- All About Snowflakes
- Mountain Photography
- Climate Change and Winter Sports
- Alpine Regional Cheeses
- Traditional Mountain Chalet
- Colombe de la Paix
- Winter & Ski Home
Winter & Ski Home
Tradition & Nature
Design Classic: The Traditional Mountain Chalet
Tradition & Nature
The classic Alpine chalet has become an instantly recognisable icon of mountain living, with many examples having been transformed into desirable homes and luxury leisure accommodation. However, the decorative features which are today considered so attractive have always been of secondary importance to more practical considerations.
Widely emulated, and now coveted by generations of seasonal visitors, the mountain chalet is an enduring design classic which achieves the seemingly impossible: using only instinct, experience and what was available nearby on the mountain, their original constructors succeeded in creating a comfortable and supremely practical home not only for their families, but also for generations of their descendants..
Read the full feature here...
Secrets of the Snowflake
SNOWFLAKES - or more accurately ‘snow crystals’ - are microscopic miracles of nature. It's a frequently-quoted truism that no two are identical, not that it really matters; the important thing is that things become much more interesting when several crystals get together, forming snowflakes. Where would we ski without them? Read the feature.
Colombe de la Paix
The Dove of Peace, carved by one of the few remaining craftsmen
Tradition & Nature
The Colombe de la Paix or Dove of Peace is a mountain tradition established around the time of the First World War by the bergers whose livestock grazed the lush pastures of the local alpages. Intricately hand carved in spruce, we visited Abondance where one of the last carvers still creates the beautiful doves for special occasions. Read the feature.
Alpine Regional Cheeses
No holiday in the Alps is complete without cheese
Tradition & Nature
ALPINE CHEESES are produced according to the rhythms of the seasons and using methods passed down through generations of local farmers. Here we focus on some of the most famous cheeses from the region: Beaufort, Abondance and Reblochon, and visit the Beaufortain where they make a lesser known goat's cheese known as Grataron. Read the feature.
Climate Change and Winter Sports
How climate change affects our skiing choices
Tradtion & Nature
Freelance author, ski instructor and environmental scientist Ben Birt discusses the future of winter sports under the influence of climate change and offers advice on making a few careful choices when planning a ski holiday to set us off down a path towards a more sustainable future for mountain regions. Read the feature.
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Service and Comfort with SWISS
Year round flights from the UK to Geneva offer a huge choice of stunning holiday destinations throughout the Alps.
The mountain areas of France still perpetuate centuries-old traditions, not least a readiness to share their good fortune with visitors, whatever the season.
And in a world becoming increasingly detached from its origins, you'll be surprised at how the old ways still underpin the fabric of everyday life in countless mountain communities. And how much stylish, modern-day refinement is now available in today’s visitor accommodation...
