may 2012

Yo.del:(verb) \\to yodel\\the offi cial means ofcommunicating bythe inhabitants ofmountainous regions\\

www.yodelmagazine.com

spring2012

morzine, les gets & avoriaz

team sky

grow your ownlocal events

pass'portes preview

new for this summer

Yodel-May-12.indd 1 16/04/2012 18:52

Yodel-May-12.indd 2 16/04/2012 18:52

stay in touch

[email protected]

[email protected]

3

Two heads are better than one and

three are even better still, that’s

why this summer yodel has one

magazine each month for all three

resorts; Morzine, Les Gets and

Avoriaz.

By joining forces we hope everyone

is encouraged to leave the comfort

of where they live and take

advantage of everything that’s on

offer in the surrounding areas.

In this Spring issue, yodel has

tonnes of suggestions for what to

do with yourselves in the inter-

season from events, to away days

and fi xing up the garden. We even

bring some tips for recruiting staff

next winter – it’s never too early to

start planning!

You can also read all about the

famous Pass’Portes du Soleil bike

challenge - the offi cial start to what

we hope will be the best summer

yet.

Reach for the Sky .....................................................4

The history of road cycling

Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment ................6

How to plan your new team effectively

Pass’Portes du Soleil................................................8

The 9th year of the MTB challenge

Grow Your Own .....................................................10

Yodel gardener Dan Bromley

Inter-Season Events ...............................................12

In Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Chamonix & Geneva

Spring Back to Life ................................................14

5 ways to treat yourself this spring

Catch-Up .................................................................16

TV series and books for the inter-season

Summer Events ......................................................18

Locally and further afi eld

What’s New? ..........................................................20

Resort developments for Summer 2012

The Glamorous World of Cannes..........................22

€20 million buys you a fi lm festival

The Yodel Competition ..........................................23

Win a night in a 5* hotel in Geneva

Cover image © Sian Hughes

welcome contents

Yo.del:(verb) \\to yodel\\the offi cial means of communicating bythe inhabitants of mountainous regions\\

Yodel-May-12.indd 3 16/04/2012 18:52

Road cycling isn’t exactly new in the French Alps but there is speculation that its increasing popularity could over-take that of mountain biking in coming years. Here’s Yodel’s briefing on the ultimate endurance sport that is road cycling.

History suggests that the first ever road race took place in May 1868 in France over a distance of 1.2km, and was won by an Englishman named Moore. Early road cycling was typically over a short distance and took place in and around cities to showcase new bicycle technology. In the 1890s point-to-point rides became popular and increasingly competitive. Some of the many brand endorsements that we see today were pioneered during these early days of the sport. By the turn of the century road cycling had become a national obsession in Great Britain.

Team Sky is a British professional road cycling team, established in February 2009 with the ultimate aim of creating the first British winner of the Tour de France within 10 years. The team recorded 22 wins in their first season but that illusive Tour de France win has yet to be achieved. The team is managed by Dave Bailsford CBE, who is also the performance director of British Cycling, the national governing body for cycle racing in Great Britain. He sounds like a busy man! On 11th October 2011 Team Sky announced that the most successful British road cyclist in history, Mark Cavendish was to join the team for the 2012 season.

But Team Sky isn’t just about winning races and generating lucrative brand endorsements (although BSkyB provided the initial £30 million to become name sponsor until the end of 2013). The objective of the team is to use their positive profile, attitude and success to inspire people of all ages and abilities to get on their bikes. In this Olympic year the power of sport cannot be underestimated and Team Sky want people to get out and ride for fun, for fitness and for the environment.

We want to make heroesHere’s who’s hot in GB Cycling at the moment…

Mark CavendishThe ‘Manx Missile’ enjoyed his most successful season in 2011, becoming World Champion after securing the World Road Race title and the coveted rainbow jersey in Copenhagen. He’s won 20 Tour de France stage wins and 10 Grand Tour stage victories, all of which stand him in great stead in his quest to win gold at the London Olympic Games.

