Read reviews of the best Val d'Isere nightlife
Just like Bob Marley sang, here in Val d’Isere the sun is shining and weather is sweet. Unlike Bob though, this doesn’t make you want to get on your dancing feet but rather grab a chair in the sun and kick back and relax.
We would like to say that we behave, we really would. But as our parents have always instructed us to tell the truth, we’ll just say that it’s definitely work in progress..... It will come as no surprise then that this week was just another epic series of jagerbombs, awesome DJs, and all out shenanigans. This is Val d’Isere; we just can’t help it!
It’s been one hell of a musical week! With the après music sessions taking place every day, it’s surprising our lives haven’t become a singing only musical!
As most of us in Tignes try and defrost after the bitterly cold week we have just gone through, more snow is on the way. A change up from the -15 degree days will be a welcome change as they were starting to get the better of my nose, ears and moustache.
Maybe we needed a week for our New Year’s resolutions to kick in or maybe it was the fantastic -24 degree weather we’ve been having this week, but either way, we’ve been behaving. Or at the very least, we’ve been working on it, reminding ourselves that our little Euros could be spent on something other than apres-ski! Needless to say, we could be trying harder to stay in control…
Most weeks, we don’t think Mum would mind too much what we do. We’re adults, we’re financially dependent, and, you know, we can legally drink. But last week, last week was a whole different story. Unfortunately, the game of GNAR came back to Val with a vengeance. If you are unfamiliar with this concept, you can stumble upon a video posted by some of our competitors on youtube… But first, let me explain.
When it comes to partying Val d’Isere is one of the jewels of the French Alps. With Apres ski table dancing in ski boots and nightclubs aplenty, finding the best clubs can sometimes be a bit of a struggle.
This winter in Tignes, seasonnaires and holiday makers in-the-know have been lucky enough to bear witness to a new epic night out. An alpine music initiative described by its creator as “summer festival vibes in the snowy alpine playground” known by the name of Bass Station.
For a week early in the season, it hasn’t been looking like it. Heavy snow falls aside, Val has been looking suspiciously like Santa’s workshop courtesy of the Criterium de la Premiere Neige preparations. The media trucks have been moving around town, from the bottom of the Bellevard’s Face over to the OK in la Daille. As we speak, pisteurs and members of the Club des Sports operations team are setting up gates, scraping snow, and placing their blow up sponsorship emblems just so.
Now that over a week has passed since New Year’s, its time to accept certain things. No, we will not be nicer to the coworker who purposefully doesn’t do her job. No, we will not be going to the gym 5 times a week or eating only one croissant a day. And no, we will not stop going out, drink less, and behave more. Nope. In fact, we have continued to do the shopping cart dance followed by the lawnmower dance followed by the fishing reel dance as most of our friends have left the dancefloor out of shame of who their friends are. We have continued to drink Jagerbombs, much to our liver’s chagrin even though it was our top resolution for 2013. We can’t help it. This is Val d’Isère, after all!
The snow storm finally cleared late last week after three crazy weeks of constant fat snow flakes in Val d'Isere. That made for a couple of special blue bird - knee deep days with the mountain covered in smiles from the Grand Motte tothe Solaise. However with it now being the French half term holidays at the moment, the mountain on piste is a crowded affair so heading over to some secret spots is a must over the next couple of weeks. With the sun out, the kiwis thought it was time to dig out the BBQ, soak up the rays and get some Après wets in us.
Val D’isere has come to life. In the space of a week, the town has transformed from a tranquil green and brown to a vibrant snowy paradise. In a mere 48 hours, around a metre of snow fall and an influx of thousands of season workers has drastically changed the autumnal landscape into the resort that is renowned as one of the biggest and best in the world.
The Moris has had a bit of a face lift since last season and now has a new, light wooden interior and a lot more light compared to last season. Walking in, it already feels like a Pub that is a lot more likely to produce high quality food. I approached the bar and was greeted by 3 friendly members of staff.
Val d’Isere is such a multi-national little bubble that sometimes you forget where in the world you are.
With some snow this week followed by blue skies, the skiing’s been great and everyone’s happy.
With the season ending in two months and our minds drifting towards our summer plans, we’ve been trying to figure out how to save our Euros and even make some extra cash for our next trips. We’ve considered selling grilled cheeses for drunk passer-bys, trading kisses for cash, and even giving our kidneys away. As you all can imagine, we’ve been getting creative. And desperate.
The end of season is nigh and people are starting to pack their bags and leave. It’s always sad when the people you’ve become close to leave, even after only a season or two and it’s harder still when you know they’re not just leaving the country but the continent too!