It's back to back parties for our events manager Simon - this time it's a trip down memory lane for him in the latest stop of the Show Love Tour in Alpe d'Huez...

Two days, two parties, two awesome nights! This time the venue for our Show Love Tour was another Smithy’s bar, but this time in Alpe d’Huez.

I booked myself accommodation in Le Chamois Hotel as it was reasonable price for the time of year. It was still the February holidays and I managed to get a room for €38 bed and breakfast!

Twenty years earlier I did my first season in Alpe d'Huez and I lived for most of that season in the Chamois, as I was dating one of the girls who worked there. As I settled into my room, it also dawned on me that when I was 15 years old I had my first ever holiday away from home to the same hotel with the Kings Ski Club. It was this holiday which inspired me to come back and work in the ski industry. Looking around my bedroom, I could’ve been transported back in time 25 years to my first visit as everything looked exactly the same. Perhaps I’m being harsh - I’m sure the walls have seen at least one lick of paint in this time. Décor aside, the Chamois is an extremely homely and welcoming place to stay and the beds are the most comfortable I’ve slept in for a very long time!

I gathered together my gear for the evening's party, freshened up with a Scottish shower (deodorant and a splash of CK1 to smell nice for the ladies) then headed up to Smithy’s.

Walking up the stairs to the bar also took me back to my season as this was my local all those years ago. It was half the size then, owned by a cockney and was called The Apples and Pears!

On my arrival I was met by Andy, the bar manager, and Josh, one of the many bar staff. They were fantastic, and as I tucked into the most amazing chicken fajitas and cold beer, Josh ran round the bar putting up all our sponsors banners! While I finished my dinner I also managed to watch the first half of the Chelsea V Milan game. I was in heaven and I could definitely get very used to this level of service and hospitality.

DJ Northey had followed me over from our Les Deux Alpes gig the night before and we were both quite excited about the prospect of another night of banging tunes, good looking chalet girls, and extremely smooth and tasty Eristof Black vodka drinks. We were not disappointed and Northey once again managed to play an amazing set of songs that had our party guests gyrating and grooving to the coolest of cool sounds. It also had them dancing on tables and benches and making a noise that could probably have started an avalanche outside. Whoop whoop whoop!!

Darren Jones from the Caves nightclub won himself a year's subscription to Fall Line magazine while Phil Blennerhassett, who was on holiday from London, won the year's subscription to Document Snowboard mag. Matt Wenham took home a cool Greeneye t-shirt and the extremely good looking Harriet Butler from Igloo won the ladies Blackfly sunnies. A Ski Club of Great Britain goody bag which included a Natives t-shirt, Warren Smith DVD and an Aether Mobile roaming global sim was taken home by the delighted Katie Snowden from Lounge 21. Rick Bennetto won the ProFeet wheelie bag, while ski bum Tom Mason took a Natives Show Love Tour T and Aether Mobile sim card.

The prize everyone had their eye on was the Greeneye hoody and that was won by the totally thrilled Emily West, who ran round the bar like a demented chicken when she realised she’d taken the star prize!

I really enjoyed my return to Alpe d’Huez after all those years and it was a fantastic trip down memory lane. Next up on the calendar is Chamonix at the base of Mont Blanc and I for one cannot wait - bring it on!!

Thanks to our sponsors
Eristoff Black vodka, goody bags from Ski Club of Great Britain, tickets to the Altitude Festival 2010, DVDs Warren Smith Ski Accademy, hoodys, t-shirts and jackets* from Greeneye gear, subscriptions to Fall Line and Document magazine, wheelie bags from feet specialists Profeet, sim cards from Aether Mobile, and eyewear from Black Flys. Local sponsors Freeride.fr and Prescision skis* and t-shirts

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Thursday 11th March Natives Big Air

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* selected resorts only