Archive for December, 2009
Skiing and Snowboarding in Avoriaz
Avoriaz Partner Trip: 17th-18th December 2009
From the moment I arrived in Avoriaz until the moment that I left it did not stop snowing! This was great for the beginning of the season and reassures me that Avoriaz really does have the most reliable snow in the Portes de Soleli area!
Some people tell me that they do not like the architecture in Avoriaz but it’s not until you visit the resort that you realise that the unique architectural design using traditional wood and sloping roofs blends perfectly into the natural landscape.
Avoriaz View
I have been to many French ski resorts and I have to say that Avoriaz is definitely top of my list. It’s very picturesque and has a friendly village feel unlike some other large resorts in the Alps.
Not only offering excellent skiing conditions, Avoriaz also offers fantastic views and sunsets overlooking the Morzine Valley. It is here where the new MGM residence will be situated in “La Falaise”.
Avoriaz is great for all abilities, skiers and boarders and especially great for families. Boarders are particularly attracted as it is home to a fantastic eco
Avoriaz
board park known as “The Stash”. There are only 3 of these parks in the world and Avoriaz hosts the only one in Europe!
There are 273 marked ski runs and 216 km of cross-country trails. Other activities available include sleigh rides, winter hikes, snowshoeing, dog sledding, hang-gliding, helicopter tours, paragliding, snow-biking and snowmobiling. An unusual option is the opportunity to scuba-dive beneath the ice in a frozen lake!
Being a car-free resort means it is ski in ski out but if you don’t fancy skiing
Avoriaz Transport
to the lifts there’s always a horse and sled or skidoos on offer – Getting about the resort in this manor is what gives Avoriaz much of its charm.
After a nice warm lunch at La Bistro we headed to the second site “La Crozat” where the P&V and Maeva residences will be situated.
These will be built on the edge of the resort on a slope offering fantastic views across the whole resort.
The photo on the left is where the P&V residence will be and the one on the right will be Maeva.
Avoriaz
As well as the new residences there will soon be an indoor water park which in the summer months will also have a man-made beach outside! There are
Indoor Waterpark
lots of activities to do here in the summer so Avoriaz really is a duel season resort.
For après ski there is a good choice of restaurants with fantastic cuisine and local bars and nightclubs for those who want to party! The shopping is also good with the usual hi-tech ski gear to purchase!
We headed to La Cabane restaurant/bar in the evening which was really nice, offering great food and a great atmosphere.
The next morning we headed to the slopes, it literally took just a couple of minutes to reach the nursery slopes and it was then I noticed I was the only one snowboarding! Having been a few times before I knew the basics but I am still a novice. I gave it a good go and after a practice we headed off to a blue run. I have to say I did quite well considering the conditions - the visibility was poor as it was still heavily snowing!
Overall I highly recommend Avoriaz for a place to invest in property; it has everything you need from a ski resort from fantastic pistes, guaranteed snow, traditional food and charm; and soon there will be the new water park and new apartments which will really update and move the resort forward.
So after a fantastic trip it was time to come home but as soon as we left the resort we heard that our flight was cancelled due to the snow in London! I was one of many people stranded in Geneva airport which is not the best way to end a trip but all is well now that I made it home, eventually!
Hannah Morris
Property Sales Executive
AVORIAZ – Overview of the Project
- New build development – low upfront costs
- 200millions euros worth of infrastructure
- 19.6% vat rebate
- 3.5% guaranteed rental returns plus various usage formulas
- Excellent capital growth potential
- Set to be ‘the’ dual destination ski resort at 1800m with beach and spa facilities
- Just one hour from Geneva
- Quality accommodation, quality visitors
Developments
MAEVA RESIDENCE LES CROZATS ELECTRA - Electra is situated close to the centre of the resort and offers beautiful views of the mountains and the lake.
MGM RESIDENCE L’AMARA - On the edge of the resort, close to La Falaise district comprising five residences and a beautiful Spa featuring a huge heated swimming pool. The development is South-facing, with magnificent views of the Morzine valley.
Add comment December 29, 2009
A Walking Tour of Bridgetown, Barbados
The City of Bridgetown
The historical, cultural and architectural capital of Barbados was an easy place to walk around, and only took a couple of hours at most to explore the many great sites on offer. If the sun is hot I definitely advise everyone to add a hat and sunblock to the comfortable shoes, sunglasses, and camera that are necessary for the exploring the capital.
1. Independence Square
Easily identified by the Independence Arch, the Square is a green oasis that provides a cool place to sit and rest, watching pedestrian and vehicular
Independence Square at Christmas
traffic hustle and bustle in the heart of the capital city. This recreational square features an amphitheatre and two fountains and one of the first major events to be staged in the remodelled Square was a tribute to Barbados’ own Rihanna, the international recording star, in 2008 as she turned 20 years old.
2. Parliament Buildings
The earliest Parliament building was built in 1640 but burned in the Bridgetown fire of 1668. The present buildings were completed in 1874, both the Senate and House of Assembly meet here. The West Wing was finished in 1872, while the East Wing was completed in 1873. A spectacular collection of stained glass windows that show many statesmen, including Oliver Cromwell, adorn the complex , and if access is permitted, the likenesses of all British sovereigns from James I to Queen Victoria may be viewed in the House of Assembly.
3. Queen’s Park
The home was the residence of the Commander of the British troops in the West Indies. Before the days of Queen Victoria it was known as the King’s House.
Queen’s Park is a popular location for exhibitions, fairs and other large public events. The children’s play area features a Baobab tree with a 61.5-foot circumference is perhaps the largest tree in Barbados. The tree is an estimated 1,000 years old and thought to have grown unaided from a seed likely to have come from Africa during the days of slavery.
4. Lord Nelson Statue
This bronze statue of Lord Horatio Nelson was erected in Trafalgar Square in 1813. Part of the statue’s significance is the fact that Bridgetown’s Lord Nelson is not an imitation of London’s and was designed some thirty years before Nelson’s Column was erected in London’s Trafalgar Square. Native Bajans had a strong affection for Nelson who visited Barbados, in command of the British fleet, just six months before his death in 1805. In 1999 the statue was moved to stand near the traffic lights at the top of Broad Street, just opposite High Street.
5. Dolphin Fountain
To commemorate the advent of piped-in water to Bridgetown in 1861 a local newspaper suggested a proper fountain be erected in a central spot. Bajan citizens donated money and a decorative fountain embellished with water-spewing dolphins was installed in 1865. Work on the gardens surrounding the fountain didn’t begin until 1882.
6. Cheapside Market
This large open-air market is a great example of Barbadian culture reminiscent of days past, as small vendors and craftsmen sell every imaginable type of fresh fruit, vegetables and other wares.
Cheapside Market truly encapsulates the charm of Barbados and everything, as the name implies, is very reasonably priced and most vendors are willing to negotiate on large purchases.
7. Bridgetown Synagogue
The Nidhe Israel Synagogue claims to be one of the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere dating back to 1654. The original synagogue was destroyed by hurricane in 1831 and then the rebuilt place of worship was nearly demolished in 1983 untill it was beautifully restored by the Jewish community. The Jews who came to Barbados from Brazil in the 1620s due to persecution introduced sugar cane to the Caribbean.
More Sites to See
National Public Library
National Heroes Square
Law Courts, Police Station, Old Public Library, & Montefiore Fountain
Tom Adams Financial Centre
St. Michael’s Cathedral
Scott Hurley
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More On Barbados
Select Resorts have revamped their Barbados Villas webpage and have some great offers for the Crane Resort in Barbados.
Add comment December 10, 2009
