The La Tania Ski Blog
Latest news, snow, pics, gossip and information from the locals in La Tania – latania.co.uk
All the latest news from around the Three Valleys from the La Tania locals. A real blog since 2006, not just endless re-posts for search engine optimisaton! Photos, gossip, snow reports, what's on and all the latest on the Apres Ski scene... Now fully optimised for iPhone, Touch and Android Mobiles - just go to latania.co.uk/blog and view on your phone. Our other past blogs & favourites here
Another England Away Trip – Our Summer Distraction
The Nations League was always hard to like, understand or fathom out how to qualify and how it helped to Euro 2020 Qualification but… it ended up in a couple of games in Portugal as La Tania does Football once again.
Easy and relatively cheap to access, stay, drink, eat and even get tickets for then add in the Portuguese hospitality, sunshine and SuperBock – this was always going to be a great trip (except for the football as usual of course).
Some idiots of course caused some trouble on the Wednesday night and the press loved to sensationalise it as usual, 7 England “fans” arrested in total over the whole week – compare that to the 300 plus at Notting Hill Carnival for example… Issues with access, stewarding, Bluetooth ticketing (a first when paper copies didn’t exist at all) , policing, line up arguments, tactics etc are all distant memories now – a good time prevailed over all, even if it was a made up competition really! Next Euro 2020 – Probably Wembley x 3, Rome, Dublin and bloody Wembley again for S/F and Final. Maybe. A bit cheaper than Qatar for 2022 though….
The 3 Valleys Biking Weekend 13/14 July 2019
Sat 13 July sees the classic downhill from the Saulire summit to Brides Les Bains – 17.5km length, 2100m vertical with top riders taking around 20 minutes!
Sun 14 July is the “Rando Tour” with starting points at La Tania, Courchevel, Méribel and Brides, 15 to 75km open to all standards and dedicated ski lifts open for bikes.
Also on Sun 14 July is the new “Cyclo Tour” with a race up to Col de la Loze from either Courchevel (tarmac) or Méribel (soon to be tarmac too).
More info and registration at:
http://addicttour.les3vallees.com/
Le Praz New Lift Work Continues Apace & Lake Being Drained
The old gondola station has already been flattened and work continues rapidly on the new €27m Alpinium Building, 500 space underground multi-storey car park and new gondola lift up to 1850.
There’ll also be a tourist office, lift pass office, function rooms with bar and kichen facilities, kids play area, 120 ski lockers and public toilets The new 10 seater gondola will now arrive near the top of Tovets chair (which will be shortened) – making an easier walk up to La Croisette area and will be over 25% quicker taking less than 6 minutes to get to the top.
The gondola base station will integrate in to the new base building which will have sports facilities and a running track effectively on the roof and the 2023 The Alpine Ski World Championships will have the Men’s races finish here.
As part of the work the lake is temporarily being drained too which means no wake boarding park this Summer but the new faster, bigger, better lift will open this December for Winter 2019 / 2020.
When completed we hear that the lower level of the car park will host an electric go-kart circuit from May through to November.
Thanks to Claire from the Drop Inn at Le Praz for the pics. They’re open all year and don’t forget Tapas Tuesdays….
Win one of the last few 3 Valleys Charity Day T Shirts at the Bring Your Sisters UK Gig on 26 May 2019
We’ve the final few limited edition Bring Your Sisters T-Shirts from 3 Valleys Charity Day to give away – but you must be at the BYStival gig in Cobham on 26 May 2019…
We’ve only got Ladies medium to give away (the only ones left!) – to enter email competition@latania.co.uk with the subject line BYS with your answer to the following:
A regular feature of Bring Your Sisters gigs is the band and the crowd getting naked – who originally sang the song they get naked to?
Winners will be announced at the show, see you down the front…
#GetYourselvesDownThere
The annual Bring Your Sisters Bank Holiday extravaganza takes place on Sunday 26 May 2019 at Avorians Cricket Club, Cobham.
It’s Bank Holiday “Super Sunday”, no work Monday. BYS and friends will be playing in the Avorians Cricket Club, Cobham from 4:30pm.
BBQ, outdoor bar and a chance to catch the 3 Valleys Charity Day Headliners only UK date this Summer.
Limited tickets so book early online through eventbrite by clicking the link here. Tickets £12.00, kids under 12 free!
Congrats to La Tania regular James Williams on a London Marathon World Record
La Tania regular James Williams broke the Guinness World Record for fastest marathon dressed as a snowboarder at the London Marathon on Sunday.
