With the football season now under way, time to look again at which ski resorts make the best twins for the Premiership sides. Here is the 2014/15 version.
With the demise of Hull, QPR and Burnley, which resorts should be twinned with the three sides that take their place? Here are three candidates:
AFC Bournemouth: ORCIERES-MERLETTE. Way down in the south - none of the fancy big players ever paid them a moment's notice previously. But when you look at what they now have, it's quite impressive.
Norwich City: SERRE CHEVALIER. Remote location, historic centre, good cuisine. Yo-yos in and out of the big league.
Watford: MONTGENEVRE. Strong Italian influence, previously traffic-clogged but road improvements now take most of the traffic away from the centre. Always in the brochures in the 1980s; back in the top flight now.
Flaine would doubtless want to challenge
its twinning with Aston Villa
L'Equipe magazine published its league table of the Top 50 resorts in France on 24 November. Scroll through the pictures of the Top 25 resorts to see the full classement.
In a way it's not that controversial, as it covers just about all the resorts, although a number of the smaller ones, like Géradmer in the Vosges, have found it useful for their PR efforts.
Ste-Foy (in the background) doesn't make the Top 50
Villaroger (foreground) is part of 9th-placed Les Arcs
Once the scores on quite a wide range of criteria are added up, the winner is..... La Plagne.
It only seems to fall down on two things: cross-country skiing and fancy restaurants.
And it beats local rival Les Arcs for having a halfpipe, facilities for families, sports facilities and having "villages de charme".
The other resorts in the top ten are Val d'Isere, Chamonix, Les Menuires, Megeve, Méribel, Tignes, Val Thorens and Les Arcs.
So, no surprises there, but it seems slightly odd to see Flaine at No 26, La Rosiere at No 30 and Valmorel at No 44.
Of course these league tables are most certainly an art rather than a science. For example, Alpes magazine places Serre Chevalier as No 1 in its "well-being and relaxation" league table and Alpe d'Huez as No 1 for "Le Grand Ski" and"Extreme Glisse".
It's true that many of the ski instructors we see are actually farmers, plumbers, shopkeepers etc in the local villages. The second part of this video gives you a "day in the life" of Les Arcs. But, aside from the small resorts with a drag lift or two, the lift systems need investment, and therefore are serious business propositions.
They are also into theme parks: the portfolio includes four "Parcs Walibis" (whatever they are), Parc Asterix and (scene of various Tour de France stages), Futuroscope.
The story of the season so far, announced in CdA's latest results, is a bit mixed, really:
Late snowfall which meant everyone was on edge until the second week into December
Having Xmas Day and New Year's Day on a Sunday
The heavy snowfalls in the first week of Jan (see below, en direct from Bourg St Maurice...)
The result: skier numbers are down 1% on last year. The CdA pronounces itself "satisfied", at least for the moment. If this is how well the big reports are doing in these uncertain times, one wonders how the smaller ones are faring. Certainly the news from small resorts in the Pyrenees hasn't been great. The Crystal Ski Report 2011 reported a 5% fall last year in the number of Brit skiers, on top of 13% and 11% falls in previous years, but claimed the market was "set to rebound". It will be interesting to see if the record snowfalls do prompt some "floating skiers" to go, or indeed whether it's the economy, rather than the snow, which plays the upper hand. We'll see.
On the other hand, all is good for the theme parks: revenues up 13%, and lots of plans for the future. Onwards and upwards!
The final league table published by Alpes magazine looked at "bien-etre et detente" - again the translation "well-being and relaxation" feels a bit cumbersome.
Anyway, what the authors said they were looking for are:
...resorts for whom skiing is not everything, places where it's just as important to be close to nature, or simply to relax. We've chosen resorts situated below 1500 metres, where it's the way of life, often symbolised by the small village and its clocktower, that is sought after - a certain "authenticity"...
The resorts were rated under the following categories:
Kms of snow-shoe walking trails
Sport * Dog sledding * Toboggan tracks * Organised snow-shoeing activities
Whether or not they have a spa
Historic events * Evening presentations etc * Visits to the farm (!) * Museums
Culture/activities * Art galeries * Markets * Concerts * Cinema
Other activities (eg guided tour of station, thermal baths)
Price of lift pass
Price of accommodation
And the winner is....Serre-Chevalier...which also came in 7th on the Grand Ski league tables, which makes it probably The Best All-Round Resort in France? I've only been in summer, so can't comment.
