SPA OF THE MONTH
Chalet de l’Ange, Morzine, France
I’m a keen skier and lovemy weekly Pilates and yoga classes so,when I was given the chance to combinethem in the French Alps, with a massage,a hot tub and some relaxation and amazingfood thrown in, I leaptat the opportunity.I could think ofnothing better thantoning and stretchingin the morning, hittingthe slopes in the afternoon, and treating mymuscles to some TLC when I could. Addvibrant Morzine with its varied slopes intothe mix and it sounded like heaven. Morzineis just over an hour’s drive from Genevaairport – ideal for a short break – and islinked to both purpose-built Avoriaz andtraditional Les Gets, all part of the vast600km Portes du Soleil ski area.
THE ACCOMMODATION
L’Ange is a catered chalet, one of several run by AliKats, the company behind mountain-loving British couple Al and Kat, who have made Morzine their home. There are seven comfortable en-suite rooms with mountain views, a cheerful dining area and cosy lounge with log fire. There’s also astunning indoor hot tub, perfect for easingtired legs at the end of an active day on thepistes. The chalet sits on the outskirts oftown and AliKats’ minibus will shuttle youto and from the slopes.
GET ACTIVE
AliKats organises a special Health & Fitnessweek, which I tried out for three days.Pilates was on theagenda my first morningand I was driven to aclass in town takenby an instructor fromMountain Rehab(mountain-rehab.com), a company thatspecialises in sports massage, Pilates andphysiotherapy. An hour with Georgie doingposes I’d never quite mastered back homewas fantastic. Al then drove me to Avoriaz,where I had a ski lesson. Conditionsunderfoot were variable, so I got lots ofinvaluable technique tips for how to cope!Day two began with a sports massage– something I’d recommend to all holidayskiers if you can book one in.
MasseuseKate from Mountain Rehab came to thechalet and loosened up my tight muscles.Then I headed to Morzine for a ski withsome other people from the chalet. It wassnowing, but I was determined to try thenew Yogis blue run with 10 yoga posessignposted along its route, which youcan do while wearing ski gear. It includesmoves such as the standing forward bend,or uttanasana, and adds a fun twist to yourskiing. As the weather closed in, I had torace to the bottom through hail, wind andthunder – exhilarating, but I was glad toget back to the chalet, where I promptlyheaded to the hot tub for a calming soak!My final day started with an hour’s yogawith Emilia the freelance yoga teacherin the chalet lounge. After working onstrength, flexibility and balance, I wasraring to explore more of Morzine’sslopes as the snow had stopped.
THE FOOD
L’Ange’s food was top notch. A self-taughtcook, Kat is passionate about food, so shedesigns the menus and supervises twochefs who do the cooking off site. Themeals are delivered to the chalets, freeingup the resident hosts to concentrate onour comfort. The mouthwatering food weate is designed to help guests recover andrefuel. How does fish ratatouille; followedby boeuf Bourgignon pie with veg; thenblueberry creme caramel and vanilla icecream with cumin sound for dinner? Oreggs and avocado on toast for breakfast?
THE PRICE
A Health & Fitness week costs £995 perperson, based on two adults sharing.This includes chalet board (half boardplus afternoon tea) plus a massage, yogaand relaxation, Pilates or pre-skiing stretchsession on five days; four days’ skiing withan instructor (or mountain trail runs insteadof ski lessons on three days) and freeshuttle to and from the slopes and intotown after dinner. The next Health &Fitness week will take place on April 6-13,2019 (2018 is now fully booked); visit alikats.eu.
TRY THIS…
FRIDA Scented Candle,£65 for 50cl; romillywilde.comYou can’t beat candles for helpingcreate that cosy, nurturing ‘hygge’feeling in your home, especially at thistime of year. This non-toxic candle ismade from perfume-grade soy wax,with warming scents of sandalwood,saffron and cardamom that will fill theroom, even when thecandle isn’t lit. Witha burn time of 65hours, it’s well worththe investment, for thesake of your wellbeing!
