Welcome to Thollon
This website has the objective of gathering and sharing information for English speaking visitors to Thollon les Memises. To help visitors, apartment and chalet owners, and those renting properties. It aims to give a wider view than other web sites. Information that a visitor for a week or two may require. Not just for Thollon Les Memises but also the area that can by visited in a days drive.
Thollon.org has been updated, new format but same information news and updates.
We now welcome donations for advertising which will help towards the cost of running Thollon.org Donate, Advertise.
New Thollon.org Facebook page, like to get advised when new artcicles are added to this website
Historic winter web cam picture below.
There is a new web cam giving views from the "Top" fantastic views
Historic Webcam view
We now have the use of a web cam from the the Gondola in Thollon.
Les Lanches web cam Many thanks to Andy .
Check out Facebook Telecabine Thollon for regular updates and lift opening.
Telecabine
See notice boards for special offers of lunch and lift combined. Also offers of discounted lift passes and rates for the new ski season when purchased early. Go to https://thollonlesmemises.axess.shop/ There are combined pass with options, Thollon Bernex and Abondance. https://lesmontagnesdevian.com/#!/tarifs
When the resort can only open limited runs, a reduced rate is sometimes applied. There is now a site showing what runs are open. Plan Thollon Alpin.
Check out the Facebook Telecabine and Facebook UCAT for latest news and further information and requirements to use the lifts.
The Association of Traders website UCAT Thollon. Good information and links to the traders and on The Evian page a link to Bus Timetables for the Evian / Thollon shuttle.
The resort ski restaurant Les Balcons du Lac gives up to date information on their Facebook page Les Balcons du Lac
Lindsay continues her excellent blog. Many thanks. More on the Letter from Thollon page
It’s beginning to look a lot like …. Winter
November 2022
Aaagh…would someone, anyone, please turn off that pesky alarm! I roll over and stab manically at the phone. Nope, that’s not working, let’s try the head under the pillow tactic. No, that’s not doing it either. My dream of out-skiing Martin Bell on the Hahnenkamm slowly dissolves and a thin ray of sunlight hits my bleary eyes with laser like accuracy.
There’s no escaping the church bells in Thollon at 7am on a Sunday morning, even high up in the village where we live. In the crisp, clear, late Autumn air their sound is magnified, echoing across the surrounding countryside. They prod the conscience of the faithful and pierce the dreams of the Sunday morning layabouts like me. It reminds you how lucky you are to live in one of the most beautiful mountain villages in the Haute Savoie.
It’s the middle of November and winter is knocking at the door. The Mémises are dusted with snow, a welcome sight after the mildest of Autumns. The village webcams show a good covering on the upper slopes, while the slopes that run towards the village look as if they have a bad case of dandruff…and the temperatures are dropping.
From the chalets in the distance thin plumes of white smoke drift lazily into the cold still air, as if announcing the election of a new pope. The chalets are insulated from the cold, and to a certain extent from the energy crisis, by piles of carefully stacked logs that have been squirreled away over the past few weeks.
But it’s not all Narnia. Underneath the surface there’s a rumble in the ….no wait…that doesn’t work. Underneath the surface there’s an avalanche of activity (better? 😉). Preparations are underway for the fast approaching ski season. The ski shops are filling with outlandish outfits and equipment that will turn you into a World Cup downhiller for just a few hundred euros. The bars and restaurants are restocking their cellars and freezers and bracing themselves for the tsunami of visitors that will sweep into the village in just a few weeks’ time.
Many of the ski resorts are debating how to cut their energy costs in the light of the fuel and cost of living crises this year. Yes, it is happening in France too.
Of course, in a small resort like Thollon rumour runs high. Will they close the slopes during the quiet periods? No. Will they stop using the snow cannon this year? No. Sadly, because of problems related to last years landslip, the front ski run down to the village won’t be open this year.
I say ‘sadly’ but secretly I’m very, very happy about that. I won’t feel I’m whimping out as I sail serenely overhead in the gondola, while my better half attacks the narrow path and steep descent on a wing and a prayer (that’s a euphemism for ‘on his bum’). Oops, that’s me off the Xmas list now. Only joking!
