SPRINGTIME IN THE SNOW

It's the end of the season in the Vosges - follow @SkiNeigeVosges to keep in touch with one of France's smaller ski areas.

From the Ski Vosges Facebook page, 20 March 2016

Meanwhile, there's a month of the season still to go in Les Arcs - and the Easter Weekend concludes with a limited-spaces-only party in the Vanoise Express:

Next Wednesday 30th March sees the chance to go uphill under your own steam at La Plagne, with the Rando by Night event:

April sees the arrival of the Course du Coeur race, which sees teams travelling from Paris to Bourg-St-Maurice over a 5 day period.  The event is aimed at increasing awareness of organ donation:

And throughout April, Les Arcs has various events taking place as part of its Spring Final campaign to make the most of the final weeks of the season.  Given the controversy around the increasingly late French Easter school holidays, the emphasis is on attracting a younger, more "international" audience:

BRAND MATTERS: All change at Peisey Vallandry

I've always quite liked the Peisey Vallandry logo:

It complements the Les Arcs one nicely, but reinforces the smaller resort's separate identity.

But the marketing bosses at Peisey Vallandry have decided it's time to change.  Step forward the new logo:

Click on the logo to see it displayed in the
resort's new look website

I have to say my initial reaction is that I prefer the old visual identity.  Let's hope it doesn't prompt Les Arcs to change the current look and feel, which marks a fine upgrading of the original designs (pictured below).

For more on the Tarentaise resorts' marketing strategies, as they bid to out-perform a flat market, click here.  The Val Thorens United case study is perhaps the most noteworthy.

UP AND DOWN: Pierra Menta

The Pierra Menta race is just a month or so away - the FA Cup of ski alpinism, if you like.  If you want to go and watch, the chairlift opens at 5am.  A crowd of 2000 is expected.  Spectating is at your own risk of course.

The whole set-up really is quite something.  Here's the video from last year.

For more on Areches-Beaufort, click here.