The full listing includes some familiar names - and indeed all offer "Grand Ski" as well, in the form of a local area of 100kms plus: 1. Serre-Chevalier (scores consistently: the ski-joering/horsey things and thermal-type baths seem to have won it) 2. Megeve (would have won but marked down on price...) 3. Chatel (the judges like the "famille-montagne" badge; again, marked down on price)
4. Valmorel
5. Saint-Gervais
6. Combloux
7. La Clusaz
8. Chamonix
9. Crest-Voland (click here for more on CV)
10. Brides-les-Bains
11. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
12. Meribel
With both turnstiles and ski lifts closed, the important issues of the day can now be discussed. Namely: if your favourite French ski resort were a Premiership side, which would it be? Here’s a starter for 10:
(1 June 2012: Follow this link for the 2012/13 version)
Man Utd = Val d’Isere
A classic resort; famous around the world, consistently performs at a high level. Popular with rich people from The South.
Chelsea = Courchevel
Money talks; the domain of well-heeled Russians. Oddly characterless. Less affluent folk are scattered in distant suburbs away from the centre.
Man City = Tignes
Lots of investment; lifts now arguably superior to those of its neighbour across the mountain. Clearly on the up. Still lacks that je ne sais quoi.
Arsenal = Meribel
Strong Anglo-French links, not as good as thinks it is but is still very good indeed. Will never go out of fashion.
Tottenham = Les Arcs
Has had its ups and downs over the years, but a steady transformation over last decade - by no means perfect but can mix with big league.
Liverpool = Chamonix.
Fancies itself as the home of mountaineering. Which in a way it is. Has a tradition, character, real sense of place that everyone respects - fans all want to visit at least once...
Everton = La Plagne
Was one of the "Big Five" in the 1980s, but no longer. Shrewd management has papered over the cracks (slow lifts, short runs).
Fulham = Megeve
Location and proximity to nice restaurants is just as important as the skiing.
Aston Villa = Flaine
Has lots of support; good all-rounder and the infrastructure to mix it with the big league. Could win a trophy under new management.
Sunderland = Alpe d'Huez
Great stadium, all the way to 3,300m; a World Cup venue. It’s south-facing, though and therefore can lose its best assets towards the end of the season.
West Brom = La Clusaz
Quietly goes about its business with little attention from abroad. If you look at it in more closely, you’ll find it has a lot going for it…
Newcastle = Val Thorens
Again, a big stadium, with great atmosphere and famous nightlife. When the sun shines it’s great, but on a cold day...
Stoke City = Les Sybelles
Has no discernible centre; a modest kind of a place. Has made its mark on the Premiership without anyone really noticing how far they've come. Top lifts often shut due to wind.
Bolton = Valmorel
In the shadow of its neighbours but well-run and doesn’t get intimidated.
Blackburn = Avoriaz
Has been in Premiership for many years; respected but not really among anyone's favourites. Are owners putting enough money in?
Wigan = Areches/Beaufort
Few people go there, but those who do enjoy the welcome (and the cheese pies).
Wolves = Les 2 Alpes
One of the oldest in the league - nightlife like the Wild West. Summer glacier can't hide lack of strength in depth (narrow ski area).
QPR = Les Gets
Not the biggest but there's money there. Unlikely to be so good late season?
Norwich = Serre Chevalier
Bit of a yo-yo resort between Prem and Championship. Remote location. But has strong support, and real character. And good food...
Swansea = Isola 2000
Also somewhat remote geographically from rest of the league. Was briefly in the top flight during the 1980s. More investment has gone in recently; will it be enough to survive…
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY….
Oxford United = Chamrousse
On the Grenoble Road, big university town boasting great ski area. Was briefly in the top flight; Jean-Claude Killy once skied there. Has strong following from the locals; could surprise a few people.
Barnet = Ste Foy
Where the ski instructors go on their day off. Only a few lifts but packs more of a punch than this implies. Noteworthy gradients. Local authority resisting its bid to expand.
