Yodel May/June

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www.yodelmagazine.com Yo.del: (verb) \\to yodel\\ the official means of communicating by the inhabitants of mountainous regions\\ \\morzine\\may-june 2011\\ \\pick up your yodel\\FREE\\ resort events oú est la neige? the cloud appreciation society much better summer adventures

description

Resort magazine

Transcript of Yodel May/June

Page 1: Yodel May/June

www.yodelmagazine.com

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

\\morzine\\may-june 2011\\

\\pick up your yodel\\FREE\\

resort events

oú est la neige?

the cloud appreciation society

much better summer adventures

Page 2: Yodel May/June

Kneissl handmade skis and highly technical range of tennis rackets are now available again in the UK after many years wait for this iconic 150 year old brand. Visit our website to see the full range of these stunning skis and legendary rackets. In association with Yodel magazine Kneissl are offering Yodel readers a discount of 15% off

RRP of skis from our range - quote “yodel” when ordering online or email us to discuss your requirements.Contact [email protected] for further details.

www.kneissl-uk.com

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to the interseason!

As the snow melts

and we head towards

the summer, Yodel is here to tell you what's going on where.

We've included shop, bar and restaurant opening hours,

holiday recommendations and loads of information on the

weather! We also had a good chat with Amie Marsh, the

creator of mountain biking community Dirty Girls Ride who

gave us a really useful list of pre-season mountain bike

trails. We'll be back in July with our special Status Quo

issue of Yodel and the fi rst ever Les Gets Yodel. As

always, we'd love to hear your ideas, comments and

feedback so please get in touch.

There's something about Morzine................................................................ 4\\Amie Marsh of Dirty Girl's Ride tells us why she loves Morzine

The 5 best great escapes this interseason ................................................... 6\\Much Better Adventures give us their best ethical getaways

Numero Dix Competition............................................................................... 8\\Win dinner for two at Numero Dix

What’s on? ...................................................................................................... 8\\Events in and around Morzine in May and June

Où est la neige? ......................................................................................... ...10\\Where did the snow go this winter? The kind people at Snow-Forecast help us investigate

Multipass Update ......................................................................................... 11\\What your pass costs and where it will get you this summer

All About...Pilates ......................................................................................... 12 \\Sarah Stephen gives us the lowdown on why Pilates is a great way to stay in shape

Cloud Appreciation Society ......................................................................... 13\\Gavin Pretor-Pinney works to fi ght the banality of 'blue-sky thinking'

Day in the Life of .......................................................................................... 14\\Yodel Magazine. What goes into running a resort magazine?

Cover image © Neil Sharp Photography 2011 - www.sharpography.co.uk

contact us\\ [email protected] [email protected]

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Before Morzine I was working at an architect’s practice in Blackheath, London, but (un)fortunately I, like many others working in construction, got made redundant. I always wanted to do a ski season and decided that it was the right time. I was made redundant in the Autumn so I didn’t start applying for jobs until October. I knew it was a little late for ski season recruitment so I emailed about 100 companies and just kept my fingers crossed. Luckily, fate was on my side and VIP Ski had someone drop out at the eleventh hour so I was in.

Once here, I had a brilliant time and also met my now husband, who I married in Vegas last October, Jason. Not having anything to go back to the UK for I decided to stay for summer. It was then that I discovered my passion for downhill mountain biking. As soon as I saw it I thought ‘that’s the sport for me’.

While I loved mountain biking, I started riding with boys and pushing myself that bit more than I felt comfortable. One day I went up the Pleney with my husband Jason (race mechanic for Transition Bikes) and some of his World Cup rider friends, I hit it too hard, bailed out and bust my hand. Obviously, the boys thought the fall was epic, meanwhile I realised that day it was time to find some girlfriends to ride with. I got introduced to

a couple of other girls who were riding every day but I decided that our club of three was just too small. I set up a mountain biking community for women called Dirty Girls Ride. There was soon a small group of us, French and English women who enjoyed riding without the added competitiveness of men once in a while.