Bradley WigginsHe already has three Olympic gold medals and seven World Championship titles under his belt and when he turned his attention to road cycling he put in the best ever performance by a British rider with his forth place finish at the Tour de France in 2010.

Geraint ThomasWinner of the British national road race in 2010, the Welshman topped the young riders classification for four days at the Tour de France. This season Thomas is looking for a repeat of his gold medal-winning performance on the track at London 2012.

Ben SwiftAged just 24, he’s considered to be one of Team GB’s biggest hopefuls this season and he made quite an impact upon joining Team Sky, becoming the first rider on the team to secure an overall stage race victory at the Tour de Picardie. He’s already known as one of cycling’s best young sprinters, despite spending his early years on a BMX.

For more information on Team Ski visit: www.teamsky.com

4

This summer Yodel has exclusive access to Team Sky. We’ll be

interviewing some of their biggest Olympic hopefuls for our future issues

as well as talking to the behind the scenes teams that make events such

as the Tour de France happen.

Yodel-May-12.indd 4 16/04/2012 18:52

5

Bike Rental - Top Models Available

Clearance SaleSave up to 50% on brand new

(in the box) GT bikes

GT Ruckus 7 models - 1.0 & 2.0 Freeride

GTR Series road bikes

Contact us for more details(Subject to stock availability from the manufacturer)

www.bikehiremorzine.comRoute de la Plagne, Morzine

+33 (0) 4 50 49 11 57

Alpine Warehouse.pdf 1 16/04/2012 18:07

Yodel-May-12.indd 5 16/04/2012 18:52

6

When properly planned and executed, effective recruitment procedures consistently produce motivated, enthusiastic, like-minded teams with the skills and experience to deliver services in line with your goals. So, how do you recruit a fantastic team? It all starts with the planning. Goals & mission – Potential and current staff need to understand the direction and aim of your business. It’s important to communicate your vision and objectives so that everybody works towards a common goal.

Job description – The best job description incorporates the business goals, mission statement and minimum requirements for the position, along with the tasks involved. Recruiters should identify the factors contributing to a successful placement, including skills, experience, personality and motivation for working a ski season. Once these are identified, it will be much easier to select leading candidates.

Remuneration and incentive package – The star candidates will most likely have other job offers. Just like marketing and selling to customers, the ‘benefits of working for us’ need to be sold to potential employees (cash, culture, bonuses/benefits and training opportunities). Incorporating bonuses and incentives for reaching sales targets can focus staff on the

bigger picture of achieving goals. Additional perks such as a mid or end of season trip to neighbouring resorts or staff nights out can also be a great motivator.

When to start recruitment – Successful recruitment drives start early and utilise multiple sources for attracting candidates with a diverse range of skills and experience. Different sources can include company websites, recruitment agencies, Facebook, Twitter, 3rd party web sites and current and former employees.

Current and former staff – Current and former staff are more likely to introduce candidates who match position requirements, increasing the pool of applicants. A modest incentive for successful referrals can capitalise on this avenue. It is also a good motivator for employees to feel part of the recruitment process.

Interview structure - Providing information via email or online about the company mission, culture, job description and remuneration helps save time during interviews to focus on the more important evaluation questions. Using the same interview questions for each candidate helps to differentiate one candidate from another. A Skype interview with video is a much better evaluation tool than phone interviews.

Dedicating time to recruitment – Quite often the best CV does not represent the best employee,

‘It’s the Christmas week and you’ve just realised that the superstar team you recruited is just not performing as you’d imagined. Customers waiting too long for boot fitting, food not served on time, bar staff more concerned with drinking than serving customers, transfer drivers arriving late to work, toilets not properly cleaned and worst of all, staff not getting along with each other. Where did it all go wrong?

Resort employers who want the cream of the season worker crop next winter will have already begun to plan their recruitment drive. Here, Craig from Ski Jobs France tells us about the perfect recruitment process.

Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment

Yodel-May-12.indd 6 16/04/2012 18:52

7

LE TAVAILLON

OPENMONDAY - FRIDAY

from 8am

ALL FOOTBALL MATCHES ON SKY & CANAL+

PLACE CENTRALE, AVORIAZOPPOSITE THE OFFICE DE TOURISME

+33 (0)4 50 74 14 18

Tavaillon-summer.pdf 1 16/04/2012 18:10

so undertaking many more interviews than jobs available helps to identify the leading candidates. Second interviews with these candidates are highly recommended.

Reference checks – Checks are absolutely essential to guarantee a great team. As a minimum, reference checks should verify dates of employment, job responsibility and actual results or achievements.

Selection – It's better to continue the search than settle for a candidate lacking some of the skills and experience required. Adding an international flavour to the team provides a diverse and positive effect on customers and staff. Even though businesses take all the right steps with recruitment, sometimes they still don’t produce the desired results. It is quite common for return staff to be proficient at the job, but their attitude can sometimes bring down other staff. So before looking afield, successful businesses look towards their current staff to evaluate if they are still performing with the business goals in mind. Employees who return to do the same job as last season can quickly become bored and disinterested. Job rotation, training, development and increased responsibility, accompanied by work related incentives, can turn a disillusioned seasonnaire back into an inspiring employee. If the employment relationship is not working out, then it is better to end it and seek new talent. Just remember, there’s always another ‘superstar’ just around the corner. Seasonnaires always compare employers and word spreads quickly about businesses that provide good working conditions and treat their staff with respect. These businesses always attract the best candidates.

If you need help with your recruitment process for next winter, you can contact Craig on craig@

skijobsfrance.com.au or call +44 (0)782 468 1228. Ski Jobs France offer a free placement service and

you can find out more on their website:www.skijobsfrance.com.au/employers

Yodel-May-12.indd 7 16/04/2012 18:52

8

What better way to kick off the biking season than an 80km ride around the entire Portes du Soleil area? It surely will test your pre-season fitness if nothing else!

The Pass’Portes du Soleil is in its 9th year and will be held over 29th and 30th June and 1st July. This downhill enduro includes a number of purpose-built downhill courses as well as high Alpine singletrack.

The challenge covers 50 miles in distance including 6000m of downhill but luckily the 15 ski lifts mean there is only 1000m of uphill climb to tackle. Each day the lifts will open from 8am – 6pm to allow the riders plenty of time to complete the trek at a reasonable pace. In France the track covers Avoriaz, Chatel, Les Gets, Morzine and Montriond. In Switzerland you will pass through the resorts of Champery, Morgins, Torgon and Les Crosets. Help is never far away on the route with a number of refreshment stops and bike maintenance services.

The Pass’Portes is not a competition as it may sound but rather a cycle trek whereby each rider is free to go at their own pace and within their own levels of fitness. Riders can choose one full day during the three day event in which to complete the course.

This year riders will also be able to take part in La Pass’Morzine Village; a short track mountain bike race in the centre of Morzine. Places are limited to just 64 of the riders who are taking part in the Pass’Portes overall event.

The Pass’Portes has become a popular challenge and each year

thousands of riders take part frequently from up to 15 different nationalities. Riders from the UK tend to be the second most popular demographic after the French, highlighting the continued popularity of the French Alps among British mountain bikers.

Alongside the ride, Morzine will also be hosting a bike show in the town including merchandise stalls from all the top brands in mountain biking showcasing their latest products. There will be free bike tests and demonstrations from pro riders.

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9

Yodel-May-12.indd 9 16/04/2012 18:52

Preparation

May and June are the months to bring your

garden back to life. A small, quick and easy

option is to transform a neglected fl ower-

bed into a vegetable haven by weeding then

adding compost and manure. This can be as

big or small as you like and is a great way to

begin gardening for the fi rst time.

Or, if you’re up for a bigger challenge and you

don’t already have an existing suitable area,

build a raised bed in a sunny spot, either

with or without a wooden frame. Raised beds

shouldn’t be more than a meter wide so that

you can tend to your plans without walking

on the soil. But they can be as long as you

like…!

Pull up any weeds in your planting area and

add compost and manure if you can get it.

