! The Snow-Cats 50 th Spring Break Verbier Sat 11 th - 18 th March 2017 Chalet de Verbier We embark on an exciting spring trip to Verbier next season. The Snowcats celebrate their 50 th Anniversary next season so we hope you can come along on this holiday to join in the celebrations. Verbier is a stunning alpine resort with fantastic spring skiing, walking and a huge amount to do away from the slopes so we hope you can come along and join in the fun. Verbier has the largest ski area in Switzerland sitting on a wide, sunny, south-west facing bowl at 1500m. This attractive, chalet-style, resort faces a stunning mountain panorama and boasts everything you could want from a ski resort. Verbier has some of the best off-piste in the world, great night-life and a huge choice of sporting and leisure activities. With runs to suit all abilities, fast lifts and no queues, Verbier deserves its status as one of the best loved resorts in the world. Verbier is at the heart of Les 4 Vallées, with over 410km of piste and 92 lifts and railways linking the resorts of La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, and Les Collons. The resort is something of an expert s paradise, although beginner and intermediate skiers are also well catered for. For this trip we have booked Professional Mountain Guides for those skiers, who are capable and appropriately equipped, wishing to venture off-piste.! 1
THE SKIING Verbier s beautiful town centre The 4 Vallées Ski area is one of the largest lift-linked areas in the world. The maximum skiable vertical is a trail of 15km descending more than 2,500m. Verbier has a good percentage of hightech lifts able to shift large numbers of skiers quickly, most famously 'Le Jumbo' cable car, which carries 150 people at a time up to the Mont Fort glacier. Other recent additions are the Chaux Express and Les Attelas lifts, increasing capacity and speed of access on key routes. Intermediates have fantastic run choice with endless blue/red trails to explore. The huge Lac des Vaux bowl, with lifts rising in every direction, offers access to many options. Beginners have sunny nursery slopes just above the village centre. Verbier has some of the best, most extensive and varied off-piste in the world. Highlights include the legendary Tortin snow bowl with its huge bumps, the extreme couloirs down from Les Attelas, the steep skiing around Mont Gele and the notorious Gentianes run below the cable car. Ski safaris are available to French and Italian resorts in the area and heli-skiing offers another popular option. Ski mountaineering is another of the Verbier's strengths, lying as it does on the legendary 'Haute Route' between Chamonix and Zermatt (6 days). The Mont-Fort Glacier, which is the highest point in the resort at 3330m, boasts fantastic views all the way to the Matterhorn, Grand Combin and Mont Blanc. VERBIER SKI FACTS (4 VALLEYS) Ski Range Pistes 1400 3330 km 412 km (4 Valleys) Black runs 20 Red runs 106 Blue runs Snow Canons Longest run Lifts Ski / resort bus 77 114 15km 92 Free CHALET DE VERBIER Conveniently located on the Place Centrale, Chalet de Verbier provides a superb base from which to explore Verbier and the spectacular 4 Valleys ski area. The Medran gondolas, which provide the main access from the centre of the resort up to Les Ruinettes and on to La Chaux and Mont Fort, are less than 5 minutes' walk away. Alternatively, take the ski bus which stops just 50m from the hotel.! 2
! The hotel's public areas are furnished in an attractively rustic Swiss style and provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with a comfortable and spacious lounge with log fire, where afternoon tea is served, and an adjoining residents bar with TV. Your buffet breakfast and 5 course evening meals with choice of complimentary wines, are enjoyed in the separate, traditionally-styled dining room. All the communal areas offer free Wi-Fi and there is a lift for your convenience. A choice of bars, cafés and restaurants are also conveniently close at hand for a well-earned drink after a day on the slopes.!! All the bedrooms have been refurbished to a high standard in an attractive modern style and have private bath or shower/wc, many also with balcony. Superior Room Supplement 35. The Chalet / Hotel Serves (Incl in price); Afternoon tea / coffee with a selection of cakes and savories Complimentary tea & coffee available all day Breakfast service: Full buffet breakfast with hot option is included Dinner service: 5-course evening meals with choice of menu, including pre-dinner apéritif, choice of complimentary wines with dinner followed by tea/coffee & chocolates. NON SKIERS / WINTER WALKERS Away from the piste, Verbier is a very attractive town with some beautiful architecture and is large enough to provide plenty of interesting diversions for our walking group and non-skiers. With an array of walking trails and routes there are some excellent walks to be had. ACTIVITIES Winter walking trails Para gliding & Heli-skiing! 3
Curling, Ice Skating, Tobogganing & Ice karting Large sports centre Saunas & Spa s Cinema, Museum & Art Galleries Numerous shops and boutiques, cafés & restaurants and an open air market SKI GROUPS The Snow-Cats offers multiple groups of like ability skiers to suit all standards, so whatever your ability, beginner through expert, we can offer a well matched group for you. Forming these groups and refining their standards has been the work of many years. They are 'open' groups, so that newcomers, or old hands returning after a period away, are made welcome. Exact standard group skiing is a rare commodity, and an impossibility among small private ski parties. It is the Snow-Cats greatest asset, and we are always delighted to offer it each year to our members. BOOKING DETAILS PRICE : 725 Deposit - 150 per person, payable on booking your holiday. Travel - Our travel to Verbier is a SATURDAY morning departure from Gatwick to Geneva (Incl in price). Alternative flights (also to Geneva) are available at a supplement from Edinburgh ( 49), Manchester ( 39), Bristol ( 29), Birmingham ( 39), Southampton ( 19), and East Midlands ( 29). Onward transfer to Geneva is by coach (2 hrs). Insurance The Snowcats does not provide any form of travel insurance so we ask that party members arrange their own Travel / Ski Insurance. Booking Conditions - Please see the main Snow-Cats brochure, detailing our January Festival Party, for details of our Conditions of Business, relating to the operation of these holidays. Ski Carriage ( 35) - Needs to be pre-arranged and paid for through the Snowcats prior to departure. Luggage Allowance - is 20kg plus 5kg for hand baggage. SKI HIRE COSTS LIFT PASS COSTS Standard ( Blue ) skis - 98 Aged 16 to 64 yrs (Full Area Pass) - 270 Sport ( Red ) skis - 118 Aged over 65 yrs (Full Area Pass) - 229 Superior ( Black ) skis - 157! 4
Boots - Red 39 / Black 74 NB: Mountain Guides not included within holiday price. This will be paid separately during the holiday by those partaking in the guided days. Holiday Booking 150 deposit payable upon booking please 575 balance due 1 st October 2016 TOTAL PRICE 725 Payment by either Cheque or BACS Transfer By Cheque - On reserving your place, please send a deposit cheque for 150 made out to Mr Michael Burns, dated today. Also please send a second cheque, for the balance of the holiday (+ Lift Pass, Ski Hire, and Ski Carriage, if required) but POST-DATED to 1 st October. This second cheque will be cashed on the due date. By BACS See below for The Snow-Cats bank details. Please ensure if paying by BACS you include your name on the transfer. It is very difficult for me to reconcile monies incoming with no name included. Thank You. Also please notify us of: Full Name as in your Passport (for your flight tickets) Full Postal Address (for your flight tickets) Home & Mobile Telephone No.s Email Address Air Passenger Information System (APIS) Regulations It is now a legal requirement for the UK Border Agency to receive all Air Passenger Information System (APIS) details for passengers travelling in and out of UK airports in advance of their travel date. The airlines must comply with the APIS regulations and so mandate that we provide them with the below details. Accordingly, upon booking please provide us with the following passport details; Date of Birth Passport No. Nationality Birth Country Issue Country Country of Residence Issue & Expiry Date! 5
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