Inspiration on the ski slopes
AS well as bringing exhilaration and fun into my life, skiing has introduced me to some of the most inspiring and interesting people on the planet.
Some of them are people whose achievements I hear about — like the legendary Candide Thovex from La Clusaz in France whose incredible ski stunts impress skiers around the world. He recently skied through the iconic L’iguille Percee rock in Tignes, a feat that still seems impossible to locals and visitors alike but which this ski genius managed to pull off. The video of Candide’s jump can be viewed on Youtube.
Then there’s Sophie Chardon, an inspirational ski instructor who lives in Courchevel 1850 in France’s Three Valleys. Sophie is the only deaf female ski instructor in France and — as shown in a recent Ski Sunday interview — is passionate about making the sport of skiing accessible to people of all abilities.
A visit to the mountains aged eight inspired Sophie and ultimately changed her life. By the age of 13 she knew she wanted to become a ski instructor and despite being told it would be impossible because of her profound deafness, she proved that the word ‘impossible’ does not exist in her vocabulary. She now teaches skiing in English, French and sign and according to Nick Robinson from Maison Sport (a platform which allows you to book independent instructors online) is an incredible person.
Back in Tignes, I have met some truly pioneering mountain people. I spent a day skiing with Guerlain Chicherit, a former Freeride World Tour champion (extreme skiing) and rally car driver whose stunts can also be viewed on Youtube.
Guerlain now heads up Les Etincelles hotel group which has a portfolio of luxe properties in high altitude French resorts but retains a great interest in adventure and fast cars, as I discovered when he gave me a lift to lunch after skiing!
Julien Lange is another Tignes skier who greatly impresses me. A former pro skier, his current Straight Line Project sees him ski steep narrow couloirs in Tignes and beyond — at high speed and without turning. His filmed work is beautiful to watch but perhaps even more amazingly, Julien’s day job is as a ski patroller.
During a ‘First Tracks’ experience (where you get to ski the slopes exclusively before the lifts officially open) I spent some time with Julien as he prepared the pistes and ensured they were safe for skiers. I find it really inspiring that a skier of Julien’s calibre gives back to the skiing community by humbly patrolling the slopes each day.
On another Tignes adventure — ice floating in the lake — I met Alban Michon (pictured inset). Alban runs ice floating and ice diving adventures with Evolution 2 in Tignes but he’s also an Arctic explorer who has experienced incredible journeys. His next major project will see him live under the Arctic sea in a pod for six months, studying climate change whilst also testing the limits of human behaviour. Like Sophie Chardon, Alban is a person who doesn’t accept ‘impossible’ as an option. I’m not only impressed by skiing feats. In Morzine in the Portes du Soleil region, falconer and bird of prey conservationist JacquesOlivier Travers brings a unique holiday experience to guests who can ski with an eagle (when weather conditions are good) on the slopes of Nyon. But Les Aigles de Lemain is about far more than fun and education for guests. Jacques-Olivier breeds birds of prey in captivity then releases them, often using a paraglider to fly alongside them. He also uses kayaks and horses to help these majestic birds on their path to a life in the wild. Jacques-Olivier trained as a journalist but followed his true passion in life.
And of course, I meet inspiring people throughout the Alps. In Switzerland, I will never forget the carving skills of Glacier 3000 ski instructor Jose Lambelet who spent an hour teaching me how to carve or Banz Simmen, a tour guide in Andermatt whose historical knowledge gave me a great insight into the fascinating history of this central Swiss region.
Finally, on a recent visit to New York State, I met Chris Barnes. Now the owner of the gorgeous boutique hotel Lilien in the Catskills, Chris was an international model who swapped the high life for the quiet life. He and his team have created a very special bolthole with a beautiful vibe and I hear that Chris got his model looks from his Irish mother, Margaret Brennan.