fe . We have a lso taken them to Mozambique. They loved the s impl ic i ty of i s land l i fe . I p lan to take them al l to Ice land th is winter , I ' ve just returned f rom there and I fe l l in love wi th the place and the landscape.

When you volunteered to take part in Castaway 2000, did you anticipate that it would be as life changing as it was for you? And do you keep in touch with the others from the island?

I t was the f i rs t of the real i ty shows and I had no idea i t would lead to a l l the opportuni t ies that i t d id. I t ' s 15 years s ince I was marooned. I returned wi th my wi fe for our honeymoon and we had a reunion f ive years ago. Sadly , the is land has s ince been sold.

Of all your amazing adventures, which did you find the most challenging? And which was the most rewarding?

Rowing the At lant ic was arguably the most chal lenging but t rekk ing across Antarc t ica was the most rewarding. I never thought I 'd have the chance to v is i t Antarc t ica and I 've s ince returned to make a documentary about Captain Scot t 's hut .

Do you have any fears? Has there been a time when you’ve thought, ‘nope. That’s a step too far’?

Of course. I would be doing something wrong i f I never fe l t fear . Fear for fear ’s sake but also fear of fa i lure. I am terr i f ied of heights . Jumping out of an aeroplane the f i rs t t ime on my own dur ing a solo skydive was pret ty scary . Scuba div ing wi th wi ld Ni le crocs in Botswana was a lso pret ty nerve wrack ing.

If my other half were about to row 3000 miles across the Atlantic or dive between tectonic plates in Iceland, I’d likely feel a little anxious. How does your wife cope with your thirst for adventure?

Our marr iage is founded on t rust and respect . I proposed to Marina short ly a f ter I had rowed

across the At lant ic so I th ink i t ' s fa i r to say she knew what she was le t t ing hersel f in for . Occas ional ly she wi l l put her foot down. I ' ve suggested c l imbing Everest which didn' t go down wel l !

During the series ‘New Lives in the Wild’ you visited some fascinating places. Did any of them inspire or tempt you? Can you see yourself relocating to the Swedish Arctic Circle, for example? Or farming coconuts in the Philippines?

I 'd love to move to a remote wi lderness. In a l l my t ravels I am st i l l yet to f ind my own wi ld utopia. I have a lways loved Northern Europe and Scandinavia . I have a romant ic idea about bui ld ing my own l i t t le cabin on a Norwegian f jord or a Swedish is land.

Here’s a few facts that our readers might not know about you. You made your acting debut in Hotel Babylon. You have a wax work at Madame Tussauds. What else don’t we know?

I was once in the Royal Navy as a Midshipman of f i cer .

What and where’s next?

I am of f to Cuba, then Laos, Costa R ica, Canada and Botswana. That wi l l take me to June!



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Until recently, wing-suit flying was pretty much unheard of outside the close-knit aerial sports community. For parachutists, jumping from an object that wasn’t a plane was the next logical step in the evolution of their sport. BASE jumping – parachuting from a fixed structure - was born and began to gain popularity and exposure over the ‘80s and ‘90s, establishing a much more ‘extreme’ attitude than its somewhat safer and generally more legal older brother.

During BASE jumping’s rise in popularity, a new and even more extreme method of falling started to appear on the fringes of the aerial extremist society. In 1994 Frenchman Patrick de Gayardon designed, built and flew a prototype fabric wing-suit using the ‘ram air’ design of modern parachutes. His design and his ground breaking flights over the subsequent years - notably the first proximity flight, passing a few meters from l'Aiguille du Midi’s terrace in front of journalists - firmly returned flying-man fame to France. Their previous historical claim to wing-suiting happens to be the first non-mythical flying man on record.

Back in 1912 Austrian Franz Reichelt leapt from the Eiffel Tower in a winged suit. Unfortunately for poor Franz, material science and aerodynamics were still many years from perfection and he made quite a startling, yet somewhat

intriguing mess across the streets of Paris. It also marked the first of many attempts to achieve the godlike feeling of unpowered human flight.

With the pressing need of the everyday aerial extremist to push the boundaries of reasonable behavior, wing-suiting has been adopted all over the world. But since good old Patrick de Gayardon’s early flights, this fledgling sport has been deeply rooted in the Mont Blanc region.

The art of flight in a wing-suit comes down to four things: weight, lift, thrust and drag. There are many designs available, but they generally follow the same basic three-wing design first developed by Patrick; a sheet of material from each hand to hip much like a bird’s wing, and a large triangle of material mounted between the pilot’s feet, joining his legs together, again, not dissimilar to a bird’s tail. Smaller, simple wings would be used for aerobatics and flocking (multiple pilots in formation), while larger examples with complicated ram air systems will typically be used in mountainous environments such as ours. These pressurise parts of the suit and provide the rigid control needed for higher top speeds, better lift and the

generally improved flight

performance needed for the challenging aerodynamic environment associated with proximity flying.

Today the sport, which is still surrounded by an air of danger and risk, continues to gather a huge following with more and more adrenaline junkies progressing to wing-suit flying from other aerial sports like paragliding and speedflying.

PROJECT : BASE

Chamonix is home to a huge number of extreme sports. With great altitudes achievable via the lift system, the valley has always housed a vast number of skiers, mountaineers, climbers and in more recent times, experienced BASE jumpers and wing-suiters, two of which include Sam Hardy and Nathan Jones.



The British-Australian duo share a passion for flight and the two friends work intuitively together in their airborne exploits.

As is generally the case in all high-risk sports, BASE jumping has been subject to some heavy criticism over the years. Project : BASE however, is a program created to help others. Inspired by the exploration of human flight, Sam and Nathan aim to bring support, medical care and education to those less fortunate than themselves by working with charitable causes across the globe. They're using BASE jumping to raise awareness and effect positive change.

Sam and Nathan have worked with charity A Glimmer of Hope to get the project off the ground. They’re now raising money through events and donations, and everything they raise goes towards providing people from disadvantaged areas with basic luxuries, such as clean water and medicine. Several events have already been held in Chamonix with the support of local businesses, who have donated everything fromtheir time to a pair of ZAG skis.

To raise awareness for Project : BASE, the pair produced a video of the first wing-suit high five. They couldn’t have predicted the amount of coverage they would gain from it; the clip went viral and was shown on news channels worldwide. It was then they realised the difference that could be made with the following of a global audience.

MISSION : ETHIOPIA 2015

Jumping in the Simien Mountains, a protected national park in Ethiopia, was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Sam and Nathan, due to the potential disturbance to local wildlife. The pair were shocked by how underdeveloped the country was and were inspired to make a change. Problems gaining the necessary permissions and permits however, continued until two days before jump day. After hours of waiting and deliberating the permission slip was finally issued, the jump was on. Two days later, to raise awareness for the 44.5 million Ethiopians who lack access to clean water on World Water Day, Nathan and Sam would be the first people ever to BASE jump in the Simien Mountains.

With a crowd of around 50 people watching in anticipation, the team stood at

the exit point and waited for the wind to drop.

At 10.30am, just as they’d

planned, the

weather was perfect. Sam followed Nathan on a perfect jump: chutes inflated and the time from jump to landing took just 60 seconds. Once their feet were safely back on solid ground and after some celebratory back slapping, the pair began the hike back to their starting point. Roughly 2000ft of elevation and already at 8000ft above sea level, it wasn’t for the faint hearted. Yet after the world’s first BASE jump in the Simien Mountains, nothing was going to stop the pair from doing it again.

The jump wasn’t their biggest achievement in Ethiopia. Sam and Nathan raised $11,000 to benefit the local communities near to their BASE jump location. The funds were used to construct a water well for the Amhara region, providing clean water for around 350 people. They’ve also been inspired, along with local contact Nick Crane, to raise $1000 so local workers can make wooden furniture for schools and then raise the additional money required to fund the installation of a water well in the town of Miligebsa. It’s incredible to imagine that such a dangerous sport can be used to help desperate communities in some of the poorest counties on earth.

The pair hope to return to Ethiopia in November this year to see the benefits that their project has brought to the people of the Simien Mountains.

If Project : BASE inspires you to help improve the lives of poor communities in Ethiopia, then you can make a donation at projectbase.eu. Here you can also watch videos of Sam and Nathan’s jumps and find out more about the positive changes they’ve made.

image credit - © Hampus Jerkfelt



16

Created by accompl ished athletes Car l ton Rowlands and Bruno Lebeda, the Evergreen 228 wi l l not only be the toughest i ron dis tance t r ia th lon on the planet , i t wi l l a lso cover some of the most beaut i fu l scenery in the A lps, whi le work ing to be the most env ironmental ly responsible event of i t s k ind.

The idea came about in September 2014 when Car l ton, an e l i te t ra i l runner, and Bruno, a l i fe long endurance athlete, had an idea. Too many i ron dis tance events were center ing around large c i t ies wi th a huge lack of scenic routes and s tunning v iews for both the athletes and the spectators . From this point , the ideas began to snowbal l and the pair soon found themselves creat ing an event to r iva l a l l o thers .The careful ly se lected route s tar ts wi th a four-k i lometer swim in the beaut i fu l surroundings and pr is t ine waters of Morz ine ’s Lac Montr iond. The compet i tors then jump on their b ikes for a bruta l 180 k i lometer cyc le , work ing their way through the winding Tour de France terr i tory of Avor iaz , Les Gets , Morr i lon, C luses, La C lusaz , Megéve and f inal ly f in ishing on the long c l imb to Chamonix .

Once arr iv ing at the t rans i t ion point in the Chamonix Val ley , the athletes wi l l undertake a gruel ing 42 k i lometer t ra i l run before cross ing the f in ish l ine at the foot of L ’ég l ise Saint-Michel in the centre of Chamonix . Whi ls t being the same length as any other i ron dis tance t r ia th lon, th is route inc ludes more a l t i tude gain than any other t r ia th lon around the wor ld, making i t a tes t of mental abi l i ty , as wel l as phys ica l s tamina.

The course is not only the toughest in the wor ld, i t ’ s a lso the f i rs t to address the environmental i ssues that concern the A lps at the moment. Incorporat ing the local counci l , race organisers and a profess ional env ironmental audi t , a comprehensive plan has been establ ished to reduce the environmental impact of the event on the surrounding area. This proact ive approach of fsets the event ’s carbon emiss ions and promotes a much-needed responsible take on event management.

T h e F r e n c h A l p s a r e a m e c c a f o r e x t r e m e s p o rt s o f a l l k i n d s , f r o m i c e d i v i n g t o w i n g - s u i t f ly i n g a n d d o w n h i l l m o u n t a i n b i k i n g t o g r a s s s k i i n g . I f i t ’ s e x t r e m e , s o m e o n e h a s n o d o u b t t r i e d i t i n t h e A l p s . A l p i n e fa v o u r i t e s s u c h a s r u n n i n g , r o a d c y c l i n g a n d l a k e s w i m m i n g a r e n ’ t t h at h a r d c o r e b y c o m p a r i s o n . T h at w a s o f c o u r s e u n t i l t h e y w e r e i n t r o d u c e d t o a p i o n e e r i n g n e w e v e n t - T h e E v e r g r e e n E n d u r a n c e 2 2 8 , s e t t o h a v e i t s f i r s t o u t i n g t h i s S e p t e m b e r .

The Evergreen 228’s green credentials include:

• Being a completely paperless event

• Using alternative energy from renewable sources

• Using organic, locally sourced produce for

fuelling stations

• Actively encouraging fundraising for

environmental charities.

Using the motto ‘Hammer the race… Leave no trace’,

Evergreen Endurance are educating competitors

and spectators in a proactive fashion, which is quite

literally a breath of fresh air!

B y r a c h a e l s t a l l w o o d

1 2 & 1 3S e p t e m b e r



W h e r e t o w at c hWith a race that t ravels such a huge dis tance, there are a lmost too many places to watch f rom, but here is our pick of the best spots to catch the act ion…

T h e S w i m - L a c M o n t r i o n dFor the best spot here you wi l l have to arr ive ear ly . The swim inc ludes two laps of the lake wi th an Austra l ian ex i t , which means the best spot to catch a l l o f the act ion is a t the entry and ex i t point a t the western end of the lake. From here you won’ t miss any of the act ion, especia l ly the important t rans i t ions where races can be won or lost .

T h e C y c l e The in i t ia l s tages of the cyc le wi l l pass through Avor iaz and down to Morz ine. A great p lace to watch the bikes pick up speed wi l l be the swi tchbacks of Route d ’Avor iaz . From here Mori l lon, C luses, La C lusaz , and Megéve wi l l a l l catch g l impses of the athletes through the middle s tages of the r ide.

Passy and Vaudagne see the f inal few c l imbs in the Chamonix Val ley and make excel lent v iewing spots as the athletes push on through to the f inal s tages. In the centre of Chamonix you can f ind the t rans i t ion point on the parapente landing f ie ld below the Brevent cable car .

T h e R u n - C h a m o n i xThe run works i ts way through the woody t ra i ls beneath the cables of the Aigui l le Du Midi cable car . Cont inuing up, the route becomes a t rue test of determinat ion as the athletes reach the Montenvers Rai lway, which a lso makes an excel lent v iewing point . From here, they begin the descent back down into the town v ia the P lanards beginner sk i s lope. And as i f th is wasn’ t gruel ing enough, they must complete th is loop twice before f inal ly f in ishing by the church, r ight in the heart of Chamonix . This i s where you can cheer these extraordinary and, no doubt , knackered compet i tors across the f in ish l ine.

image credits - © David Powell

for more information on the evergreen endurance

visit: evergreen-endurance.com



18

That ’s a l l changed of la te , wi th every large car manufacturer throwing investment money into the e lectr ic sector . The need for a greener car industry and the probable death of foss i l fuels over the next century has led to great improvements in technology. This means electr ic cars are not only a pract ica l and re l iable means of t ransport , but they ’ re pret ty fas t , too. Perhaps inev i tably , th is surge of development and innovat ion has now shi f ted into the bicyc le wor ld.

