Winter 2022 Holiday Ski Rentals

 

If this past summer is any indication of how popular France is for travelers with tourism records being broken everywhere, then the holiday ski season this winter should continue to expand as we’ve had booking inquiries coming our way since early June for chalet rentals.

Preplanning is the name of the game in travel these days with those booking early then being able to relax and plan extracurricular activities to make the most out of their ski vacation in the Rhone Alps.

Naturally, we are used to last-minute inquiries coming in once the next holiday season is upon us but it is heartbreaking when a client waits to book an apartment or chalet rental only to find property stock has become very low (there are only so many homes out there), which means, less choice, and then the bidding wars begin meaning the rental rates then rise, leaving a lot of hopeful people scrambling to make alternative plans.

Ourselves and other agencies we work with experienced this a lot over the summer months this year, with late requests from visitors wanting the best villa rental options available, only to find whole locations were completely booked up or severely overpriced which makes negotiating a lower rate difficult when the demand is high.

And this is with our own expansive direct stock of homes and through the numerous property partners, we work with on a daily basis. Keep in mind, there are only so many rental properties available no matter the location.

It cannot be expressed enough that from the winter bookings already coming in this year, the ski season will be booming well into 2023.

Any trip planning comes with stressful moments, we want to alleviate as much of that as possible for you so the basics to come in with are, specific dates (give or take a day or two), number of guests, and most importantly a budget range you want to stay within.

We are fortunate to have in our portfolio almost 220 rental properties throughout the French Alps, including all the popular travel hotspots, and we also have more private and quiet hidden gems in other areas as well.

Our property collections are both modern and traditional in architectural design and are suitable for most anyone’s requirements. We have everything from 2 bedroom apartments close to the slopes to the grandest of luxury chalet rentals with indoor pools, fitness rooms, and even small nightclubs.

Whatever your budget allows for, we likely have it, just keep in mind that whatever is the best property deal to the public is usually the first to be completely booked, along with anything during the Christmas and New Years' season.

Connect with us today to book your ideal winter holiday property.

The 31st Monaco Yacht Show - 2022

One of the world’s biggest luxury yacht shows takes place from Wednesday, September 28 to Saturday, October 1st, marking the 31st year of the show in the Port of Monaco. This represents yet another very busy time within the Principality when those in the yachting industry and beyond, including admirers of superyachts alike make their way to Monaco.

From its beginnings in 1991, the Monaco Yacht Show has been held over four days in late September in the Port Hercule of Monaco, with the expectation of the Covid19 pandemic.

This will be a busy four days of deals and networking with 450 chosen companies, representing only the best in innovation and excellence in yachting, showcase their work in the port alongside naval architects, yacht service providers, and suppliers, plus designers of vessel interiors, manufacturers of tenders and nautical equipment.

Even if you are not a fan of superyachts, the Monaco Yacht Show is still indeed an impressive experience where on display, from many vantage points are 100+ units on display, 40+ new models are on premiere for the world’s first look, with an average length of a vessel being 50m with mega yachts exceeding 100m.

In a strong sense, these four days are where the yachting world meets and is one of the most discussed events locally and otherwise every year. It is where you are able to meet industry experts on every level with the superyachts being available for charter or purchase while the Principality becomes even more alive with excitement.

Monaco Grand Prix Renewed To 2025

 

With great anticipation over the uncertain future in regards to the Monaco Grand Prix coming to an eventual end, it has been announced that the historic race has recently signed a three-year deal to remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2025.

On Tuesday 20th September, the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, approved the record-breaking 24-race season, which features the Monaco Grand Prix. 

For some time there has been speculation that the race will no longer be able to continue. This, along with other classic European races such as the French and Belgian Grand Prix, the new American owners of the global sport, Liberty Media caused concern for many that the European classics may not continue, and at this time, the Belgian Grand Prix remains on the calendar, but the French Grand Prix will be no longer.

This year, the Monaco Grand Prix will take place on May 28, 2023. As stated in the press release, Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said, “I am pleased to confirm that we will be racing in Monaco until 2025 and excited to be back on the streets of this famous Principality for next year’s championship.”

He continued, “I want to thank everyone involved in this renewal and especially H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco, Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club of Monaco, and all his team. We look forward to being back next season to continue our partnership together.”

Dick Pics

Just an opinion.

I recently read an article where an individual in his twenties who is seemingly still navigating his way within the LGBTQ community while attempting to take the lead, discussed the topic of consent while referring to receiving unsolicited dick pics when on hookup apps.