What else can I tell you about Thollon this week?
The XV restaurant and bar is already open. Arnaud has a new menu which, for research purposes of course, I may have to try this weekend. His other establishment, the Carnotzet is due to reopen in mid-December for the start of the ski season.
The Bar Ourson will be opening on 10th December and promises that this season will be its best yet. Corrine is planning several themed nights including the famous Christmas jumper night, and an intriguing ‘kygourami’ night….wait while I google that for you…..fish?? Surely not, perhaps she meant to say ‘Karaoke’? What do you think? Oh, and she has a new beer, a 5% IPA.
Work is underway in the St Nicholas, recently taken over by the owners of the uber popular lakeside restaurant, the Tibetan.
I’ll tell you more about that next time.
And…the gondola has been running this week, no doubt transporting kilos of tartiflette and chocolate up to the panoramic restaurant, the Balcons du Lac.
Down in Evian preparations are under way to welcome back the’ Flottins,’ those mythical elves and their extraordinary wooden sculptures of all manner of fantastic beasties. Arriving on Friday 9th December they can be found dotted all over the town until 2nd January.
Read more about the Christmas Markets and other things you should try not to miss see my post on talesfromthebalcony.com
So, roll on the start of the season. This year, 2022, the ski lifts open on the 17th of December and the last day of the season is 23rd March 2023. You can find details of the cost of ski passes here.
I’m off for a quick sniff of ski wax by way of final preparation for what I hope will be a great season and I’m looking forward to bumping into some of you on the slopes, although preferably not literally!
I’ll leave you with this stunning sunset just to remind you of what you’ve been missing or what you still have to look forward to if you’ve yet to discover Thollon for yourselves.
More pictures of the Flottins on the Evian page
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23 August 2022 Lindsay's match report for the game on the 21st August.... a great read!
They came, they saw, they…. August 2022 Mais, qu’est-ce qu’ils font? Ils sont fous ces anglais …. Zut alors! The rumour ran through the village, but could it be true? A curtain twitched and a lonely cow bell tolled in the distance.
From the dimly lit recesses of the Carnotzet a man stepped forward and threw down the gauntlet…. a rematch of the epic French-English International football game played in June. (Let’s not mention the score back then… oh OK then, we can whisper it… it was 7-4 to the French). With a raised eyebrow and a gallic shrug, the latest challenge was accepted by the athletic and supremely fit Matt Bianco. Yes, the writing was on the wall already.
A confident Martin ‘the Rock’ Ball gathered his men, an eclectic mix of key players from the earlier game and a fleet of young players keen to win their first international caps. ‘What.. no boots? ‘No problem, just play in your sliders, has your dad got his slippers with him’?
The smell of embrocation, the twang of elastic, the squeak of leather, and as the sun began to sink on summer, the boys strode onto the pitch. It was game on! After 15 weeks of hurt, football had come home to Thollon again… and the crowd loved it.
England, playing in red, were quickly on the attack, however despite sustained pressure the French defence stood firm. A sudden break away from the boys in blue (France) was only repelled by a world class double save from Martin after ten minutes. The alarm bells were ringing.
Then, a renewed attack from the agile French team saw the first goal after 15 minutes but showing impressive fighting spirit England levelled the score just a few minutes later. Moving up a gear ‘Les Bleues’ came back with two more goals scored in rapid succession to lead 3-1. With Martin ‘Megaphone’ Ball steering his team from the net, there were several opportunities for follow up goals, and many players came close. Then young English player Max broke away in midfield and effortlessly slotted away a tidy shot to make the score 3-2. The crowd went wild. Could it be true? After all this time? Er…no. It’s never good to poke the bear.
France netted another goal and despite Charlie scoring from a corner just before the whistle, the score at half-time was 4-2. A stirring team talk from ex-Manchester ‘player’, Dave Whipp, revived flagging spirits and the team charged back onto the field with heads held high for an energetic second half. Was a stunning comeback on the cards?
