Résidence MMV Antarès ★★★★

Some of my friends have absolutely no idea why a week at a wintry, high altitude location would be attractive in any way. Add to that the idea of throwing yourself down a snowy mountain with equipment designed to make you go faster, and I get some looks of sheer horror when I mention my skiing holiday in excited anticipation. I guess they have a point, especially when you look at it from the point of view of the anonymous been-there, done-that, no thanks commenter who described skiing as, “the art of catching cold and going broke while rapidly heading nowhere at great personal risk.” While the Alps are beautiful outside of the ski season, I think there's something magical about the snowy peaks, especially against a clear blue sky. Skiing seems like a real celebration of winter, rather than an avoidance of.

La Foret Blanche, (The White Forest) is the largest ski area in the Southern Alps, comprising of the sister resorts Vars and Risoul. It gets its name from the larch trees that climb up the mountains. Of the two, Risoul is known to be the prettier and the more authentic feeling, something that can admittedly elude ski resorts. Together the resorts span 180 kilometres of uncrowned, high altitude pistes with soul-stirring views and plenty of slopes suitable for beginners and intermediates. It's a very family-friendly kind of place - in the evenings the resort sparkles and glows, the après ski scene comes alive and kids run around throwing snowballs and adding the sound of their laughter to the music spilling from bars.

Résidence Club MMV Antarè was just what we were after. A simple and cosy, self-catering apartment with a few extra luxuries to make the days go by that bit more smoothly. The stylish indoor heated pool and Finnish sauna were perfect for relaxing our tired muscles after a long day engaging in one of the most fun work-outs possible. There are also massages and shiatsu available on request. The lounge area has a central open fire where we would enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the evenings. We loved the intimacy and relaxed nature of preparing our own meals- especially with all the French ingredients to play around with and a fully equipped kitchen to do it in! We also enjoyed exploring the town in the evening and trying out the different places to eat. In the morning the front desk do a great patisserie ordering service, where you only have to nip downstairs to get your fresh croissants to accompany your coffee.

The panoramic mountain views from the hotel are wonderful, and our apartment's terrace had its own private vantage point overlooking the snow-capped peaks. On a couple of days I stayed 'at home' and just half read a book while gazing out of the window. We all liked the rustic but contemporary décor – wooden panelled walls, grey carpets and red upholstery gave it a cosy, homely and welcoming feeling.

When I go to great lengths to describe the pleasure of skiing holidays, those friends who initially have mortified looks on their faces at the idea start to soften. Truth be told, even without actually skiing the mountains reveal their magic, the stars are brilliant, the snow makes everything wonderfully quiet and the spas are still open. Returning from a week at Résidence Club MMV Antarè, we were all in love with winter once again.