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In reaction to my previous post about summer skiing, some of you brought to my attention that  no Austrian resort was mentioned. My excuse (a bad one) is that it’s been years since I went to ski in Austria during the warmer season but you are right, Austria has the most ski areas to choose from in the northern atmosphere from May to October. Also, most glaciers are located close to very interesting and pleasant spots so you can ski in the morning, swim in the afternoon and have a taste of the city nightlife in the evening.

Here are the six resorts that first come to mind when thinking of summer skiing:

Möltaller glacier

The Möltaller glacier just opened for its summer season. This resort, close to the town of Villach, offers year-round pretty good skiing conditions.

Tux glacier

The Tux glacier is part of the Hintertux resort, that usually has the largest open ski area of the country. In fact, the high-altitude skiing (up to 3,250m) allows the snow guarantee to be in effect year-round. The charming city of Innsbruck is right by.

Dachstein glacier

The Dachstein glacier is near Salzburg, one of the most beautiful cities in Austria. It offers a snow guarantee that covers way more than the regular winter ski season. It is great for beginners and intermediate skiers.

Kaprun glacier

Also close to Salzburg is the Kaprun glacier, which is accessible through the village-resort of Zell am See. For family members or friends who are just not that much into skiing, Zell am See is a great golfing and hiking venue.

Pitztal glacier

The Pitztal Glacier offers the highest skiing in Austria, and the slopes are well suited for intermediate and beginners. Innsbruck is also close by.

Stubai Glacier

Still in the Innsbruck region, the Stubai glacier is ideal for families and spring skiing.

If you got tempted by a summer ski outing, think about booking your accommodation ahead. The above-mentioned resorts all hold events during the summer season and you could have trouble finding any available accommodation if you go while a popular one is ongoing. Oh, and don’t forget sunscreen!

If I had to name one blog I love all about snowboard, it would be the broblog.
At the end of last week,  Nico (from the broblog) has started to post a about the first SnowBroader European Summer Camp Tour. The three funny guys taking part to the tour (two Slovenian guys leaving from Ljubljana, Slovenia, by car, who will be joined later by a Swiss guy) intend to visit as many European snowboard summer camps as possible in three weeks, and share their reviews.

The weather has not been cooperating in Dachstein, Austria, their first stop, but I wish them plenty of nice riding days in their next destinations. They intend to visit Hintertux in Austria, Val Senales in Italy, Zermatt and Saas-Fee in Switzerland, and then Les Deux Alpes and Tignes, in France.

If you are looking for the perfect destination for your next summer snowboard holidays, I suggest you do like me and follow their journey!

Don’t let your carefully planned mountain vacations be jeopardized by one or a few days of rain. If many activities cannot be conducted when it’s raining or on soaking-wet ground because it’s dangerous or simply unpleasant (mountaineering, mountain biking, etc.), most resorts are packed with interesting rainy day options.
Here is what I consider doing when weather isn’t cooperating:

1- Make the most of what you pay for
Whether you chose to rent a self-catered apartment in France or a suite in a 4-stars hotel in Switzerland, accommodations usually offer many facilities and equipments to occupy their customers’ rainy days. Get informed about the indoor pool, the sauna, the table tennis room, and also about the possibility to borrow books and board games. Catch up on your emails or plan the rest of you vacation on the internet in your accommodation’s WiFi zone. Hey, most of if is already included in your accommodation price anyway!

2- Take care of yourself
Head for one of the spas of the resort and choose a full- or half-day treatment with your other half.
For example the Aqua Dome in Sölden, Austria, offers many services, ranging from thermal spa treatments to hairstyling.

3- See the latest blockbuster
If like me you never have time to go to the movies at home, take advantage of a alpine vacation rainy day to hit the cinema and watch the latest blockbusters.
Cinemas in the mountains are plenty. There is a cinema in four of the five resorts forming Les Arcs, in France, and the very distinguished Crans Montana, in Switzerland, event has its own.

4- Learn more
Visit the museums in your resort, on your own or with a guide. It will allow you to learn more about the region you are in and the people who live there.
For example, here is a descriptive listing of the museums found in Valmeinier region, in France.

