Natives Summer Weekender report

Anyone who knows me will know that in the summer Iím more that home sitting on my sofa with my laptop than trekking through steep mountain passes. So when I signed up for the Natives summer weekender I thought it would consist of a little skiing in the morning followed by strenuous sunning in the afternoon. Oh how I was wrong.
After some welcome drinks at the Jam bar I was told that breakfast would be served at 6.30. Being more accustom to rising after 10am this early hour posed itís own challenges. But in order to get the best snow on the glacier it was necessary. After a successful dual slalom we returned to resort level for a session on the water slide.
By the lake Tignes had set up 5 water jumps with a varying amount of gradient. With most of the slopes designed for skiers to practice their inverted aerials there was one intended for the ìnon-skierî with a slick surface designed for direct contact with a wetsuit.
With Natives offering a pair of Rossignol skis, courtesy of Snow and Rock for the best performance there was an increasing air of competitiveness between the participants. After squeezing into their wetsuits and testing the temperature of the water in the lake it was time for their safety talk. This consisted of a portly gentleman at the bottom of the ramp waving a stick around and shouting ìallez goî. Truly Gallic health and safety at its best.
After an initial trepidation, following a French teenager demonstrating how to bellyfloping hard on the water, the nine Natives guinea pigs were flying through the air with a level of expertise previously reserved for superheroes and various suicidal rodents. It wasnít long though, in the testosterone filled climate of one-upmanship, before several of team doned skis and boots and attempted some aerials. The eventual victor was, Metros skis shows housewife favourite, Tom.
Following a cheeky aperitif courtesy of Tignes Tourist office in CafÈ Rouge, a round of genepis after dinner and a night out boozing in the Jam Bar there were some very hung over people at breakfast the morning after. Luckily everyone managed to make to survive the individual slalom and ready themselves for an afternoon of beach volley.
Probably inspired by Tom Cruise in Top Gun it wasnít long before t-shirts were removed, stomach muscles tensed and high fives liberally dispensed between team members. After three hours in the sunshine Team Team were proclaimed the victor over Team badgers.
After emptying my pockets of sand it was off to the lakeside BBQ courtesy of Snow and Rock with food prepared by Zeb from the Couloir CafÈ. After copious amounts of Mergeze sausages, roast lamb, Salads, Extreme drinks and Coors light beer it was off to Crowded house for the final evening. Reports of late night shenanigans have yet to be corroborated donít they Emma????

And finally a big thanks to Iain & Emma from Natives, Skiworld for the use of some of their best properties in Tignes, Snow & Rock, Jam bar, Snow & Rock, SCGB and especially Fi for the warm respect the mountain hoody. Until next year.