The thing that most people don’t realise is

that you don’t need to do lots of digging to

create your planting area. Digging is bad for

the soil structure and it’s hard work!

Planting

If you‘re growing your organic veggies from

seed, start tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers,

aubergines and courgettes indoors during

May. Keep them watered and in good sunlight

once the seedlings germinate. Pumpkins and

squash can be started a little later.

When it comes to planting time, watch out for

the ‘saints de glace’ – this is the last frost

of the winter and can be as late as the end

of May here in the mountains! It’s generally

safe to plant potatoes, onion sets, leeks, peas,

radishes, lettuce and spinach after mid-May

but if this freakish frost feels likely, cover your

seedlings with gardening fl eece or even an

old blanket to protect them at night.

Once into June you can plant out the less

hardy veggies in the sunniest area you have.

Courgette plants need a rich soil with plenty of

manure and regular watering.

Dan Bromley’s been enthusiastically

growing organic vegetables for 7

years. He’s turned his amateur interest

into a qualification by completing a

year-long permaculture course. This

summer Dan’s in charge of the Yodel

Garden and by all accounts there’s

plenty we should be doing in May and

June to literally lay the ground work

for a bumper crop of organic summer

veggies.

10

Grow Your Own…You’ll need a...

• Fork

• Spade

• Trowel

• Rake

If you're starting

your gardening

kit from scratch,

consider sharing

the equipment you

need with friends

or neighbours.

Yodel-May-12.indd 10 16/04/2012 18:52

11

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergines are big feeders too so also need a rich soil and lots of water, but they don’t do well when exposed to too much rain – it can be safer to start them off in big pots or grow bags outdoors under a shelter so you’re in charge of their water intake if you think it’s going to be a rainy summer!

If you don’t have the time to grow your organic veggies from scratch, you’ll fi nd loads of vegetable plants can be bought locally – the market in Morzine has a fruit and veg stall selling plants grown nearby in Veigy, making them well-suited to the local climate. The market in Les Gets has a great selection too, but be sure to ask for mountain-friendly varieties.

Start saving your glass jars now – you’ll need them come autumn for your organic chutneys!

Don’t forget about herbs. They are the simplest things to grow and you don’t even need a garden never mind a raised bed! Balconies and windowsills are perfect for herbs so look out for basil, parsley, mints, coriander and chives, either from seed or as young plants.

Dan will be back in July with more organic

gardening tips.

As well as being in charge of the Yodel Garden this summer, Dan has also set up Communiterre, a local community platform inspired by similar projects in

France and Britain. Communiterre will connect people with a bit of spare land to those who haven’t, in return

for some of the organic veggie crop produced. If you’ve got land of any size and are keen to help others grow

delicious vegetables this summer, get in touch with Dan – [email protected]

As well as being in charge of the Yodel Garden this summer, Dan has also set up Communiterre, a local community platform inspired by similar projects in

France and Britain. Communiterre will connect people with a bit of spare land to those who haven’t, in return

for some of the organic veggie crop produced. If you’ve got land of any size and are keen to help others grow

delicious vegetables this summer, get in touch with Dan – [email protected]

Yodel-May-12.indd 11 16/04/2012 18:52

Thrs 3rd May 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Fri 4th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 9.30am. . . . . . . Marathon for Unicef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geneva City Centre

Sat 5th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place du Mont Blanc Chamonix 9.30am. . . . . . . Marathon for Unicef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City Centre, Geneva

Sun 6th May 9.30am. . . . . . . Marathon for Unicef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City Centre, Geneva

Mon 7th May 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine

Thrs 10th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Fri 11th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Sat 12th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place du Mont Blanc Chamonix

Mon 14th May 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine



Sat 19th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day Place du Mont Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix

Mon 21st May 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine 8.30pm . . . . . . Thriller Live – The Musical . . . . . . . . . .Arena Theatre, Geneva



Sat 26th May 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place du Mont Blanc Chamonix 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 5.00pm . . . . . . Hope Festival – Free music festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geneva