In other words, he lacks social skills, which in turn may be the real answer to why he feels uncomfortable, so now he is trying to make a thing out of random dick pics.

After my initial eye roll, my thoughts were - you are using a hookup app, more so than a dating app and you don’t expect that the odd dick pic might happen to get sent your way? And yet he also claims to be sex-positive?

To me, it seemed to be more of that overly sensitive, easily offended, cancel culture shit, which is just really attention-seeking for an individual. Forget live and let live.

The writer acknowledges that he has encountered this type of activity while being on Grindr, and is demanding changes go his way by setting up an online petition. Good luck with that one, it will go nowhere.

Talk about pushing your own moral standards on others, at the ripe age of 23 years old. At least it’s good to know someone with idealistic life experiences can proudly speak for us all. *sarcasm*

If getting an unsolicited dick pic is going to ruin your world, to the point you have to set up an online petition, you probably have bigger things issues to take care of, or perhaps you need something more viable going on in your life.

Hell, stay off any social media or anything LGBTQ-related but my instincts tell me this might be a genuine concern for him but editors may perceive it as click bait, and from what I’ve seen online, it’s worked, including on me.

For myself, I don’t ask for or see the big deal in dick pics, if someone sends one, whatever. I prefer the element of surprise and wish to discover that part of the person for myself, when and if I decide to meet up with and possibly have sex with that individual, but this is only my preference and I don’t even make a note of it in my profile.

And I don’t send out dick pics unless I know the person and they ask for one and it’s part of our fun, but typically it’s not what I do. If nothing moves further without my dick pic, so be it, and really, everyone uses Grindr differently.

And consent, believe me, I get it. There are laws about it to varying degrees in every country and I’m all for it where due but in this case, it's not like air-dropping photos to someone while on an airplane.

With Grindr or any hookup app, it just goes without saying, you log into a sex app - expect explicit material written in a message, on a profile, or by the occasional dick pic coming your way. You are not being forced to use the app, and again, it’s about choice.

In the past, I managed bathhouses for over a decade, which means I’ve seen thousands of dicks in real life (personality or otherwise) and I’m still here to talk about it. 

Just looking at a man now can give me a pretty good indication of what he might be packing. At least I like to think so from time to time, out of amusement.

 
Usually, if someone sends me a dick pic, I never feel violated as it’s part of the Grindr game. My first thoughts are usually how they might have photoshopped the pic in some form or another in order to make it look bigger. And I leave it at that, as rarely for me has it been part of the conversation and a pic has never enticed me or expected of me to possibly meet up.

To me, in the social media, thirst-driven world we all live in, at this point, a dick pic is just another photo, part of a polluted market of sorts and more mainstream.

The dick pic has contributed to the common social dynamics of today, for better or worse, as a part of a culture, and no matter your sexuality, it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.

If what appears to be a small number of people are offended by such a photo, will this now mean hookup apps will soon require even more agreements to click through while they already try to upsell the individual for additional services? Probably not.

Or should more people discover the block button on the app itself? Or better still, avoid hookup apps altogether! If you are looking for someone that is 100% compatible with your ideals on an app, sorry to say, it likely will not happen there or in real life. But you might find someone pretty damn close that will be a more suitable companion for you.

Although I don’t know the individual personally who wrote the article, oddly I have some concern about how grounded in reality people like him are, because if this is an issue, how do they manage going through life day-to-day? I would think in the scheme of things, an unsolicited dick pic would be the last of my worries.

I can’t imagine what it is like to try and live in such a non-offending world as life is about rough edges, it keeps you on your toes, challenges you, forms character, and helps you grow as an individual from experiences that help define the paths you take.

Does having all the freedoms we are now given by the longstanding, dedicated LGBTQ community at large, due to countless, unimaginable sacrifices, including the lives of others, for real causes, now mean that we can micro-manage ourselves to the point of dick pics on hookup apps by stating what someone can and cannot see?

Sounds a bit like censorship and that is what we as a community have been fighting against so that we can be our true selves.

We have to be careful, as our ideas on what might be pushing us forward for the cause can easily put us all back in the closet.

There is a myriad of apps out there to discover, so find the one that works for you, but don’t try to ‘dick’tate what everyone else should do or expect because all of a sudden you are solely offended.

I wonder what happens if the writer uses a communal shower at a gym, do they have to set up specific rules based on his request there? One thing is for certain, he should definitely avoid a bathhouse.