Late afternoon sun over Verbier from the balcony of Amadouvier

Spring skiing is fantastic. And in Verbier spring is here.

The days are warm and long. And the high pressure system of the past week has brought splendid blue skies.

There are so many good things about a family skiing holiday in the spring. Here are three:

1) Not having to fuss with layer upon layer of clothing for the little ones.

2) Not having to feel like you have to rush out in the morning. The best time for skiing is when the snow has softened up after the night freeze. Sit back and enjoy that cup of coffee!

3) Sitting out on your balcony at the end of a great day in the mountains with a G’n'T.

To top that off, as we saw from the Verbier Xtreme held last weekend, there is no shortage of truly phenomenal skiing to be had if you want to go find it.

Its not too late to plan your last (or first) winter holiday of the season. Its been a fantastic winter in all, and its sure to be an amazing spring!

Le Châble local, Xavier de le Rue, leaving the shadows of The Bec behind him.

This weekend the world’s best freeride skiers and snowboarders hiked up, and then descended, the jaw-dropping 3223m Bec de Rosses in Verbier to decide who would be crowned champion of the Freeride World Tour.

The event drew about 8000 people to the slopes around Col de Gentianes to witness the best in the game throw down big, bold lines. In conditions that provided variable snow conditions, the commitment to some serious exposure was astounding. Although the World Tour title was open for grabs in each of the events (men’s skiing, men’s snowboarding, women’s skiing and women’s snowboarding), in every instance the person who won the Verbier Xtreme also walked away with the Tour title.

The women’s start zone was on the lookers right of the Bec de Rosses shoulder, with the athletes charging some beautifuly aesthetic lines on an aspect that showed a good balance of sun and shade. The women’s skiing was won by Swede Christine Hargin while the snowboarding title was taken by American Maria DeBari.

The men had a selection of start zones, but the bulk of their descent ultimately took place in the terribly rock-scarred, shadowed north face. It is hard enough to identify a route down the face, so watching riders tackle it at mach-1 was hugely entertaining, and, at moments, a little terrifying! The men’s skiing was won by another Swede, Reine Barkered, who executed a smooth and fast descent that took in multiple big cliff drops.  The men’s boarding title was claimed by Frenchman Jonathan Charlet.

The Verbier Xtreme is a fantastic spectator event and a highlight on Verbier’s annual calendar. Few other places can allow you a front-row seat to what big-mountain freeriding is all about.

Here are a selection of images from the day.

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Photographs by Barry Cox.

The enigmatic shoulder of Bec de Rosses

Next weekend, in Verbier, the finals of the Freeride World Tour once again take place on the intimidating north face of the 3,223 metre Bec de Rosses.

Now in its 17th year, the Verbier ‘Xtreme’ is the freeride event on the calendar, last year drawing nearly 10,000 live spectators to watch the world’s best charge this big wild mountain!

The competition runs over three days.  Next Friday, March 23, the competition draw takes place alongside various bits of live entertainment. The main event takes place on Saturday March 24, with the elite women riders kicking off at 9.30am. At 11.15am the elite men begin their assualt. If you are going to be in Verbier and intend to watch the competition, head to Col de Gentianes via the Jumbo gondola from La Chaux.

On the final day of the event, Sunday March 25, the Juniors have their event along with various freestyle and demo events at the competition village.

Prepare to be amazed!

Below are a couple of shots from a day out after the snow fell  last week with Gene, one of Bramble Ski’s drivers. We’re devoted to providing the ultimate luxury ski holidays, but outside of that we love to freeride. We’re looking forward to watching the world’s best next weekend.

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Photographs by Barry Cox.

Revellers in St Anton never need a reason for a party, but when there is one they don’t hold back. Arguably Europe’s most legendary apres locale, St Anton is party capital over new year. At 11pm the town descends on the traffic-free centre for fireworks and the countdown. Champagne flowing freely, DJs and fireworks ensure the crowd are pumped for the arrival of the new year. After the new year has been seen in people disperse to the numerous bars, clubs and private parties all over the town. All events are by ticket only, which sell out, so advance booking is highly recomended. As details of events surface we’ll share them here …

In Verbier, a similar format to the evening unfolds. In addition to all the tourists who saturate the resort’s available accomodation, locals from all around the valley descend on Verbier’s Place Central for the village’s largest and most exuberant party of the year. Private fireworks displays are set off all over the town throughout the evening, with the largest display funded by the commune at Place Central at midnight. It is the mixed crowd of teenage seasonaire party-goers rubbing shoulders with wealthy socialites that gives the evening in Verbier its character. There are parties all over town and once again as details of these come to light we’ll share them here. Book early!

With the combination of fresh air, exercise and the festivity of apres ski, it is no wonder New Year is a favourite time to go skiing. Probably one of the most common new year’s resolutions is a promise to exercise more. And can there be a better way to kick off that resolution than soothing your hangover blues on Januray 1st, 2012 than a day on the slopes. I think not.