I f you’re not fami l iar wi th the new breed of e-bike, here ’s a quick catch-up. E-bikes come in many var iet ies but for the purpose of th is feature, we’ l l be mainly referr ing to the enduro s ty le of b icyc le .

Current ly the largest growing sector of the bike industry , enduro bikes are the exact mid-point between a t radi t ional cross country mountain bike and a big , bur ley downhi l l b ike: long t ravel suspension and knobbly tyres , but re lat ive ly l ightweight and easy to pedal . Enduro bikes are des igned to go up, across and down the mountain. In other words, perfect for r id ing of f - road around these parts .

The ‘e ’ par t of i t comes wi th the addi t ion of an e lectr ic motor , bat tery pack and a l i t t le bundle of control e lectronics . I t doesn’ t qui te work in the same way that an e lectr ic car would - you don’ t press the accelerator and of f i t goes, for example. That ’s c lassed as

‘power on demand’ . Instead, an e-bike has a pedal ass is t motor , meaning that the motor boosts every pedal s t roke you make. In an a lpine environment, i f you were to r ide up a re lat ive ly s teep hi l l , you’d only need to put in the same amount of energy as i f you were r id ing a long a f la t or gradual inc l ine. I f you’ve ever t r ied to pedal up one of the re lat ive ly s teep hi l l s around here, th is might seem l ike a mighty f ine idea indeed.

The ‘e lectronic ass is t ’ par t makes a l l the di f ference in i ts c lass i f i cat ion. Current ly , i f an e-bike is l imi ted to 200watts and the pedal-ass is t cuts out over 25km/h, i t fa l l s in to the ‘pedelec ’ c lass . So rather than being a motor ised vehic le ( i .e . a motorbike) , i t ’ s a mechanised vehic le , thus fa l l ing into the same category as a b icyc le . This i s where a l l o f the benef i ts , most of the compl icat ions and a n ice big wedge of controversy or ig inate f rom.

There are two di f ferent arguments concerning electr ic b ikes r ight now; one to do wi th i ts on-road legal i ty and safety , the other to do wi th access r ights and t ra i l damage, but they bothessent ia l ly come down to one th ing…

I s i t a m o t o r b i k e ?There ’s a lot of weight on e i ther s ide of the fence. To compl icate matters fur ther , the e-bike has taken a couple of cr ippl ing blows in the US. They are now banned in New York Ci ty center due to a s teep r ise in acc idents . The dec is ion is widely heralded as being a short s ighted kneejerk react ion by cyc l ing groups a l l over America. Bet ter educat ion, improved cyc le lanes and t raf f i c management would have been a more sensible way to deal wi th the problem. But wi th people disappear ing under busses on an a lmost dai ly basis , i t ’ s easy to see why the blanket ban was enforced. A s imi lar ban has a lso been introduced in the Moab desert in Utah, as misuse by some users and a t rend of modi f ied

I f y o u l o o k b a c k a c o u p l e o f y e a r s , t h e e l e c t r i c b i c y c l e w a s a l a u g h a b l e c o n c e p t . I n g e n e r a l , a n y k i n d o f e l e c t r i c v e h i c l e w a s a b i t r u b b i s h .

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bikes wi th h igh top speeds forced the local author i t ies to c lass them as a motorbike. Is th is another example of a se lect few ruining i t for the major i ty? Maybe, but i t ’ s a c lear demonstrat ion of how th is rapidly growing technology is fa l l ing outs ide the current legal f ramework for two wheeled vehic les .

For the moment, e lectr ic b ikes are here to s tay . A c i ty e-bike is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and your t ravel b i l l s for commuting. People who would usual ly never get to exper ience r id ing a Tour de France c l imb can now nip up and down two in a s ingle day. But then there ’s the restr ic t ion for us mountain dwel lers of France, where motor ised vehic les are banned of f - road at over 1000m al t i tude. The f ines are hef ty i f you get caught r id ing a motorbike at

a l t i tude wi thout the correct paperwork. However, a downhi l l bike - essent ia l ly a motorcross bike wi thout an engine - wi th an e lectr ic motor s t rapped to i t , i s current ly legal everywhere. Confus ing.

Would I buy one? Yes, most def in i te ly . And I ’d happi ly r ide i t up and down the mountain a l l day long. Not that can af ford one.

F O RI t ’ s s t i l l h u m a n p o w e r e d . W i t h o u t p e d a l i n g , n o f o r w a r d m o m e n t u m i s a c h i e va b l e . I t ’ s a b i c y c l e .

T h e y a r e g r e at f u n , p r o v i d i n g a l l t h e j o y s o f c y c l i n g w i t h a h e a v i ly r e d u c e d w o r k l o a d . Y o u w o n ’ t f i n i s h y o u r d a y a s f r e s h a s a d a i s y e i t h e r ; i n s t e a d o f d o i n g y o u r u s u a l 1 5 k m r i d e y o u m i g h t d o d o u b l e t h e d i s t a n c e . S m i l i n g t h e e n t i r e w a y , o f c o u r s e .

T h e y a l l o w a c c e s s t o p e o p l e w h o w o u l d n ’ t u s u a l ly b e a b l e t o c y c l e i n a m o u n t a i n o u s e n v i r o n m e n t . A s s o o n a s y o u l e a v e t o w n y o u ’ r e p r e t t y m u c h d e s t i n e d t o g o u p h i l l a n d t h at ’ s n o t p o s s i b l e f o r e v e r y o n e . E s p e c i a l ly i f y o u ’ r e n e w t o c y c l i n g , o l d e r o r y o u n g e r , o r i n s o m e w a y p h y s i c a l ly l e s s - a b l e . I t ’ s b r i n g i n g c y c l i n g t o t h e m a s s e s l i k e n e v e r b e f o r e .

I t ’ s a n e c o l o g i c a l ly f r i e n d ly w a y t o t r a v e l , e s p e c i a l ly w h e n r e c h a r g e d v i a a r e n e w a b l e e n e r gy s o u r c e .

T h e y e n c o u r a g e p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y , a d v e n t u r e a n d e x p e r i e n c e . I f a l i t t l e b i t o f b at t e r y - p o w e r e d t e c h n o l o gy i s c a p a b l e o f g e t t i n g s o m e o n e o u t a n d a b o u t a n d b e i n g a c t i v e , t h e n i t ’ s n e v e r a b a d t h i n g .

I t s e e m s u n fa i r t o c o m p l a i n a b o u t a s m a l l e l e c t r i c m o t o r , w h e n t h e e n t i r e s p o rt o f d o w n h i l l m o u n t a i n b i k i n g i s b a s e d o n u s i n g l a r g e e l e c t r i c m o t o r s t o t r a n s p o rt p e o p l e u p h i l l ( t h e l i f t s ! ) .

A G A I N S T I t ’ s a m o t o r b i k e .M o t o r + b i k e = m o t o r b i k e .

T h e y a r e fa s t : e l e c t r i c b i k e s a r e e a s i ly c a p a b l e o f o u t - a c c e l e r at i n g s o m e s m a l l e r e n g i n e m o t o r b i k e s a n d n o l i c e n s e , i n s u r a n c e o r h e l m e t i s r e q u i r e d . A d i s q u a l i f i e d d r i v e r c a n j u m p o n o n e w i t h n o l e g a l i s s u e s at a l l .

I t ’ s c l a i m e d t h at t h e e x t r a t o r q u e a n d s p e e d w i l l c a u s e d a m a g e t o t r a c k s a n d t r a i l s . A n e - b i k e i s e a s i ly c a p a b l e o f d o i n g 2 5 k m / h u p h i l l o f f - r o a d . T h at ’ s a d i f f i c u l t s p e e d t o m a i n t a i n o n a t r a d i t i o n a l m o u n t a i n b i k e .

I n m o u n t a i n b i k e a r e a s a c r o s s t h e g l o b e t h e r e ’ s b e e n a d e c a d e l o n g s t r u g g l e f o r a c c e s s t o t r a i l s . M o u n t a i n b i k e r s h a v e f e n d e d o f f w a l k e r s , h o r s e r i d e r s a n d m o t o r c y c l e s t o t r y a n d g a i n e x c l u s i v i t y o r e v e n l e g a l i t y f o r c y c l i s t s t o u s e c e rt a i n a r e a s . O n ly t o t h e n h a v e t h at u n d e r m i n e d b y e l e c t r o n i c , m o t o r e d c y c l e s .

A c c i d e n t s a n d c o l l i s i o n s a r e m o r e l i k e ly t o o c c u r a n d w i l l , m o s t l i k e ly , b e m o r e s e r i o u s w h e n t h e y d o h a p p e n d u e t o t h e h i g h e r s p e e d s i n v o l v e d . I n e x p e r i e n c e d c y c l i s t s a r e a b l e t o t r a v e l f u rt h e r a n d fa s t e r , c r e at i n g a r i s k t h at n e v e r e x i s t e d b e f o r e .

I t ’ s c h e at i n g . I t t a k e s y e a r s o f t r a i n i n g t o b e a b l e t o r i d e s o m e o f t h e t o u g h e r r o u t e s i n t h e A l p s . W i t h m u c h l o w e r f i t n e s s l e v e l s r e q u i r e d, p e o p l e w h o ’ v e n o t e a r n e d i t a r e a b l e t o g e t a n y w h e r e a n d e v e r y w h e r e .

E - b i k e s a r e e x p e n s i v e t o b u y a n d t h e b at t e r i e s a r e n o t p a rt i c u l a r i t y e c o l o g i c a l ly f r i e n d ly t o p r o d u c e o r d i s p o s e o f . O n c e t h e p r i c e c o m e s d o w n i n a f e w y e a r s t i m e t h e y w i l l , n o d o u b t , b e c o m e m o r e p o p u l a r , l e a d i n g t o m o r e t r a i l d a m a g e , m o r e a c c i d e n t s a n d g e n e r a l o v e r c r o w d i n g o n t r a i l s t h at a l r e a dy s u f f e r e n o u g h u n d e r n o r m a l b i k e u s e .

L e t ’ s t a k e a l o o k at t h e f o r a n d a g a i n s t a r g u m e n t s …



Do I th ink the legal s i tua t ion wil l remain the same? No way. With the next generat ion of motors and bat ter ies boast ing an 80km+ range and derestr ic ted top speeds of over 50km/h, i t ’ s unl ike ly that the level of motor ised fun wi l l s tay unregulated in the mountains. So i f you’re going to do i t , do i t now.. . whi le i t ’ s s t i l l legal .

So where do the big brands s tand on the future of the e-bike? We asked Sara Burdon, Market ing and PR Manager at Lapierre Bikes for her v iews…

“E-bikes are the biggest growth market wi th in the bike industry , and we see th is t rend cont inuing for a whi le . A t f i rs t , many r iders

were skept ica l about e-bikes, part icular ly e-MTBs. People were worr ied that they weren’ t ‘ real ’ b ikes and that they ’d see damage to t ra i ls . In real i ty th is hasn’ t been the case. What we’ve seen has been a rapidly increas ing adopt ion of the new technology. People who don’ t r ide regular ly are now get t ing into bik ing, and real is ing they can r ide wi th f i t ter f r iends and fami ly . Older guys are able to carry on wi th their group r ides, and perhaps most important ly in our t ime-strapped l ives , we can go fur ther fas ter ! The luncht ime or af ter work r ide suddenly got eas ier to achieve. In terms of commuter e-bikes, they are a vast improvement over using a car to get to work, making them an

environmentally sound investment.France and the UK are a long way behind countr ies such as Germany in terms of e-bike sa les , but we are s lowly moving upwards. As the technology is improving, more and more people are turning to e-bikes to get around town or to get out into the hi l l s . I f i t gets more people out and about and exerc is ing, then that ’s a good th ing.” Now you’ve heard the arguments for and against the e-bike, we’re sure you’ l l want to take a look at one for yoursel f .

There are several types of motor systems avai lable for the of f road e-bike, but the most cr i t i ca l ly

acc la imed is the new Bosche Performance System, which is heralded as being among the best . One such bike that features the sys tem is the new Lapierre Overvol t FS 900.

The fu l l suspension Overvol t would be a formidable mountain s layer wi thout the addi t ion of e lectr ica l ass is tance. Add the extra boost ga ined f rom a Bosche motor sys tem and you real ly have got a ‘go anywhere ’ b ike. With Shimano hydraul ic d isk brakes, Rockshox suspension and the new standard 27.5 inch wheels , the components and bui ld qual i ty eas i ly match the motor ’s performance.

TheOvervolt

900 FS

I t ’ s c h e at i n g . I t t a k e s y e a r s o f

t r a i n i n g t o b e a b l e t o r i d e s o m e o f t h e

t o u g h e r r o u t e s i n t h e A l p s . W i t h m u c h l o w e r f i t n e s s l e v e l s

r e q u i r e d, p e o p l e w h o ’ v e n o t e a r n e d

i t a r e a b l e t o g e t a n y w h e r e a n d

e v e r y w h e r e .

image credit - © Nicolas Brizin 26.in



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T h e B e g i n n e r s G u i d e T o S l a c k l i n i n g

Fancy giving it a go? Here’s the Chamonix Source Magazine beginners guide to Slacklining.

