Laura Coventry learns to ski as a débutant on the slopes of La Tzoumaz, Switzerland
WORDS: LAURA COVENTRY IMAGES: LAURA COVENTRY, SHUTTERSTOCK
The best day to learn to ski in the Swiss Alps is a day with low visibility so the scenery won’t distract you,” I am told. And it’s true.
I was apprehensive when invited on a ski trip to La Tzoumaz, part of Verbier 4Vallées. I only have three hours skiing experience! I needn’t have worried though.
La Tzoumaz has its own ski school, Tzoum’Evasion, and the slopes are less busy than big sister Verbier.
My first day is misty, cloudy but ideal for skiing. I hire boots, skis and a helmet from Perraudin Sports before Benoit from Tzoum’Evasion takes me to the nursery slope. A cheeky character, he soon puts me at ease. I try the plough, the only technique I remember. But trickier than negotiating the slope in skis is mounting the ‘travelator’ back to the top, without skis!
After I learn to control my speed and skis, Benoit teaches me to correct my stance. I gain speed and fall! But soon I can turn and travel (slowly) with skis parallel. We end the lesson with a gloved high five and ski off the slope.
That evening, I continue to learn during a conversation with highly respected ski journalist Peter Hardy.
You don’t need to ski to enjoy this picturesque village. My packed itinerary included other snowsports, local cuisine (including fondue, boeuf d’Hérens and raclette) and staying in a wonderfully welcoming boutique hotel.
Papill’on, run by husband-and-wife Pico and Ana, began as a restaurant and recently relaunched as a hotel.
Next day is perfectly clear so, with tour guide Clement from Verbier Tourisme, I venture up to the highest peak in the area – Mont Fort.
The seven-stage journey to the 3,300m (10,826ft) summit takes around two hours – on four cable cars, two gondolas and a bus! But don’t let this put you off.
The panorama includes views of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Removing a glove to
take a photo, I feel the full force of the wind and
-10ºC temperature.
I enjoy a hot chocolate at the Igloo café, visited by actors Billy Boyd and Dom Monaghan for the Eat The World series.
Later, my travel companions and I try pétanque on the ice rink in La Tzoumaz. It’s like curling using giant spinning tops.
La Tzoumaz is a more affordable option for snowsports lovers, and is family-friendly with a laidback vibe.
