EAT SLEEP RAVE RE-PISTE
Snowboxx is fast becoming Europe’s coolest music festival and with it taking place in the snowy heights of the French Alps, there’s time to ski as well as party
BY KATHLEEN SPEIRS kathleen.speirs@trinitymirror.com
SKIING over fresh powder under glorious sunshine, following the sound of Danny Howard’s DJ set, I’m handed a refreshing tumbler of Heineken from an apres bar – and I can’t help but think of the boggin’ burger vans at Balado.
While it may be unfair to compare alpine music festival Snowboxx to T in the Park, one of its co-founders, Aden Levin said: “This is not a ski resort with a makeshift stage in the corner.
“This is a fully fledged festival, up there with the rest, only set in a winter wonderland.”
Snowboxx really is a music lover’s utopia.
Every year, 6000 revellers roll into Geneva Airport, lift passes and arena tickets in hand, for the week-long festival.
From there, they board a convoy of coaches, to make the 90-minute ascent to Avoriaz in the Port de Soleil region of the French Alps.
Spanning 650km across the SwissFrench border, Avoriaz’s ski in, ski out rule means guests can snow plough from piste to pub in minutes.
With an impressive line-up for 2018, including dance music heavyweight Fatboy Slim, Snowboxx leaves little room for shut eye.
Panoramic views from bedrooms and balconies at the Premium Residence L’Amara, however, could easily leave you mesmerised till “Apres” at 3pm.
Built into the foot of imposing cliffs at the edge of a forest, the L’Amara apartments offer a generous slice of alpine luxury.
Five-star, south-facing suites for up to six people provide plenty of room for hanging salopettes and ski socks up to dry. By day, those powering through hangovers have their choice of almost 300 slopes that keep both show-offs and shy beginners satisfied.
Lifts leave from Downtown which is bursting with stylish bars, restaurants, cafes and shops, with horse-drawn carts trotting through its myriad quaint walkways.
Fifteen inches of overnight snowfall make for perfect conditions on day one of Snowboxx.
Party featuring Soul Shape provide the soundtrack for the apres bar launch party, which boasts merchandise stands, huge beer tents and an impressive VIP area, just as any festival would.
High-octane fun doesn’t end when skis and boards are hung up.
Punters can try their hand at human bowling or sign up for mass organised snowball fights.
Ultimately, music is what has drawn people to Snowboxx for the past five years and 2018 does not disappoint. Opening the main stage, Fatboy Slim descends on Avoriaz with a gig that sets the tone for the week.
Hits like Praise You, Right Here Right Now and Eat Sleep Rave
Repeat, as well as the roar of the crowd, reverberate off the mountain edges, making for a truly unforgettable night.
Just over the Swiss border, Snowboxx’s Rock the Piste event on day three fills the guitar riff void, in a setting that’s a far cry from the muddy fields of Kinross.
Cauldrons of vegetable broth, steaming raclettes and hog roasts go down a storm with hungry skiers, as Alice Merton rocks the piste and the punters all afternoon.
Back in French territory is dress up day. Detectives, dinosaurs, and Disney princesses take to the slopes before Apres, where DJ set Fleetmac Wood gets the party started ahead of a night in Downtown’s bars and clubs.
Away from the booze, the resort boasts its own range of E-Fat bikes.
Powered by electricity and with extra-large wheels, the bikes allow us to tour areas of Avoriaz only frequented by walkers and Nordic skiers which, on a clear day, is like cycling through a breathtaking picture postcard.
Altitude Comedy Festival takes over on night four when Matt Reed, Andrew Maxwell and Abandonman have the XX Club audience in stitches.
Not least when, as Andrew introduces himself, one inebriated audience member responds by projectile vomiting over the front row.
Poor Andrew dubs the gig his most difficult, and smelliest, to date.
Excess seeps into the next morning at Bottomless Brunch in La Grande Cafe.
For about £30, visitors from 10am till 2pm have unlimited access to a hot breakfast buffet, champagne and jus d’orange.
A return to the main stage arena sees the VIP heated area come in handy as the temperature plummets to a spine-tingling -20C.
RnB duo Snakehips attempt to warm up the crowd.
But no amount of dancing and beat drops are able to prevent my vodka and coke turning to ice.
My first alpine music festival is something I will never forget.
Bringing all the elements of a topclass festival, Portaloos and glitter tattoo stands included, to a worldrenowned ski resort is to be admired.
Snowboxx, in every sense, takes the humble, muddy, midge-ridden music festival to new heights.