French World Cup Team in Tignes
The 09/10 winter ski season is well and truly over in the Alps at this time of year but with the 2010 FIFA World cup in South Africa nearly upon us many of the national teams are heading for the mountains to get some well needed altitude training with England in Austria and Les Bleus – the French team up in the high resort of Tignes in the heart of the Espace Killy area.
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Up, up and away: Squad members Anthony Reveillere, Marc Planus, and staff member Stephane Diagana take a chair lift[/caption]
It has been well documented that many of the matches at this year’s world cup will be played at over 1000 meters above sea level which can take its toll on your body if you are not used to it with less oxygen in the air. They say it can take 8 – 9 days to get used to altitude training which forces your body to provide more red blood cells which delays the onset of lactic acid in your muscles and aides quicker recovery. Any team who is training in these conditions stand a great chance of being fit and ready when it comes to kick off next month. If only Scotland had done this!
What better place to get this valuable training than Tignes?
The French team have been pictured running, cycling and even snow shoeing up to the Grand Motte Glacier that sits at 3650 meters above sea level. It’s been quite funny watching these football super stars plodding around on snow shoes on corduroy groomed pistes and cycling around the lake.
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Sidney Govou checking in at the Hotel L'Ecrin du Val Claret[/caption]
Tignes as a resort sits at 2100 meters meaning you are already over 700 meters above Britain’s highest peak Ben Nevis meaning it is almost as high as you can get as a resort only 2nd to Val Thorens.
It’s been great to see the pictures of the French team staying at a hotel we’ve featured for years - L’Ecrin du Val Claret. It’s a stunning property situated next to the lake and has fantastic leisure facilities including a pool, Jacuzzis, saunas and a fitness centre. The food is also excellent and I know for a fact that the likes of Thierry Henry and William Gallas will be enjoying some of the great cuisine and service.
Winter time brings huge snow falls in Tignes and with the whole Espace Killy area on your doorstep this is a top destination to visit for families and couples alike.
Here are some more photos of the French national team in Tignes:
Up, up and away: Squad members Anthony Reveillere, Marc Planus, and staff member Stephane Diagana take a chair lift[/caption]
It has been well documented that many of the matches at this year’s world cup will be played at over 1000 meters above sea level which can take its toll on your body if you are not used to it with less oxygen in the air. They say it can take 8 – 9 days to get used to altitude training which forces your body to provide more red blood cells which delays the onset of lactic acid in your muscles and aides quicker recovery. Any team who is training in these conditions stand a great chance of being fit and ready when it comes to kick off next month. If only Scotland had done this!
What better place to get this valuable training than Tignes?
The French team have been pictured running, cycling and even snow shoeing up to the Grand Motte Glacier that sits at 3650 meters above sea level. It’s been quite funny watching these football super stars plodding around on snow shoes on corduroy groomed pistes and cycling around the lake.
[caption id="attachment_1166" align="alignright" width="300"]
Sidney Govou checking in at the Hotel L'Ecrin du Val Claret[/caption]
Tignes as a resort sits at 2100 meters meaning you are already over 700 meters above Britain’s highest peak Ben Nevis meaning it is almost as high as you can get as a resort only 2nd to Val Thorens.
It’s been great to see the pictures of the French team staying at a hotel we’ve featured for years - L’Ecrin du Val Claret. It’s a stunning property situated next to the lake and has fantastic leisure facilities including a pool, Jacuzzis, saunas and a fitness centre. The food is also excellent and I know for a fact that the likes of Thierry Henry and William Gallas will be enjoying some of the great cuisine and service.
Winter time brings huge snow falls in Tignes and with the whole Espace Killy area on your doorstep this is a top destination to visit for families and couples alike.
Here are some more photos of the French national team in Tignes: