Jetsettersblog

An amazing new discovery by author, Philip Gardiner, will show precisely what the purpose of the Great Pyramid at Giza, and many other ancient monuments, truly was.

In his new Book, DVD and audio book, Gateways to the Otherworld, Gardiner unravels the mystery using science, etymology and hard analysis to show that there is indeed a special universal frequency that ancient man understood to be the true method of opening up a gateway in the mind to what we now term, Otherworlds.

The discovery will be of profound interest to all those interested in ancient and sacred sites as well as life-after-death investigators, ghost hunters and religious historians. The key to unlocking the many mysteries surrounding these areas of investigation may well now be here and involves the understanding of the very energy of the earth itself and our connection to it. In fact it is the Holy Grail of the paranormal phenomena world, hence the name given by one of the investigators who aided Gardiner in his work.

Philip Gardiner is the best selling author of The Ark, The Shroud and Mary, Gnosis: The Secret of Solomon’s Temple Revealed and Secret Societies: Gardiner’s Forbidden Knowledge. He has several DVD films out distributed by www.Real2Can.com speaks regularly at international venues from Australia to America.

Book: Gateways to the Otherworld, Gardiner, Philip. Published by New Page Books.

PokerDeal.org offers extensive Poker room reviews , regularly updated poker news, as well as exclusive bonus offers and special promotions for Online Poker Enthusiasts.

BERNIE, MO, — The PokerDeal.org website has only been offering extensive online Poker room reviews for a couple of months now, but already the website has developed a following for offering unique, exclusive bonus offers and plenty of the latest poker industry news. Online Poker enthusiasts will find that the Poker Deal website has a lot to offer anyone seriously interested in the game.

One of the exclusive bonus deals offered to members of the PokerDeal.org website has to do with offering a bonus on certain Poker rooms that have been previously reviewed by the website.

For example, the bonus offered for the Party Poker room offers 120-percent of a member’s first deposit, up to an extra $200 dollars. The Full Tilt Poker room offers a 100% bonus on a member’s first deposit, up to a whopping $600 dollars. These bonuses are exclusive to Poker Deal members.

However, there are plenty of other incentives for members to check out the unique and innovative offerings of PokerDeal.org, including up to date Poker industry news, and well-written reviews on many popular online Poker rooms.

With the exorbitant amount of information and resources being offered by the Poker Deal website, Poker enthusiasts of all experience levels can find something worthwhile inside these pages.

The PokerDeal.org website was created specifically to help Poker players of all experience levels find better Poker rooms based on reviews, and better Poker bonuses based on exclusive offerings. Although the PokerDeal.org website only just opened its doors a handful of months ago, this website is already considered an excellent resource for Poker players.

For more information about Poker Deal, contact Siblu14@gmail.com  or visit http://www.pokerdeal.org/

VeloPress is pleased to announce the publication of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus by Sage Rountree. Endurance athletes can now gain the benefits of yoga for training and racing in 2008.

BOULDER, CO – VeloPress is pleased to announce the publication of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus by Sage Rountree. The book is now shipping from VeloPress and VeloGear and will be available in bookstores and bike shops this January. Endurance athletes can now gain the benefits of yoga for training and racing in 2008.

Yoga makes good athletes better. This time-honored discipline imparts flexibility, balance, and whole-body strength, creating improvements in an athlete’s form, efficiency, and power. In addition, yoga’s attention to concentration and breath awareness improves mental focus and mental endurance-hidden assets that become especially important at the end of a long training session or race.

In The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga, yoga instructor, endurance athlete, and coach Sage Rountree explains the benefits that yoga can bring to every training program. With hundreds of color photographs featuring more than 100 poses, this book treats common problem areas to make athletes stronger in their sport. Rountree helps athletes see progress from just 10 minutes of yoga each day. In an engaging and easy-to-follow style, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga presents:

* warm-up and cool-down routines for workouts

* simple poses to target specific areas of inflexibility and overuse

* breath and meditation exercises

* different types of yoga for each phase of training

* recommendations for intensity and volume of yoga workouts throughout the training year

* a 15-minute DVD featuring warm-up and cool-down routines for everyday workouts

Rountree’s applications for training and racing ease the introduction to yoga, making it practical and accessible for all athletes.

“The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga is a great resource to get you on the path to better training and racing.”-Joe Friel, founder of Ultrafit and author of The Triathlete’s Training Bible, The Cyclist’s

Training Bible, and The Mountain Biker’s Training Bible

“Finally, we have an explanation of how to integrate yoga practice into daily training and within different training cycles. I’ve been practicing yoga to complement to my triathlon training for the past 8 years. Now I have a great tool to take on the road when I can’t make it to my usual class.”-Samantha McGlone, 2nd Place 2007 Hawaii Ironman World Championships and 2006 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, 2004 Olympian

“After running and racing for nearly thirty years, competing through five Olympic trials and the 1996 Olympics, and traveling the world on U.S. track, road, and cross-country teams, I thought I knew all the tricks for success and longevity in distance running. Yoga helped me set a world age-group record in the indoor mile and an outdoor American record in the 1500m at age 45. Yoga should have been-and will be from here on out-added to the mix of ingredients for success for any serious endurance athlete. Incorporate the practice of yoga into your weekly training regimen, and it will make a difference in your life as an endurance athlete. I highly recommend The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga to all athletes who want to train smarter and race faster.”-from the foreword by long-distance runner Joan Nesbit Mabe

“Yoga is not only good for athletes-it is essential, for both the physical and mental benefits. Sage shares the benefits that yoga has brought to her life as an athlete and offers easy to follow yoga postures and breathing techniques to help athletes of all sports get started with a safe and effective yoga routine and to help them avoid or rehabilitate an injury.”-Beryl Bender Birch, author of Power Yoga and Beyond Power Yoga, Director/Founder of The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute, and contributor to Yoga Journal

“The Athletes Guide to Yoga gives a profound outline for training for peak performance at the highest and most integrated level. It’s a wonderful book and Sage is a gifted teacher!”-Baron Baptiste, author of Journey into Power and former yoga coach of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team

Sage Rountree is a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher with coaching certifications from USA Triathlon and USA Cycling. Her popular yoga classes draw all levels of athletes, from recreational walkers to Ironman triathletes and Olympians. Rountree has published articles on Yoga Journal Online and in Running Times, Inside Triathlon and Endurance magazines. Rountree’s yoga podcast videos are available for download at http://www.sageyogatraining.com/

The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus Yoga makes good athletes better. With its emphasis on flexibility, balance, and whole-body strength, this time-honored discipline leads to better form, efficiency, and power. As increasing numbers of athletes are discovering, it improves mental focus and endurance, assets that become especially important at the end of a training session or race. This book explains how athletes can see progress from just ten minutes of yoga each day. It features more than 230 color photographs illustrating over 100 poses that target common areas of inflexibility and overuse; breath and meditation exercises; different types of yoga for each phase of training; a DVD with warm-up and cool-down routines; and recommendations for intensity and volume of yoga workouts throughout the training year. Author Sage Rountree’s applications for training and racing ease the introduction to yoga, making this a practical and worthwhile guide for all athletes.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort Golf Club & Spa with a Gold Award for advertising excellence for its winning entry in the annual Adrian Awards Competition.

MARCO ISLAND, FL, January 06, 2008 – The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort Golf Club & Spa with a Gold Award for advertising excellence for its winning entry in the annual Adrian Awards Competition. HSMAI will pay tribute to this Marco Island Beach Resort during the 18th annual HSMAI Adrian Awards Show – a gala black-tie dinner to be held on Jan. 28, 2008 at the New York Marriott Marquis, with an expected attendance by 1,000 hospitality, travel and tourism industry and marketing executives. HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings . Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 39 chapters in the Americas Region.

