The all-inclusive system is widely known and popular among Russian tourists who prefer beach holidays. However, since the mid-20th century, thanks to the Club med company, the beloved All Inclusive can be found not only on the Mediterranean coast, but also on the snow-capped peaks Alpine mountains! From December 14 to 16, a TRN correspondent and a group of journalists conducted a detailed inspection of the new Club Med Grand Massif Samoens Morillion ski resort, located in the heart of the French Alps. Read about its features, prices and opportunities in our article.
Laying the first ski track
The French international tour operator Club med traces its history back to 1950 and is known for its combination of luxury and comfort with an all-inclusive format. At the company's resorts, tourists are considered "gentils membres", which is reflected in all areas of service. Officially, this system is called "Premium all inclusive" in the company, since all tours include non-standard services: training in various sports in groups for the whole family under the guidance of professional instructors from the French ski school ESF, children's clubs with multilingual staff and development programs.
The first ski resort with this concept opened in 1956 in Leysin. The package included transfers, accommodation, equipment, instructors and ski lifts. Guests did not have to worry about anything, but just enjoyed the stunning scenery and comfortable skiing on the resort's slopes. The concept was so successful that three more Club Med ski towns opened the following year.
Roll or not roll
Club Med Grand Massif Samoyon.s. Morillon is located in the largest ski region in Europe - Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, which unites 172 ski resorts and 18 ski areas. The resort is designed on the ski-in/ski-out principle, that is, skiing begins right from the doorstep of the Ski room, where each guest is provided with a personal locker for convenient storage of equipment. If necessary, you can always update or supplement your equipment from a wide range of European brands represented at the resort, having received professional advice from a specialist.
The resort has very convenient transport accessibility, being located one and a half hours from Geneva airport and two and a half hours from Grenoble airport. Picturesque Alpine landscapes, which in some places simply take your breath away, will not let you get bored on the road. Club Med carries out transportation both on regular Aeroflot flights (Geneva) and on its own charter of the national air carrier (Grenoble). Tours built on charter air transportation are traditionally cheaper, which allows you to choose the best option for the ratio of comfort and cost.
Club Med Grand Massif Samoyon.s. Morillon offers 30 mountain sports activities, from skiing and skating to yoga. The region is also famous for the thermal springs of Auvergne and the gastronomic delights of Lyon.
To diversify their leisure time and organize a mini-break between exploring the numerous trails, armed with snowshoes and Nordic walking poles, guests of the resort can go for a walk to the city of Samoëns, listed in the register of the National Bureau of Historical Monuments. The year-round botanical garden, churches and chapels preserved from the 16th century, as well as pleasant and useful shopping will be remembered for a long time. Return to Club Med Grand Massif Samoyon.s. Morillon can be reached by a comfortable 8-seater gondola lift.
All inclusive from Club Med
All inclusive system at the resort Club Med Grand Massif Samoyon.s. Morillon takes into account all the needs of winter sports enthusiasts, including the main expense item - ski pass and training. Guests can enroll in any training group and hone their skills under the watchful eye of instructors from the best French ski school ESF from morning until evening. The length of the resort's trails, ideal for skiers of any level, is 265 km. Of the 146 trails, 20 are green, 64 are blue, 49 are red and 13 are black.
Mid-December is not the most reliable time for skiing, the temperature in the mountains of Savoie often rises above zero degrees, and snowfalls are quite rare, but our press group was lucky, and in two days we appreciated the quality of the slopes and the level of instructors who helped beginners not only to get on skis, but also to master the blue slope. In addition to the diligence and enthusiasm of colleagues, the opportunity to study from early morning until late evening played a significant role in this.
Club Med also pays special attention to its youngest guests, offering an exclusive concept for children in Mini Clubs at its resorts.
"A strong motive for Russian parents to choose a holiday is what their children will be doing, what new experiences they will get, what activities they will do with them. This is especially important for our guests, because almost 90% visitors to Club med are families with children," says Olivier Monceau, CEO Club Med in Russia.