Things looked promising as two spectacular goals scored by Woody Whipp in the second half raised the bar once again. As luck (or careful planning?) would have it Woody narrowly missed a hat trick and having to buy the obligatory round of drinks in the bar afterwards. The last English goal of the game came from youngster Leo Ball, a fine strike giving the keeper no chance.
The final score of 10-6 doesn’t reflect the effort and commitment brought to this game by every single player on the pitch. The French are a class team, they’re fit, fast and accurate. Despite a fine brace of goals each for Max and Woody, the Man of the Match has to be awarded to the Youth Academy graduate, Gary ‘the Fish’ Hill. A shining example of what a good Scottish diet and intensive training in the Saint Nicholas can produce.
A shout out of course to the indefatigable referee, Frank Brady, who kept an even-handed control of the game despite the wooden leg. Were we rash to challenge the host nation again, so soon? No not at all! We’re still dreaming. With Martin Ball at the helm, the skill and experience of players like Steve Nunny, Dave Whipp and Gary Hill plus a raft of eager youngsters, the French should be worried, very worried.
Because next time ……
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Sunday 21st August 2022. Thollon Football Ground. Another chance to see the England team play France in Thollon. New line up special guest appearances, so not to be missed. A very narrow victory by the French in June this year is set to be reversed. Report below. Kick Off 4pm
Wednesday 24th August 2022 Le Carnozet 5pm
Mike Noyce Acoustic Pub Classics
Pye in the Sky June 2022
photo by talesfromthebalcony
Believe it or not, it wasn’t a Frenchman who invented the deckchair. Deckchairs have been around since the Bronze Age. Many an ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman enjoyed the comfort of this ingenious seating solution, while no doubt watching sporting events as exciting as our own Thollon International Football extravaganza on June 5th.
Deckchairs are the epitome of summer, those colourful stripes, the oddly uncomfortable half sitting half lying angle, the soggy cucumber sandwich, and there you have it, the perfect way to watch this year’s top Thollon sporting event.
A football game that ebbed and flowed like the tide on Bournemouth beach. An eclectic mix of players ‘ran’ out onto the pitch this year. They may not have had the kerb appeal of a beach volleyball team but they had all the moves.
photo by talesfromthebalcony
With some of the team’s star players being unavailable for selection, this was the year for new blood and team manager Frank Brady fielded a team of warriors. With Martin, the Rock, Baller in goal and Andy Boomerang Woollin in midfield, the ‘English’ team were cruising to an easy win. Until the whistle went for kick-off.
photo talesfrom the balcony
The French team, who had suspiciously avoided Saturday night’s preparatory session in the Carnotzet, were first out of the blocks, racing to a 2-0 lead while our lads were still adjusting their hair gel or surgical supports (depending on their age). Stung by this early setback a plucky performance saw the ‘dynamic duo’, talented father and son combo, Darren and Henry Pye, harrying the French inside their own half. Striker Schofield wowed the crowd (well, the lady behind me) as he shot like an arrow along the left wing displaying impressive ball control.
After a sustained period of pressure, the English team clawed back a goal before conceding once again to go 3-1 down at half-time.
Cheered on by a rapturous crowd and after a team hug from ‘Il Capo’ Brady, the lads tripped out onto the pitch for the final stuffing.
photo by talesfromthebalcony
Maybe it was the water consumed in the interval that rekindled memories of the previous night,as the French team helped themselves to another couple of quick goals almost immediately…leaving our boys 5-1 down before they had finished lacing their boots.
photo by talesfromthebalcony
The remainder of the second half was a different story entirely though as the French side found themselves repeatedly under the cosh and the visitors netted a further 3 goals. Offset somewhat by 2 more goals scored in French breakaways, tired limbs began to tell in the visitors’ defence.