1. Choose Your Line Carefully - There are a few choices out there but Gibbon is by far the most popular. You can pick up their Classic line for around €50 and although beginner lines tend not to have so much bounce, they’re great for getting the basics down.

2. Pick Your Spot - There are plenty of places to choose from locally. Rocks dotted around the town are already set up with holds, or simply pick two trees the correct distance apart.

3. Setting Up - The shorter your line, the more stable it is, making life easier when you’re just starting out. Between four and six meters is a good starting point. Have a play around with the tension, you’ll soon find out if there is too much sag. As you improve, allow a little more slack to encourage bouncing.

4. Mounting The Line - Getting on the thing, or ‘mounting

the line’ is usually the first challenge for beginners. The trick is to stay as close to one of the anchor points as possible, where the line is most stable. The closer to the centre point of the line, the more lateral movement and inevitable wobbles.

5. Walk The Line - Once you’ve found your balance (which may take a while) its time to walk the line. This essentially comes down to walking whilst balancing. Hold your arms out to the side and look ahead. You’re on your own from this point! Practice as much as you can and it will come eventually!

6. Up Your Game - Once you’ve got the basic technique down, there are a few directions you can take your new found skillset. Go higher, longer or more exposed. Setting your line across a raging river, a 2000m fall or a pit of flaming spikes is sure to increase the adrenaline factor several fold. But we don’t recommend trying any of those until you’re very confident, aware of your abilities and have set up suitable safety precautions. Another direction is to learn some tricks. There are a great many online ‘how-to’ videos that can point you in the right direction!

Where to Slackline in Chamonix…

Giallands Climbing WallOne of the most popular p laces to s t r ing up a l ine, especia l ly i f you have f r iends that enjoy c l imbing on the wal l .

Passy LakeYou’ l l f ind t rees galore to choose f rom. And when i t a l l gets a b i t too much for you, jump stra ight in the lake for a cool down!

Servoz ForestFor those who are a l i t t le more exper ienced on the s lack l ine, we’ve spied a great spot for a h igh l ine just by the boulder ing point in the woods. This i sn' t one for the fa int hearted and extra gear is needed to keep you safe!

Arveyron Boulder, Les PrazTucked away in beaut i fu l Les Praz , th is i s the or ig inal spot where c l imbers would gather for a spot of boulder ing. I t a lso makes a great spot to set up a l ine away f rom the madding crowds!

The Crémerie, ArgentiereAt the top of the va l ley th is sec luded spot i s a l i t t le more di f f i cu l t to f ind, making i t much more l ike ly that you’ l l be able to pract ice in peace. Head up the Grand Montets home run towards the Crémerie Restaurant , a short hop across the r iver and head on into the woods. F ind i t in the c l imbing guide ‘Crag C l imbs In Chamonix ’ .

You’ll likely spot them practicing between trees on local forest trails or progressing on the shores of the lake. Slacklining isn’t new but it’s certainly becoming more popular around chamonix.

Similar to a tightrope, a slackline is a tensioned piece of material strung between two objects (trees are popular locally!) with the purpose of walking along it. It’s a great physical and mental workout, improving balance, posture and concentration, while being very good fun to watch! Experienced slackliners even use their line’s flex to bounce and perform tricks, as you might on a trampoline; albeit a particularly skinny one.



C h i c k e n a n d V e g g i e S k e w e r s w i t h C a p t a i n ’ s M a r i n a d e

C a p t a i n ’ s M a r i n a d eA small lump of fresh ginger, peeled and gratedThe juice and zest of 3 l imes100ml spiced rum2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander2 tbsp brown sugar½ tsp nutmeg2 tbsp ol ive oi l3 tbsp coconut milk½ red chi l i pepper (spice depending), f inely choppedSalt and pepper

Mix al l the ingredients together in a large sealable container ready for the meat and vegetables.

F o r t h e s k e w e r s :Large wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least an hour1 courgette1 red pepper1 yel low pepper1 t in of pineapple chunks8 button mushrooms, stalks removed2 chicken breasts for meat skewers

Chop the veg and chicken into bite s ize pieces and cover in the Captain’s Marinade, then store in the fr idge for at least four hours or overnight. Load up your skewers ready for the barbecue and save the remaining marinade to pour over the skewers as they are cooking.

Pa r m e s a n a n d G a r l i c C o r n :50g butter2 garl ic c loves, crushed2 tbsp Parmesan cheese4 cobs of corn

Soften the butter and mix with the garl ic and Parmesan.Spread evenly over the cobs and season with salt and pepper. Gri l l unti l cr ispy.

W i t h t h e s u n s h i n i n g a n d t h e s u m m e r u p o n

u s , w e ’ v e p u t t o g e t h e r a t a s t y b a r b e c u e s e l e c t i o n t h a t y o u c a n p r e p a r e a n d e n j o y a n y w h e r e . I t c a n b e c o o k e d i n t h e c o m f o r t o f

y o u r o w n h o m e , g r i l l e d o n a b a r b e c u e i n y o u r

g a r d e n o r c a r r i e d u p a m o u n t a i n a n d b a k e d i n a

f i r e p i t o n t h e s u m m i t .

B y t h e c h a l e t h o s t c o .



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T a n gy R e d C a b b a g e a n d A p p l e C o l e s l a w :¼ red cabbage, core removed and f inely chopped1 large apple, grated2 carrots, grated1 small onion, f inely diced

D r e s s i n g :100g Greek yoghurt2 tbsp maple syrup¾ tsp Di jon mustard 1 ½ tbsp cider vinegar1tbsp lemon juice

Mix together al l the ingredients for the dressing, then pour over the red cabbage, carrot, apple and onion mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

C i n n a m o n R i c e : 200g long grain r ice1 cinnamon st ick2 spring onions100g frozen peas500ml vegetable or chicken stock

Roughly chop the spring onions and fry in a pan with the cinnamon st ick and a l i t t le ol ive oi l on a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in the stock, r ice and peas then bring to the boi l , put a l id on and simmer over a low heat unti l the r ice has absorbed al l the l iquid and is cooked through, st i rr ing regularly.

C o r i a n d e r a n d L i m e Y o g h u rt :1 l ime250g natural yogurtA bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped.

Mix the juice and zest of your l ime and coriander into the yogurt and season with a l i t t le salt and pepper. Enjoy!



24

We al l know that i t ’ s important to protect ourselves against the e lements in the winter , but i t ’ s just as important in the summer, especia l ly i f you l ike get t ing outdoors and away f rom c iv i l i sat ion. Summer can be a t r i cky season to dress appropr iate ly for . While i t ’ s usual ly warm and sunny, you never know when bad weather might s t r ike. Mountain weather can be temperamental so i t ’ s a lways good to be prepared for a surpr ise thunderstorm or two.

You' l l want to be prepared for every eventual i ty , but pack ing l ight i s s t i l l key ; a f ter a l l , who wants to be hunkered down wi th a coat and umbrel la when i t ’ s 30 degrees outs ide?

Versatility is another important element - in the winter most of us have just one set of ski pants and one jacket to keep us warm. There are many more activity options in the summer, so it ’s great to have a good few multi-use items to hand.

I t ’ s not as important to pay so much at tent ion to which fabr ics you’re buying in the summer, but the same moisture wick ing mater ia ls used in winter base layers can be just as handy.

Whether you’re sweat ing in the heat , jumping in lakes or get t ing caught in a thunder s torm, fas t dry ing fabr ics wi l l get water away f rom your sk in so you don’ t get co ld and dry in record t ime.

M a k e s u r e y o u h a v e e v e r y t h i n g y o u n e e d w i t h o u r p i c k o f t h e b e s t p r a c t i c a l s u m m e r e s s e n t i a l s !

E S S E N T I A LN O . 1


T h e Pa c k a b l e R a i n c o at

T r a i l R u n n i n g S h o e

Patagonia - £90/€120Men’s Torrentshell Pullover

Adidas - £110/€150women’s Terrex Agravic Windreaker

Perfect i f you’re s tuck in the middle of nowhere when i t s tar ts to ra in. Rain coats are no longer bor ing or bulky , yet both of these jackets are non- insulated so you won’ t overheat . Both jackets pack into the chest pockets so they can be eas i ly s tored. Rain coats are great mul t i -use i tems, and can be useful in every sport f rom running to gol f , or even just for popping to the shop in the ra in. They ’ re a summer wardrobe staple i f there ever was one!

Trai l running shoes are a great al ternat ive to h ik ing boots , especia l ly dur ing hot weather . They make use of fas t dry ing and breathable mater ia ls to combat ra in, mud or extreme heat - the Nikes even have a Gore-Tex upper for protect ion f rom the ra in. They have super gr ippy soles for running when i t ’ s muddy and they ’ re a lso super l ight which wi l l help keep your feet cool when i t ’ s real ly hot .

Adidas - £95/€128Supernova Riot 6

Nike - £100/€135women’s Zoom Wildhorse

b y c h l o e h a r d y






T h ed a y p a c k

O u t d o o r A c c e s s o r i e s

t e c ht e e

dakine - £70/€95Dakine Nomad 18L Backpack

mizu - £15.95/€21.50Stainless steel water Bottle

sweaty betty - £35/€47Athlete Tank

hershal - £85/€115Little America Backpack

opinel - £8/€10no. 8 Stainless Steel Pocket knife

ice breaker - £60/€81Short Sleeve Terra Firma T

Orig inal ly des igned for b ik ing, the Dakine Nomad Backpack is a go anywhere, do anything bag wi th a breathable back panel and s traps to minimise backpack-shaped sweat marks. I t a lso has removable wais t s t raps which are perfect for use on a bike, and a removable hydrat ion sys tem, holding up to three l i t res of water . The Herchel L i t t le America Backpack, whi le not being as technica l , has a lot more space at 23L and is great for chucking a l l your s tuf f in for a day out walk ing or going to the pool or lake.

Reusable water bot t les are awesome, especia l ly when they look as good as these! Save on recyc l ing by ref i l l ing th is one whenever you get a chance. Just chuck i t in your backpack and s tay hydrated a l l day! Keep th is super handy Opinel fo ld-up pocket kni fe in your backpack - i t ’ l l be great for p icnics and any other sharp implement necess i ta t ing problems you might run into.

Look cool and feel cool in th is l ightweight , mois ture wick ing vest which wi l l make you look great partak ing in any act iv i ty f rom hik ing to yoga. The same goes for th is l ightweight mer ino t -shir t f rom Icebreaker – i t wi l l keep you cool , dry and looking good a l l day. And don’ t forget that mer ino doesn’ t s t ink so you won’ t have to wash i t as of ten!



Where did you begin your pathway to becoming a yoga teacher?

I l ived in Canada for several years working at a massage therapist. I ’d always practiced yoga from a young age, but I felt I wanted to share my passion for the discipline. I also found that massage and yoga went well together due to their spiritual nature. Following yoga back to its original roots, I visited Northern India, where I began my teaching course in Mac Leod Gang. Eventually I progressed further on an intensive course in Goa, Southern India. Since that time I have studied many different types of yoga in many places across the world. There is always something new to learn.

Yoga has a strong following in Chamonix. Why do you think that is?

Yes, more and more people are visiting Chamonix to practice yoga. It fits so well with every other sport and in a place like Chamonix, where people are constantly pushing their physical abilities to the limits, it is very important that bodies and minds are relaxed and ready in preparation for the next challenge.

There are many yoga teachers in Chamonix - I think the mountains draw us to this beautiful place. I believe that yoga is a real passion but it should also be shared in a safe way. If it ’s not practiced correctly, it can do more damage than good.

In summer 2014 Blanche established the Chamonix Yoga Festival to celebrate yoga in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Its first year was hugely successful, with followers travelling from across Europe, America and India to join in.

Why do you feel the festival was so successful in its first year?

As well as being an utterly amazing place to hold such a spiritual event, we welcome everyone. The Chamonix Yoga Festival is open to everyone from beginners to experts and children to adults. Everyone is welcome to come and experience what we have to offer.

As well as the Chamonix Yoga Festival, Blanche has her hands full with Rando Yoga. This is a new concept and comes from a love for practicing yoga outside.

What is Rando Yoga?

Yoga is something that should allow you to open your inner senses. Our Rando Yoga group meets at 8.30am and with a group no bigger than fourteen people; we normally take one of the lifts from the valley floor and walk to the morning practice spot. After this we hike until lunch, which is a selection of local, organic produce. Free time follows, where we can offer a meditation class if desired.

I wanted people to experiment with the beauty they have around them and everywhere they go after.

There are so many things on offer to people in Chamonix during the summer season. Rando Yoga is a great way for people to combine two activities and make the most of their time here in the Chamonix Valley.

You’ll f ind more information on Chamonix’s Yoga Festival at chamonixyogafestival.com and more details on Blanche’s Rando Yoga sessions at chamonix-yogarando.com.

I t ’ s e a s y t o i m a g i n e w h y s p i r i t u a l d i s c i p l i n e s s u c h a s y o g a m i g h t b e p o p u l a r i n C h a m o n i x a n d a c r o s s t h e A l p s . I n t h e s h a d o w o f M o n t B l a n c , w i t h s t u n n i n g s c e n e r y t o i n s p i r e , B l a n c h e d e M a r i o n h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a l o ya l l o c a l f o l l o w i n g , h a v i n g b e g u n h e r y o g a j o u r n e y at t h e a g e o f s i x t e e n . T w e n t y y e a r s o n , B l a n c h e i s h e l p i n g o t h e r s t o f i n d p e a c e a n d r e l a x at i o n . i n t e r v i e w B y r a c h a e l s t a l l w o o d



Chalet Bibendum

Chalet Bibendum for up to 8 guest in 4 en-suite bedrooms. Open year-round! The spacious open l iv ing area is divided by an impressive f ireplace and connected to a ful ly equiped kitchen and dining area. Sunny exposure with 360-degree breathtaking views of the Mont Blanc Massif . Hot tub, sauna, garden, lounge terrace. Catered, self-catered or B&B options avai lable.