We have had great support from local businesses for the summer such as Morzine Mountain Mechanics who have offered bike mechanic training, Shred coaching who have offered improvement classes as well as a race coaching afternoon with Olympic medalist & professional downhill rider Jill Kintner. We are also working with Alpine Sports Warehouse to provide affordable bike rental on any organized riding days we are holding. At the moment, I am running a competition to get female riders involved by submitting pictures of themselves out on their bikes. There are loads of cool prizes from Fox Europe, Crank Brothers, Transition bikes and Gamut USA. All the details are on our facebook page and website.

I now work for a new architectural company in Morzine called Arch - Home as an architectural designer, so my career has now fitted in with my life out here. When people ask if I miss London at all, the answer

There's something about MorzineAmie Marsh is the founder of the Dirty Girls Ride mountain biking community. She came to Morzine for a ski season but loved it so much she stayed. Here she explains the appeal.

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

French lessons

- Group Lessons

- Private Lessons

- Intensive Courses

Translation Services

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

Contact us for more information

is always no (apart from 24 hour Chinese takes outs!) If I had never come to Morzine I would just be living my old existence in London, slaving away in an office. My life has changed so much since I came to Morzine, I won’t ever look back.

Amie's top interseason riding spotsBex - 46.251499,7.000802(type this number into Google Maps)

Train from the bottom of the

hill, we usually get off halfway,

(46.282784,7.070518) and ride back to

the train station. You can go all the way

to the top but the top section is a bit

boring and flat.

Dorenaz - 46.150182,7.044382Telepherique from town center to the

village at the top, permanent DH track,

gets busy on the weekend but really

good technical rocky tracks with lots of

variations.

La Saleve - 46.153973,6.194229Telepherique that goes over the

motorway on the way to the airport,

good top section not too steep so you can

get off the brakes a bit, jumps and berms

made by the locals. There are some

slippery stairs on the front side that you

have to walk to get back to the lift but

it's all good.

Rochers-de-NayeCatch the little train from the main station

(46.431528,6.92482) It takes you up to the

ski field at the top, (46.431823,6.979065)

Takes about an hour to get to the top and

about 55 minutes to descend back to the

train station. Mainly walking tracks and

some road. Lots of different ways down,

bit of pedalling but we do it on DH bikes.

[email protected]

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Climbing, bouldering and hiking in the Tarentaise

There is a great hostel in Bourg St Maurice called Loft. They offer comfy, friendly accommodation for climbers, boulderers and hikers. Shared rooms (3 rooms of 4 and 1 room of 6), with cooking facilities, free wifi, bbq deck and secure gear storage. You can stay a week for €100, or €20/night.

The Tarentaise Valley has several local bouldering spots and climbing routes, only 30 mins from the hostel. It is also on the GR5, with lots of refuges and hikes in and around the Vanoise National Park.

Get there: 2-3 hour drive, or trains from Geneva/Cluses

More info on our website:Search: Rock + Ice >Europe > France and flick to the accommodation tab for details. You can contact them direct through us.

Mountain Biking from the Alps to Provence

Done all the trails here? Discover parts of the Alps you probably haven’t seen on a self guided mountain biking traverse that starts in Ecrins National Park and winds up in the lavender fields of Provence.

For £445, Undiscovered Alps will plan your route with you, provide maps and GPS, sort out 7 nights B&B accommodation and luggage

transfers along the way. With choice of technical single track, spectacular mountain ridges with panoramic views, easy forest trails, riverside tracks and canal paths, the route can be adapted for any level of rider.

Get there: Train from Geneva takes about 5 hours with 1 change. Gap Train Station is the nearest to the start of the ride and Sisteron is the nearest to the end of it.

More info on our website:Search: Bike > Europe > France for details. You can contact them direct through us.

Surfing in Spain

Need some waves? Check out Andy and Rosalia’s family run surf school and surf camp in the beachside town on Conil de la Frontera in Andalusia, Southern Spain. El Palmar is a good, fairly punchy beach break and doesn’t get as crowded as some. They run a 7 day surf camp which includes self catered accommodation, equipment and instruction every day for £361. Ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers.

Get There: Trains from Geneva to Paris, Paris to Madrid overnight sleeper, Madrid to Cadiz is approx 22 hours all up. Road tripping with a few in the car would be a great journey through South of France and Spain.