Awards given to this Marriott Naples luxury hotel and others, are handed out as part of the 2007 HSMAI Adrian Awards Competition, the largest and most prestigious travel event of its kind in the world, now in its 51st year.

This year’s contest attracted nearly 1,300 entries from around the world, with entries judged by teams of experts from all sectors of the industry.

Winners will be honored on Jan. 28, 2008 at a New York hotel during the 18th Annual Adrian Awards Gala, a multifaceted, black-tie networking extravaganza celebrating award-winning work, lifetime achievement, and the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.”

Please help congratulate the Marco Island Marriott on this distinguished honor.

 

Tailor-made theatre + hotel packages from Theatre Breaks Ltd, are available for online booking by agents as well as individuals and corporate bookers following the re-launch of www.theatrebreaks.com. Visitors can create their own itinerary, including West End shows, central hotels, restaurants, tours and attractions. The website has a new look and includes Stratford-upon-Avon and Paris in its list of destinations.

Theatre Breaks Ltd will maintain its full team of consultants for further information on shows, hotels, restaurants, attractions, destinations and travel. They will be available during UK office hours ready with advice for agents, group organisers and individuals.

“With over 600,000 unique visitors to the London Theatre Breaks pages last year, we know that people depend on the site for accurate information and good prices” said Simon Harding, MD of Theatre Breaks. “76% of respondents to a recent survey* use the site as a primary source of information on London Theatre.”

* source: Survey by Constant Contact July/August 2007.

In business since 1980 (as Theatre Breaks Ltd since December 1996), Theatre Breaks Ltd creates packages for individuals, groups and corporate clients in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Edinburgh, Paris, Budapest, Vienna and elsewhere.

All breaks are booked through Good to See (ABTA 53648) Theatre Breaks Ltd has nearly 60 hotels in central London to choose from. Some new additions will be uploaded only to the new website. All breaks are subject to availability at the time of booking and prices are based on 2 people sharing a twin/double room and include breakfast, service and VAT

Theatre Breaks Ltd’s range of add-ons currently includes: 

A trip to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia’s Outback would not be complete without visiting the 83 square kms. rock amphitheatre that is Wilpena Pound. As high as the Andes and situated 400 kms. north of Adelaide, this great natural showpiece was formed from sedimentary deposits under the sea 640 million years ago. The deposits were folded into mountains and 160 million years of erosion have resulted in the amazing chiselled formation that can be seen today.

When visiting Wilpena Pound, an ideal accommodation option is Wilpena Pound Resort.

This background destination focus news release contains the following information:

• An introduction to Wilpena Pound Resort
• Activity, accommodation and touring options
• How to include Wilpena Pound Resort into a South Australia itinerary
• Green credentials

AN INTRODUCTION TO WILPENA POUND RESORT (www.wilpenapound.com.au)

Just four and a half hours drive north of Adelaide, Wilpena Pound Resort, is located in the dramatic Flinders Ranges National Park, close to the Old Wilpena Station, a pastoral settlement of great scenic beauty and a working station for 135 years.

Today Wilpena Pound provides travellers with a tranquil place to explore the region’s history and to take an intimate look at life on an Outback homestead. The land around Wilpena Pound and Wilpena Station are also important Aboriginal heritage sites of great cultural significance for the Adnyamathanha people who inhabited the region before the settlers arrived and who still live there.ACTIVITIES:

The property offers guests a choice of activities ranging from easy to challenging bushwalks, picnics by river red gum lined creeks, drives to ancient gorges, Aboriginal rock art, horse riding or simply relaxing in the beautiful bush setting watching kangaroos graze and wedge tail eagles soar overhead.

ACCOMMODATION:

There are a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets from the four-star Heysen or Edeowie suites, perfect for couples looking for a luxurious hideaway; the Aroona motel-style units, suitable for families with young children and the Wilpena Pound caravan park and campground, where guests can still make use of the all the facilities of the resort. Facilities include a swimming pool, bistro, bar and beer garden, licensed restaurant, general store and visitor information centre.