Sun 27th May 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets

Mon 28th May 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for the day. . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine

Thrs 31st May 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Fri 1st June 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 8.30pm . . . . . . Dracula the Musical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arena Theatre, Geneva

Sat 2nd June 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place du Mont Blanc Chamonix 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 9.30am. . . . . . . Morgins lift network opens for season. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Morgins 7.00pm . . . . . . Johnny Hallyday live in Concert. . . . . . . . . . . Stade de Geneva 8.30pm . . . . . . Dracula the Musical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arena Theatre, Geneva

Sun 3rd June 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets

Mon 4th June 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine

Tue 5th June 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy

Wed 6th June 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy

Thrs 7th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy

Fri 8th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy

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12

Yodel-May-12.indd 12 16/04/2012 18:52

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Sat 9th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day Place du Mont Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 9.00am. . . . . . . Morzine lift network opens for season. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Morzine 10.00am. . . . . . Criterium de Dauphine 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . Morzine & Les Gets 3.00pm . . . . . . Animated Film Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annecy 6.00pm . . . . . . Summer Opening Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chez Roger, Morzine

Sun 10th June 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network open for weekend . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 10.00am. . . . . . Criterium de Dauphine 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . Morzine & Les Gets

Mon 11th June 5.00pm . . . . . . Open Mic Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Rhodos, Morzine

Thrs 14th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Fri 15th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 9.00am. . . . . . . Bol d’Or Mirabaud Regatta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lake Geneva

Sat 16th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day Place du Mont Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix 8.00am. . . . . . . Les Gets lift network opens for season . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets 8.30am. . . . . . . Champery lift network opens for season . . . . . . . . . Champery 8.30am. . . . . . . Chamonix lift network opens for season . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix 9.00am. . . . . . . Bol d’Or Mirabaud Regatta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lake Geneva

Sun 17th June 9.00am. . . . . . . Bol d’Or Mirabaud Regatta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lake Geneva


Fri 22nd June 10.00am. . . . . . Champoussin lift network opens for season . . . . Champoussin 7.00pm . . . . . . Fete de la Musique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Various venues, Geneva

Sat 23rd June 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day Place du Mont Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix 7.00pm . . . . . . Fete de la Musique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Various venues, Geneva

Sun 24th June 7.00pm . . . . . . Fete de la Musique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Various venues, Geneva


Thrs 28th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Craft Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva

Fri 29th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Book Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Place de la Fusterie, Geneva 8.00am. . . . . . . Pass’Portes du Soleil MTB Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Various 9.00am. . . . . . . Avoriaz lift network opens for season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Avoriaz 9.00am. . . . . . . Chatel lift network opens for season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chatel 9.00am. . . . . . . Les Crosets lift network opens for season. . . . . . . .Les Crosets 9.00am. . . . . . . Torgon lift network opens for season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Torgon 9.00am. . . . . . . Mont Blanc Marathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix

Sat 30th June 8.00am. . . . . . . Market Day Place du Mont Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix 8.00am. . . . . . . Pass’Portes du Soleil MTB Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Various 9.00am. . . . . . . Mont Blanc Marathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chamonix

Rhodos, Morzine – open 7am – 1am every day during May & June Petit Coq Restaurant, St Jean D’Aulps – Open from 7pm for dinner every evening throughout the inter-season.Advance booking is required.Bar Bush, Les Gets – Closed until 1st June, then open every day from 4pmCafé Fantastique, Avoriaz – Closed until 30th June, then open every day serving food from 8amChez Roger, Morzine – Closed from 2nd May – 16th May then open Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, then every day from 4pm from 12th JuneMamos Restaurant, Lindarets – Closed until 16th June then open all day every day for foodLe Chaudron Restaurant, Goat Village – Closed until 15th June then open all day every dayLe Tavaillon, Avoriaz – Open 8am – 2pm, 5pm – 1am, Monday – Friday during May & June, closed Friday afternoon and evening. Bar Tabac, Montriond – Open early ‘till late every day except Sunday afternoons and Tuesdays until 14th May then closed until 31st May.Same opening hours as above until 1st July.JC’s Sports Bar, Les Gets – Open all inter-season from 4pm, closed on ThursdaysVival Shop, Montriond - Open 8am - 8pm everyday except Wednesdays