Tigre's outdoor hot-tub high above Verbier

Chalet Tigre is Bramble Ski’s newest luxury property in Verbier, and is our third addition to our flagship range of properties, Alpine Luxe Spa. It is a fabulous chalet set over five floors, every room with a view that makes your knees buckle!

The outdoor hot-tub, dedicated spa with hamman, a corridor-long glass-fronted wine cellar (with wines old and new) and a cinema room with a 3m x 2m screen provide all the amenities you could want from a luxury ski chalet. Each of its five bedrooms have their own en-suite bathrooms.

The furnishings are a tasteful blend of contemporary and antique pieces, and throughout the property original wall art, objects d’art and photography add style and character.

Staffed with our highly trained staff (a dedicated driver included), a fully serviced and catered ski holiday in Tigre will surpass the highest of expectations. The property is available from the New Year.

For more information on Tigre and luxury catered ski holidays to Verbier and St Anton call our sales number on +44 (0) 207 060 0824, or email info@brambleski.com.

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Follow the link for more images and full details of Tigre.

Photographs by Yves Garneau.

Jane is renowned in the world of private villas, yachts and jets for her exemplary standards of staff training. We were so pleased with Jane’s contribution last year that we have invited her back again to kickstart the season, spending time with Bramble Ski’s drivers, hosts and butlers guiding them in all the ways of private household discretion and excellence. Jane’s training covers the etiqeutte details of welcoming guests into chalets and where, and how to stand and serve, to the nitty-gritty of dealing with paparazzi, how to pack and un-pack suitcases and personal presentation.

Of course our staff are well-rounded individuals so we also allocate time during our training week to on-snow skills … we wouldn’t be Bramble Ski otherwise.

Eyes forward, shoulders back everyone. The 2011/12 ski season is almost upon us!

Inspired like many passionate foodies by the influence of family get-togethers, he affectionately remembers Sunday lunch visits with his grandmother. This inspiration steered his drive and Gerwin left school knowing exactly what he wanted. He attended culinary school in his native Holland and simultaneously worked as an apprenticeship in various restaurant kitchens  forging the groundwork for his career as a chef.

After gaining experience in his first Michelin-starred restaurant in Holland, Gerwin moved across to Ireland working for a stint in the Allen family’s Ballymaloe House before crossing the channel to work in London at Clarke’s. He then went on to work for Michel Roux at The Waterside Inn in Berkshire, where as demi-chef de partie patissier he developed his reportoire and skill in pastry.

But it was under the tutelage of Raymond Blanc at the two Michelin-Star Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons that Gerwin obtained his largest chunk of experience. Here he further developed his style for clean fresh dishes and was heavily influenced by Le Blanc’s desire to use quality local produce and ingredients.

“Raymond Blanc’s vision, enthusiasm and drive is revolutionary. The passion that this man has is blowing most other top chefs out of the water. To have had him as my mentor is a fact that I will be forever proud of,” says Gerwin.

“What I took away most of all from working at Le Manoir is to always question things, and to keep checking for quality all the time. The dishes on the menu are scrutinized daily and as soon as there is an element that is not at its peak anymore it will be replaced with something that is in top condition. That drive for perfection is inspiring. And despite the huge success he has,  he has stayed a very down to earth man. Brilliant.”

Over the four years at the renowned Oxfordshire establishment, Gerwin was promoted from demi-chef de partie to sous-chef. When he left, Gerwin made a complete change and moved to the Alps to take up the first executive chef position at Richard Branson’s then brand new mountain retreat The Lodge. We were fortunate enough to have Gerwin join us at Bramble Ski last year to further raise the bar of our sumptuous catered offering.

Gerwin’s meticulously hard-working ethic is exemplified in yesterday’s performance at the New York City marathon, his first marathon attempt.  He completed the race in an incredibly fast time of 3.05 hours. We wanted to know a little more about the man behind the machine …

BC: What is your favourite herb?

GB: This is a really difficult question for me. I love herbs, there are so many of them and they all have their very own specific flavour. I would find it hard to have to choose a specific one, but there are a few that stand out.

Tarragon is one of them. With its beautiful anisy flavour it goes well with a lot of ingredients: cucumber, fish, lamb, chicken and even strawberries and rhubarb. Another is oregano. I just can’t get enough of this one. Its flavour is just so unique and for me it’s the one and only herb that makes a great pizza. A nice thin dough, just a plain tomato sauce, freshly chopped oregano and proper buffalo Mozzarella, like life should be, beautifully simple.

And the last one for me is woodruff. Sadly, this herb is not very well known at all. It is also known as bedstraw, as in the early days it would be used to stuff pillows and mattresses so that they would smell nice. Woodruff is very high in an essential oil called coumarin, which has a sweet smell, but actually tastes a bit bitter. The flavour is vanilla-like and therefore woodruff is mainly used in desserts and drinks.

BC: What piece of equipment can you not do without in your kitchen?