5- Be lazy
If you have no kids, stay in bed, read, watch TV (maybe in a foreign language), take a long bath, try the room service.

6- Be active
To keep your mountain holidays active, you can head for the sport center of your resort. Sport centers offer varied activities, from climbing walls to swimming pools, from badminton and tennis courts to football fields.
To take a look at the offer diversity, you can consult the list of indoor sport centers in Val Gardena, in Italy.

In my family, raining certainly rimes more with exciting than with boring! Any suggestions to keep busy during rainy days?

As days are getting warmer, it is more than time I get my ass down in a raft if to make the most of the season!

If many, if not most, European resorts offer rafting opportunities, Interlaken is my favorite place to start. The Lütschine River, in particular, offers the ultimate white-water adventure! It is perfect because not too extreme – beginners can ride it – but certainly not boring – kids under 16 are usually not allowed to raft it.
In summer, the Swiss resorts offer plenty of all-equally-tempting options of adventure sports, from canyoning to bungee jumping but if you are visiting the Jungfrau region, Interlaken in particular, you GOT to go rafting.

Here are the links to three businesses that offer rafting tours in the Jungfrau region:

Outdoor Interlaken

Alpin Raft

Swissraft (website mostly in German)

What is your favourite rafting destination in Europe?

The now famous Mountain of Hell (Episode 10!) takes place in Les 2 Alpes from July 17th to the 19th, 2009. Here’s a nice video from a previous episode.

In short, during the Mountain of Hell event, amateurs and pros get to pleasantly enjoy the great freeride venues of Les 2 Alpes. It takes the form of an open to all mountain bike downhill event with a practice day and two days of competition. For the downhill derby, participants will ride the 2 Alpes’ glacier, offering 2500 meters of vertical drop over 25 km, so the event is for amateurs, yes, but maybe not for newbies.

Exactly 400 riders can take part in the downhill derby and, at the time of posting this, only 26 places were still available. Quickly register here and don’t wait too long for booking your accommodation in Les 2 Alpes either, places are filling up quickly.

See you there!

If you want to golf in an exceptional setting, you definitely need to try golfing in one of the alpine resorts.
What if other members of your family/group do not like to golf? Well… European resorts usually offer a wide range of summer activities, so you can even add rafting, mountain biking, and even skiing on glaciers to your well-deserved golf holidays. Here are some interesting destinations:

FRANCE
Chamonix:
The Golf Club de Chamonix offers an 18-hole golf course designed by the world famous Robert Trent Jones Senior. The club is located between the Mont-Blanc range and the massif of the Aiguilles rouges, in a truly magnificent location. Chamonix is also first-class destination for mountain biking.
Tignes:
Tigne’s 18-holes golf course is also set in beautiful surroundings. Because of its glacier, Tignes also enables summer ski so why not plan a golf/ski summer holiday. That should certainly please the whole family!

ITALY
Bormio:
The 18-holes golf course in Bormio, also called “Fornace”, is a creation of the architect Mario Verdiedi, of St. Moritz. The basic principle of the course design is to conform to the original configuration of the land and all of its curves. Summer skiing is possible just a few kilometres away from Bormio proper, and mountain biking is, here again, a very popular activity.
Courmayeur:
The Courmayeur golf course was designed and built in the 1930’s by Briton Peter Gannon. At that time, golf was a sport for the privileged but more and more people every year learn the basics of this timeless sport. When in Courmayeur, mountaineering is also a must-do.

SWITZERLAND
Crans-Montana:
Crans-Montana is truly a premium destination for golfing. Asides from the famous course used for the European Masters, one of the most important European golf competitions, two other 18-holes courses are to be found within the 20 kilometres area of Crans-Montana. Two 9-holes courses allow the beginners to play without handicap and many options for golf courses are available. Crans-Montana is also a good destination for hiking and biking enthusiasts, and also to indulge yourself in one of the numerous spas of the resort.
Zermatt:
Even if people have been playing golf in Zermatt for about 20 years, the Golf Club Matterhorn was inaugurated in 2004. The closest place to stay if you intend to show off your skills on this 9-holes course is Täsch. Here again, you can plan your ski-golf vacations because summer ski is possible on the Matterhorn glacier.