WEB: chaletbibendum.com

TEL: +33 (0) 6 80 65 23 46

EMAIL: [email protected]

Caprice des Neiges

An exquis i te a lp ine chalet wi th log f i re , sunny terrace, hot tub and garden, just a short s t ro l l in to town and to the Brevent l i f t s ta t ion. 4 spac ious bedrooms s leeping 8. Chamonix A l l Year is the leading accommodat ion prov ider in Chamonix . Don’ t set t le for second best , book your dream chalet wi th Chamonix A l l Year

WEB: chamonixallyear.com

TEL: +44 (0) 203 384 1801


BlackRock Ski Lodge

BlackRock Sk i Lodge is a luxury chalet for your winter and summer hol iday. Owners L i z zy and Paul Mercer can arrange a l l you need a l l year round, so you can s i t back and enjoy your hol iday. One hour f rom Geneva A irport , the chalet s leeps up to 18. A l l rooms are en-sui te , 3 doubles/twin rooms, and 3 fami ly rooms s leeping 4.

WEB: blackrockskilodge.com

TEL: +33 (0) 6 71 34 72 02


Chalet Union

Gorgeous bout ique chalet s leeping 8-11 in 4 en-sui te bedrooms wi th landscaped gardens, sunny terrace, gas BBQ, log f i re and hot tub. Less than 10 minutes walk f rom Chamonix centre. Chamonix A l l Year is the leading accommodat ion prov ider in Chamonix . Don’ t set t le for second best , book your dream chalet wi th Chamonix A l l Year .


TEL: +44 (0) 203 384 1801


Chalet des Cimes

A luxury 5 bedroom chalet just a short walk f rom Chamonix s leeping up to 10 wi th a beaut i fu l pr ivate garden fac ing Mont Blanc. Sunny terrace wi th hot tub. Chamonix A l l Year is the leading accommodat ion prov ider in Chamonix . Don’ t set t le for second best , book your dream chalet wi th Chamonix A l l Year


TEL: +44 (0) 203 384 1801


Chalet Amelie

Chalet Amél ie is a magni f icent chalet of recent bui ld located in Les Bois - one of Chamonix 's most prest ig ious areas. Spl i t over 4 levels , wi th exposed woodwork and mountain v iews throughout , the chalet has been careful ly des igned to combine t radi t ional character wi th modern features, of fer ing an incredible mountain exper ience. The chalet s leeps up to 17 people in 8 bedrooms.

WEB: mountain-base.com/chalet-amelie

TEL: +33 (0) 4 80 80 61 91 or +44 (0) 20 7099 5727


La Source

Nest led above Chamonix and of fer ing panoramic v iews of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix va l ley . S ty l i sh modern design throughout , wi th 4 en-sui te bedrooms and a sunny terrace leading down to the hot tub. Chamonix A l l Year is the leading accommodat ion prov ider in Chamonix . Don’ t set t le for second best , book your dream chalet wi th Chamonix A l l Year .


TEL: +44 (0) 203 384 1801


Chalet 715

Chalet 715 is a 7 bedroom, fu l ly s taf fed, fu l ly catered chalet , s leeping groups of up to 15. With a large centra l l i v ing space, a luxur ious 8 seater jacuzz i and s tunning v iews of Mont Blanc, Chalet 715 is the perfect sk i hol iday chalet for groups of a l l k inds! A i rport and in-resort t ransfers are inc luded.

WEB: ftxholidays.com

TEL: +44 (0) 333 555 1901


Blaitiere 1

Situated on the ground floor, Blaitière 1 is a spacious 3 bedroom apartment which blends modern and traditional styles. The Blaitière building is superbly located with many of Chamonix's facilities within walking distance. There are four other Mountain Base apartments in the residence, which gives larger groups of up to 32 members an option to be in the same building.

WEB: mountain-base.com/blaitiere-1

TEL: +33 (0) 4 80 80 61 91 or +44 (0) 20 7099 5727




M o s t o f u s c a n o n l y d r e a m o f s t a y i n g i n S i r R i c h a r d B r a n s o n ’ s

e x c l u s i v e s k i l o d g e i n V e r b i e r . W i t h i t s o p u l e n t i n t e r i o r s a n d

i n d u l g e n t f u r n i s h i n g s , t h e w h o l e s p a c e i s a t h i n g o f p u r e

l u x u r y . B u t g u e s s w h a t … i t ’ s n o w p e r f e c t l y p o s s i b l e t o c r e a t e y o u r

o w n l u x u r y l o d g e f e e l w i t h o u t t h e b i l l i o n a i r e b u d g e t .

Hannah Al len spent 8 years renovat ing, set t ing up and managing The Lodge on behal f of S i r R ichard, sourc ing unique,

high qual i ty furnishings. A long wi th business partner Sal ly Ingham, their company Chalet Shop now makes beaut i fu l

inter iors and chalet suppl ies avai lable to everyone.

Here, Hannah and Sal ly have se lected 8 beaut i fu l productsto br ing a touch of lodge l i fe to your own home or business.

A l l are avai lable on the Chalet Shop websi te at sensiblepr ices wi th internat ional del ivery avai lable too.

Here ’s some of our favour i tes…

Y o u ’ l l f i n d m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n a l l t h e s e i t e m s a n dm a n y m o r e a t c h a l e t - s h o p . c o m

B y c h a l e t s h o p

Indigo Drop Crockery Col lec t ion – From £13.50“At The Lodge i t was important to di f ferent ia te between the more casual meals and formal d in ing. This lovely range of handmade ceramics creates a homely feel , i t ’ s perfect for the breakfast table or af ternoon tea”

F ires ide Set - £110“The image of a roar ing wood f i re spr ings to mind when you pic ture any sk i chalet . S toke your f i re in s ty le wi th our des igner f i res ide accessor ies range”

Si lver Sculpture Wal l L ights – From £250.50“The S i lver Sculpture range is both beaut i fu l and unique. I t ’ s been a popular f in ishing touch in several of our c l ient ’s sk i chalets across the A lps”

Champery Ceramic Hook - £13“These character fu l ceramic hooks are perfect for adding some colour to your boot room - and they ’ re pract ica l too!”



Contemporary Table Tennis / Dining Table - £2459“We love th is modern ping-pong table, i t ’ s the perfect addi t ion to any chalet games room or terrace! I t ’ s perfect for chalets that are short on space as i t can be t ransformed into a contemporary d ining table!”

La Rochel le Lanterns – From £36“The atmospher ic , gent le l ight ing created by candle l ight i s a s t rong feature in luxury chalets across the A lps. The unique rope deta i l adds a rust ic charm to e i ther an indoor or outdoor space”

Cowhide Foots tool – From £500“We s imply love th is e legant cowhide foots tool . I t can a lso be used as a cof fee table and Chalet Shop customers can choose their exact cowhide to create the exact look they ’ re looking for”

Mont Blanc Col lec t ion – Luxury Egypt ian Cot ton Bedding – From £30.50“Exc lus ive to Chalet Shop, th is l inen is des igned and made inI ta ly and chalet guests a lways comment on how luxur ious and specia i t feels to s leep in.”



30

1865 et l'Age d'Or de l’Alpinisme1 June - 30 September

Throughout the summer of 2015 Chamonix ce lebrates the 150th anniversary of mountaineer ing. 1865 marked the beginning of a Golden Age for c l imbing across the A lps and i t was a lso the year that 65 of the f i rs t ascents were conquered. Chamonix wi l l pay t r ibute to the mountaineers , guides and ar t is ts of the Golden Age wi th a program of exhibi t ions, memoria l c l imbs, events , f i lms, conferences and book publ icat ions.

The Arc’Teryx Alpine Academy 12 - 14 June

Alpine enthusiasts f rom around the wor ld gather in the home of mountaineer ing in order to sharpen their technica l sk i l l s and learn f rom the best mountain guides. For more informat ion and to s ign up for A lpine Academy courses be sure to v is i t arc teryxacademy.com.

Fete de Musique21 June

The Summer Sols t ice marks a celebrat ion of music across France and the t radi t ion cont inues in Chamonix . Fete de Musique br ings together both profess ional and amateur music ians in the s t reets of Chamonix , creat ing a unique atmosphere that wi l l l i tera l ly have you dancing in the s t reets !

Mont Blanc Marathon26 - 28 June

During th is weekend of intensive complet ion, s ix events wi l l take place inc luding the mass ive Mont Blanc 80km, the chal lenging Mont Blanc Vert ica l KM and the Mont Blanc Mini Cross for young aspir ing athletes . Spectat ing is lo ts of fun too!

Music en Stock Festival - Cluses1 - 4 Ju ly

Just down the va l ley in C luses th is fantast ic f ree concert p lays host to some amazing ar t is ts . In the past we’ve seen c lass ic bands such as the Stereophonics and John But ler Tr io . This years is no except ion wi th Black Rebel Motor Cyc le C lub headl in ing on the Thursday evening and former Smiths gui tar is t and Morr issey co-songwri ter Johnny Marr on the Fr iday evening.

Yoga Festival3 - 5 Ju ly

Yoga really is something for the whole family and this festival is a relaxing and peaceful experience for beginners and gurus alike. Teachers and students come from far and wide to bask in the spiritual environment of the Mont Blanc Massif.

World Climbing Championships9 - 12 Ju ly

The Internat ional Federat ion of Sport C l imbing comes to Chamonix . Over four days on the P lace Du Mont Blanc you’ l l see a range of d i f ferent events featur ing athletes of a l l ages and abi l i t ies . The speed c l imbing f inals and technica l c l imbs are cer ta in ly not to be missed!

Chamonix Ultra Golf11 - 12 Ju ly

The Ul t ra Gol f de Chamonix is a mass ive 54-hole compet i t ion played over two days by teams of two. I t takes place at the Gol f de Chamonix in Le Praz and features three rounds of 18 holes in order to f ind the winning team!

Cosmo Jazz Festival25 Ju ly - 2 August

An incredible 9-day fest iva l , br inging you music f rom across the g lobe in beaut i fu l outdoor locat ions around the Chamonix Val ley . See page 32 for more detai ls .

Tour des Fiz 26 Ju ly

With three di f ferent courses to choose f rom, over 1000 athletes arr ive in the va l ley to compete in one of the events . This i s a great opportuni ty to explore the outsk i r ts of Chamonix as the races take part in the nearby by town of Servoz on the Rocher des F i z mountain.



Fête des Guides de Chamonix15 August

Establ ished in 1821, Chamonix Guides Company is both the oldest and the largest guide assoc iat ion in the wor ld. Fête des Guides ce lebrates the incredible achievements of mountain guides past and present and hosts a ce lebratory evening at Gai l lands Cl imbing Wal l in their honour.

Trans Savoie Big Alpine Enduro23 - 30 August

The Trans Savoie Endurance Race is an epic adventure that requires sk i l l , f i tness and mental determinat ion. Star t ing in Val D'Isère, the race t raverses the A lps for s ix days , f inal ly f in ishing in Chamonix .

Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc24 - 30 August

With f ive di f ferent races to choose f rom, th is event pul ls in athletes f rom across the g lobe. The UTMB i s a 170km race wi th around 10,000 meters of pos i t ive a l t i tude gain. Athletes must have pre-qual i f ied us ing a points sys tem and they cer ta in ly deserve a cheer as they cross over the f in ish l ine!

Evergreen Endurance Triathlon12 - 13 September

Premier ing th is year is an environmental ly consc iousiron dis tance t r ia th lon to beata l l o thers .

Evergreen Enduranceis the f i rs t event in the va l leyto take act ion to reduce i tscarbon footpr int and i t takes place across some of Europe’s most beaut i fu l scenery . Read more about the Evergreen Endurance on page 16.

Classic Car Tour Du Mont Blanc12 - 13 September

Watch hundreds of c lass ic v intage cars l ine up for a 400km grand tour of the Mont Blanc Mass i f .

Local Produce Market Saturday 08:00 - 14:00

You’ l l f ind Place du Mont Blanc f i l led with local and regional s ta l ls se l l ing

great f resh produce inc luding a range of del ic ious cheeses, f resh f ru i t , vegetables

and breads as wel l as some amazing pasta f rom just across the border in I ta ly .

MBC Brunch Fr iday 12:00 - 14:00,

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 - 14:00

You might have a l ready ventured to the Micro Brewery Chamonix (MBC) to tas te

their fantast ic home brews. Each weekend they a lso of fer a del ic ious brunch menu,

ranging f rom eggs benedic t to hearty bagels , th is i s a great p lace to f i l l up

before a days h ik ing or b ik ing!

Open Mic Night, Bardup Monday 22:00 - Late!

A r ight of passage for any budding music ian in Chamonix . Be prepared, as

the performances can vary f rom the good, the bad and occas ional ly the ugly ! I t ’ s

always good fun on a school n ight !

Taco Tuesday Monkey Bar - Tuesdays

This weekly event does exact ly what i t says on the t in! You’ l l f ind tor t i l la chips and

tacos galore at Monkey Bar in Chamonix Sud, p lus f rozen margar i ta p i tchers to wash i t a l l down. Don' t mind i f we do!

