 Poster: A snowHead
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A friend out in the Tignes area mentioned to me the other day that Mountainsun would not be opening their place in Tignes les Boises this year.
I don't have any corroboration to the comment although their website seems not to have been updated for this year.
As they've historically been frequented by many a snowHead, I wondered whether anyone knew more?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| admin wrote: |
A friend out in the Tignes area mentioned to me the other day that Mountainsun would not be opening their place in Tignes les Boises this year.
I don't have any corroboration to the comment although their website seems not to have been updated for this year.
As they've historically been frequented by many a snowHead, I wondered whether anyone knew more? |
I don’t know for certain, but a few weeks ago they sold off a range of things including their stock of rental kit, kitchen equipment, sauna, spa, etc. It doesn’t look hopeful that they will trade this winter. Brexit was going to be a big challenge for them, and with COVID restrictions I don’t think we will see them operate this winter.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 2-10-20 17:48; edited 1 time in total
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The operations in France separated from their operations in Italy a few years ago, following the death of the company’s founder.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It's a shame. Mountainsun offered a good product - quite different from many others. I went to Les Boisses several times over several years and never had any complaints.
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@pam w, +1
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@pam w, +2
My first return to skiing was with them ... and my fateful encounter with 
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| pam w wrote: |
| It's a shame. Mountainsun offered a good product - quite different from many others. I went to Les Boisses several times over several years and never had any complaints. |
It is a great shame. As you say, a different product to a lot of the hotel offerings, and run by good people working hard to make a success of it all.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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RIP I used their place in Tignes many times and met many Snowheads there, once just with my daughter. Tremendous value 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Melezes? I think I saw on a Facebook group that they were having a clear out sale.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Claude B, indeed..pants!
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Yes, Mountainsun had a great team of people and have many repeat customers.
They decided they can’t be confident of their usual standard of service and level of business next winter. So they won’t open the Melezes next season.
It’s likely they’ll take a break but if the Covid 19 and travel situation improves, they might offer something on a smaller scale.
Sadly another well run business affected and affordable option for enjoying Tignes gone for now. I hope we’ll see them up and running again.
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You know it makes sense.
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Real shame, done a few weekend breaks there, was a great setup.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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This is sad news indeed, and Melezes was the only place I didn't have to bring my own Yorkshire Gold tea bags 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Let's hope the Mountain Sun will rise again 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
It’s likely they’ll take a break but if the Covid 19 and travel situation improves, they might offer something on a smaller scale.
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Their short breaks including transfer was very convenient. If quarantine rules relax a bit they’d sell out of those but may not be profitable over a season.
Very friendly, welcoming and helpful staff at Melezes and SanCass (Jo used to be on here).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I forgot to ask about their other chalet, Quatre Saisons in La Rosiere, which I think they ran last season. I doubt that will be operating either.
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that used to be run by Ski Olympic
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@pam w, Indeed, who are now down to one chalet hotel, which they own. Probably breathing a huge sigh of relief in Doncaster!
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Resurrecting this thread, as we always used to make booking in the first week of May: any idea about winter 2021-22?
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Website, dead - twitter, dead - facebook, dead.......
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@albob,
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Website, dead - twitter, dead - facebook, dead
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...and even email address dead
I’ll try private mobile number later and post on here if any news.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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According to Companies House both mountainsun ltd and mountainsun France ltd are in liquidation.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The statement of affairs from the liquidator makes depressing reading, with the main company folding with debts of £540K and assets of £37.85 (and yes, that's not a typo - they would struggle to afford a final meal for two).
The debts are split 4 ways - £75K to the France tax authorities, £4K to a credit card payment processing company, £88K to Kingston Hill Ltd which looks like a management services company registered to the primary shareholders, and £374K to Mountainsun France Ltd.
Mountainsun France Ltd also has a statement of affairs from the liquidator, which shows £64K owed of which the majority is £50K to a bank for what I presume to be a recent Bounce Back Loan. They also owed £26.5K to 4 employees. On liquidation, they had £45K in cash at the bank.
It looks like Mountainsun has been essentially dormant since 2017, when it sold off £170K of equipment and vehicles and removed 4 of their employees as directors. Their balance sheets since then show the same numbers each year, but the number of employees was reduced from 15 to 1.
