It was sometime past midnight. The French Champagne was flowing. The song I Will Survive blared across the dance floor.
I made my way slowly to the bar. Despite a lengthy steam that afternoon, my calves were still stiff from the ski slopes. My high heels weren’t helping.
I don’t speak French, but it did not matter. I held up five fingers and the barman, Sebastian, knew to whip up another round of vodka and apple juice cocktails.
As he handed me my order with a sweet smile, I knew the party was far from over. That is the spirit of Club Med.
I had arrived in the French Alps four days earlier – in mid-December.
You might think that, having being born in a country with spectacular mountain ranges, azure beaches and magnificent wildlife, there would be few vistas that could take my breath away. Let me assure you that gigantic, snow-covered pine trees and layers upon layers of snow hugging the mountain tops of the French Alps did just that.
And relaxing in a boiling-hot outdoor Jacuzzi surrounded by mounds of snow after an inept attempt on the ski slopes certainly left me flabbergasted.
I was flabbergasted for the entire time that I was in the Tarentaise Valley in Savoy, France, for the opening of Club Med’s latest ski resort, Valmorel. I was awed by the first scenes that greeted me as I was driven along the winding, snow-lined roads up the Alps, and then as I took in the picturesque and serene beauty from the ski lift taking me to the top of the slopes.
The wood-and-stone-faced resort is nestled in a collection of pine trees and surrounded by 150km of ski slopes.
Hugged by fluffy, cottonwool-like snow, Valmorel is the picture of tranquillity – but it’s the epitome of fun.
The keywords at Club Med are “all inclusive”. It means that everything from food to drink and outdoor activities to indoor entertainment is available on a use-as-much-as-you-can basis.
The Club Med concept was started in 1950, I was told, first as a holidaying option for singles and young couples but later it developed into a family-orientated group of resorts.
Its staffers are called GOs (gentils organisateurs, roughly meaning gracious organisers) and guests are called GMs (gentils membres, or gracious members).
The resort is called a village and in it you’ll find everything you need for your ultimate vacation.
The French tourism company already has 18 ski resorts in Europe and 62 other resorts on five continents.
In winter Valmorel is a skier’s paradise, with everything from skiing to snowboarding, Nordic walks, snow-shoe walks and trailing. In summer it’s a mountaineer’s dream, offering hiking, rafting, canyoning and rock climbing.
But what makes Club Med fun is that while there is a strong emphasis on outdoor activities, it is also focused on entertainment. After spending the day on the slopes, you can be on the dance floor until the early hours.
Each evening’s entertainment is different. One night a French singer wooed us with her silky voice, on another we watched as acrobatic dancers dangled from ropes suspended from the ceiling and balanced on stilts.
On another, we took turns attacking an ice mound with a pick-axe to win T-shirts frozen into it.
Meals are also an occasion. Two restaurants offer buffet meals for breakfast, lunch and supper. A third upstairs offers an à la carte menu.
You are spoilt for choice – lobster leg starters, oysters, fois gras, roasts, Asian cuisine and many delectable desserts – and are bound to overeat at every meal.
You try to console yourself with the thought that you will ski off those extra kilojoules the next day.
But don’t think you have to be an avid skier to go on this vacation – trust me, there are few South Africans who are.
Just because you are at a ski resort doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking moment on the slopes.
When a few hours on the slopes designed for three-year-olds left my calves screaming for some tender love and care, that is exactly what I got at the large Club Med Spa by Carita.
You can begin the spa experience with a steam in the hammam room, then go to a wind-down room to sip a glass of tea as you enjoy the view of the slopes through the wall-to-wall windows.
The indoor pool is open all day and until late at night and has its own steam room – as well as the outdoor Jacuzzi surrounded by snow. There’s even a fully equipped gym for those who want to stay fit while on holiday. There’s also an ice rink open year round.
Although everything you need is in the Club Med resort, you have the option of taking the bus into the town to have a drink at a local bar or buy some memorabilia.
Altogether Valmorel has 345 club rooms, 49 deluxe rooms and 24 chalet family suites. Parents will be happy to know that Valmorel has the most comprehensive child supervision package catering for babies up to teenagers.
Stuart de Bourgogne, managing director of Club Med South Africa, says Valmorel is their flagship luxury ski resort. It’s the only resort that has a choice of accommodation: the four-trident (star) resort with standard rooms, and a five-trident (star) luxury space where the accommodation is of a higher standard (the family suites have a lounge, for instance), and the service is customised.
Also within the grounds of the resort are luxury chalet apartments (with two, three and four bedrooms), which come with butler and chef services for those wanting the ultimate luxury.
Traditionally, says De Bourgogne, SA visitors preferred to go to Club Med’s resorts in Mauritius because of its proximity to SA. It was an important seller. But in recent years, he says, there has been growth of SA travellers to other resorts in the group, such as Phuket and Bali.
“Many people want to try skiing,” says De Bourgogne. “With our inclusive rates, you get good value for money. In Europe a beer could cost you e15 (R153) but, because it’s all-inclusive, you do not have to worry about it.”
And it’s a hassle-free holiday, as everything you need is available at the resort. You don’t have to stand in long queues for lift passes, for example
South Africans are being offered a lead-in, all-inclusive package starting at R24 000 per adult sharing for seven days that includes flights and transfers. But, to accommodate those who don’t wish to ski on their holiday, the package does not include ski and boot hire.
For bookings or more info, call 0860 CLUB MED (or 0860 2582 633) and visit www.clubmed.co.za - The Star