Les Houches Farmers Market Wednesdays 16:00 - 19:00

Hosted on Route du Pont in Les Houches, look out for the s ign post Le Pain du

Chibon and here you’ l l f ind a great l i t t le market fu l l o f great local produce.

Live Music From James Dolan Thursdays 22:00 - Late!

The gui tar is t and Bastards of Rock legend takes to the s tage solo to bel t some

awesome c lass ics in Bardup. I f that wasn' t enough of a reason to show up, i t s a lso

‘Genepi Jeudi ’ !

Keep up to date on all of Chamonix’s great summer events at chamonixsourcemagazine.com



As well as being all about the music, the festival is a fantastic celebration of human exploration and adventure in the amazing landscapes Chamonix has to offer. It takes place over what the organisers refer to as ‘three different moments’: Concerts In Altitude, Apero Jazz and Cosmo Jam.

Both the Apero Jazz and the Cosmo Jam take place at different venues in the heart of Chamonix town, check our website for details on the various artists and set times. The Concerts In Altitude offer a

completely different and unique experience: great music in iconic and beautiful venues, all atop different mountains.

Chamonix offers some of the most epic and beautiful scenery in Europe, if not the world, so you don’t need an excuse to venture out and explore the local area. But if you do need a reason, the opportunity to listen to world-class jazz music in a world-class location makes this an event not to be missed. Here’s our guide to Concerts In Altitude.

Now be warned! The venues of these concerts are intentionally off the beaten track and may require that you put your best foot forward and get some kilometers under your belt. The hike will be well worth the effort to experience the music in such an isolated and beautiful environment.

Montenvers Concert In Altitude

You should all be familiar with one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chamonix, the Montenvers Railway. What might surprise you is that up in a secluded little corner behind the Glaciorium, you’ll fi nd a perfect little spot to host a concert!

The hike up takes around two and a half hours and starts from the Planards beginner ski slope, a fairly steep start! If it continued like that the entire way, many people wouldn't make it up there, but don’t despair! It only maintains that gradient for around 15 minutes. Once the path winds off into the forest, it all becomes far more enjoyable with regular breaks in the trees and many opportunities to take amazing photos of Brevent and Flegere. A great little spot, Caillet Refuge, marks the halfway

point; here you can fuel up if you need to with a cold drink and a snack. Don't get too comfortable though, you’re still only half way. Best get a move on or, before you know it, time will have caught up with you and you’ll be urgently sprinting for the top!

Once you reach Montenvers, fi nd a little spot in between the shrubbery and the rocks to sit back, relax, and enjoy the music.

Barrage D’Emosson Concert in Altitude

Just across the French-Swiss border lies a small town perched on the edge of the Finhaut cliffs, almost in the shadow of the ultra-impressive Emosson Dam. For this one, you can pull out all the stops and cycle from Chamonix, or if it’s a relaxing day you’re after we might suggest catching the train!

The cycle tour is a beautiful one and promises some amazing views, as well as some long and enduring climbs.

The tour is a 70km round trip and begins by climbing the Col De Montets above Argentiere. Once at the top of the Col you are in the heart of the Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Aiguilles Rouges.

b y r a c h a e l s t a l l w o o d

T h e C o s m o J a z z F e s t i va l c e l e b r at e s i t s 6 t h b i rt h d a y t h i s s u m m e r . R u n n i n g f r o m 2 5 t h J u ly u n t i l 2 n d A u g u s t , t h i s i s a f r e e , n i n e d a y m u s i c s p e c t a c u l a r n o t t o b e m i s s e d ! J a z z i s a b r o a d t e r m , a n d t h e f e s t i va l a lwa y s p r o m i s e s a w i d e r a n g e o f m u s i c w i t h a c t s f r o m a c r o s s t h e w o r l d . e v e n t h e b i g g e s t J a z z s k e p t i c s w i l l b e a b l e t o f i n d s o m e t h i n g t h e y l i k e . L a s t y e a r s a w C h i c a g o ’ s H y p n o t i c B r a s s E n s e m b l e , S w i s s d u o G r a n d P i a n o r a m a x a n d I s r a e l i E s t e r R a d a g r a c e s t a g e s t h r o u g h o u t C h a m o n i x , a n d e v e n t h o u g h y o u m a y n o t h av e h e a r d o f t h e m , w e c a n p r o m i s e y o u t h e y ’ r e v e r y g o o d !

© Christophe Boillon - http://www.flickr.com/photos/boillon_christophe



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Rachael StallwoodChamonix Resort [email protected]

Source target.pdf 1 14/05/2015 14:41

+44 (0) 1225 [email protected]

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It’s a stunning reserve where you can often spot chamois as you pass through. After this you will descend into Vallorcine and into Switzerland, so don’t forget your passport! The final climb begins just after you turn off to the left, following signs for Barrage d’Emosson. It is uphill from this point onwards so remember to pace yourself. The concert will give you time to recover, but remember to take plenty of water and food to fuel up before the long ride home.

Brevent Concert in Altitude

There are several routes to choose from to get the concert at the top of Brevent. The easiest route would involve taking the cable car, but in our opinion that would take away half the fun. Instead we suggest taking the most difficult option and hiking the famous Kilometer Vertical (KMV)! Named the KMV for somewhat obvious reasons, this route is part of the Mont Blanc Marathon weekend.

But seeing as this is a more leisurely

affair, hiking the trail rather than racing it is a reasonable way to get up there. Just watch out for those keen people who like to run it, as they will often sneak up behind you and the pathway can be narrow in places.

Following the switchbacks up, this hike provides spectacular views, especially of the impressive Mont Blanc range. However, if you’re not one for heights, this route may not be for you as the home straight to the Brevent cable car turns into more of a vertical scramble, at some points requiring ropes, cables and artificial foot holds.

Don’t worry if you don’t fancy the long hikes or never ending bike rides, you can always find an alternative easier route! The Montenvers Railway runs at least every hour and the cable cars run constantly up to Plan Praz for the concerts at Brevent. So there’s really very little reason for you to not get up there and enjoy some beautiful music in a beautiful location. Plus, it’s free!



34

i n t e r v i e w B y r o b p u r v e r

But who is Claudio Caluori?

Hello Claudio, how are you doing?

RUNNING! And loving it.

You seem to be the busiest man in

mountain biking. We count four jobs!

are there any more?

Pizzaiolo (pizza maker) for my friends and my kids! And I am also now co-commentator with Rob Warner for the UCI Downhill World Cup series this year. Oh, it is going to be fun!

How did you get into the DH course

previews?

I was asked if I wanted to do them for Crashed Ice first. After a couple of years, when Red Bull took over the World Cup coverage, I asked them if they wanted me to do the same for DH as well. And they did!

What’s been your favorite track to

preview so far?

Mont Sainte Anne in 2014. I sang a full section

of Monkey Wrench by the Foo Fighters, but they wouldn’t put it online because they were scared of legal trouble due to music rights.

What do your responsibilities for the

Gstaad-Scott team include?

It ’s my team, so I guess everything is my responsibility. But I do have really good people making my life easier: Cyril Lagneau from France taking care of the sportive aspects, and Ben Vergnaud as the head mechanic taking care of the bikes and the Black Pearl (our team bus).

If you’ve never watched a downhill mountain bike World

Cup race then you are missing out . It ’ s a fast , action packed emotional roller coaster with

enough jumps and crashes to have a firm grip on your attention,

even if you’re not into racing or you know nothing about bikes .

While researching for th is interv iew I s tumbled on a race resul t l i s t ing f rom the 1999 UCI Mountain Bike World Championship. I t reads l ike a ‘who’s who’ of ‘90s mountain bik ing: Shaun Palmer, Rob Warner, Br ian Lopes, Wi l l Longden… they a l l featured in posters on my wal l in the mid ‘90s. And there a longs ide them on the resul ts l i s t i s C laudio.

He’s been on the mountain bike scene for a whi le, and has worked his way up to a rather

comfortable posi t ion as team manager of the newly formed Gstaad-Scot t Downhi l l Team. Claudio is responsible for keeping Br i t i sh r ider Brendan Fairc lough and American Neko Mulal ly point ing downhi l l and going for podiums dur ing th is year ’s World Cup.

He’s a lso the founder of Velosolut ions, the Swiss company responsible for the internat ional ly renowned Champéry World Cup t rack, the epic uber-pump track in Zur ich and

many other mind-bendingly progress ive t racks , t ra i ls and pump tracks around the wor ld.

So that ’s two fu l l t ime jobs for C laudio, p lus the downhi l l course prev iews, AND the course prev iews for Red Bul l Crashed Ice - another sport which is wel l worth your at tent ion i f you’ve not seen i t .

He ’s busy and mult i - ta lented. We should probably f ind out what he ’s got to say .

O n e o f m y f a v o r i t e p a r t s i n a n y W o r l d C u p o r W o r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p r a c e i s C l a u d i o C a l u o r i ’ s

c o u r s e p r e v i e w . W i t h s t y l e , e n t h u s i a s m a n d a w h o l e l o a d o f c o m e d y , S w i s s - b o r n C l a u d i o g i v e s

a r u n n i n g c o m m e n t a r y o f t h e r a c e t r a c k w h i l s t r i d i n g i t . M o s t o f t h e t i m e i t a p p e a r s t o b e h i s

f i r s t r u n d o w n t h a t p a r t i c u l a r t r a c k a n d i t ’ s g e n u i n e l y h i l a r i o u s v i e w i n g .



Luckily, the riders are responsible for the results!

Neko and Brendan both have very

different riding styles, it seems. How

do you think they’ll do this season?

The different styles were one of the reasons I wanted to get Neko on the team, I believe that both of them can learn from each other. A fast teammate is what Brendan needed, and I think he’s got one now.

No girls on the team this year?

We had to focus on the two guys for this year, and we’ll think again after one or two seasons about getting a junior or a woman back on the team. We wanted to start fresh and small, to raise the performance level on the team, and then add a new rider once the training environment is perfect.

who’s your money on for the

series this year?

You mean, apart from myself?! I think Neko will smoke them all.

Could you explain to our readers

briefly what Crashed Ice is all about?

The sport is a mix of ice hockey and boardercross. Four guys racing head to head on a downhill ice track, with jumps and berms. Take a closer look at redbullcrashedice.com where you can watch some of the races.

No offense, but you don’t seem as

stable on skates as you do on a bike.

How did you find yourself on those,

quite frankly, terrifying courses?

And are they as brutal as they seem

on TV?

YES they are! And that’s why I don’t seem as stable as I do on a bike! I played hockey as a kid for nine years before I started racing bikes, so when Red Bull showed me a video of Crashed Ice, I told them: get me in there! I went back on the ice after 16 years and trained for three months to get ready for the first race. That was one of the scariest things ever!

Would you rather do a dh track on

ice skates or an ice track on a bike?

With long enough spikes, it would definitely be easier to do an ice-cross track on a bike. It ’s been done several times, too. But maybe we should invent suspension for ice skates?

I’m sure most of our keen readers

have at least heard of the Champéry

downhill track, seen Danny Hart’s

famous World Championship winning

run in the wet in 2011, or even had a

go themselves. It’s a monster of a

track, super tight and so steep we

could barely walk down it. How was

it to build?

You know, when the organiser asked me to build a track on that mountain, at the first site inspection my dog wouldn’t walk down the hill because it was so steep! I asked the organiser if there was another mountain that we could use instead. His answer was ‘it ’s this one or no one, and if you don’t feel capable of doing it, I ’ l l f ind somebody else’. So, in fact, I didn’t want to make it as hard as possible, I just tried to find a possible line down the hill, and add some fun to it. We built it f irst for the World Cup in 2007 but it wasn’t quite perfect back then. We learnt from it and rebuilt it for the World Cup in 2009, and I think we got it pretty good for that one. We also built a hiking trail along the race track, so that spectators could actually walk up and down.During the first construction in 2006, the digger driver actually got so scared that he got angry at me, jumped out of the machine and left. Luckily, he was back the next morning!

Pump tracks seem to be your main

business these days. And what pump

tracks they are! Some of our readers

might not be aware of what a pump

track is. Could you explain the basic

principles of them and how yours

have improved on the traditional

models?

Pump tracks are modern playgrounds for everybody. They consists of one or several combinable loops with rollers and berms. The riders pump their bike through those rollers and berms to accelerate, faster and faster. Experts

can jump and clear several of the rollers without having to pedal even once. We’ve improved pump tracks by paving them and coming up with unique designs. The pavement opens up the track to more than just bikes. Skateboards, inline skates and scooters can all be used on a paved track, rain or shine, and you won’t even need to reshape it after the rain. The Crashed Ice racers have started using our tracks for their training too. You could even ice them up and ride them on ice skates!

after many months of campaigning

and a lot of fundraising, SALLANCHES

should have started on its new

skate park by the time this issue goes

to print. As we have a huge cycling

population, a pump track seems like

an obvious addition. Any ideas on

how we could convince the town to

build one of your tracks here?

Show the town how many different people use pump tracks. Show them how professionals, amateurs, kids and grandpas all use the same pump track and how they love it. Show them it ’s a place for people from all sorts of backgrounds to meet and have fun together. Show them how a pump track is used way more intensely than any tennis court or soccer field. If they’re interested, you know, Chamonix is not that far away, I ’ l l come over and we’ll get it started!

And finally Claudio, what are your

top tips for any young racers in

chamonix looking to up their game in

downhill (or ice skating!)?

Live your passion, do what you love to do!Everything else will follow.

