tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28599651201865830642011-11-27T23:21:17.468ZLes Contamines-MontjoieGreg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.comBlogger241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-45419887521360526222011-05-08T21:30:00.002+01:002011-05-08T21:32:43.140+01:00

...not the ski season, but the time since I last posted on this blog. I'm afraid Twitter gets more of my attention, simply because it's so easy to tweet from an iPhone. Blogging takes more effort; you have to have more time available and you have to be in the mood. Well, since I last posted in December, we've had a full ski season; and an unusual one at that. Our chalet manager, Louise, handled

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-15909028623075620642010-12-14T22:26:00.000Z2010-12-14T22:26:08.769Z

Well, it hasn't taken our intrepid couple, Duncan & Aimee, very long to climb out of the valley into the mountains, now that they've bought themselves all the right gear! Here's what they saw on their last walk! I'm looking forward to heading out there this weekend, to make sure everything's sorted before our first guests arrive from the UK on the 22-Dec (I'm sure it will all be fine, but I

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-75329825623154975982010-12-12T22:40:00.000Z2010-12-12T22:40:09.004Z

I finally get round to updating you on our new couple for this season. Duncan & Aimee will be working with us this ski season (in fact, they're out there already), taking a break from their jobs in the UK for a late 'gap year'. I was already keen to hire them when I read their CVs stating they were graduates of Reading University, my alma mater. OK, so they didn't study agricultural economics,

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-77732910245838159152010-08-25T23:14:00.002+01:002010-09-02T14:57:39.365+01:00

It's been a busy summer, for all sorts of reasons, not least at Chalet Kiana, where regulars have returned and new clients have come, gone and re-booked. We've even taken some time there ourselves, which has been wonderful, especially gathering friends to join us. There's so much to do that nobody needs to fall into rank; everyone can return at the end of the day with their account of what pass

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-84838303020467141822010-06-13T22:52:00.002+01:002010-06-15T09:12:07.091+01:00

Yes, the Sunday Times has reminded everyone again, that you don't have to be an adrenalin junkie to enjoy the Alps in summer. I've always maintained that adults enjoy holidays with their children more in the Alps than at the beach, because one way or another, children will tire themselves out in the mountain air, leaving the adults some peace & quiet in the evening! Now they're reminding us that

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-59807800192838159772010-05-25T17:59:00.001+01:002010-05-26T08:53:19.423+01:00

A month ago we announced that we were hiring. We've now hired! I was out in Les Contamines earlier this month and, in the space of 24 hours, handed in my tax files to the accountants and spent four hours interviewing our new chalet manager, Louise. Since then, she has been so busy working on the chalet and the gardens, that it's taken us this long for us to get a photo of her. When she does

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-18156322262826669192010-04-26T15:53:00.003+01:002010-04-26T17:12:00.809+01:00

It's that time of year again. Our second ski season has been and gone; our second summer is on its way. Nick & Laura have left, headed for the beach, and we're planning ahead for next season. What are we looking for? We're looking for two people who are prepared to share accommodation, and who can manage and look after our chalet for the winter season starting 2010-11. We're not looking for

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-89575823791613921982010-04-19T16:41:00.003+01:002010-04-26T17:12:33.958+01:00

The season's officially over this Friday, but we closed up last Saturday. The volcano got the better of us in the end. The weather's been so good here in the UK that people are focused on gardening and other spring activities rather than our offer of free wine for whoever took the last week at Chalet Kiana. So, we've shut up shop, Nick & Laura are off to the sun and our focus is back on the

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-34047445249330626512010-04-10T12:39:00.003+01:002010-04-26T17:13:03.257+01:00

Finally we've found an operator in the airport transfer world who has the same no-compromises attitude to customer service as do the team at Chalet Kiana. I met James from Deluxe Transfers at the chalet this week and saw his brand-new Mercedes van (that can't be the right word; I'll have to look at Mercedes-Benz's website to see what they call their 7-seat, extended wheelbase, 4-wheel drive,

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-19647843680230271662010-03-13T13:20:00.002Z2010-04-26T17:13:37.878+01:00

We've reviewed our rates again for next ski season (2010/11), in order to help make it less expensive for people to visit Chalet Kiana. How have we done this? We've lowered each week's rate by €250 and made the Jacuzzi an optional extra, at €250. Why? Well, to start with, it costs us a lot to run the Jacuzzi and, if you're not interested in using it, or not sure whether you will or won't, by

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-64073001755450081092010-03-03T09:22:00.017Z2010-04-26T17:14:53.205+01:00

...to do only part of the GR5 - the Grande Randonnee 5 - as was the headline in the Sunday Times Travel section the weekend before last. But we know that was just an eye-catching headline. If you missed the article, they were making the point that walking is a great way to spend a holiday. Yes, we agree. They pointed out that there are some famous (and very long) walks in Europe: the way of St.

