Résidence Prestige L'Ours Bleu ★★★★★

If you have never skied, it’s difficult to understand the excitement in booking a holiday in the French Alps. Which area are we going to go for? Do we want stark high skiing or more tree-lined valley pistes? Which town do we want to stay in? A buzzing major ski centre, or a more quaint wooden hamlet? Do we want to stay in a hotel, benefitting from prepared meals and breakfasts, or in an apartment, for a feeling of intimacy and independence? With the vast range of choice out there, booking is a treat in itself! This year we decided to go back to a firm favourite – Chamonix in the French Alps, known for its beautiful valleys filled with quaint little churches and traditional buildings. As for the specific town, we had heard great things about Vallorcine, from its beautiful hamlets to its location near the magical Emosson Lake, just across the border into Switzerland.

Having chosen a quaint, more or less quiet and rustic village for our destination, we wanted to ensure we had all the services we desired while still retaining a sense of independence. The Résidence Prestige Ours Bleu was the perfect choice. In this spacious, chalet-style apartment for 4, we could comfortably fit my husband and me in the bedroom and our son on the sofa bed, still leaving room for the large dinner table and lounge area. The kitchen was surprisingly modern and complete, which you will really appreciate if you have had experience staying in French chalets offering supposedly “fully-equipped kitchens” that are nothing more than a mini fridge and microwave. Here we had a full 4-ring hob, large fridge and freezer with ice dispenser, plus a coffee machine, dishwasher and mini oven. The moment I stepped inside, I could already envision our morning breakfasts with a fresh baguette from the small supermarket just down the road, plus eggs and bacon fresh off the hob to fuel us, ready for the day’s activity.

The rest of the apartment was simple yet stylish, all in pine wood for that authentic mountain feel, and linen and towels were provided – not always a given, trust me! Given it was too late to head for the slopes, our first day was spent getting our bearings. We were based in just one of a string of hamlets that, from what we could see, had so far remained entirely unspoilt by mass ski tourism. The local shop was tiny, only stocking the essentials, and there were no cash machines, meaning any proper supplies or cash required driving to neighbouring Argentine, 7km away. This preserved the authentic feel of our little neighbourhood though, and didn’t bother us. We quickly got the lay of the land and headed back to the hotel for a dip in the indoor heated pool, noting the gym and sauna, too, which we would make great use of during our stay!

That evening, we gorged ourselves on traditional Haute-Savoie cheese and meat dishes prepared in the Résidence Prestige Ours Bleu Restaurant. The food was delicious, just what we needed for our exertions to come! As for the rest of our stay, between the sauna and skiing, swimming and snow-shoeing, we had more than enough fun to keep us busy, all in this undiscovered little corner of the Chamonix Valley. Don’t tell anyone!