Completing the Marathon in a time of 5 hrs 21 mins 50 secs, James was dressed in snowboard gear including helmet & boots while carrying a snowboard with bindings around the course.
Photo Credit Mick Hall
James was raising money for the Round Table Children’s Wish Charity – Fundraising Page here
Season Over… Time for the UK Reunion – Bring Your Sisters present BYStival
The annual Bring Your Sisters Bank Holiday extravaganza takes place on Sunday 26 May 2019 at Avorians Cricket Club, Cobham.
26th of May 2019 – Bank Holiday “Super Sunday”, no work Monday. BYS and friends will be playing in the Avorians Cricket Club, Cobham from 4:30pm.
BBQ, outdoor bar and a chance to catch the 3 Valleys Charity Day Headliners only UK date this Summer.
Limited tickets so book early online through eventbrite by clicking the link here. Tickets £12.00, kids under 12 free!
See you down the front…
BYS through the years…
Rich Roberts – Guitar, Vocals
Stevie Hay – Drums, Keyboard, Guitar, Vocals and anything you can hit, blow, strum, play etc…
Ben Westaway – Guitar, Vocals
Gareth McKane – Bass, Vocals
And The Roadies… Aaron, Joey, Rachel, Phil & Paul
It’s All Over… A Great Final Day on the Mountain
While Val Thorens and Orelle carry on until 5 May that’s it for the rest of the 3 Valleys but a great final day skiing (and more Marmottes!). Have a great Summer everyone wherever you may be heading…
Great snow cover but windy today, yesterday was better. Still tonnes of snow.
The last day started slightly cloudy which was good as the snow hadn’t frozen overnight and so the groomed pistes were like velvet first thing. All resorts open although greatly reduced lift service but plenty to go at. Fantastic snow cover and most of the pistes had plenty of snow although not necessarily open due to the reduced lift system. This doesn’t really matter if you know your way around. Travelling around the Three Valleys wasn’t recommended today due to the Foehn/Lombard wind blowing.
Saulire 
1650 
1650 
Bouc Blanc 
Creux 
Folyères blue piste down to resort 
Marmottes 
Chenus 
Folyères blue piste down to resort 
Folyères blue piste down to resort 
More Marmottes 
Saulire
Remember the lifts are open in July and August for hikers and bikers with plenty of fêtes, BBQs, fireworks, mountain biking events, The Summer Ski Jumping World Cup, Triumph Bikers weekend and a stage finish of the Tour de France in Val Thorens. See La Tania Summer Life
3 Valleys Charity Day Roll of Honour – The Big Thankyou!
The total amount raised on 3 Valleys Charity Day 2019 and at the La Tania Charity Ball after all our associated costs have been paid is €33,000.
The 8th annual 3 Valleys Charity Day (and 19th charity event since we started in La Tania in 2002) held on Wednesday 10th April 2019 in Méribel Village was another incredible success.
This year’s slogan was #getyourselvesouthere – so a massive thanks to all of you who did!
To raise €33,000 for our two charities after all our increased costs to improve the event is a truly great effort. Thanks to everybody who got involved as the total raised represents an amazing achievement by you all.
Due to your efforts, attendance and generosity we now have another €33,000 that we can donate to the The Sebastian’s Action Trust and the Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer.
As in recent years we were faced with a pretty unfavourable weather forecast for the day.
However, a pretty cold day and some drops of rain in the late afternoon didn’t in any way dampen the fun or atmosphere as we saw a total attendance of 1665 people on the day including 1317 tickets sold in advance through our new online ticketing system for 2019.
Once again, the venue was pretty much full and rocking from 2pm and at one point there was a pretty big queue to get in! The ambiance created by those who attended this year was really good so thanks to all that got involved in a positive way and made a contribution.
We saw people travelling from as far afield as La Rosierie, Tignes & Les Arcs to attend. You guys really did get yourselves over here!
The fancy dress competition at 3pm saw some of the brilliant handmade costumes that people had put a lot of time into, in the spirit of the bygone charity days that were held in La Tania.
This year’s fancy dress winners were the Vikings, the Trolls and the Cleaners. Also, a special mention to T Rex who we couldn’t find in the crowd when it came to judge the winners but T Rex, we loved your costume! Nice work guys and enjoy those meals and drinks at Copina Courchevel.
A special thanks goes out to our main sponsors Pub Le Ski Lodge for sponsoring the stage this year and also a special mention must go out to Bring Your Sisters who headlined the event, very generously for no fee (see them in the UK in May).