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-22050866749915990652010-02-27T23:22:00.005Z2010-04-26T17:15:50.891+01:00

...almost! We've one week left for this ski season, and that's the last week of the season (17-Apr-10). In our experience, or rather what our friends in the village tell us, it's a great week to be there, as everyone's on a high! There are plenty of end-of-season parties and, after 17 weeks of hard work, they party hard! On top of that, the snow's normally excellent, so you don't need to worry

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-25489469094510345372010-02-09T16:35:00.006Z2010-04-26T17:16:30.053+01:00

For those of you who prefer to stash away the savings outlined in the previous posting (rather than blow them on NetJets flights) and who prefer not to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, you should be aware that we have not one, not two, but three companies who are ready and waiting to transport you from your chosen airport to Chalet Kiana. Two of them (ChamVan and ATS) are linked on our

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-29383253927342714222010-02-05T13:36:00.002Z2010-04-26T17:07:07.452+01:00

As enquiries are already coming in for the next ski season, we've had to get the calculator out earlier than we're used to! And...we've reduced our rates. Why, when we're one year into a three-year programme of upgrading the chalet? "It's simples"...as the ad goes...interest rates are down. On average, next season's rates are 4% down on this year but, of course, rates for the most popular weeks

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-85544179858350738852010-02-05T12:54:00.002Z2010-02-09T09:08:02.008Z

Our team in Les Contamines (Nick & Laura Pomeroy) took advantage of the beautiful sunshine last week to take a trip up the Mont Blanc Tramway from Saint Gervais. It's a route that takes around 50 minutes from the station to the Bellevue plateau, opposite the Bionnassay Glacier. The tramway goes up to 1795m during the winter months, and continues up to the Nid D'Aigle (Eagle's Nest) at 2380m in

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-69759111649559439592010-01-17T17:47:00.006Z2010-04-26T17:07:48.590+01:00

Another question that I'm often asked (by English clients) is whether it's possible to buy lift passes either at a discount (wishful thinking!) or in advance. They can be bought on-line, if you prefer to avoid getting your point across to a French lady across a glass-paned booth (it's bad enough in England!), but the minimum number of days that a pass can be bought for on-line, is five days.

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-37117934695602120472010-01-16T15:46:00.006Z2010-04-26T17:08:55.809+01:00

I'm often asked by people booking the chalet which is the 'master suite'. The simple answer is that no bedroom stands out from any other in such a way that it could be considered a master suite. This is what I wrote recently to a client visiting in January: There is no obvious master suite - all rooms have their pluses and minuses. Two bedrooms are on the middle floor; the rest are on the top

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-55901732768882010202010-01-11T19:50:00.008Z2010-04-26T17:09:46.526+01:00

At this time of year, as freezing weather grips Northern Europe (something we seem to be becoming unaccustomed to, with our minds set on global warming), the English and French are plotting their summer escapes. We've had a repeat two-week booking of the chalet and the apartment from our friends at Mammoth Lifestyle, whose col-conquering needs we met last year (look at the 'rogues gallery' in the

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-86002657597532418852010-01-07T14:06:00.004Z2010-01-18T14:10:21.609Z

We've been coming to Les Contamines since the summer of 2001, and ski-ing here every year since the spring of 2002. In all that time, we've always hired our skis & boots from Eric & Thierry Ronchail, who run & own the two Intersport shops in the village. They speak fluent English, as do many of their staff, like Giles who works at the central location. The map shows their locations, one in the

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-22929592634856525222010-01-06T14:07:00.012Z2010-01-18T11:06:13.613Z

Chalet Kiana continues to differentiate itself from the crowd! We're now launching Club Kiana - membership is free...but it's only open to returning clients! So what's it all about? There are five aspects to membership that should interest you: Discounts on our rates - rising Security Deposits - banished Leave your skis with us - for free Blog with us Party 1. Discounts on our rates For

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-79056347489553235052010-01-05T18:53:00.004Z2010-01-06T13:09:50.571Z

...here in Staffordshire! It's driving me nuts; not because everyone else drives at 20 mph on the road; nor because the country grinds to a halt. No, it's because I'm sitting at my desk in the Home Office, rather than carving through powder in Les Contamines! I can't help myself from looking at the multitude of apps that tell me what the weather's doing in every nook and cranny around the world.

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-57712953566463164612010-01-01T13:07:00.000Z2010-01-05T18:36:21.850Z

I'm very late in sharing with you the fact that we have a new team working with us this year. I say 'with' us rather than 'for' us because that's how it is. Rather than employ Nick & Laura Pomeroy, I have engaged them as 'service providers', just like a supplier, albeit a 'partner supplier' in modern business parlance. Anyway, technicalities aside, Nick & Laura have set up their own company,

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-62508922576004481572009-12-18T15:21:00.006Z2010-01-05T18:55:38.735Z

...and we're off! The dust sheets have been removed, the chalet spring-cleaned, the new Egyptian cotton towels, new percale cotton sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases have been unwrapped and we're open for business! The apartment is let for Christmas week, and both the apartment and chalet are let for New Year. We were hoping to make use of the chalet for ourselves this year but work got the

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859965120186583064.post-35297550042387493792009-03-17T19:22:00.003Z2010-01-06T13:37:04.988Z

I thought I'd start a blog as a means of communicating with current and future clients. I'm particularly interested in the comments posted by these clients, as a means of improving the service we offer at Chalet Kiana. I'm also taken by the potential to add voting to these blogs, as there are some issues I'd like to put to the vote. The first, is change-over day. Saturday is standard across the

Greg McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15673292256208972224noreply@blogger.com0