A final score of 7-4 to the French home team then, and a well deserved win. Johan Vesin, a truly talented player, won Golden Boot for scoring the most goals. Our own rising star, Henry Pye, outshone all and was rewarded with Man of the Match. Playing for his first international cap, Mark Edwards, put in a solid all round performance and will no doubt be a permanent feature of this international side. Steve Nunneyfrom Morzine, with his tight five-a-side turns and terrier like tackles helped keep the score line in positive figures.
Special mention goes to the outstanding performance of the referee, Danny ‘Hawkeye’ Bunch, who was congratulated by the French team on his impartial and ‘sportsmanlike’ umpiring (is that the right sport??) And of course, Matt Bianco, organiser extraordinaire, who pulled the whole thing together in a matter of days with the help of Michelle Vivien.
A fantastic day for all who came along. I’m sorry I don’t have space to mention everyone who gave their all to this game. This isn’t just a football match, it’s also a brilliant way to foster good relationships between the visitors and the ever welcoming Thollogands. Long may it continue. But…… next year, that cup is ours!
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27th March 2022. What a great last day. “The Closing” started at 10.00 with the infamous ski race. There were of course the real competitors who showed the rest of us how to ski a slalom. There were the pisteurs who dramatically negotiated the course pulling stretchers between two skiers with a “casualty”. There was the ESF instructors who came down at high speed on plastic sledges. And of course the Thollon.org team with the border who took out a whole section of poles.
Prize giving... Thollon.org win again!
The “Where’s Wally's” assembled at the finish line to have a well earned beer and recreated the end of season group photo at the top of the mountain.
Festivities continued with Lojah a great band at Les Balcons and the food festival with stalls serving everything from delicious squid, moules, and great Savoyard specials. Fantastic atmosphere.
As Les Balcons closed for the evening, we took the last lift of the season and moved to Le Carnotzet and St Nic’s where a great DJ performed with Arnaud serving a fantastic BBQ. Sparkling wines showering the assembled very happy party goers. But we were not finished at L’Ourson another band Les gwapps started.
The party continued. Many thanks to ESF, Pisteurs, Telecabine, Les Balcons, Le Carnotzet, St Nicolas, L Ourson and the Wally's.
More pictures and videos on Thollon.org Facebook.
The last weekend of the season, some great memories, scroll down this page for more.
22 March 2022
As we approach the last few days of the season we have sunshine and hard packed slopes. With many piste closures there will be a reduce daily rate of 19.50 euros to ski. See above for link to the Plan Thollon Alpin for updates. Lindsay's blog below sets out what is planned.
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The English Language film season in Thollon.
The last VOST film of the English winter season 24 March at 8.00pm !!!!! The BATMAN
The 4th highest grossing film of 2022 so far. Critically acclaimed. Praised for performances, cinematography, direction etc
Only with the support of the English speaking community will English films continue to be shown. So please come along.
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Thollon is a family resort and many visitors return every year to enjoy the great welcome.
Bit of nostalgia :-
Christine (ESF Thollon Secretary) presents a first badge to Cora age 4 and then Gold Award age 12 in February 2020.
Wednesdays February Party 7pm in the Polyvante hosted by ESF, Ski Club, Fondue and music Mickael and accordion.
"Horseing around" Thursday 20th February 2020.
Thollon Snow Park
The Thollon Snowpark association organises events on the theme of freestyle skiing/ snowboarding. The half pipe, landing balloon and water jump add some fun to Thollon.
Reggae Fever
One of our own has a sneaky play.
Below January 2020 BBQ
Carnaval in Evian see Evian page for photos from previous years.
Summer 2019. A review
Music and fun. Bars, fete, BBQ
Bar Ourson is worthy of an extra mention for the many fun evenings some with live music. Corrine has been popular with the British clientele and the annual get together of British musicians with the new band Jerry and his Pacemaker was in fine form. The outside area in front of the bar making for a great area to relax party and listen to music. Also new for 2019 was Arnaud offering excellent Tapas in his bar area in Le XV making for a relaxed drink and food sitting on the sofa's. The bars Saint Nicolas and Choumas continued to be popular and offered good hospitality. Many of us also braved the walk to visit the Hotels Bon Sejour and Bellevue, whose restaurants offered excellent fare.
