Online Exclusive: Opening in Style – The Ski Club’s Premier Party

So many people return over the years that it is a regular meeting spot for old friends, as well as making new ones. It is the Club’s largest trip, with December 2024’s trip seeing 103 members, 20 guides/instructors and three Reps heading out to the French resort of Tignes.

We have used the same hotel (L’Aiguille Percée) for years and returned again this year. It changed hands a couple of years ago and it now sports a more French menu although still varied through the week with fish options the first 2 nights and raclette or fondue on the last night! And last but not least, the excellent recovery room featuring a sauna, pool and steam room, perfect for relaxing after a hard day’s ski.

As for the guides, I heard nothing but praise treating most groups to fresh tracks every day even when there was no new snow. With such a large group its usual to have a few people swapping round to get the best fit for themselves, with the Reps and guides trying hard to find a solution for all requests. Some members prefer more instruction orientated days vs pure powder hunting, whereas plenty like to head off at the crack of dawn for fresh lines (okay, first chairlift then!) The option of skinning was taken by a few with guides taking a short, half-hour skin in order to get to an untracked valley which was an amazing experience. Lunch at a various locations (including a little gem in Val-d’Isere) was typical, one guide even brought a packed lunch for his group one day!

Socials? sssshhh yes we did! Après ski one night for some at the brilliant Loop Bar to listen to the amazing live band Queens of the Snow Stage, who are regulars in the Loop and indeed around Tignes and Val d’Isere. We also hosted a joint party night in Lavachet at the Brasero with members from other holidays and the Reps’ Course, as well as a coach load of Members from Val-d’Isere. We were again fortunate to have our Club Chairman (Angus Maciver) join us – he was helping run the Reps Course that week, which also saw bumper numbers, with 36 new Reps qualifying off the course – providing some insight to the Club status and an informal Q&A which was well received.

Congratulations to Tessa Chalwin who won our photo competition during the week with the above capturing one of the adventures with their guide Pierre Liotard. It turned out 4 of the top 10 voted photo’s were from their group!

As you can see, the Premier Party is full of thrills and spills, with plenty of opportunities for socialising and skiing. Tignes makes a fabulous early-season base, and whether you are simply working on your turns, sharing a ski with old friends, or seeking those first powder lines for the season, we can’t think of a better place to do it than on the Premier Party.

See you there in 2025?

Tignes Takeover

The Ski Club’s Premier Party is the season opening Freshtracks trip shared by over 100 Members each winter, and is now joined by Tignes Takeover; a crescendo to the season to sign off your winter in style!

Join your fellow Members back in Tignes with a fully customisable trip – social skiing with a Ski Club Rep is included as standard, but you can add six days instruction or six days with mountain guides on top of your booking.

Find out more about Tignes Takeover here, and book now online or with our friendly team in the office on 0208 410 2022.