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| No.1 – Third largest ski area in France Megève sits at the heart of the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area, stretching over 445 km, 220 ski slopes, 107 ski lifts, 5 snow parks and 5 nursery areas for beginners. The combined area stretches from Les Contamines to as far as La Gettiaz. There are runs for all levels of ability from chic greens to the world cup certified black runs of la Cote 2000. Also be sure not to miss the 360-degree Mont-Blanc view from la Tête de Torraz. And, if you feel the need to slow down and relax, you can transfer between stations in a horse-drawn carriage.  No. 2 – Close to GenevaMegève is close. When you are relaxing in the quiet seclusion of Megève, you will find it hard to believe that it is less than an hour from the centre of Geneva.  No. 3 – Beauty fit for a BaronessMegève was developed as a luxury ski resort in the 1920s by Baroness Noémie de Rothschild, who wanted to create a French version of St Moritz, Switzerland. After searching the French Alps for a suitable location, she came upon the picturesque farming village of Megève where she bought a pension and turned it into a stunning hotel. Soon after, others followed and the ski resort of Megève was born. The resort became so popular with chic Parisians in the fifties, that it was known as Paris’s 21st arrondissement. While it has expanded much since the 1950s, the heart of the village has changed little and retains its historic charm.  Megève has also starred on the silver screen. It was the ski resort at the beginning the 1963 film Charade starring Audrey Hepburn, as well as the scene of a world cup race in the 1969 film Downhill Racer starring Robert Redford.No. 4 – Great high altitude diningWhen it comes to dining, Megève has it all. It boasts four Michelin-starred restaurants including the three-starred Flocon de Sel. For those looking for something less high end, there is plenty of relaxed Savoyard dining to choose from. On the mountain there are no fewer than 40 quality restaurants to keep you going on the snow.  No. 5 – Surprisingly affordableWhile it is true that Megève is a luxury resort, it is not as expensive as many think. A full day adult ski pass costs only Euro 43.50, considerably cheaper than most equivalent resorts in Switzerland, especially considering the current exchange rate. Mègeve also offers the lowest priced skiing in France when measured per kilometre of piste.Accommodation doesn’t need to break the bank either. There is a wide selection to suit all budgets. The Megève tourist office will be happy to guide you. The resort also offers great package deals that include dining, accommodation and skiing.If you are interested in finding out more, the best place to start is the Megève tourist office. Click here for their website or call +33 (0)4 50 21 27 28. Bon ski, bon appétit et bon voyage! |
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Swiss adds new destination from Geneva
Swiss adds new destination from Geneva
Swiss adds Biarritz as a destination from Geneva. The new route will commence in June 2015. This brings its total Geneva destinations to 40. In November last year it added eight new destinations to the Geneva-based network. Four all year round destinations: Florence (with four weekly frequencies), Valencia (with two weekly services), Sarajevo (with two weekly flights), Skopje (with two weekly flights) and four summer only destinations: Palermo, Calvi, Thessaloniki and Zakynthos.
While Swiss continues to add flights from Geneva it announced last year that it planned to cease all flight operations at Basel-Mulhouse at the end of May 2015. They cited as reasons, difficult market conditions exacerbated by continuing legal uncertainties over the adoption of French tax law and the additional fees that have been announced for the EuroAirport, which stands on French soil.
More on this:
Geneva-Biarritz with Swiss – flight times (Geneva airport – in French)
French out to tax Basel airport – 10 October 2014 (Le News – in English)
Basel Airport might be saved from French taxes – 26 January 2015 (Le News – in English)
EuroAirport: France and Switzerland adopt a joint statement (Swiss Federal administration – in English)
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Destination London!
What about starting the New Year with a trip to London? You may already know the major sites, such as Big Ben, Picadilly and Oxford Circus but there is always something new to explore in this great city. For example, the Southwark area, near London Bridge is worth discovering, with the beautiful Southwark cathedral and the trendy Borough market, where you can find any kind of food, from vegetables to Swiss raclette! The restaurant “Fish!†nearby also also makes delicious fish and chips.
This month is the last chance to see the Late Turner exhibition at the Tate Britain (open until 25 January). The movie Mr. Turner (by Mike Leigh) is also currently showing at the cinemas in London so you can really immerse yourself in the artist’s life. With the winter fog over the city and the pink skies in the evening, you can capture Turner’s inspiration from Waterloo Bridge.
What else? Don’t miss the musicals, one of London’s major attractions. The very popular and known musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia or the Lion King are still showing, along with new ones. The new production Memphis about the first white DJ to play black music in the 1950s is a gem!
Fancy ice skating? Try the Somerset House Skate, inside a beautiful courtyard, housing a Fortnum and Mason coffee shop and the Courtauld Gallery, one of the finest small art museums in the world.
Now that the sales have started, London is also a great shopping destination! Along Oxford Street you will find all the major shops, such as M&S, Topshop, Selfridges, Gap, Primark, Zara and Uniqlo. If you prefer a less crowded area, try Kensington High Street which boasts similar shops on a smaller scale.
How to get there?
Easyjet or Swiss fly to the major London airports several times a day.
Where to stay?
Next to Tate Britain, the Hilton Double Tree hotel is very convenient.
Where to eat?
Fish restaurant – Cathedral Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 9AL
easyJet: new schedules, new destinations
easyJet has announced its new flight schedules and destinations for the rest of this year and for Spring 2015. “People can now book their flights for Easter and Spring,†a spokesperson told Le News yesterday.
Increased flights from Geneva to Barcelona (five times a day), Bordeaux and Porto (three times a day) and Brindisi (five times a week) can now be booked by those seeking a Spring break.
And keen to stay ahead of its competition, the low-cost airline has continued to add to its portfolio of destinations. Those planned for the Autumn from Geneva include Hamburg and Vienna with flights four times per week; and (as it announced in May) Reykjavik with two flights per week. For deprived sun-lovers, Lanzarote in the Canaries can soon be reached from Basle twice a week.