More info on our website:Search:Water>Surf>Europe >Spain for details. You can contact them direct through us.

Walking - Off the beaten track in Montenegro

Stunning coast lined with dramatic mountains, beautiful beaches,

5 much better summer adventures

yodel is really behind

the work of Much Better Adventures.

Not just because they

are based here in Morzine but

because we love their ideas

for ethical, responsible

and sustainable travel. So, with

the winter season over, we

all deserve a holiday. Here's

where they'd recommend...

With the snow distinctly

average this winter, it’s time to get inspired

about summer! We’ve been

slaving away unearthing great local adventure

choices all over the world -

places to stay, guides and

schools run by friendly people

who share our passion

for adventure sports, and

care about the environments

we do them in.

Here’s the top 5 adventures on our summer wish list. All can be reached overland, though some are further than others - the journey is always part of the adventure after all! Let us know if you go…

For more information on the work of much better adventures, see their website or email [email protected]

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rich history, strong culture, friendly people and almost no tourists! Montenegro won’t stay undiscovered forever.

An organisation called Zalaz run an 8 day traverse of the coastal mountains for £585 per person leaving on Sept 27th. You will be staying in mountaineering huts, old stone mountain houses, camping, and in family guesthouses where you will get to know the locals. They do the guiding, provide most meals, transport, permits and all the logisitics. They can also help arrange walking trips any other time of year.

Get there: Take a few days driving or getting trains down through Italy. Get the ferry from Bari to Bar.

More info on our website:S ea rch:Wa lk+Hi ke>Europe> Montenegro for details. You can contact them direct through us.

Sea Kayaking in Croatia

Time to get some sun, sea and errr sea kayaks. Croatia is on everyone’s list - the home of truly turquoise waters, craggy coastlines, beautiful villages, great weather and better pizzas than Italy. It is easier on your wallet too.

Exploring the coast from Porec to Rovinj on a 5 day kayaking trip with Fiore Adventure will set you back £335 -£360 per person. You will stay in local guest houses and family hotels. They provide guides, equipment, transport, and breakfast is included. Lunches and dinners are better spent in the great local restaurants. Get there: Near the Italian border, you can be there in 8 hours drive, or by trains through Trieste. More info on our website:Search:Water>Kayak>Europe> Croatia for details. You can contact them direct through us.

Page 8: Yodel May/June

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Geneva Marathon 8.00am - Lake Geneva

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Rolex Bol d’Or Sailing Regatta 10.00am - Lake Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The LodgeRolex Bol d’Or Sailing Regatta 10.00am - Lake Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Fete de la Musique 6.00pm - Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Pass Portes du Soleil Mountain Bike Event 8.00am - PDS

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Thrs 5th May

Wed 11th May

Thrs 12th May

Sun 15th May

Thrs 19th May

Thrs 26th May

Mon 30th May

Tues 31st May

Wed 1st May

Thrs 2nd June

Mon 6th June

Tues 7th June

Thrs 9th June

Sun 12th June

Mon 13th June

Tues 14th June

Thrs 16th June

Fri 17-19th June

Mon 20th June

Tues 21st June

Wed 22nd June

Thrs 23rd June

Fri 24-26th June

Mon 27th June

Tues 28th June

Thrs 30th June

We want to get as many people in our lovely town involved in yodel magazine as possible! If you have events you would like to be added to this page, please contact us at:[email protected] or [email protected]

competition time

On the Yodel website Numero Dix Head Chef Phil Wallis uses which part of a chicken to make his grilled lime and chilli chicken dish?

WIN - dinner for 2 including wines at

• Visit the website

• Read the recipe

• Cook it on your BBQ

• Send us the correct answer

• win!