Bourg Saint Maurice resort: for adventure seekers. This resort is the most animated in the area, it boasts a wide offer of adrenalin packed activities: from white water rafting and canoeing to paragliding and hot air balloons rides and, of course, mountain biking. There are 10+ marked VTT routes.

Arc 1600 resort: for those in need of relaxation. The Arc 1600 invites you to the most giving spa, providing from first quality massages to professional beauty care. The well preserved historic scenery of the resort contributes as much as the relaxing massages to put vacationers in a peaceful state of mind.

Arc 1800 resort: when one feels sporty. The resort provides diverse sports activities that suit all tastes, among which are tennis, wall climbing, high-altitude golfing, and of course you can always go for a hike on one of the numerous footpaths.

Arc 1950 resort: for romantic getaways. The magnificent snow-covered mountain ranges and other breathtaking sceneries are all yours in this resort, one of the highest of the French Alps. If you’re just a bit lucky, you will get to admire a kestrel or two. The graceful ballet of those colourful and elegant falcons will without doubt add to the romanticism of the Arc 1950.

Arc 2000 resort: for nature lovers. Plenty of hiking and walking trails are to be found and be on the lookout for marmots, as they like to hang out around there. It is very well connected with the other resorts by shuttle buses, gondolas and chairlifts.

With its diversity, Les Arc imposes itself as a dream summer mountain holiday destination. Accommodations are found in all above mentioned resorts forming Les Arcs, and they as diverse as they are plenty. All types of lodging are available: hotel rooms, apartments, chalets, residences, etc. will provide you the perfect place to rest with your beloved, your friends or your family during your mountain vacations. And if France is famous for its après-ski, in the summer months Les Arcs also has a wide enough choice of restaurants and «après-bike» venues to have a full French experience!

… and how to rent it right!

Whether you plan on going abroad to enjoy new mountain bike trails, or taking part in a bike tour through the Alps, organised or not, you will need a bike!

If you already own a bike, you had it specially upgraded to suit your personal preferences, you looooove it and do not want to ride anything else then, if the type of bike you own suits the type of cycling you intend to do, just bring it! Verify the requirement of the carrier you are using (airplane, bus or train), as you might be required to put your bicycle in a bag or box. If you intend to use a bike only for occasional strolls, check with your accommodation provider, as many offer a free bike loan service or ask their guests for a very small contribution.

In any other case, bike rental might just be the perfect solution for you, whether you intend to go mountain biking or cycling through the alpine passes.

Here are the 5 steps to follow when making a bike reservation:

1. Decide what kind of bicycle and accessories you need/want. A mountain bike, a road bike or a hybrid? With shock absorbers in the front, front and back or none? What about a basket, a helmet and saddlebags? Toe clips and clipless pedals have a very useful purpose, to allow you to exert pressure on both the up and down pedal strokes, but if you are not used to riding with them, they could make your first days cycling or riding a bit hazardous.
2. Choose your bike rental shop, of course the closer to your biking destination, the better. If a friend can recommend a shop, take his/her advice. That way, you are sure of the quality of the rental equipment. If not, go on the net, the regional tourist office can certainly provide you with a list of rental shops close by. As an example, take a look at the 2 Alpes presentation of its MTB shops.
3. Make sure to reserve ahead your bicycle and all other equipment you intend to rent, by telephone of email. Be as descriptive as you can while making your reservation and don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they might sound “stupid”. Ask for an email confirmation, print it out and bring it with you when reaching your destination.
4. Pick up your wheels. Make sure the bike you get is the one you reserved, and that all extra equipment you asked for, if any, has been installed. Verify the cleanliness of the chain and if it has been lubricated. It is strongly suggested that you ride the bike around the parking lot before leaving the shop, to try every gear, not forgetting the brakes. Listen for any squeaking, creaking or rubbing noises while testing the bike. If anything feels or sounds wrong, immediately ask a store employee to take a look.
5. Pay, strap your helmet on, and enjoy.

In the previous post Best European Mountain Biking Destinations 2009, one major destination was overlooked: Alpe d’Huez!