Yodel-May-12.indd 13 16/04/2012 18:52

1414

Spring ba� to life…

1. Learn to PaintArtist Richard Stuttle offers oil and watercolour painting classes during the spring and summer months across the Alps. Learning to draw or paint gives a newfound appreciation for the stunning landscape that surrounds us. It’s a great activity to do with friends and it’s also very relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Regardless of your drawing or painting abilities, Richard personalises each of his courses to suit your requirements.

More info… [email protected]+33 (0) 6 31 37 58 55+44 (0) 777 969 3240

2 . � e Ultimate Spa ExperienceThe spa at Pre-Saint-Didier, just 10km through the Mont Blanc tunnel is like every wellness, massage and thermal water treatment you’ve ever seen or heard of, all under one roof. Natural thermal waters fl ow out of the surrounding mountains at around 37 degrees celsius and have been proven to treat rheumatic and muscular disorders as well as skin ailments and blood circulation problems. But most of all, thermal waters are famous for being relaxing, fortifying and soothing, which is what we’re interested in!

More info…[email protected]+39 (0) 165 867272

3. Designer Sho� ing, Outlet PricesFor ladies (and some men too, though not enough in Yodel’s opinion...) shopping is the best treat there is. The Villeneuve Outlet Centre is just 72km away and its open Monday – Friday between 10am and 7pm and on Saturdays between 10am and 6pm. In more than 10,000 m2 of shopping heaven you’ll fi nd designer brands such as Diesel, Dolce & Gabbana, Lacoste, Nina Ricci, Ralph Lauren and Valentino alongside Adidas, Columbia, Levi’s, Reebok and Timberland. Try car sharing your way there with a load of mates to ease your ethical conscience.

More info…www.villeneuveoutlet.ch

4. Big City NightsThere’s a whole load more to Geneva than just the airport. And the tourist boats, endless promenades and fountain for that matter. The Geneva of the Genevois is located around the Paquis quarter and the trendy Carouge district where you’ll fi nd alternative clubs and trendy bars and shops that buzz with attitude. Treat yourself to a big city night out then head on to the much contrasting but uber chic Leopard Room at the Hotel d’Angleterre for cocktails and a night-cap.

More info…www.dangleterrehotel.com+41 (0) 22 906 5555

Spring ba� to life…Yodel su� e� s you treat yourself this inter-season and here are our top 5 su� e� ions.

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treat: ‘To give someone

or oneself something

pleasurable’

5. Coa� ing Groups for WomenMichele Willmott is a fully trained life coach with a background in Yoga and meditation. This summer she’s launching a coaching group in the local area, with the aim of helping women to feel a greater sense of motivation and inspiration towards life. If you’re keen to explore how life coaching can help with relationship problems, weight or health issues or your work life balance then you can join one of Michele’s groups in the search for fulfi llment, connection and success.

More info…[email protected]

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MUST SEE As resort calms down, everyone has that bit more time to relax with a good book or to catch up on some of the series everyone’s been talking about this winter. Here are some of yodel’s favourites, that we don’t want you to miss out on…

TV Series

Cougar Town

Don’t let the cheesy name fool you; this sitcom is not just for girls. From Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence, Cougar town shares the same kooky humour and intelligent scripts; you will also notice a lot of cameos from the Scrub’s cast. The series focuses around a group of friends who love to drink wine – something I’m sure we can all relate to!

Wilfred (US version)

A brilliant light-dark comedy which follows life through the eyes of Ryan (Elijah Wood) who can only see his neighbour’s dog, Wilfred as a human rather than an animal. The idiosyncrasies of canine life that are picked up in this series are truly brilliant as Wilfred turns Ryan’s life upside down and leads him to despair.

Homeland

This gripping new US drama has grabbed the attention and caught the imagination of pretty much everyone who has seen it. The series is hinged on the doubt over whether a US Marine Sergeant released after 8 years in captivity has returned simply as a hero or as a double agent.

The Wire

Anyone who has seen The Wire could wax lyrical for hours while debating the best character…there are just too many to choose from! The five series cover a host of topics including politics, race, social class, journalism and the school system in the crime and drug-ridden city of Baltimore. It may take you a couple of episodes to grasp the accent and language but stick with it and you won’t regret it.

Breaking Bad

A drama set around drugs and crime with a difference...the main drug lord is a high school chemistry teacher. Walter White has advanced lung cancer and turns to producing and selling Meth with his chemistry knowledge to ensure his family are left financially secure when he dies. This series is dark but for those of you who don’t enjoy that it is also cleverly written with brilliant cinematography.

Books

A Thousand Splendid Suns

It is not often that the sequel to a best seller can claim to be better but in this case it’s true. The Kite Runner was met with so much acclaim that author Khaled Hosseini had a lot of expectation riding on his follow up novel and this did not disappoint. The story follows the turbulent lives of two Afghani women and how their sorrowful paths cross over time.

&MUST READ

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The Hunger Games

This fantasy thriller is written in the eyes of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen living in the post-apocalyptic country where North America used to be. The Hunger Games are an annual event whereby 24 teenagers are selected by lottery to compete against one another to live: only one can survive. Think Battle Royale. The book has recently been made into a film but we recommend you read the original first.

Water for Elephants

A circus drama pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh and cry. Any animal lovers or in fact anyone with a heart will love this book. Jacob Jankowski leaves veterinary school after hearing his parents have died and becomes a vet for circus animals. Set during The Great Depression, this brilliant novel is told from the perspective of Jacob as an old man who relives the period of his life where he has to discover the limits of his moral compass.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Written through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy, this story follows his quest to find the owner of a key that belonged to his father who died in the 9/11 attacks. Oskar Schell scours New York for everyone with the surname Black and this book chronicles the assortment of characters he meets along the way. An emotional, uplifting and funny account that is sure to warm your heart.

The Book Thief

The narrator of this book is Death but the main character is Liesel Meminger, a young girl who has lost her family. Set during the Holocaust (as Death muses, a busy time for him), Liesel steals a book from the grave diggers at her brother’s funeral, which sparks a habit and she becomes the book thief. While dark, this book has a wonderfully light overtone in the shape of Death’s sense of humour and big heart.

Why not get in touch with yodel this spring and share your favourites with us and our readers?

[email protected]

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One of the best things about where we live, is that unlike other mountain resorts we are not confined to remote surroundings. It is a short drive to some brilliant and vibrant cities so we can also enjoy all that they have to offer. Yodel picks some of our top ‘to dos’ this summer, they’ll be worth the trip!

Montreux Jazz Festival

The 46th Montreux Jazz Festival is set to take place between June 29th and July 14th this year. The two week bonanza is a great time to visit Montreux, whether you book tickets for concerts or just enjoy the food and drink stalls, trinket stands and street parties. To book tickets go to: www.montreuxjazz.com

Geneva Lake Parade

This huge dance party event involves a street parade from Parc Mon Repos round to Parc des Eaux-Vives. Dress up in your best techno clobber and jump on one of the many lovemobile floats by around 2pm to get involved in the parade. This year the parade takes place on July 14th.

Annecy Animated Film Festival

This annual festival has been running for over 50 years and features showings of the most acclaimed animations each year. People visit Annecy from a host of different countries to see what gets crowned the best animation film

of the year. Held from the 4th to the 9th of June, head down to the huge lakeside screens to catch previews of the best shorts and feature films.

Evian Masters

From July 26th to 29th, you can experience the very best of women’s golf. With Lake Geneva and the mountains as an amazing backdrop, a day or two spent on the golf course doesn’t get much better than this. Head to www.evianmasters.com to purchase tickets.