E-mail us your answer to:[email protected]

Page 9: Yodel May/June

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Geneva Marathon 8.00am - Lake Geneva

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Pub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’Aulps

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Rolex Bol d’Or Sailing Regatta 10.00am - Lake Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The LodgeRolex Bol d’Or Sailing Regatta 10.00am - Lake Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Fete de la Musique 6.00pm - Geneva

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

La Maison Shopping Delivery 5.00pm - Drop-off TBC

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

Pass Portes du Soleil Mountain Bike Event 8.00am - PDS

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am & 6.00pm - The Lodge

Intermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeBeginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 5.00pm - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.15pm - The Lodge

Beginners Pilates with Sarah Stephen 9.00am - The LodgeAdvanced Pilates with Sarah Stephen 6.00pm - The LodgePub Quiz at Bar National 7.00pm - St Jean D’AulpsIntermediate Pilates with Sarah Stephen 7.15pm - The Lodge

We regularly add new events and information to the yodel magazine website events listings, be sure to check it out.

Bar National Open Wed - Sun each week from 5pm - 11pm, pizzas available between 6.30pm and 9.30pm.

Bar Tabac, Montriond

Closed until 11th May then open every day from early to late except Tues (closed all day) and Sun pm. Open all day every day from the end of June.

Rhodos - Open every day from early to late as usual. Food available at limited times.

Dixie BarOpen for sports matches - check the boards outside the bar.

CavernClosed during MayRe-opens June

CrepuClosed until 25th May then open from 4pm until late every day.

Coup de Couer Closed until 15th May then open 5 days a week until the end of June. The two closing days will be confirmed on a weekly basis.

CarrefourOpen from 8.30am - 12.30pm then 3.00pm - 6.30pm Mon - Sat. Closed on Sun.

Other Regular Opening Hours

www.matrixbathroomsltd.com

MATRIXL U X U R Y B A T H R O O M S 2 0 1 1

Delivery available to Morzine and surrounding areas

by arrangement

Full range of shower screens, wetrooms, baths,

bathscreens, toilets and baisins available.

0044(0)1460 [email protected]

Page 10: Yodel May/June

Now that the sun is shining it’s easy to forget the warm days in January when you didn’t need that extra layer. Or when the rain washed a lot of the snow off the Pleney in February. Or when a river of melting snow appeared in the middle of the Super Morzine in March. For most of us the season ended in Avoriaz where conditions stayed very reasonable up high almost until the end of the season.

But what do the experts say about the snow conditions we’ve experienced here in Morzine this winter? How do they compare to previous years and with other ski resorts? Locals talk about the '1 in 4' theory but are warmer, less snowy winters set to become the norm? We’re not planning on getting all environmental about this (not yet anyway!). We’re just on a mission to explain things.

415,000 people checked the www.snow-forecast.com page for Morzine this winter - that’s over 3000 people every day. It’s hard for the Snow Forecast people to compare Winter 2011 to previous winters until they’ve spent time analysing and calibrating their figures but a quick look at Winter 2010 shows that Morzine had a decent season-spread snowfall which was on a par with other ski resorts at a similar height in Europe. This winter has seen the snow depths on both lower and higher pistes reduce dramatically and the number of dumps or days on which it has snowed is less than half that of last year. The average temperature at 8am during January

was on average 5 degrees warmer than in January last year. This factor alone had a massive impact on snow conditions.

The Three Valleys resort of Meribel has also had a random winter. Although higher than Morzine at 1450 metres, Meribel is equally as popular with British holiday makers as our own resort and therefore could be an alternative holiday destination next winter. Although there have been more snowy days in Meribel this winter than in Morzine, snow depths have been consistently better in Morzine and Avoriaz throughout the season. The Three Valleys might claim to offer a larger ski area and higher pistes than the Portes du Soleil, but during the final month of the season, we had access to more open lifts and pistes across the network. Which just goes to show - it’s not all about snowfall inches!

As Bruno Cherblanc, the Director of the Portes du Soleil told Yodel, ‘This season has been a difficult one for all Alpine ski resorts. We’re lucky that the Portes du Soleil had already invested in 694 snow cannons, and that they were put to work while it stayed cold. We also have to thank the pisteurs for their hard work in managing the slopes. It is due to their incredible efforts that skiers were still able to get around much of the Portes du Soleil’.

We’ll be keeping in touch with the Snow-Forecast people in the coming months as they begin to make conclusions about the winter and we’ll add more information to our website. So with winter done and dusted, here’s to a scorching hot summer!