TOURS:

4 Wheel Drive and Tag Along

These tours are a great way to get a closer look at the Flinders Ranges’ more remote attractions and can either be taken as a fully guided tour or by ‘tagging along’ in one’s own 4WD vehicle.

Scenic Flights

The Resort has its own airstrip and offers flights from 20 minutes that give an eagle’s eye view of the stunning landscape to two hour fights to the famous Outback town of Andamooka.

Guided Walking Tours

Three hour walking tours with a local guide can be taken to the Old Wilpena Homestead, a heritage-listed site, Wilpena Creek and an exploration of Flinders Ranges ‘reds’ – red gum trees, red sandstone and red sunsets.

Bushwalking

There are three walks and fourteen hikes within Flinders Ranges National Park ranging from easy 30 minute walks to hard nine hour hikes over 23.2km. The Resort provides trail maps and advice for independent bushwalkers.

HOW TO INCLUDE WILPENA POUND INTO A SOUTH AUSTRALIA ITINERARY

Flinders Ranges & Outback total experience – AU$375 (based on 4 sharing) Ideal for self-drive guests who want to experience the region in a short period, this two-night package includes accommodation in the Aroona Units, breakfast, half day 4WD tour and a scenic flight.

Adelaide to Wilpena – AU$2,125 (approx. £945 pp, twinshare) This fully escorted three-day tour includes return transfers from Adelaide (drive there, fly back), bed and breakfast accommodation, dinner, en route lunch at a local winery in the Clare Valley, 4WD tour with picnic lunch and guide.

Wilpena & Coober Pedy – AU$3,175 (approx. £1,413 pp, twinshare)

This fully escorted, full board five-day tour combines the above with two nights at the Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, charter flights from Wilpena Pound to Coober Pedy, Desert Cave town tour, day tour of the region.

Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island and Coober Pedy – NEW

This new seven night tour showcases South Australia’s highlights in one trip. The itinerary starts with a flight from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, Australia’s Galapagos, where two nights are spent at the Kangaroo Island Lodge (www.kilodge.com.au) seeking out the island’s koalas, wallabies, penguins, kangaroos and sea lions.

The tour then moves on to the Flinders Ranges and the chance to discover the region’s rich cultural heritage, spectacular scenery and native wildlife. Two nights accommodation is at Wilpena Pound Resort

On day five a private air charter takes guests over the arid mountain ranges and out across the desert to the underground opal mining town of Coober Pedy. Accommodation is at the renowned Desert Cave underground hotel (www.desertcave.com.au). Here visitors can learn about opal mining and how the town got its name as the ‘opal mining capital of the world’.

They can also explore the surrounding areas of Moon Plain, the Gibber Plain and Fossil Creek. The tour ends with a flight back to Adelaide or by joining the famous Ghan train for a wonderful overland journey to either Adelaide or Alice Springs.

PRICES:

This itinerary can either be done as part of a small group tour from AU$4,310 pp (approx. £1,918) or as an exclusive tailor-made tour for two passengers from AU$5,307 pp (approx. £2,362). Prices include return flights from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, transport to Wilpena Pound and Coober Pedy from Adelaide, full board accommodation and detailed excursions with local guides.

International flights to Australia and onward flights to Adelaide from the Outback or the Ghan train are not included.

WILPENA POUND RESORT – GREEN CREDENTIALS :

Wilpena Pound Resort works in partnership with the Department of Environment and Heritage to provide environmentally sustainable ecotourism services for the Flinders Ranges. The area attracts up to 150,000 visitors per year and in partnership with National Parks and Wildlife SA (NPWSA) and Flinders Ranges Tourism Services, Wilpena Pound Resort works hard to minimise the impact of tourism on the land.

The resort is committed to sustainable ecotourism practices and methods and is continually investigating and implementing new initiatives to ensure the environment can sustain visitors to this rich natural, cultural and heritage landscape for future generations.