As for:
- MOUNTAINSUN SUMMER ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS LIMITED (09441716)
- MOUNTAINSUN SKI AND BOARD CAMP LIMITED (09441713)
- MOUNTAINSUN TRANSPORT LIMITED (09440300)
- MOUNTAINSUN ACTIVE SHORT BREAKS LIMITED (09441761)
All were incorporated on 16/02/2015, all have filed accounts for a dormant company since, and all are currently in the process of being struck off for missed filings.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The most interesting aspect in that is the "sold the business" - did they phoenix already ahead of the 17/18 season?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| The most interesting aspect in that is the "sold the business" - did they phoenix already ahead of the 17/18 season? |
No, I believe the former company (MountainSun) was split, one half concerning the French operation (MountainSun France) and one half concerning the Italian operation (MountainSun Italy). There were different directors for the two companies following the split, which arose following the death of the guy who set up the original company way back when. I don't believe that this was a Phoenix arrangement, just the remaining directors deciding to head in different directions when the original owner died.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'm good friends with some of the Mountain Sun crew. Not going to comment on any specifics in case I get stuff wrong, but to my understanding they were able to mothball the company without leaving any bad debts, etc. I'd be wary of too much internet sleuthing as I know there are different divisions of the company for different regions, French and UK arms, different groups of directors etc., etc. so it's unlikely anyone not directly involved with the business has the full picture.
At present, the French side of things is, effectively, mothballed, in the sense that the company still exists but is not currently operating. There are no short-term plans to re-open.
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Poster: A snowHead
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So sad, myself and friends used to start and end the season here for years. I hope the owners and staff are able to come out of this OK I would never have skied so much without their flexible holidays and slick organisation, arrive 10.00 to 11.00pm, on the slope for the first lift next morning.
Thank you for some wonderful times and putting up with us.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@stevomcd, hope they do manage to re-start operations in some shape or form. Ellie and her team worked hard to build up a high-quality low-budget operation, but I fear a combination of Covid and Brexit will make restarting incredibly difficult.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| stevomcd wrote: |
I'm good friends with some of the Mountain Sun crew. Not going to comment on any specifics in case I get stuff wrong, but to my understanding they were able to mothball the company without leaving any bad debts, etc. I'd be wary of too much internet sleuthing as I know there are different divisions of the company for different regions, French and UK arms, different groups of directors etc., etc. so it's unlikely anyone not directly involved with the business has the full picture.
At present, the French side of things is, effectively, mothballed, in the sense that the company still exists but is not currently operating. There are no short-term plans to re-open. |
Sure - hard to get the full picture and almost always legal/regulatory required disclosures miss some important aspects most often around property ownership and consulting/services arrangements. Would be good to see tham back - although a curfew at GVA prevented my one intended trip with them i found them fair and decent to deal with.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@stevomcd, @jaxskis, @rob@rar,
+1 for a return of Mountainsun and your support for them here.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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They were very heavily dependent on the secondment model of staffing - even in the Chalet Hotel in Tignes pretty much all the staff were Brits, as were other chalet staff and drivers - when we worked for them there were only about two staff in France who were actually resident there. I would have thought that this would make any resurrection unlikely.
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We only went to les Melezes only once but it was absolutely brilliant. Great value, good enough accommodation, more than enough food including a free lunch if you needed it- really friendly and super-helpful staff, Jam the dog (who we love dearly) and other guests who took their skiing seriously- but little else.
A great recipe.
The buildings are still there- the staff will still be around and from all the positive comments here the demand has not gone away either.
We had a similar (but not as good) holiday with i think Ski World (I might be wrong) in 1998 in a hotel right at the top of Val D'Isere at the very end of the season- a cheeky extra week tacked on beyond the planned closure date.
The recipe is more or less an old fashioned chalet holiday but on a larger chalet hotel scale. Cheerful, well priced and decidedly lacking in the now ubiquitous demands of ensuites, designer fittings, fluffy towels and other pretentions. For people who like skiing, buy on value and who are happy to make their own fun.
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decidedly lacking in the now ubiquitous demands of ensuites, designer fittings, fluffy towels and other pretentions.
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I did read one review of Les Melezes which complained about the "tired" decor.  I hate the current fetish for "refurbishment" every few years. It's really bad for the planet - and so caricature spoilt rich tourists!
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Jam the dog (who we love dearly)
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Jam is still doing well! Struggles to get much above Jam Speed 1 these days though. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@pam w,
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I did read one review of Les Melezes which complained about the "tired" decor.
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If they’re tired of Les Melezes, they’re tired of life.
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| pam w wrote: |
caricature spoilt rich tourists! |
exactly. But every now and then (once a decade give or take a year or two) it's nice to be spoilt. But every holiday? Anyway we'd rather have a couple of weeks skiing- or three at a good price / value than 1 week of fluffy towels.
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