We’re lucky that the Portes du Soleil had already invested in 694 snow cannons, and that they were put to work while it stayedcold.

10

OK, so it wasn’t the snowiest winter on record here in Morzine.

Ou estla neige?

Page 11: Yodel May/June

Winter's over and the summer's nearly here, along with it comes a whole new range of activities to look forward to. The Multipass is a great way to experience them - it gives you unlimited access to activities across the 12 resorts of the Portes du Soleil. This includes: -850km of foot paths-21 mountain-lifts for hikers-10 tennis courts-5 swimming pools and 2 lakes-5 cultural sites-3 tourist road-trains-2 ice rinks If you stay with a participating accommodation provider, the Multipass is available for just €1 a day or €6 otherwise. If staying throughout the summer or if you're planning on making numerous trips then a season lift pass is the way to go. At just €50, it is valid for 3 months and allows full access to all participating Portes du Soleil activities. It's also free for kids under fi ve. What a bargain!

The Multipass is valid from June 12th until September 12th but this is dependent on opening dates. Morzine's swimming pool is currently under construction and when we went to press it was not clear when the work would be fi nished so let's keep our fi ngers crossed it will be up and running for the start of summer.for the start of summer.

Specifically designed for the Chalet Market and individuals wishing to sell or rent out their homes in the

Vallee D'Aulps area.

Please contact Emily to discuss your specific requirements and to find out about

the May/June Special offer!

Property and Interior PhotographyEmily Turnbull

www.emilyturnbull.com

[email protected] 28 93 68 78

All about...the multipass

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In the 1920’s Joseph Pilates invented a complete exercise method, which was dedicated to improving physical and mental health. Pilates focuses on building core strength and improving your posture. It strengthens your back, abdominal and pelvic muscles through a series of low repetition, low impact stretch exercises and so is the perfect preparation exercise for hill walking, mountain biking and snow sports.

The interseason is a time to relax and concentrate on yourself after the craziness of winter. Why not pull your body and mind back into to shape by signing up for a pilates class?

Sarah Stephen moved to Morzine 4 years ago and lives here all year round. She is a fully qualifi ed physiotherapist (UK and French registered) and is kept very busy during the winter season doing sports massage. She has a treatment room at The Lodge in Morzine and offers a mobile service too.

Sarah’s pilates classes start on 30th May in the gym at The Lodge. They are for all ability levels and pilates is the perfect exercise for all ages and levels of fi tness. Lots of men (including ski instructors) join Sarah’s lessons and there could also be a ‘men only’ class if there is enough demand. Because Sarah is a qualifi ed physio, she can also offer advice on joint or back problems or sports injury before you start a session of classes.

Mondays9am – Intermediate6pm – Intermediate

Tuesday9am – Intermediate5pm – Beginners6.15pm – Advanced

Classes are priced at 60 euros for a block of 6 classes. Sarah is happy for you to only pay for the classes you attend, which is perfect if you are jetting off on holiday or back to the UK during the interseason.

stretch yourselfthis inter season

Thursday9am – Beginners6pm – Advanced7.15pm – Intermediate

class schedule

Sports Massage, Sports Physiotherapy

and Pilates on callMy aim is to keep your body in top condition,

relieve sore muscles and

speed up your recovery if you are injured

Sports Massage, Sports Physiotherapy

and Pilates on call

Mountain Rehab

My aim is to keep your body in top condition,

relieve sore muscles and

speed up your recovery if you are injured

and Pilates on call

Sarah Stephen

00 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)63713026400 33 (0)637130264 [email protected]

mcsp srp

Page 13: Yodel May/June

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Head in the Clouds In 2006 a graphic

designer called Gavin

Pretor-Pinney fi nally found a

publisher for his fi rst ever

book - he’d been turned down by 28 publishers

fi rst but went on to

sell 240,000 copies in the

UK alone. Off the back of the book

he launched a society

which now has 25,291

members worldwide. The subject

of his fascination?