The annual fete was held in August, two nights of party which was well supported by the Thollon.org crowd. There were also music events held outside the Tourist Office, by the car park.
The site at the aerial Hucel which has a wonderful view over the lake was the venue for an inpromptu byo BBQ. A group of locals and Brits enjoyed food and wine as the sunset. The steep and dark climb down from the site was interesting.
Priory Meillerie
A visit was organised to visit the Priory of the Meillerie www.meillerie-prieure.com. Many of us use the road and pass close by to this Priory. The visit was excellent for a number of reasons, the views are fantastic especially from the graveyard above. The history of the priory and its role in commanding the area and its links to Thollon were fascinating. The talk by Sidonie Bochaton (local archeologist, historian, and writer) was excellent as it gave a wider view and helped many of us understand the local history of the Haute Savoie. The web site is excellent and if you are considering a walk around is to be recommended to set the scene. Thanks to AS for organising
The Lake
Many of the Thollon group have boats on the lake and enjoyed a great summer of boating. The lake provided its usual mirror calm surface ideal for motor boats. The usual venues of Grand Rive “Nathalies” and new this year L’OXXY Beach providing refreshment.
Annual Football Match
On Saturday 8th June 2019 at 3pm the annual football match was played on a lovely sunny day.
Result: England 8, France 7 yes we won!
As usual the band, ceremony and football of a standard only seen once a year. A great celebration.
Pink Pub to Pegasus Bridge
This site celebrates the link between many countries. We have a large British contingent. Several Bognor Regis members supported a great forces charity by cycling from Bognor Regis to Pegasus Bridge to celebrate D-Day leaving on Wednesday 5 May 2019. Have a look at the Facebook page. Pinkpub2PegasusBridge They have raised over £120,000....Great job guys.
They made it! Well done guys!
Bolton Celebration
Thollon friends stretch wide across the world. On the 11 May 2019 a group of around 30 Thollon friends came from various parts of Europe to visit Bolton to help celebrate 30 years in business for a Thollon regular. Much drinking and great hospitality from Dave and Deb’s.
The Paddle steamers salute Evian
Winter 2018/19
The season closed with the UCAT Race and the water slide, and the British enthusiastically joining in the celebrations with this years theme of Peaky Blinders. Around 35 British visitors, and some Ex Pat residents joined in the fun.
Thollon.org entered a team of three generations photo below, 2 skiers and a snowboarder! A superb effort but no medals this year.
Below the race winners Garage des Memises and the British "second place?" Team Meda Sport (Ketts Taira Andy) we understand that we might have translated "Les Perdants" incorrectly..... Great trophy, medals, cheese and chocolates were all appreciated as was the great atmosphere and the paella served for lunch. Thanks to the organisers and the many supporters for such a fun event. The race had a unique compulsory half way stop with a glass of wine or juice being consumed before continuing to the finish.
Results correctly reported in the le dauphine below on the 3rd April 2019 together with a picture of the Peaky Blinder racers.
More pictures and video below
Peaky on the slopes PeakyYouTube video
Romantic Thollon
We all love the view from the top of the mountain, and what better place to propose marriage.
Regular visitor Ross proposed, and Nicola said yes.
The British half term, Monday 18th February 2019 brought many visitors to Thollon. A great sunny week with fun had by all.
The Tourist Office will be running many events during the holiday season. Thollon les Mémises Tourisme Facebook publishes details. The "Agenda of the week" Programme d'animations. Torch light descent, table tennis. Karaoke and much more.
Great news, Thollon and Bernex have signed an agreement making available a ski pass for both resorts for the 2017/18 Season The season pass is for both resorts and 3 visits to the Bernex Ice rink. There is a also a new web site Les Montagnes D’ Evian promoting the joint venture, and the various options. The pass is available to buy on line. We look forward to further initiatives.
A picture reminder of last Winters fun
More on our News and Blog page
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Map of suggested visits and Ski resorts
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