Among all the activities offered in Alpe d’Huez to mountain biking enthusiast, there’s the grandiose Megavalanche, which is, without exaggeration, the World’s greatest downhill marathon race. Here’s what it consists of, in short: a 4000 meters downhill race, 1400 participants from 20 countries and 4 days of training and race from the 9th to the 12th of July. Click here for more information about the 2009 Alpe d’Huez Megavalanche.

Here is a bit of action to tempt you:

If you want to take part to the 2009 Megavalanche, the best is to spend the whole week in Alpe d’Huez (from the 6th to the 13th of July). Register soon to one of the different activity packages – Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze – by clicking here, as places fill up quickly. Click here to book your accommodation in Alpe d’Huez, as you shouldn’t wait either, it takes many beds to accommodate 1400 mountain bikers!

After presenting Andorra as a summer destination, Slovenia is also worth the introduction. Of course you’ve heard about all the great winter activities in Slovenia. From cross-country to downhill skiing, ice-skating, tobogganing and natural hot springs, winter resorting in Slovenia is a shoe-in for a great time.

What I love about  Slovenia in summer is the taste of “real” rural life one can get. I mean, I can stay on a farm, experience real farm living, help with farm chores and, get this, eat real farm-fresh foods. This sort of Slovenia farm vacation is getting more and more popular these days. It’s nice to know where your food comes from, anyway.

To put it eloquently, a summer mountain vacation in the Slovene Alps renders an organic biosphere of freshness and great outdoors. When I go to in the mountains, I generally stay for a few nights near Kranjska Gora. Kranjska Gora is where I can get my trekking and horseback riding skills on. Once I’ve done my daily farm chores, I head out with buddies (and family) to experience this infinite outdoor country. The Kranjska Gora area in the Slovene Alps is known for not only it’s natural snow, but has visitors going wild over it’s organic cheeses, veggies, fruits and free-range meats. After a long hike, it’s nice to eat foods that are unprocessed and mountain crisp. You don’t even want to get me started on the wines.

If farm work doesn’t fit in your idea of real vacation, Bohinjska Bistrica is a great place to have some family summer fun in the Slovene Alps. Bohinjska Bistrica is a real kayak and canoeing Mecca and it gets visitors by the truck loads. But, don’t worry, I don’t think it’s ever felt too crowded or over-packed. The winter resorts turn into summer retreats for most of the tourists who come to the area anyway. The best package deals, though, will be found online, from what I have gathered.

Once when I stayed and worked as a farm hand near Bohinjska Bistrica here in the Slovene (Julian) Alps, I got to draw milk from my first cow. You can do the same, though the taste will be quite a bit sourer than from the carton. (Is pasteurized such a bad thing anyway? I don’t really think so.) Plus, you can help make your own butter, which you can take home, and see how other products are made, packaged and sold. It’s really neat to learn where all that “packaged” food comes from.

If you’re a hiking fool like me, then you’ll want to at least once trek up Mount Triglav in the Triglav National Park, also part of the Slovene Alps. If you don’t like mountain hiking, then the Sava, Kolpa or Soca Rivers are all close enough to take a kayak, canoe or raft down. Often, Lake Bled has some great swimming areas. To tell you the truth, I just can’t get over the fantastic fishing, either from a boat or off the bank here. I could spend a thousand endless summers in this area in general, and in Slovenia particularly. Staying in one of the Slovene Alps resorts is a great way to have comfy living standards on your vacation.

To enjoy the countryside and all the organic goodness that comes from the earth without doing any farm work, it is possible to take a mountain vacation staying on the periphery of the farm. There are some great small towns to drive through, where markets and food stands wait with cheeses, wines, veggies, fruits and everything between. You can buy directly from the farmers themselves. It’s a great system, almost like a fair trade expo.

What I like the best about Slovenia is, yes the outdoors, yes the food and heck, if you’ve never seen a sheep traffic jam, it’s worth everything to experience this in Slovenia! The Kranjska Gora and Bohinjska Bistrica are two of many of my favorite Alps places. It’s wise to pre-book a farm or resort stay ahead of time, as it can get busy. It is, as I said, getting more popular as people wish to escape the cities that hold us in the rest of the year.