Because of these two incredible contributions from Tim & Debbie Wall and Bring Your Sisters we were able to invest some extra funds into the sound and stage system to improve the overall event experience for you. The extra investment certainly had the desired effect as the new stage looked awesome and the new sound system and line array sounded amazing.
A huge thanks as always must go out to all the local bands on Wednesday who again gave up their own time, and paid gigs on the day to play at Charity Day. We really couldn’t do it without you and you all absolutely rocked it!
There was an incredible amount of unseen unglamorous work carried out behind the scenes to prepare this event at unsociable hours of the day, including setting up the stage, tents, toilets, tables and barriers, BBQs, food preparation, amongst countless other tasks. Thanks to all my crews on Tuesday, Wednesday and also on Thursday morning which is always the hardest shift after a long day of working and partying the night before. You guys really are the heroes that help me stage this great event. Thanks guys I love your work!
On a personal note thanks and gratitude to Tim & Debbie Wall and Chris Ball for your continued support and sponsorship of the event and for bringing the Pub Le Ski Lodge bar over to Meribel Village. It’s a significant part of the overall total that is raised which cannot be understated.
In a year where the team was a little stretched in terms of volunteers to share the workload, a big thanks go out to John and Carol Warren, John McMorland, Lyn McMorland and the whole Gorman family, the Bakers, Alan, John and Natalie Earl for stepping up and giving me a hand in the final days running up to the event. I couldn’t have done it without you guys!
I know I say it every year and I will again here, it’s the volunteers that assist me on the day and those who give up their own free time and lend their support selflessly that makes the event what it is and gives the event its unique flavour which cannot be replicated.
To finish then, on a year when all of you really did #getyourselvesouthere – see you all again next year!
Next year sees our big birthday so look out for an extra special charity day tee shirt design to commemorate our 20th year…..
Ralph Corner
3 Valleys Charity Day
A massive thank you to all of the following …
Organisers – Ralph Corner, Tim Wall, Chris Ball, Charlie Gorman, Ben Westaway, Rich Roberts, John McMorland, Lyn McMorland, John and Carol Warren
Presenter – Russ Desmond
Band Line Up – Ben Westaway
Sound & Stage – Westy, Rich Roberts, Stevie, Gareth, Paul, Chris Hall, Fernando
Bands – Bring Your Sisters, The Maps, Daisy Chain Band, Sian Hayley-Smith, Freddie Fingers, Al Jones, Ali Wright, The Dominos, Pink Miami, Queens of the Snow Stage, Les Lunettes, Gallie.
DJs – Funkin English, Jaguar Skills
Event Treasurer – John Middleditch
Event Venue & Infrastructure – Méribel Tourist Office, Xavier & Clement, Méribel Technical Services
Venue Stretch Tents – Luke McDonald, Ollie Harrison, Ollie Scott, Dan Wilson, Shannon Robertson, Candace Kellough
Tuesday Set Up Team – John Warren, Luke Eastwood, Chris Ball, Tim Wall, Ralph Corner & Benedict Butler, David Oliver, Alan Slater & John Folan
Thursday Clean Up Team – Ralph Corner, Tim Wall, Benedict Butler, John Warren, Meribel Service Technique, Chris Ball & Luke Eastwood
Wednesday Night Clean Up Volunteers – Charlie Gorman, Tristan Rouet, Chris Ball, Toffa Brown, Luke Eastwood, Ralph Corner, Alan Slater, John Folan, Paul Gorman. Bev Wyn, Karen Gorman, Benedict Butler, Lindsay & Auntie Mary, Natalie Earl, Karen Bolton, Paddy Weeks, Jack Thomas Consterdine, Paul Clough & David Campbell.
Event Video – Guy Cotton
Photos – Natalie Earl, Toffa Brown, John Ruben Robinson
Social Media – Natalie Earl, Ralph Corner, www.latania.co.uk,
Radio Advertising – Radio Méribel, Mika Dae
Advertising – www.latania.co.uk
Door & Gate – Sandy Jardine, John Folan, Alan Slater, Morgan Bell, Fiona Bell, John Middleditch & Deadpool
Staff Security and Door – Auntie Mary and Lindsey
Jaguar Skills & BYS Transport – Snowbound Transfers and Freeride Republic
Jaguar Skills Accommodation – Cafe Del Mott, Hotel Mottaret, Madame Vacances & Louisa Van Vloten
BYS Accommodation – Keith Stowell, Tayla Elise Rogers
Sebastian Action Trust Ladies Accommodation – Family Friendly Ski
La Tania Maribel Shuttle Bus – Le Praz Transfers, Simon Fox & Martin
Food Tent – Benedict Butler, Carol Warren, John Warren, Tony Torti, Steve Hazel, Amanda Hazel, Adam Fairclough, Shaun Fairclough, Rory Lane, Dam Mustoe, Tomas Stranik & Oliver Sampson, Sue and Pete Booth.