Thank you for your time, it’s been a

pleasure. Next time you’re in the area,

please can you do a course preview

of one of our tracks for us?!

Maybe a secret one!



36

RESQSKI half page Source.pdf 1 14/05/2015 10:52

Tignes, FrOpen 21/06 - 03/087.30am to 1.15pmOne day lift pass: €34Drive time: 2h 40min distance: 148km

Les Deux Alpes, Fr Open 21/06 - 30/087.15am to 12.30pm One day lift pass: €37.50Drive time: 3h 10mindistance: 270km

Zermatt, ch21/06 - 19/10 8.00am to 3.00pm One day lift pass: 82CHFDrive time: 2h 20min distance: 144km

Cervinia, ita28/06 - 07/09 8.00am to 3.00pm One day lift pass: €44Drive time: 1h 45 mindistance: 110km

Les Diablerettes, chOpen 04/04 - 11/119.00am to 4.40pmOne day lift pass: 62CHFDrive time: 1h 40mindistance: 95km

Saas-Fee, CHOpen 19/07 - 31/107.00 / 8.00am to 12.00 noon

One day lift pass: 70CHFDrive time: 2h 20min distance: 140km

Tignes

Les Deux Alpes

Zermatt

Cervinia

Les Diablerets Saas-FeeI t may wel l be summert ime here in the mountains, but that doesn’ t mean we’ve put sk i ing and snowboarding out of our minds. The best way to avoid the rusty feel ing we get f rom such a long summer break is to sneak in a cheeky bi t of s lope t ime somewhere in the middle.

Glac iers are usual ly l imi ted in s i ze , so you’re unl ike ly to want to spend a whole week sk i ing, as you would in winter . Instead i t ’ s best to t ie summer sk i ing or snowboarding into a mul t i -ac t iv i ty hol iday. You can enjoy the other t reats the mountains have to of fer and make i t a mountain hol iday you won’ t forget .

Unfortunately Chamonix doesn’ t have any summer sk i ing avai lable but there ’s a p lethora of resorts wi th in reasonable dr iv ing dis tance, which are perfect for a day t r ip. You’re unl ike ly to f ind any powder

on a midsummer sk i t r ip , but you can expect f i rm, fas t p is tes in the morning, turning into g lor ious s lush by mid af ternoon, p lus a large and wel l -mainta ined terra in park.

With a l imi ted choice of runs usual ly avai lable on g lac iers , l i f t passes are usual ly cheaper, but be aware that some resorts do c lose by mid af ternoon to help preserve the snow once i t gets i t s mel t on.

Ski and snowboard lessons run as normal on a g lac ier and i t ’ s a perfect environment to hone your sk i l l s ready for winter .

I f we’ve whet your appet i te for a b i t of g lor ious summer sk i ing, here ’s our def in i t i ve l i s t of the best g lac iers around, complete wi th dr iv ing dis tances f rom Chamonix and day pass costs .



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Tignes, FrOpen 21/06 - 03/087.30am to 1.15pmOne day lift pass: €34Drive time: 2h 40min distance: 148km

Les Deux Alpes, Fr Open 21/06 - 30/087.15am to 12.30pm One day lift pass: €37.50Drive time: 3h 10mindistance: 270km

Zermatt, ch21/06 - 19/10 8.00am to 3.00pm One day lift pass: 82CHFDrive time: 2h 20min distance: 144km

Cervinia, ita28/06 - 07/09 8.00am to 3.00pm One day lift pass: €44Drive time: 1h 45 mindistance: 110km

Les Diablerettes, chOpen 04/04 - 11/119.00am to 4.40pmOne day lift pass: 62CHFDrive time: 1h 40mindistance: 95km

Saas-Fee, CHOpen 19/07 - 31/107.00 / 8.00am to 12.00 noon

One day lift pass: 70CHFDrive time: 2h 20min distance: 140km

Tignes

Les Deux Alpes

Zermatt

Cervinia

Les Diablerets Saas-Fee



38

Whats the best family fun in Chamonix on a rainy day?

The Bowling near Chamonix Sud is great for kids of all ages. There's obviously the bowling itself, but there's also crazy golf upstairs, arcade games, pool and snookeras well as a bar with snacks.

Where’s best for a pre- dinner cocktail?

There are lots of places in Chamonix that offer a pre-dinner cocktail, especially the traditional kir royale, however my favourite place is ‘The Mix Bar’ along the rue de Moulins. There’s a great atmosphere, fine décor and of course a great selection of cocktails. I can highly recommend the Mojito! Enjoy.

What essentials doyou take with you ona day hiking?

Here at Chalet Bibendum our guests leave home early in the morning with a backpack full of amazing coffee, a baguette, some cheese, a banana and a small rubbish bin. A set of binoculars is also a must to truly enjoy the day looking at the animals native to Chamonix and the breathtaking views!

Where’s the best placeto hire a mountain bike for the day?

I’d recommend Intersport on Route du Bouchet, near the MBC as it’s already close to the start of the trails. Come to the Chamonix All Year Resort Shop on Rue du Lyret, near the casino and we’ll give youa 10% discount voucher to use too.Happy biking!

Where would you recommend for a great healthy lunch?

The three restaurants at the top of Avenue de l'Aguille d’Midi are a great place to sit in the sun and watch the world go by, while enjoying a salad. A Chamonix hidden gem is the Hotel la Prairie tucked away in La Bois. This quaint, family run hotel's flower garden is the perfect place to soak up views of Mont Blanc.

Where is your favourite afternoon slack line spot? Either across the river because I'm that cool and awesome or, in reality, there’s a spot behind the tennis courts and the outdoor pool where you’ll a find little opening by a stream. It’s very secluded and has two great trees for slacklining. Ssh though, its a secret spot.

Where would you go for a relaxing massage?

My little secret is Between Heaven and Earth where I love massages with Valerie. She has the art of finding the every single knot in your body. They offer a range of different treatments including a Colour Energy Massage, which helps to align your energy. You’ll feel like a new person once Valerie and her team are finished with you!

What’s your favourite event in Chamonix this summer?

The speed climbing World Cup final is always a great night. Seeing someone scale a 15m wall in less than 5 seconds is very impressive viewing, and there’s always a great atrmosphere at the competition when some of the best climbers in the world visit our resort.

Jack ie - C l in ique Du Spor t

Jo lana & O la f - Cha le t B ibendum

Nick - Chamonix A l l Year

Andy - Mounta in Base Mar t in Thor ley - Loca l A r t i s t

Véron ique - Organic ép icer ie

Chr i s - Bard Up

Owen - Geneva Mounta in T rans fers

O u r b u n c h o f w e l l i n f o r m e d l o c a l s a r e h e r e t o h e l p y o u m a k e t h e m o s t o f y o u r t i m e i n C h a m o n i x !



Bruno - Evergreen Endurance

Nick - Mounta in Drop-of f s

H i lary - Dog Walkers Network

Where do you find the best local cheeses?

When I need a cheese shopping spree I head to the Coopérative Fruitière du Val d’Arly on Rue Whymper for raclette or fondue cheese. Alternatively the Saturday market on Place du Mont-Blanc has a great spread of local (and not so local) ‘artisans’ with a great choice. My particular favourite is located near the Rue Whymper side of the market and sells all types of Beaufort and Tommes.

Where’s your favourite spot for easy climbingin the sunshine?

A place where I've enjoyed spending time is in the Aiguilles Rouges. Les Cheserys for example, offers some single and multi-pitch sport routes mainly on slabs and corner systems. With routes from F4a-F7a there's something for everyone, and is the ideal place to learn the 'science of friction'. While the rest of Chamonix is shivering under the shadow of Mont Blanc, a trip bathed in sun blessed with uninterrupted views of the Massif is well worth a visit.

Can you recommend a trail for a short, half-day hike?

The Petit Balcon Sud catches the sun from first light until mid afternoon and has other trails interlinking. Everything is signposted so even if you do take a wrong turn, you will soon find your way again! Running all the way from the bottom of the valley to the top you can walk as much or as little as you like. Enjoy being amongst the alpine tree line with fantastic views of the Mont-Blanc Massif.



40

B y d a n b r o m l e y

I t ’ s d i f f i cu l t to f ind any exact f igures on the environmental impact of the food industry as a whole. A quick bi t of web research te l ls us that around 13% of g lobal emiss ions come from agr icul ture a lone. But when you s tar t fac tor ing in the process ing, packaging, t ransport , cooking and waste assoc iated wi th our food, i t becomes c lear that what we eat real ly does have a huge impact on the environment.

There's no doubt about i t - t ravel i s good for us but bad for our food; some of our s taple ingredients have t ravel led across cont inents jus t to reach our dinner plates . However, the best food you' l l ever tas te is that which has been plucked f rom the garden just minutes before, and whether you’re t ravel l ing to a mountain town or a t ropica l paradise, part of the adventure is the local cuis ine that ’s been grown, ra ised and cooked there for centur ies . That ’s why i t ’ s so important to g ive i t a t ry !

Across the A lps, the cuis ine is heav i ly focused around cheese, meat , potatoes, sa lad and hearty vegetables – produce which is compat ib le wi th the c l imate and mountain layout . Due to the past i so lat ion of mountain towns, preserves and honey a lso make up a big part of the t radi t ional mountain food group – a long wi th wine, of course!

In the summer, the fer t i le va l leys and high a l t i tude mountain pastures known as a lpages are graced by the iconic bel l -brandishing cow - a s ight so quintessent ia l ly part of everyone's romant ic v is ion of summer in the mountains. And i f you've ever seen a typica l French veggie patch, i t ’ s invar iably a th ing of pure natural beauty , master fu l ly combined wi th perfect

aesthet ic order , and packed wi th fami l iar vegetables as wel l as the more unusual , local , c l imate-speci f i c var iet ies . Add to th is a mountain backdrop and i t ’ s easy to see how any mountain town in the summer is nothing short of s tunning.

Tradi t ional ly , Savoyard dishes such as tar t i f le t te , rac let te , fondue or p ierrade were most ly eaten in the winter months. Before the conveniences of modern t ransportat ion, winter d iets were l imi ted to only meat , cheese, vegetables and f rui t that could be sourced local ly . Luck i ly , winter happens to be the t ime when our bodies need dense, r i ch and comfort ing foods l ike th is .

Sadly , the cheesy, meaty del ights that are synonymous wi th mountain cuis ine are now the highest carbon foods we can eat , due to the nature of their product ion and ever the increas ing demand for them. But thankful ly , the negat ive environmental impact of industr ia l food product ion has become mainstream knowledge thanks to a number of ar t i c les on the downsides of meat based diets , numerous ‘Meat Free Monday ’ in i t ia t ives and the eye-opening documentary Cowspiracy , which has become qui te popular in the mountains. As a resul t , many people across the A lps have been eat ing less meat , and looking for a l ternat ive, env ironmental ly f r iendly ways to enjoy mountain food. And whi le hol idays can be t imes for indulg ing in t reats and extravagant feasts , increas ingly many of us are tak ing t r ips to natural ly beaut i fu l p laces to improve our heal th and wel l -being and immers ing ourselves in the local cul ture wi thout harming the environment. This doesn’ t a lways mean cut t ing

out meat and cheese a l together ; buying meat f rom local farms and cheeses f rom local f romager ies helps to cut out t ravel , packaging and other negat ive impacts of industr ia l food product ion.

I t jus t so happens that the food that ’s best for our bodies is a lso best for the planet ; heal th advocates the wor ld over te l l us that f ru i t , nuts and leafy greens are the most important part of a heal thy diet , and these can a l l be found on t rees, shrubs or wi ld plants . Trees absorb carbon and carry out count less other benef ic ia l env ironmental funct ions whi ls t prov iding us wi th the perfect foods. At the same t ime, vegetables, i f grown organica l ly and as part of a polycul ture rather than in a huge s ingle f ie ld of monocrops, of fer s imi lar benef i ts . Addi t ional ly , growing legumes (beans, pulses etc . ) , f i xes n i t rogen into the soi l , improving i ts heal th and ass is t ing the growth of surrounding plants .

Every Saturday throughout the year , Chamonix ’s market of fers an array of local produce. The highl ight of the market has got to be le Comptoir du Miel .

This s ta l l i s packed wi th an amazing var iety of around 30 di f ferent f lavours of honey, harvested f rom across France. As wel l as honey, you can a lso f ind organic honey-based products such as body creams and moistur is ing lot ions. Other s ta l ls of fer local cheeses, ar t isan bread, as wel l as o l ives and f rui t f rom other areas of France.

Local hote l and restaurant , Auberge du Bois Pr in, i s now wel l known among locals and tour is ts a l ike for i t s amazing vegetable

W h e n t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e s u s t a i n a b i l i t y o f y o u r t r i p t o t h e m o u n t a i n s ( o r y o u r l i f e s t y l e , f o r t h o s e o f u s w h o l i v e h e r e m o r e p e r m a n e n t ly ) , t h e f i r s t t h i n g t h at s p r i n g s t o m i n d i s o u r t r a v e l c h o i c e s t o a n d f r o m o u r a l p i n e p l a y g r o u n d s , f o l l o w e d p e r h a p s b y t h e t y p e o f a c c o m m o d at i o n w e c h o o s e t o s t a y i n . D e s p i t e s o m e g r e at r e c e n t a d va n c e s i n t r a i n t r a v e l a n d s m a l l i m p r o v e m e n t s t o t h e l o c a l b u s s e r v i c e , i t ’ s o f t e n v e r y d i f f i c u l t t o r e d u c e t h e c a r b o n f o o t p r i n t o f o u r h o l i d a y d u e t o t h e l i m i t at i o n s o f p r a c t i c a l i t y a n d c o s t . B u t f e a r n o t , t h e r e i s a n o t h e r t h i n g t o t h i n k a b o u t , w h i c h a l s o h a p p e n s t o b e o n e o f t h e m o s t e x c i t i n g … f o o d .

