Escaping < Refueling
To ski as a tasteful hedonist is to live fully but intentionally. Sometimes that means being first on the slopes. Other times it means rolling in late and not apologising for it. I am absolutely the one who will grab the mic for karaoke, be the first to dance on the tables, order a glass of rose before noon, but I am also the one who makes everyone dinner after. That is the chalet girl in me.
Tasteful Hedonism is not about excess for the sake of it. It is about knowing when to go all in and when to take it slow. It is indulgence that fills you up, not leaves you empty.
Here are the resorts that get it right. I am not giving away all my spots (that wouldn’t be as fun), some things you have to find yourself, but these are the ones that matter.
Niseko, Japan
Niseko gets snow like nowhere else. It does not stop. Every day feels like a reset. You ski all day, sometimes into the night, and then slide into an onsen while the snow keeps falling.
What makes Niseko different is that après is not the show. You do not stop skiing at three for rosé, you keep going. You stop for a bowl of ramen on the slopes, maybe a beer, if you fancy it and you’re like me. Après here is smaller, slower. Sake in a bar with ten seats. Ramen at midnight. Karaoke, always. It is still hedonism, just with a different shape.
Trendie notes
Don’t expect blue skies, it is usually snowing non-stop
Night skiing is a must, even when it is minus fifteen
Stay in Hirafu for the buzz, Annupuri when you want space
Try an Onsen (For context, I did this with colleagues 🙃)
Where to eat & drink
The Barn by Odin
Bang Bang
Bar Gyu+
Freddie’s
Hirafu Food Village
Courchevel–Méribel, France
Méribel is wilder, with that seasonaire energy. Late nights, cheap(er) drinks, everyone somehow still making first lift. Courchevel is boujee, built for fur coats, fine dining, and me in a completely different outfit from my Méribel nights.
When I did my season in Courchevel 1850, I had the madness on my doorstep but not the bank account for it. Even now, I stay in Méribel and dip into Courchevel when I want the glamour. A glass of rosé at Bagatelle, then a baguette on the chairlift for lunch. Balance.
I still enjoyed it, I still went to the nice places, but I was strategic about it. That’s the real trick: champagne lifestyle on a tap-water budget.
Après has two very different dialects. In Méribel it is Rond Point, messy, loud, live music, boots on tables. In Courchevel it is long terrace lunches, champagne bars, cocktails at sunset. I can’t deny, I love both. Both have their place.
Trendie notes
Ski between resorts, never get stuck in one bubble
Make sandwiches so you can buy champagne
If you can do a sunrise hike to the top of Meribel
Start at Folie, end up at Ronnie’s (iykyk)
Where to eat & drink
ROK (Meribel - this is my favourite spot so keep it to yourself)
La Table de Mon Grand-Père (Courchevel, Le Praz)
Bagatelle (For a glass of rosé and the vibes, don’t worry about lunch if you’re saving the pennies - I’d make a sandwich).
La Folie Douce (Méribel, do it on a bluebird)
Rond Point (Méribel, the original boot-stomp)
Val d’Isère, France
Val is unapologetic. High, bold and buzzing. You ski hard all day, then by 5pm you are likely on a table at Cocorico, boots still on, wondering how you will ever make first lift tomorrow. Folie is theatre. Cocorico is the heartbeat.
But Val is not only chaos. Balance it with a day in Le Fornet. The runs are quieter, the tree skiing holds the snow and the restaurants are worth slowing down for. That is what I love about Val d’Isère. It does not try to be wholesome, but it also does not push you into burnout. It lets you choose.
Trendie notes
Ski La Face first thing before it turns to ice
Maison Chevallot pastries are non-negotiable
Not giving away all my spots, some things you have to find yourself and you have to tell me about them ;)
Where to eat & drink
Restaurant La Baraque
Bar de l’Ouillette
Le Refuge de Solaise
Cocorico (obvs)
Why We Love These Resorts
Because they are not about escape. They are about living fully and coming back with more to give. Niseko resets you. Courchevel and Méribel give you contrast. Val d’Isère lets you go all in or out.
Each one shows a different side of Tasteful Hedonism. Together they prove that skiing is not just about the mountain. It is about spontaneity, indulgence and the little joys that make it a life you do not need to escape from.
That is Tasteful Hedonism.
That’s Trendie x