GB: Without a doubt my chef’s knife. I see it as an extension of my hand and I guess that’s saying enough about its importance.

BC: If you were on death row (we won’t ask any questions about how you ended up there), what would your final meal be?

GB: Boeuf Bourguignon with buttery mashed potatoes, pan fried cêpes, bacon lardons, caramelised baby onions and Romanesco broccoli. And for dessert warm sticky toffee pudding with a royal dollop of Champsec cream.

BC: What is your favourite comfort food?

GB: You can’t beat a proper fish ‘n chips with fresh crushed peas.

BC: What is your favourite hangover recipe?

GB: Yeasted blueberry pancakes with bacon and maple syrup and a big glass of fresh orange juice.

BC: What is your favourite local food product?

GB: The race d’Herens beef. It’s just so flavourful. It makes a great steak, or stew or tartare.

BC: What is important to you in your kitchen?

GB: Space to do the job. In one of my jobs I worked in what must have been the smallest kitchen ever. The floor space was two square metres, and the biggest part of that was a hatch down to the cellar where we had additional fridges and a freezer. A nightmare if you had to go down there mid-service . . . Still we managed to turn out some pretty decent food, but it was far from ideal and it limits you
in what you can do.

BC: Finally, and most importantly, where do you head to in Verbier on a powder day?

GB:  I moved to the mountains for a complete change a couple of years ago and now find it hard to see a life without them. I’m still a developing skier but one of my favourite places to head to after some decent snowfall is Stairway to Heaven. The terrain there is really fun and varied.

For more information on luxury catered ski holidays to Verbier and St Anton call our sales number on +44 (0) 207 060 0824, or email info@brambleski.com.

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Both Verbier and St Anton hold their own personal Yuletide charm. St Anton`s pedestrianised high street is lavishly decorated and traditional Christmas markets and stalls selling Glühwein line the road. There is a real feel of Austrian tradition and family values here over this period. In Verbier, Place Central and the road heading up to Médran glisten with Christmas lights. Boutique stores provide ample last-minute present shopping. And there is the quaint `Little English Church` that provides midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Both resorts have a festive aprés scene and bars are busy into the early hours of the morning.

Then there is the skiing on Christmas day: a true white Christmas amplifying your senses and imagination for the season. Fresh air and some exercise are the perfect antidote to a Christmas feast.

With a cosmopolitan mix of clientele, we at Bramble Ski have become accustomed to numerous traditional expectations over Christmas. Our executive chef prepares a five course menu suggestion, but often menu requests vary greatly according to individual custom. For many western Europeans, Christmas Eve is the main celebration event while Christmas dinner for the British and Irish will typically be an afternoon or an evening affair on the 25th. The French sum up the occassion with what they call a réveillon, a long meal that often continues through until midnight.

Whether it is a roast chicken, duck, goose or a suckling pig, staying in a lavish Bramble Ski chalet is a far cry from spending Christmas at a hotel. Chalets provide the homeliness, comfort and communal space of a home-setting while our staff cater to all the specifics of your stay.

There is still limited availability in Verbier and St Anton so email us now with your request at info@brambleski.com.

There is about a foot of snow in the north bowl down to Lac de Vaux.

With the lifts opening in Verbier on Friday I decided to hike up to Attelas this weekend to have a look at how much snow is in the Lac de Vaux bowl.

We parked at Le Carrefour and hiked up under the new detachable six-man chair lift that has replaced the old La Combe and Mayentzet chairs. All work on the new lift is now concentrated on the base station. The pylons, the lift cable and the top station are all completed. Linking up with the Funispace, Les Attelas and Chaux-Express, this new high-speed lift called La Combe 1 is going to prove a great alternative to Médran as an access to the mountain. See the full Verbier lift map here. Below are some images of the new lift …

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From Ruinettes we decided to pick the direct route up to Attelas and climbed under Les Attelas (commonly called the ‘James Blunt lift’) . The steep, sometimes hair-raising pitch, finally gave way to the somewhat flatter boulder-field gulley and it was here, bathed in sunshine, that we were rewarded for our route selection. Circumambulating the rocky outcrop above us, we spotted a majestic Ibex. As I clambered up another steep pitch to try and get a better angle of him, he gracefully obliged, posed for a few more minutes and then disappeared around the corner.

Alpine Ibex.

With little to no snow on the sun-drenched slopes heading up to Attelas and no snow in the forecast, I began wondering how skiing was going to be possible at Lac de Vaux this coming weekend. But the sheltered and noth-facing bowl, in contrast, has some decent coverage, no doubt aided by hard-working snow canons. There is about a foot of snow in the bowl down toward the lake. Don’t bring your best skis out this weekend, but there is enough to get a few turns in.

From here, we completed the loop around the Attelas peak and hiked to Col de Mines noting a number of small releases into Valon D’Arbi en-route. Emerging at the col in the late afternoon sun, the fiery colours of autumn beckoned us back down to Verbier.

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Photographs by Barry Cox.