Hamburger 3000

litresEquivalent to showeringfor 2 months

1of water to produce

Global greenhousegas emissions

due to livestockand their by-products51%

Livestockcovers

Land needed to feed1 person for a year

Vegan = 674 m2Meat eater =18 x Vegan did

you k

now?

of the Earth’stotal land 45%

Animal agricultureis responsible for

of Amazondeforestation91%

The meat & dairyindustry use

of earthsfresh water1/3



gardens. A l l the f ru i ts and vegetables grown there are served in the restaurant , so you can l i tera l ly see where your food has come from!

Chances are, i f you l i ve in the area, a t some point you're going to bow to the temptat ion of growing your own veggies . Freshly p icked produce is undoubtedly the best and you need next to no money, t ime, space or resources to grow a few basics . Here i s a l i s t of those which need the least space, t ime and sk i l l . Everything is cheaper and more sat is fy ing i f grown from seed but be aware that i t wi l l involve more t ime and commitment .

A l though summer in the mountains can br ing some very warm days, the growing season is re lat ive ly short and temperatures can get low at n ight . Each spr ing i t ’ s tempt ing to s tar t p lant ing as soon as the snow has thawed, but f rosts can appear unt i l the very end of May and these wi l l merc i less ly k i l l much of what you've opt imist ica l ly p lanted. However, i f you just can' t wai t , you can normal ly get away wi th plant ing the fo l lowing outdoors up to a month ear l ier : onion, leek, cabbage, broad bean, spinach, rocket , carrot , beetroot and potato.

I f you are planning a balcony garden, as long as i t i s wel l shel tered and sees a reasonable amount of sunshine, you should be able to s tar t a t the beginning of May, as long as the seeds are germinated indoors.

Whether you are v is i t ing or l i v ing in th is natural ly s tunning area, your t ime spent here needn' t contr ibute to nature's demise. Who'd have thought that i t would be through the pleasure of eat ing that we can have one of the greatest pos i t ive impacts on both people and the planet whi ls t helping to preserve the heal th and v ibrancy of local cul ture and nature?

W h at t o g r o w . . .I n a W i n d o w B o xHerbs, such as bas i l , cor iander, d i l l , pars ley , chive and mint . Rocket and 'cut and come again' sa lad le t tuce.

O n t h e B a l c o n y i n P o t sSpr ing onion, carrot , beetroot , cherry tomato, courget te (you’ l l need big pots and lots of compost for the las t two)

I n a n O u t d o o r S p a c e i n S o i lAl l of the above plus onion, leek, French bean, broad bean, outdoor cucumber, potato, pumpkin/squash.

A n d f i n a l ly. . .You can add some beauty and funct ion to any growing space by inc luding fennel , mar igold, nastur t ium and lavender, a l l which are edible and have the added bonus of a t t ract ing benef ic ia l insects and deterr ing pests .

The a im of Source Magaz ine is to inspire you to return. Hopeful ly you’ve enjoyed your t ime in our va l leys and we’ve le f t you hungry for more. Check out the Chamonix Source websi te , where you’ l l f ind even more local news, informat ion and events in an easy to use format that sui ts any mobi le dev ice. There ’s a lso a handy business directory to help you plan your next t r ip, inc luding s tacks of great accommodat ion, sk i schools , a i rport t ransfer companies and much more. P lanning your next mountain hol iday has never been eas ier…

t h e

s o u r c ew e b s i t e



42

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We’re adventurous mountain bikers based in the Portes du Sole i l and on occas ion we l ike to get away f rom resort -based r id ing on local t ra i ls to take on something more chal lenging. Walking the TMB route wi l l usual ly take in excess of 50 hours , not inc luding rest or overnight s tops. We decided to tack le th is mul t i -day backcountry adventure on bikes in just four days.

Star t ing in Chamonix and fo l lowing an ant i -c lockwise route through Les Contamines (France) , Courmayeur ( I ta ly) , Champex (Swit zer land) and returning to Chamonix v ia Tr ient and the Col du Roset tes above Le Tour, i t promised to be an epic exper ience.

Each day of fers between 1300m - 2000m of ver t ica l ascents ; we knew in advance that some of th is would be r ide-able, but much of i t would not . The gradients and terra in are jus t too s teep and technica l to r ide a bike up and on occas ion i t ’ s border ing on scrambl ing terr i tory . This means not only carry ing a s igni f i cant amount of weight in a backpack to accommodate the four days away, but a lso shoulder ing and carry ing a bike weighing in the region of 14kgs for hours - l i tera l ly .

To put i t in context : We are used to r id ing in Morz ine, where the highest r ideable areas are just over 1000m above the va l ley f loor and there is an extensive l i f t sys tem which makes i t a l l that b i t eas ier . What they had in mind meant h ik ing that a lmost three t imes a day for four consecut ive days.

The f l ip s ide of the c l imbing coin is the amount of descent on of fer af ter each ascent . I love the sense of achievement to be gained f rom c l imbing as much as the next r ider , but when push comes to shove, we wouldn' t have been so keen i f i t weren’ t for the descents…

D a y 1C h a m o n i x - R e f u g e d u C o l d e l a C r o i x d u B o n h o m m e

Star t ing in the centre of Chamonix , we loaded up on caf fe ine and pastr ies ready for the grand depart . High levels of exc i tement and nerves bubbled around our t r ied and tested group of four (Goldi locks pr inc iple, not to big , not too smal l ) . Lots of ta lk centred around the weight of everyone's packs - heavy (very) - and suspension was adjusted accordingly . We headed out a long the r iver t ra i l in the

direct ion of Les Houches and the Telepher ique Les Houches-Bel levue, purchasing a one way t i cket to the top. The in i t ia l descent to Bionnassay had us adjust ing our s topping dis tances as a consequence of the un-accustomed backpack weight . Here we picked up the TMB route on the map, fo l lowing i t for the whole tour wi th only occas ional var ia t ions.

We s topped for an ear ly lunch at Les Contamines. The af ternoon would be taken up wi th a long haul to the Col wi th only the br iefest of descents to the refuge as reward. In i t ia l ly we pedal led eas i ly a long the va l ley wi th only intermit tent sect ions requir ing ‘e f for t ’ to r ide. I t was interest ing to see how everyone approached these normal ly r ide-able sect ions; some guns blaz ing, some caut iously conserv ing energy. Eventual ly everyone seemed to set t le somewhere in the middle, reserv ing some power for la ter in the t r ip at the expense of a l i t t le dented pr ide, pushing our bikes up normal ly r ide-able terra in.

The dis tant end of the va l ley was a cur ta in of mountains wi th no v is ib le Col . We a l l knew what that meant . Indeed before too long the choice of r id ing or pushing had been taken away f rom us. The long, non-r ide-able gr ind had s tar ted. The best technique was to push the bike where poss ible, before the sect ions

maps - IGN 3630 & IGN 3531

w o r d s & i m a g e s B y P h i l S m i t h

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is one of the most popular long distance walking routes in Europe. But at around 170km in length with ten kilometres of ascent / decent and travels through France, Italy and Switzerland, the tour is no easy endeavour.

The distant end of the valley was a curtain of mountains

with no visible Col. We all knew what that meant.



It’s worth considering what you would do with a more

significant mechanical issue, or worse, an injury. We all restrained ourselves on the

descents as much as possible to avoid either scenario.

of obl igatory carry ing wi th bike across shoulders - th is was essent ia l ly the las t 600m. As a b ike does not lend i tse l f to being carr ied, i t was uncomfortable to say the least . A l ready thoughts of ‘ can I do th is for another three days? ’ entered our minds.

The refuge was a welcome s ight , as were the beers to be consumed by us weary t ravel lers ; a few celebratory dr inks were consumed but everyone was restra ined for obvious reasons. The food was bas ic but tas ty and consis ted of a heal thy dose of polenta wi th meat . Breakfast was bread, jam and lukewarm cof fee, but a good of fer ing consider ing we were 2400m up a mountain wi th no road access .

S leeping arrangements were big mul t i -bed, mixed-sex dorm rooms, meaning your (probably) unknown neighbour is s leeping only inches away. The cacophony of snor ing was impress ive, earplugs are a must .

D a y 2C o l d e l a C r o i x d u B o n h o m m e - C o u r m e y e u r

The pick of the days ( for me anyway) s tar ted with a superb descent to Les Chapieux. A long 1000m drop; s inuous s ingletrack, mul t ip le l ines, swi tchbacks, s teep, technica l rocky outcrops wi th enough f lowing mel low in between to replenish the adrenal ine s tores. No t rees and no roots , but I shouldn' t grumble.

We ra ided the Refuge de la Nova for omelet tes and cof fee, fuel for the long gr ind to the Col de la Seigne (a +1000m c l imb). For tunately th is ascent was most ly r ide-able wi th agreeable v iews.

The 500m descent into the Val lon de la Lee Blanche was fu l l o f more rocky, s ing le- t rack goodness. I t was here we suf fered f rom our only mechanica l fa i lure of the t r ip - a puncture. I t ’ s worth consider ing what you would do wi th a more s igni f i cant mechanica l i ssue, or worse, an in jury . We a l l restra ined

ourselves on the descents as much as poss ible to avoid e i ther scenar io.

An excel lent lunch at Refuge E l isabet ta Soldine was spent admir ing the s tunning g lac ia l env ironment, a real h ighl ight . Feel ing upbeat , we then tack led a detour to the south s ide of the va l ley . More character bui ld ing hike-a-bike (300m worth) was sui tably rewarded wi th a fu l l 1300m of grav i ty -ass is ted fun a l l the way to Courmeyeur. This descent had the lo t , f in ishing wi th t ree l ined lower e levat ions, roots and dir t added to the rocky mix .

That evening ’s accommodat ion was a fami ly run hotel in La Palud above Courmeyeur. With

a very welcome shower and great I ta l ian food, the contrast to the prev ious night made i t a l l the bet ter .

D a y 3C o u r m e y e u r - C h a m p e x

A climb of 1200m right from the get go didn't stop anyone giving the extensive buffet breakfast a good hammering. Fortunately, the climb started out steady on tarmac, giving way to a ride-able gravel track. The final hike-a-bike to the Grand Col Ferret was preceded by a late morning snack / coffee stop at the Refuge Elena.

The cloud had come in a little on this day and cloaked the high peaks and dramatic views; sheltering at the Col, the wind was wild and rain threatened. Everyone progressed at their own climbing pace and the group split. For those waiting at the top, the extra layers and rain jackets that had so far been contributing precious grams to backpack weight were gratefully put to use. Another 900m of epic descent to l'A Neuve was everyone's favourite part of the trip. Every kind of alpine terrain was on offer, topped off by forest, flower meadows and a bubbling river. Yes, it really was that idyllic. Everyone admitted to getting a little carried away and pushing slightly beyond what was wise on some of the more demanding sections. But we lived to tell a

lunchtime tale under the sun, having outrun the rain at the top of the descent.

The terrace trail to Praz de Fort had plenty of exciting exposure to the valley floor and was another highlight in a trip full of highs. It was different from the obvious buzz of gravity assisted descending, although a few technical ups, downs and alongs were a welcome addition to the mix.

We descended the tarmac road knowing lost meters would have to be re-gained on the 800m tarmac climb to Champex. It was a tough slog propelling mountain bikes up tarmac and our slow progress was painfully apparent. Aches,



Every kind of alpine terrain was on offer, topped off by forest, flower meadows and a bubbling river

Yes, it really was that idyllic.pains, fatigue and general seating area discomfort were all grinding down our previously high spirits.

Our inability to find our digs that night resulted in a wholly unwanted lap of a very scenic lake. The pressure was on that day’s organiser (we took it in turns to make daily arrangements) but he showed admirable cool and eventually led us to our B&B / refuge combination, narrowly averting mutiny. D ay 4Champex - Chamonix

By now, mentally and physically tempered, the climb to Bovine seemed a mere trifle at 650m. Rumoured to be all hike-a-bike, it turned out work had been done on the trail, and although a significant proportion was un-ride-able, it was possible to push rather than carry the bikes for the most part.

More cracking single track descending to la Forclaz was followed by possibly the most expensive and smallest plate of pasta that it is possible to buy.

The ride-able climb to Col des Rossettes was the gravity defying finale, leaving us with the well known and loved descent to Le Tour. At this point our weather window began to close and big, fat, cold drops of rain began to fall. By the time we reached the tarmac at Le Tour it had turned to torrents of floodwater flowing down the road. Biblical weather to end an epic trip.

The trip tested everyone. Physically, but more so mentally. It was very demanding but equally rewarding. The descents were all truly fantastic and well worth the climbing effort - although it made us appreciate how lucky we are to have extensive lift infrastructure available here and in many other nearby resorts to do the hard work most of the time. The views were stunning. The highs and the lows, the sense of adventure and achievement made this a real once-in-a-lifetime bike expedition.

Our group had previously undertaken many extensive, full day adventure rides, supplemented by various fitness regimes to get into peak shape. We all had experience of overnight stays in basic mountain refuges. We knew what to expect of a trip of this nature and of each other. We prepared for the worst and had emergency bailout back up options. If you’re considering the TMB, I ’d recommend you do the same.



