Alpe d'Huez Apres Ski Report: 19th December 2008
With the curtain closing on the first week the resort has had guests, it's been party, party and more party in Alpe D'Huez (with a bit of skiing, apparently). Such beautiful snow and blue skies has been the feature here this week, everybody's spirits have been high and the nightlife is now in full swing.
I am writing this with a slightly groggy head following Smithy's Tavern's first live band of the season, Dr.Bruce, playing to 300 very happy and lively students last night. What a season intro! Wasteland, who organise student ski trips, brought students from Leeds Metropolitan, Teeside and Jesus College Oxford Universities. Lots of tribal chanting, beer downing and vodka slamming was the main theme of their week. Not forgetting the odd guy dressed in nothing but a bin liner. Oh to be a student again!
Monday saw the first official tour operator bar crawl. The tour operators take their guests on a scheduled tour around town, to show them the bright lights of the bars and clubs. The joys of 200 people marching round resort in a bid to achieve one thing and one thing only. Drunkenness! Brilliant!
It starts off incredibly civilised in Lily's Irish Pub with a cheeky beer and a chat about the credit crunch and who should be the next President of the United States. This doesn't last for long!
After a stop off at the best après bar in Alpe D'Huez, Sphere, It then moves on to O'Sharkeys, a great bar with a lot of history and tradition in resort for some live music and a few more shots. The crawl starts to move a little slower at this point, with bodies dragging, not quite walking straight and struggling to talk. On to L'Etalon – the most popular rumary in the Alps for a selection of their wide range of tasty yet very strong rums! From here it begins to take a messier route, made even worse upon its arrival to the legendary Underground.
For those of you have never had the pleasure to experience the joys of the Underground, it is very difficult to walk through the door without coming out the other end incredibly worse for wear. The Underground boys have been ripping up resort for years, and they certainly know how to throw a party. Via Smithy's the army of alcohol ridden crawlers end up in nightclub Igloo, though few survive until lights on! Add to that the 300 students enjoying a rave night in Smithy's, covered in UV paint and glowsticks, and the Igloo certainly was an interesting place to be at 4am!
If you're feeling in need of a more homely feel, O Bar is just the place. Its the first bar you come to upon arrival in Alpe D'Huez, and, run by Vicky and Vito, it's a friendly and cosy bar, with a chilled out vibe, some fantastic homemade Italian food and a blazing fire downstairs. I would definitely recommend the meatballs if you get the chance. Delicious!
Geordie Steve came over from the Secret Bar in Deux Alps for acoustic après action in Sphere on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. With more and more people filling up resort his audiences have got much bigger, and he certainly rose to the challenge. Tuesday saw a ‘Pimps and Hoes' night in Smithy's, the bar staff looked like a group of clowns at a circus rather than gangsters, but hey, what is life without making a fool out of yourselves?!
All the bars are now gearing up for Christmas and New Year week, with high potential for some serious party nights. A new set of resort guests arrive tomorrow, ready to enjoy the Christmas late licences the bars are blessed with, with an extra 4 or 5 hours of drinking time available.... Oh dear! Christmas Eve sees Scottish John, Jez and Morse deliver their first live gig of the season in Sphere, before a huge Xmas Party in Smithy's will take you long into the night.
Hope you're all enjoying the snow, remember to get up on the mountain to cure those nasty heads and have a fantastic white Christmas, I hope Santa brings you everything you want. Drink responsibly (hmmm) and merry Christmas! Au revoir!