Musilac Festival

There is an amazing line up for Musilac Festival 2012 held just a couple of hours away at Aix-le-Bains. Running over the 13th, 14th and 15th July, the festival this year will include top performances from the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Noel Gallagher, Ben Howard, LMFAO and Franz Ferdinand. To book tickets go to www.musilac.com.

Bol d’Or Mirabaud Sailing Race

This is the most important world regatta on an inland lake. The popular nautical festival has been running on Lac Geneva for over 70 years and is set to return again from the 15th to the 17th June. Hundreds of boats will take part in the race that runs from Geneva at one end over to Le Bouveret at the other.

eventsSummer

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Fetes de Geneve

The Geneva Festival is one of the city’s greatest celebrations, lasting almost a month from July 19th to August 12th and attracting around 2 million people each year. The festival includes around 250 free concerts, fairground rides, food stalls and on the fi nal Saturday; one of the largest musical fi rework displays in the world.

Geneva Triathlon

To be held on the 22nd July, the Geneva triathlon is serious business with a top prize of €12,500. Luckily, it is also a highly enjoyable day for spectators in case you don’t quite feel up to it! Cheer on the athletes as they take part in swimming, cycling and running to compete for the ultimate prize.

www.skijobsfrance.com.au/employers

FREE recruitment solutions

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[email protected]

Ski Jobs France.pdf 1 14/04/2012 14:29

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tel: 06 10 40 10 92email: [email protected]: www.lost-intranslation.com

French lessons- Private, Group and Intensive Courses

- Increased variety of courses to suit all budgets

- Locals discounts

If you are a French registered business or are employed on a French contract, then you could be eligible for a training budget to cover the cost of lessons.

Translation Services

LiT.pdf 1 03/02/2012 12:20

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The GlamorousWorld ofCannesFounded in 1946, the Festival International du Film is the world’s most famous and publicised film festival. It’s an invitation only event, which this year takes place in the sunny Mediterranean resort between 16th and 27th May.

But despite the fact that film and cinema were invented in Paris, how did the small seaside town of Cannes end up hosting the most prestigious film festival in the world?

Back in 1932, the most competitive international film festival took place in Venice. Controversy over the favouring of film selections and winners from countries with a fascist alliance such as Germany and Italy prompted outrage and resignations by the French, British and American judges. There was widespread outcry within the film industry at the idea that politics and ideology were able to stamp over artistic appreciation.

In 1938 a group of French critics and filmmakers formed a petition demanding that the French government finance an alternative international film festival in France where films would be shown without bias or political censorship. Several locations for the film festival were considered, the last two becoming Biarritz and

Cannes. Officially, Cannes was chosen for its ‘sunny and enchanting location’ but it’s generally agreed that it was because the Cannes municipal authorities agreed to finance a dedicated venue for the event.

The inaugural festival took place on 1st September 1939 but it would only last one day. World War Two broke out the following day and the event was closed down.

The second attempt to launch the event was in 1946. In the early days film entries were nominated into the competition by countries themselves, and the number of entries was determined by the volume of each countries cinematic output. In 1972 the festival board of directors took charge of choosing films for inclusion and in the intervening time the event has gone from strength to strength.

There are many opinions on why Cannes has become the home of the international cinematography competition. Glamorous actresses such as Bridget Bardot were a permanent fixture on the beaches of Cannes during the festival and photos of glamour and glitz brought Cannes to the attention of the world.

The budget for the 2012 Festival International du Film is €20m. Last year 29,323 people attended the event, 4329 films were submitted and 138 films were screened. Media coverage was truly global.

For more information visit www.festival-cannes.com

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If you’ve spent the last 5 months looking after guests or running around resort at top speed, then Yodel has a treat to help you relax into the inter-season with this

month’s competition.

How do you fancy a night for two in the 5* Hotel D’Angleterre, located right next to the Jet d’Eau in Geneva? Answer this question for your chance to win just that…

In what year did the Hotel d’Angleterre first open?

Send your answers to [email protected] before 30th June 2012. We’ll select a winner at random from all of the correct answers.

Yodel’s standard competition rules apply and can be found on our website. Date restrictions also apply to the prize.

competition

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may 2012

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