For the 5th annual Palatinalps trip, 1500 Durham students headed to Les Arcs in the Alps for a week of snow, skiing, and unforgettable parties. In other words, a week not to be missed.
Events Palatinalps is never about just skiing. The week was kicked off with the Opening Night Party, a huge event involving all trip attendees and plenty of white wine that left everyone a little worse for wear when hitting the slopes the following morning.
One night saw a party in a 400m2 igloo, complete with an ice bar and sculptures.
The highlight for many was the Feast on the Piste – an evening of eating our weight in cheese, dancing on the tables, and an awful lot of toplessness. The challenge was skiing back home after all that wine, which many did in as little clothing as possible. Of course, the snow-mobile trailed behind to pick up those who were too new to skiing (or just too drunk) to make it back down the mountain.
The Final Night Party featured music by Matrix and Futurebound and headliner Wilkinson – an amazing end to the week.
Nights without events were spent in the pubs and clubs of Arc 1800. For those struggling with being away from the crazy Durham nightlife, Wiff Waff’s Paradise Disco was recreated in one of the clubs, and the Red Hot Saloon provided a typical Durham cheese-fest with favourites like Cotton-Eyed Joe and Angels to end the night.
Après SkiAfter a morning of skiing to shake-off the hangover, L’arpette was the place to be for an afternoon of après ski. Surrounded by mountains and bathed in light from the setting sun, it was the perfect place to drink vin chaud and admire the view. Or, in Palatinalps tradition, to dance on tables, down champagne out of your ski boot and strip down to your underwear despite the freezing temperatures.
Altogether it was an unforgettable week, whether black slopes were conquered or ski boots were discarded in favour of French cuisine at the bottom of the mountain. Bring on Palatinalps 2016.