46

T h e Va l l é e B l a n c h eThe Val lée Blanche is a must for a l l good sk iers v is i t ing Chamonix in the winter . I t ’ s one of the most famous of f p is te runs in Europe and i t ’ s def in i te ly one for your bucket l i s t . The Val lee Blanche is 20km long and fo l lows the Mer de Glace g lac ier , beginning at the top of the iconic A igui l le du Midi .

C h e e s e !The cul inary del ights of the Savoie region during the winter season have not gone unnot iced. Our va l ley is renowned for i t s cheese and inc lude regional spec ia l i t ies such as tar t i f le t te , rac let te or fondue, a l l o f which tas te del ic ious when i t ’ s co ld outs ide.

A p r è s S k iThere ’s no party qui te l ike après sk i par ty . Chambre Neuf is wi thout a doubt Chamonix ’s most i conic après bar , and as the name ‘apres sk i ’ suggests , the wi ld part ies only take place during the sk i season. With house band ‘No Limits ’ p lay ing a l l the c lass ics you know and love f rom 5pm, Sunday to Fr iday, you’ l l be dancing on tables wi th a gang Scandinavians in no t ime!

H u s ky R i d e sYou might p lay a round or two dur ing the summer, but in the winter months Chamonix Gol f Course is home to a huge pack of our four legged f r iends. A Husky r ide wi th a snowy mountain v is ta real ly i s a once in a l i fes ty le exper ience.

I c e H o c k e y The Chamois are Chamonix ’s i ce hockey team and they ’ re current ly 6th in the French nat ional league. Whi le the act ion on the pi tch can get a l i t t le heated f rom t ime to t ime, i ce hockey is a great game to watch. The season runs between September and March, making i t the perfect accompaniment to your Chamonix winter hol iday.

S n o w s h o e i n g I f sk i ing or snowboarding isn' t your th ing then a guided snowshoeing walk may wel l be. Snowshoeing gets you out into the f resh mountain a i r and you’ l l apprec iate the scenery f rom a di f ferent angle. Many local companies of fer guided walks , jo in them to get of f the beaten t rack and into the amazing Chamonix wi lderness.

T h e F W TThe Freer ide World Tour br ings the best sk iers and snowboarders to Chamonix each winter . Watching the athletes compete real ly i s an incredible exper ience and the tour cer ta in ly br ings an exc i t ing atmosphere to the town.

N u i t d e l a G l i s s eEach year French f i lmmaker Thierry Donard produces a new f i lm under the t i t le ‘Nui t de la Gl isse ’ . Shown at C inema Vox between December and Apr i l , the f i lm recounts the feats of a th letes whose pass ion has dr iven them into the heart of the wi ld. I t real ly i s unmissable.

O u r r e s o rt i s w o r l d fa m o u s f o r i t s w i n t e r s p o rt i n g p u rs u i t s , m a k i n g i t v e ry e a s y t o p e rs u a d e s u m m e r v i s i t o rs t o m a ke a r e t u r n d u r i n g t h e s n ow y s e a s o n . H e r e ’ s o u r q u i c k l i s t o f C h a m o n i x w i n t e r h i g h l i g h t s …

image credit - ©OT Chamonix ©Eric Berger



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48

Not to be confused wi th the 1968 fantasy novel of the same name, The Last Unicorn documents the quest of conservat ionis t and author deBuys and f ie ld bio logis t B i l l Robichaud to observe one of the rarest land mammals on earth in i ts natural habi tat , the saola. Only d iscovered by western sc ience in 1992, the saola is a graz ing mammal that ’s not only incredibly rare, but genet ica l ly unique. deBuys and Robichaud set out on a phys ica l ly punishing journey through the southeast As ian jungle to f ind the soala in the wi ld and work out how i t can be saved f rom ext inct ion in a t ime of heavy poaching and industr ia l development.

DeBuys wr i tes an account that i s deeply personal but inherent ly fac tual , as he and Robichaud travel deep into the mountainous jungle between Laos and V ietnam on their journey towards soala habi tat . Travel l ing through a protected area that ’s been ravaged by poaching and f looded to create a

hydroelectr ic dam, deBuys quest ions the long term impact consumer cul ture and prof i table development wi l l have on th is remote area and i ts indigenous people and wi ld l i fe .

As a conservat ionis t , deBuys accurate ly of fers a f i rs t -hand, unbiased and wel l - researched account of the ef fects of consumerism and human growth on a remote and supposedly protected corner of the wor ld. The end resul t i s an unset t l ing pic ture of human greed and development running a longs ide some of the most remote and unique animal habi tats on earth, and asks the big quest ion of how long i t can be susta ined for .

And as to whether deBuys and Robichaud f ind the e lus ive saola? You’ l l have to read i t and f ind out !

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“ I ’m Amy Wi ld. And I ’m in t rouble. Again.” Begins TV presenter Helen Skel ton ’s f i rs t adventure-packed book a imed at k ids aged 8 – 16. Fe is ty young heroine Amy f inds hersel f in South America when her parents decide enough is enough. She’s sent to s tay with bat ty Aunt ie Marg, a wor ld- t ravel l ing photographer. They ’ re in Iqui tos , Peru when Aunt ie Marg has an acc ident and Amy escapes into the Amazon ra inforest wi th no c lothes, no food, no money and no map.

Poisonous plants , scary spiders and the legends of ev i l spir i ts s tand between Amy and safety , and a l l she has is Juan, a local boy

with a myster ious scar , for company.

Amy Wi ld: Amazon Summer is the f i rs t in Helen Skel ton ’s p lanned ser ies of chi ldren’s adventure books, which she hopes wi l l help inspire k ids to get out there and g ive adventure a go. ‘When I was younger I a lways sa id to my parents “ I want to do something exc i t ing when I grow up” and that ’s what I ’m t ry ing to do, keep l i fe exc i t ing! ’ expla ined Helen.

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On the boarder between Argent ina and Chi le l ies the Cerro Torre (3128m), s tanding a lone on the Patagonian sky l ine, 1200m above i ts neighbours. The peak is famous for i t s bruta l weather sys tems, and is regular ly bat tered by s torms of b ibl ica l proport ions, brought on by i ts prox imity to the Pac i f i c Ocean and Antarc t ica .

The peak has been shrouded in controversy ever s ince the f i rs t d isputed ascent by Cesare Maestr i , who in 1956 c la imed to have achieved the summit v ia the north face/r idge, a route far ahead of i t s t ime in terms of technique and equipment. With the loss of the camera wi th the death of h is fe l low c l imber Toni Egger on the decent , an a i r of suspic ion surrounded the whole expedi t ion.

Cesare la ter re-c l imbed the face and insta l led over 400 bol ts in an at tempt to prove his ear l ier c la ims and perhaps to demonstrate that no mountain is un-c l imbable.

The mystery and controversy d idn’ t end wi th Ceasars c l imbs as the mountain seems to at t ract extreme behavior in the same way i t a t t racts extreme weather .

Kel ly Cordes epic re- te l l ing of the Maestr i mystery wi l l hold your interest f rom cover to cover and f inal ly reveal what real ly happened in 1956.

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B y M P I B r o k e r s

I n s u r a n c e A d v i c e f o r

A r e y o u g o i n g s o m e w h e r e n e w o r t r y i n g s o m e t h i n g d i f f e r e n t t h i s s u m m e r ? I f

t h e a d v e n t u r e b u g i s b i t i n g , a lw a y s r e m e m b e r t o c h e c k t h at y o u r t r a v e l

i n s u r a n c e w i l l c o v e r a l l y o u r p l a n s ,s a y s M i c h a e l P e t t i f e r , M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r

o f M P I B r o k e r s .With mi l l ions of Br i t i sh people ventur ing overseas each year – many of them heading for France – t ravel insurance is as important as a passport and a new tube of sunscreen.With the spir i t o f adventure touching a widening age range and ‘ac t ive ’ hol idays becoming increas ingly popular , demand for a sui table t ravel insurance pol icy i s growing s teadi ly .

Michael warns that some travel insurance pol ic ies – typica l ly those bought f rom ‘h igh s t reet ’ insurers – have exc lus ions that could put a damper on your plans. These exc lus ions may refer to age, ac t iv i t ies , heal th or even a lcohol consumption.

He says : “Pol icy condi t ions are part of any insurance contract , but insurers should not be too prescr ipt ive about their customers ’ behaviour.

“At MPI , we recognise that there are people of a l l ages part ic ipat ing in sports such as sa i l ing or mountain bik ing – or snow sports in winter .

“We have t rans lated these market fundamentals into what we bel ieve is some of the most inc lus ive t ravel insurance avai lable in the UK, cater ing especia l ly for those who are more adventurous in their t ravels .

“We are able to insure t ravel lers up to 100 years o ld, people wi th medical condi t ions and those part ic ipat ing in a wide range of unplanned sports and act iv i t ies .”

Michael says there are two main reasons for t ravel insurance:

“The f i rs t i s to cover poss ible losses ar is ing f rom cancel la t ion or cur ta i lment of the t r ip. The second is to prov ide medical , repatr ia t ion and l iabi l i ty cover for peace of mind on your t r ip.

“Peace of mind comes f rom knowing that t ravel insurance wi l l be there to help af ter an acc ident or misfor tune, and that i t wi l l complement the state prov is ions a longs ide your EHIC. At MPI Brokers , we can prov ide you wi th th is peace of mind.

“Our websi te conta ins numerous ar t ic les conta in ing helpful adv ice for any number of problems that might ar ise whi le you’re away. V iew our news page at b2c.mpibrokers .com/mpinews to get informed. A good t ravel ler i s a wel l - informed travel ler .”

A T R E A S U R E H U N T T O S A V E T H E P L A N E T !

C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S O F T R A N S F E R S

Mine’s a gold r ing wi th a square ruby, surrounded by a smal l c i rc le of t iny d iamonds. Every g i r l has a jewel lery dream and i f you’re searching for something spec ia l , why not ask Vintage Bi joux to do the hunt ing for you? They have their very own treasure hunt ing team to t rack down everything f rom engagement r ings to Chr is tmas presents .

Tansy and Dol ly both have an eye for exquis i te jewel lery and they s tar ted V intage Bi joux

with the ethos of pass ing on beauty and l imi t ing the wor ld ’s destruct ion. They only deal in used, v intage and ant ique jewel lery , as reusing the most prec ious resources is the most susta inable and sui table choice. This eco f r iendly mindset a lso gives each i tem a very spec ia l journey f rom owner to owner as each piece they f ind has a s tory of i t s own.

If you’re looking for that perfect piecevisit vintagebijoux.fr and let

the treasure hunt begin!

As is the case for many establ ished resort -based businesses, Mountain Drop-of fs was born out of a des ire to l i ve , work and play in the mountains. Having year-round appeal , Chamonix was the natural choice for founder S imon Hi l l s , who wanted to create a customer focused a irport t ransfer serv ice.

A l though the route between Geneva and Chamonix hasn’ t changed over the las t 10 years , the t ravel industry cer ta in ly has. Mountain Drop-of fs are del ighted to ce lebrate 10 years of t ransfer operat ions in Chamonix – an anniversary that ’s surely tes tament

to the s tandard and qual i ty of their serv ice.

Operat ing year round is the key to the company ’s success S imon to ld Source. “Our operat ions teams and our dr ivers are r ight here on the ground in Chamonix 365 days of the year . Our passengers enjoy tapping into our local knowledge and our recommendat ions. We’re looking forward to another fantast ic 10 years in Chamonix!”

For more information on theyear-round airport transfer options

offered by Mountain Drop-offsvisit mountaindropoffs.com.

Or i f you s imply want to show of f your summer of adventure, tag your

Facebook, Twi t ter or Instagram photos wi th #summerofadventure and

we’ l l share, regram or retweet our favor i tes .

There are few things worse than losing a ski on

a powder day. You’ l l l ikely waste hours of t ime

when you should be putt ing is some turns. Even

worse - you may never f ind the errant ski!Total day spoiler!

Lucki ly, such powder ski ing challenges no

longer needs to happen. RESQSKI is a tracking

device that ut i l ises dif ferent frequencies to al l

other avalanche equipment to help you f ind

your missing ski . RESQSKI wil l have you back

hammering turns and dropping cl i f fs in no t ime.

Chamonix Source Magazine have teamed up witH...

...to find the picture of the season.

Send us your best summer adventure

images, taken in the Chamonix valley,

and we’ll pick our favourite!

Email your photo entry to

[email protected]

before Monday 7 September.

RESQSKI Full Pack – Worthover €100 euros

+2 x GVA - Chamonix return transfers

from Mountain Drop-offs*

Counterfeit Clothingprize bundle



*Conditions apply – see the Source website for details.

Chamonix Source Magazine have teamed up witH...


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www.mountaindropoffs.com

A decade of exceptional service

UK: +44 (0) 207 043 4874FR: +33 (0) 450 47 17 73

Airport TransfersBetween Chamonix and Geneva

Continuing our 10th birthday celebrations we’re giving

Quote promo code summersource15 source readers 10% off*

Mtn Dropoff Source Advert.pdf 1 12/05/2015 18:31



52Global Audience,Local Knowledge

After 10 years in Chamonix Mountain Base are delightedto announce a formal association with Knight Frank

With over 370 offices in 55 countries, we can display your property to the widest possible audience, from Chamonix to New York, Moscow to Hong Kong

Matt [email protected]+33 4 80 96 50 01

Andy [email protected]+33 4 80 96 50 01

Mountain-Base.com108 Avenue de l'Aiguille du MidiChamonix Mont-Blanc

Mountain Base Source Advert.pdf 1 06/05/2015 17:05

chamonix source magazine - summer '15

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