Care for children from 4 months is provided by "friendly organizers" (gentlis organisateurs), who look after the children, monitor safety, and also occupy the children with educational games and communication with their peers. Young athletes from 3 years old are allowed on the slope under the guidance of ESF teachers. For extreme sports enthusiasts from 11 to 17 years old, there is a program Multi Snow Sports, including slalom and ski cross. At the end of each day, educators give parents a detailed report on the children's progress and achievements.
Gourmets will be pleasantly surprised by the All inclusive concept at the resort. The menu of the haute cuisine restaurants was developed by chef Edouard Loubet, the owner of 2 Michelin stars. Three restaurants of the resort town offer such national dishes as raclé, tartiflette, fondue and many other masterpieces of French cuisine. They will be an excellent company with local white wines, and as a digestif it is worth taking regional herbal liqueurs. After a hearty and exquisite meal, it is time to enjoy panoramic views of the mountain landscapes in the outdoor heated pool.
It is worth considering, however, that not all rooms will have the usual little things, such as slippers, robes, dental kit, shower caps and even hair conditioner. Owners of Deluxe rooms and above are free of this inconvenience. Despite this, the president of Club Med in Russia, Olivier Monceau, stated that, at the time of the press's arrival, the resort had not even opened yet, and such comfort elements will certainly be available to all guests in the future.
Counting the stars
Club Med offers a unique concept that is difficult to evaluate within the standard "star" classification, so the founders introduced their own system - tridents. The "weight" of a trident is slightly higher than the "weight" of a star. In addition, as mentioned earlier, at each resort of the company, guests receive more opportunities than in classic "all-inclusive" hotels. At the moment, resorts have categories from 3 to 5 tridents. Since the company focuses primarily on an audience with an above-average income, the quality of services provided and their range are always at a high level.
Club Med Grand Massif Samoёns Morillon is a solid "four" according to the company's classification and, in addition to the standard all-inclusive ski package, offers truly breathtaking views from almost every room in the resort town.
Please announce the entire list!
For Club Med, France is home and the most developed territory. It is here that the largest number of branded all-inclusive ski resorts are located - 17 out of 23. What does this mean for a tourist? The opportunity to travel between different resort towns, where he will be greeted with the same hospitality. For example, leaving for morning skiing from Club Med Arcs Extreme (3*), the guest can ask the ESF instructor to arrange apres-ski in Club Med Peisey-Vallandry (4*), checking the quality of the four tridents overlooking the Vanoise National Park.
Despite the fact that most resorts Club Med are aimed at families with children, there are also resorts in the “adults only” category in the line. If your agency’s clients are a young group, they are ideally suited Club Med Val Thorens Sensations or already mentioned Club Med Arcs Extreme. For lovers of romance, it is worth offering a cozy Club Med Val d'Isere, and for those tourists who value peace and quiet - Club Med Meribel Antares.
Hello! Hello! Hello!
Only at resorts Club Med You will be greeted in 30 languages of the world. The company's concept involves uniting all nationalities for the most comfortable and interesting vacation, filled with new acquaintances and unforgettable memories.
The company knows how to organize both noisy parties and sophisticated evenings with an elegant dress code. During the two days spent at the resort, guests managed to attend a concert by the famous French soul singer Patrick Bruel and have fun at an incendiary party that combined a classic theater performance with modern music hits and a fire show. The most persistent guests danced to bright DJ sets all night long.
December 17 The first tourists have arrived at the new flagship resort of Club Med Grand Massif Samoёns Morillon. Despite the fact that flights are carried out daily, according to representatives of the tour operator, there are practically no available rooms for the nearest dates. The earliest possible date for tourists to arrive is December 21, and the minimum cost of a 7-day tour is 176,000 rubles per person.
Detailed information about the resort and available holiday options for tourists can be found at on the tour operator's website.
Source: trn-news.ru