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30/07/2010
Issue 25

Courchevel 1745 doesn't have the same ring to it.

When it comes to numbers, bigger is (generally) better. Personally, when I'm not in high heels, I’m 5’11 and anyone who is 5’11 would really rather round up the measurement to 6 foot. No matter how much stretching I do or thinking growing thoughts when I sleep I will still be 5'11 and now I have passed midlife no doubt I will start shrinking. So when someone asks your height, the answer 5'11 turns into 5 foot something which ranks me alongside such vertically challenged people as Nicolas Sarkozy(5'6) and Napoleon(5'7). On the other hand I’m sure anyone who is 6 foot would resent these 5 foot midgets misrepresenting themselves in their tall people club.

The same goes for ski resorts, especially neighboring ones. Strangely the numbers that represent resort height are quite similar across the alps. Val d’Isere resort is listed as the same height as Courchevel’s top resort, which coincidentally is the same for Risoul, Montgenevre, Les Menuires, La Rosiere and Bonneval sur Arc. It’s almost as if all these resort founders, had inbuilt altimeters which stopped then getting anywhere near 2000 meters. What is more likely is in the old days when all these resorts owners got together there was a nasty case of one up-man ship and without openly lying there was a nasty case of rounding up.

This summer Courchevel have their own little cycling competition every Wednesday starting at an inflatable flamme jaune at the roundabout by Bozel and finishing at the Altiport. Riders can have their ascent timed up the 20 plus km. of winding road. Every couple of kms there are milestones (or point kilométrique) displaying height, distance and gradient. As you pass through Le Praz the bollards says 1250m (not 1300). The milestone with 1650 marked on it is about 1km further up the road than the Moriond village. When you enter 1850 just after the bus-stop by the croisette the milestone displays 1745m about 105m lower than the height on every piste map. Maybe in it's old age Courchevel is shrinking. Other height anomalies were noted many years ago the height listed for Meribel on the piste map rose by 50 meters.

So I guess the height of the ski resort is what you make it. If anyone questions it you wave your arms around, point at some summits or respond with a galic shrug. What you don't do is get out the altimeter on your gps to prove you are right.

The editor

This classic SNL Short is both funny and annoyingly catchy.
And this retort isn't bad either.