Four key areas are focused upon: Waste Management, Power Supply, Water Supply and Fires. The resort uses a new waste facility operated by NPWSA that has set the bench mark for other outback regions and includes recycling initiatives, management of chemical toilet waste and recycling of waste oils and fats from the resort to be used as bio-diesel.

 The power is supplied by one of Australia’s largest Hybrid Solar Power stations, reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses by at least 1/3 compared with their previous supplier. The resort buildings have been designed to make use of the sun, wind and weather to minimise the requirements for heating or cooling, low powered lighting methods are used throughout and natural gas is used for cooking and heating to reduce greenhouse gases.

The water supply comes from the Wilpena spring within the resort and new methods for filtering and supplying the area have been developed. Drought resistant plants in the resort gardens limit the amount of water used and low volume shower heads, water metering and careful use of watering dripper systems are used. In term of fires, leaflets have been produced to educate people about the damage of fires to the environment and management of firewood collection is practiced.

For further information on Wilpena Pound Resort: http://www.wilpenapound.com.au/

All the major UK tour operators brochure Wilpena Pound Resort including Austravel, Gold Medal Travel, Kuoni, Qantas Holidays and Tailor Made Travel.

For further information on Adelaide South Australia: http://www.southaustralia.com/

Africa specialist Okavango Tours & Safaris has been declared 2008 Travel Company of the Year by the Association of Independent Tours Operators during AITO’s annual press day on 15 January in London.

Okavango Tours & Safaris won this accolade in the small companies’ category after topping the annual AITO Customer Satisfaction Survey. The award is one of the travel industry’s most prestigious, and reflects a continuing commitment in offering tailor-made itineraries specific to the needs of clients wanting to explore Africa.

It’s the second time Okavango Tours & Safaris has been voted Travel Company of the Year by AITO, having first received the award in 2006. It’s also the third-year running that an African operator has topped the list.

“We are thrilled to receive this award which reflects our care and effort to provide the ideal holiday for each of our clients,” says Jane Durham, Managing Director of Okavango Tours & Safaris.

Durham is also delighted that an African operator has yet again won.

“We have all been reading the headlines on the plight of Kenya’s people, and our hearts go out to all who are affected. But we are seeing, and will continue to see, lots of good work among tour operations like ours and the people on the ground – proof of how we can work together through tourism and create such satisfying holidays,” says Durham.

With 20 years experience sending people on holiday to Africa, Okavango Tours & Safaris has long-standing relationships with dozens of camps owned by like-minded people. Destinations include Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

More than 60% of Okavango’s clients are repeat customers and word-of-month recommendations, highlighting its continuing talent in offering a high-level, personalised service. But underlying this, respect for the African people and environment is key to the company’s ongoing success, says Durham.

For more information ring Jane Durham on 0208 343 3283; www.okavango.com; info@okavango.com.

The newly opened Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, received three awards recently at the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards 2007, held in Al Nojoom Ballroom at Shangri-La Hotel, Abu Dhabi.

Bord Eau, the chic French restaurant, won Best Contemporary Restaurant. Hoi An, serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine, won awards for Best Far Eastern Restaurant and Best New Opening.

Adrian Rudin, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Abu Dhabi, accepted the awards and said: “We are absolutely delighted that we collected three awards tonight. We are thrilled that after operating for only four months, we have achieved such great success in our food and beverage outlets.”

“Our food and beverage team is doing an excellent job and I congratulate Bord Eau’s Chef de Cuisine Gilles Perrin and Hoi An’s Chef de Cuisine Kevin Vu for this achievement. The chefs and staff in both outlets are consistently delivering exceptional cuisine and service to our guests,” Rudin added.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and manages 54 hotels under Shangri-La and Traders brands with a rooms inventory of over 27,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, mainland China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The group has over 48 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Japan, Macau, Maldives, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.

Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, is owned by the Al Jaber Group. The Al Jaber Group has played an instrumental part in the phenomenal development and growth of the United Arab Emirates over the last 30 years. With a current dedicated and professional workforce of over 35,000 employees and a visionary management team, the group has made a significant contribution in playing an integral part of the country’s ambitious construction efforts. Al Jaber’s participation in the development of the UAE’s infrastructure has included involvement in areas such as construction, logistics, oil and gas services, landscaping, industrial development and trading. Al Jaber performs with consistent quality, safety and excellence to bring services and products that have helped build a nation.

Google Maps and Earth to Feature Data from weather.com Including Neighborhood-Level Weather Conditions Powered by Patented HiRADSM System ATLANTA, GA, January 11, 2008 – The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc. (TWCI), today announced the introduction of a new mapplet for Google Maps, making weather conditions available on the map with one click. In addition, TWCI has been selected as the weather provider supplying current weather conditions, forecasts and radar in Google Earth. The weather data layer on Google Maps and Earth feature current conditions powered by HiRAD (High Resolution Aggregated Data), which is an exclusive patented technology developed by The Weather Channel that delivers a more local snapshot of current weather conditions for the contiguous United States. HiRAD combines traditional weather observations with data obtained by Doppler radar, satellite, lightning strike detection, computer models, and climate profiles to provide unique conditions for 1.9 million locations.

It’s snowing in the Alps, and with many skiers disappointed last season, a busy season on the slopes is predicted. To help your readers find a fabulous holiday away from the crowds, we’ve commissioned Lucy Crisp to write ‘Five fab little known French resorts’.

* The only stipulation for using any/all of the article is that the Alpine Club contact details are included in the feature, and that you let us know when the feature will run.

Five fab little-known French resorts;

With plenty of snow in the French Alps, 2008 is gearing up to be a fantastic season. But where can you go to escape the crowds? Lucy Crisp lifts the lid on five little-known resorts linked up to larger networks for unlimited skiing without the hordes…

St Martin de Belleville – The Three Valleys

Picturesque, pretty and linked up to some of the best runs of the 600km Three Valley network, one stay in St Martin and you’ll be hooked. The Savoyard village is known as the Jewel of the Three Valleys as it combines culture and charm with unlimited skiing and uncluttered slopes as people cluster around the big name Three Valley resorts of Val Thorens, Meribel and Courchevel.

Traditional wood and stone buildings cluster around the village’s central square and pretty 16th century church. The village still feels authentic and unspoilt with friendly bars and local shops selling regional fare, but it is sophisticated enough to have three Michelin listed and one Michelin star restaurant nearby. St Martin remains peaceful with largely un-crowded slopes, very few lift queues and reasonably-priced restaurants and bars. It is these special qualities which make the resort the best-kept secret in the Three Valleys.

Where to stay:

Sunday Times ‘Super Chalet’ La Ferme de Belleville. This stunning, stylish Alpine Club chalet www.thealpineclub.co.uk  0044 7977 465 285) has incredible food and warm, welcoming staff in St Martin. Chalet prices start from £365pp including seven nights luxury accommodation and half board, including professional staff, gourmet four-course dinners with canapès and good quality wines.

www.st-martin-belleville.com

Samoëns – The Grand Massif

A delightful jumble of medieval stone and timber buildings makes Samoëns postcard perfect and utterly charming. It’s also the only French ski resort to be listed as a historical monument. More importantly though, as part of the Grand Massif network, there is an impressive 265km of piste and three freestyle ski and board parks to choose from in the linked resorts of Samoëns, Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon and Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval. All it takes is a short ride up in the Grand Massif Express cable car and you’re linked up to the rest of the network. The Samoëns lifts may be a bit clunky, but the spectacular runs more than make up for it. Colourful locals and French skiers vastly outnumber British holidaymakers, while away from pistes, traditional style bars and restaurants serve up hearty fare for prices which put Samoën’s better known (and more expensive) neighbour Flaine to shame.

Where to stay:

The owner-run Chalet Moccand has had glowing reviews in the skier’s bible, the Where to Ski and Snowboard 2007. Let through Alps Accommodation (www.alpsaccommodation.com)  this spacious chalet sleeps up to 18 on a catered, half-board or self-catered basis. Prices start from £340 per week including breakfast daily and five evening meals.