Clouds.

www.cloudappreciationsociety.org

The Cloudspotters Guide is a nerdish act of tribute to things that we take for granted every day. It makes the scientifi c side of cloud formations and classifi cations accessible to all and it actually becomes quite addictive. ‘Contemplating the Heavens Below’ for example, involves lying on your back with your head tipped back to survey the inverted sky, so that it then begins to look like the landscape. Gavin goes on to use hilarious analogies as tools to help with cloud identifi cation. A Strato-cumulous for example is ‘always in transition, not unlike the pop singer Chef at the height of her costume-changing stage routines’.

Living in the mountains, I would imagine that we all spend more time looking at the sky than the average city dweller - will it snow today? Is the sun coming out? Gavin tells me that the relationship between the mountains and clouds is very close. But whether a cloud will turn into snow depends on a number of things. Here’s the science bit… concentrate.

Precipitation starts as ice at the top of a cloud. When conditions are warm the ice melts as it falls through the sky and lands on us as rain. Tall clouds with a dark base are most likely to precipitate. A tall cloud with a dark base in cold temperatures is a Nimbostratus, AKA a type of snow cloud in the right conditions. The precipitation from it falls as snow and because it can spread across the entire sky, it is perfect for a continued

steady snowfall across a ski resort. You’ll spot a Nimbostratus as it builds up slowly. Its alter ego is a Cumulonimbus cloud, which appears very quickly, and has a more defi ned shape (like an anvil Gavin tells me). The Cumulonimbus dumps a huge amount of precipitation (snow!) while at the same time producing unsettled weather and poor visibility.

The popularity of The Cloudspotters Guide spurred the creation of the ‘Cloud Appreciation Society’, which works to fi ght the banality of ‘blue-sky thinking’. The website features a photo gallery, music to watch clouds by, art and poetry and the societie's manifesto. Members of the Cloud Appreciation Society agree that life would be immeasurably poorer without clouds - ‘clouds are egalitarian’ Gavin tells me, as everyone can have a fantastic view of them. We’ve all become ‘meteologically autistic’ now and many of us prefer to check weather forecasts or conditions by watching TV or checking online. What we should be doing is reading the emotions of the sky by looking out of the window instead.

Gavin’s most recent book, The Cloud Collectors Handbook, is a very helpful guide to cloud spotting, designed for your pocket and to inspire us further to look up. Clouds are for dreamers Gavin believes, and their contemplation benefi ts the soul. Can living life with your head in the clouds really be such a bad thing?

Thursday9am – Beginners6pm – Advanced7.15pm – Intermediate

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a day in the life of

Each month we have to send yodel to our printers in the UK by about the 13th or 14th of the month. This means we have to do lots of advance planning! Before we started yodel we didn’t really know about all the enterprising people who live within our community. There are so many people with new business ideas and plans - we really enjoy meeting them and helping them to promote themselves.

We begin the planning for each issue of yodel by drawing out the pages of the magazine. We started with just 16 pages in February and our April issue had 24 pages - which means a lot more work! We place all of our regular monthly features like interviews and good old Uncle Burt into the plan and then we think about the time of year. We like to go out and meet people so it’s often easy to fi nd someone interesting to interview.

yodel started out as a hobby for us both. We believed that something was needed in Morzine to help promote resort events such as live music in the evenings and to highlight some of the great shops, restaurants and bars that we have. Because we’ve had so much

support from the local community we’ve decided to add a second yodel to the collection - the Les Gets yodel will begin this summer and then a third… the Avoriaz yodel next winter.

The highlight so far was defi nitely interviewing Francis Rossi from Status Quo - now there’s a reason to make sure you read the July yodel! We also get to work with inspiring people like Much Better Adventures, attack attack, Ski Park Pow and Amie Marsh to highlight all the things that are great about mountain life in Morzine.

Our cover images come from local photographers and it's always very important that they show the best of the amazing place that we live in. Please get in touch if you'd like to help us with a future front cover.

Thank you to all of the resort folk who’ve taken the time to get in touch over the last few months with feedback and ideas. We’ve listened to and read them all!

yodel magazine was created in Morzine in February 2011 by Amie and Rowena. But what goes into producing a monthly community magazine? Here we tell you…

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