First Big Review For The WSG

Over the last year or so I've written 3 reviews of UK slopes for the World Snowboard Guide: Castleford, Halifax and most recently, Chill FactorE. As much as I've enjoyed writing these reviews, I've been wondering what it would be like to review a full-scale resort...

Well, I've been given that opportunity. I'm going to be reviewing the Portes du Soleil in January, as part of my trip to Morzine. Stoked. Anxious. It's a pretty big job.

The guide already has substantial information on the main resorts in the Portes du Soleil - so some of the work required is targetted at updating existing data. However, the project as a whole involves reviewing 12 resorts within the full area, some of which the guide has no coverage at all. It's going to be fun - but it's definitely a step up.

So my plan is for Ciara and I (we're doing the review together) to learn as much as possible before we go - especially about the areas that I've never visited before, or don't know so much about. We're only there for two weeks, so we need to be prepared.

I've been looking at one of the smaller resorts, La Chapelle d'Abondance. I tried calling the tourist office there this weekend and ran into my first hurdle - they had no one who spoke english. That's not very good - on my part! I can speak a little french, but I'm not confident enough (or practiced) to try and make a phone call. Getting an email contact was difficult too. I'm going to have to work something out here. Watch this space...