More info: www.samoens.com

Vaujany – Grandes Rousses Massif/Alpe d’Huez

Hooked up to the 245km network of the Grandes Rousses Massif’s Alpe d’Huez, the quiet village of Vaujany has tonnes of skiing and buckets of charm without Alpe d’Huez’s ugly architecture. The skiing is wild, beautiful and varied, and there’s enough to keep you occupied year after year. A two level village with an attractive mix of rustic village buildings and traditional style additions, the top level village is the resort’s restaurant and public hub. The resort has access to Alpe d’Huez’s impressive array of novice slopes, as well its own nursery slopes with plenty of English-speaking instructors. There is also plenty on offer for intermediates and experts, not least the famous 16km-long Sarenne run. This is the longest run in the Alps, and it’s an enjoyable, challenging black. It starts out steep and with stunning views, before levelling out at the bottom of the valley for a meander through the trees and along a stream. If you tire of all the acres of piste on offer in Alpe d’Huez, there is plenty of off-piste or you can take a six minute helicopter ride over to Les Deux Alps for a day on its excellent slopes.

Where to stay:

Chalet Solneige (www.solneige.com)  just outside of Vaujany blends the old and the new. The 19th century chalet has original features such as vaulted ceilings and period pieces but there is a hot tub and the six rooms still have en-suites and balconies. Prices start from £340pp for half board including four course gourmet dinners on six nights.

More info: www.vaujany.com

St Sorlin – Les Sybelles

There was a bit of a hubbub when the 310km network of Les Sybelles was created in 2003 and the six shy resorts of the Maurienne Massif hit the headlines. However, despite the bigger resorts of Le Corbier, La Toussuire and St Sorlin-d’Arves working their way into tour operator programmes, the network is still under the radar of the most British skiers and so remains a secret. The best on the network is the pretty village of St Sorlin which, despite expansion, has kept its picturesque charm. With spectacular views, the village has grown in ribbon along the valley. At its core, well-preserved farmhouses, a baroque church and traditional shops (including a boulangerie, fromagerie, and chacuterie) are kept from being museum pieces by the large local population, many of whom give up their ski poles for ploughs in the summer. It’s perfect for those looking for a chilled out French experience where the après ski isn’t a high priority.

Where to stay:

In a commanding position at the top end of the village with views over the resort, the residence Les Sybelles is just 600m from the resort centre. It’s one of the newly built, attractive chalet style apartment blocks with a fully equipped kitchen. Prices from £323 per week for a four-person apartment.

More info: www.les-sybelles.com

Megeve – Rochebrune/Alpette

Megeve combines a postcard perfect resort with swanky shops and excellent skiing in the shadow of Mont Blanc. The resort has 325km of refreshingly clear pistes with some lovely sunny slopes and some fabulous tree skiing. It might be a bit low to guarantee good snow, but there’s so much to do away from the slopes, it’s hard to mind. The resort is the epitome of rustic chic. Originally developed in the 1920s as an alternative to St Mortiz, it has a beautifully preserved centre peppered with medieval buildings, fountains, little squares and a listed church. It’s pedestrianised, cobbled streets are filled with beautiful people in furs browsing in the posh clothes, antique, jewellery and gift shops as horse-drawn sleighs slide by. There are over 90 restaurants to choose from, including a whopping eight with Michelin stars. However, with 60 working farms dotted around the village, it still retains an authentic village feel, and away from the ritzy glitzy L’Alpette and the Rothschild family’s Ideal 1850, simple rustic fare can be had with stunning view of the Mont Blanc Massif served on the side for as little as €5. It’s upmarket but not up itself, even though it has plenty to boast about.

Where to stay:

Fer Cheval (http://www.feracheval-megeve.com/) offers pure alpine country charm in the centre of Megeve with a cosy wood and stone interior and good food. Prices from: £130 pppn on a half-board basis.

For more info: http://www.megeve.com/