Savoieire Pulled Pork Sandwiches Tent – Joey McFarland, Janet Barnett & Paul Barnett
Curries – John McMorland, Lyn McMorland, Matthew Ward, The Freeride Republic
Jelly Vodkas – Danielle Taverner & Natalie Earl
Food Donations – The Trading Post, Maison Braissard, Savoieire
Event Shopping – John McMorland, Jason Baker, Claire Baker & The Freeride Republic
Tombola – Jane Gates, Mick Gates, Danielle Taverner, Pete Boon, Karen Gorman, Paul Gorman
Glitter / Face Painting – Katie Trott, Natalie Earl & Jenny Lean
Meribar – Connor, Jake Rigby, Rhys Llewellin, Ellie Thompson, Chrissy Palmer, Millie Mcdougie, Mark Reesy & Andrew Fidgeon
Money Security – Alan Slater & John Middleditch
Security – Horizon Security Team
Pub Le Ski Lodge – Tim Wall, Chris Ball, Claire Baker, Tristan Rouet, Jason Baker, Luke Eastwood, Paul Clough, Toffa Brown, Dan Mustoe, Harriet Graham, Dave Campbell & Rich Stuchberry
Laganitas VIP Bar – Karen Bolton & Bastian
VIP Area Staff – Ulf Stromvall, Claire Almond-Jones, Fabienne Charlet, Frederick Loire & Benedict Jones
VIP Area Sponsors – Café Del Mott
Main Stage & Event Sponsors – Pub Le Ski Lodge
T Shirt Design, Logos & Poster Design – Paul Middlewick Grid 24
T Shirt Manufacturer – Coniston Corporate Embroidery
T Shirt & Merchandise Sales – John and Carol Warren, Karen Gorman, Charlie Gorman, Paul Gorman, Ralph Corner, Natalie Earl
T Shirt Sponsors – Snowlinks Transfers, Lodge Du Village, Pub Le Ski Lodge, STS Transfers, Oxygene Ski School, www.latania.co.uk, Après Ski Bands, Cool Ski jobs, Alpine Escape, 3 Valley Vans, The Freeride Republic, Ski Higher, Alpine Intent, Snow White Transfers, Méribel Tourist Office, Snow Retreat, Slide Candy, The Trading Post
Poster Sponsors – Pub Le Ski Lodge, La Taiga, Alpine Intent, Courchevel Transfers, Ski Dazzle, Oxygene Ski School, Apres Ski Bands, Oxygene Ski School, White Storm, Café Del Mott, www.latania.co.uk, Radio Méribel
Toilets – Altimodul
Fancy Dress Competition Sponsors – Copina Courchevel
Event Printing – La Tania Tourist Office & Lyn McMorland
La Ligue Contre Del Cancer – Mme Françoise Blanc, Mme Nadine Guicciardi, Mr Daniel Masson
La Taiga Charity Ball – Chris B, Tim Wall, Debbie Wall, Russ Desmond and La Taiga Staff
La Taiga Charity Ball Prizes – Cool Ski Jobs, Sunburst Sailing, Sue and Pete Booth, La Taverne Meribel, Tsaretta Spice, Man and Wolf Beer, Rond Pont, Bistro Du Praz, Rond Pont & Sports Remedial
Water – Meribel Pompiers
General Northern Complaining – Bev Wyn
Check out all of the photos at: www.facebook.com/3vcharityday
The La Tania Charity Ball returns – 15 April 2019
After a hiatus of 6 years the La Tania Charity Ball returned on Monday at La Taiga with a fine looking bunch of guests…
The charity auction raised €1750 for the 3 Valleys Charity Day charities – many thanks to Cool Ski Jobs, John and Lynn at Sunburst Sailing, Man and Wolf Beer, Sue and Pete Booth, Rond Pont, Bistro du Praz, Sports Remedial, Taverne Meribel and Tsaretta Spice for the prizes and of course to Chris Ball & Tim Wall plus all the staff at La Taiga for hosting the event. Bigger and better next year anyone?
