Tickets for the Eurostar + onward journeys via Paris between 6 January and 8 March 2020 can be booked from Thursday 17 October. Savoy Prealps , 10. Ski Itineraries still had our passports, just in case. Whether you travel through the day or arrive in the morning by sleeper, the approach through the stunning Arlberg valley is the equivalent of canapés before dinner, as Tirolean villages glide by and peaks rear up on either side. Gianluca had purposefully brought snacks for us because he wanted to save the best for last. It was absolutely blissful! Les Gets is part of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area, with 600km of pistes, but the resort’s own mountain, Mont Chéry, has blissfully quiet slopes. When the skiing is over, have a swim and soak in the impressive Durancia pool and spa complex. Mountain restaurants, ski huts, gastronomy, Orientation (trail map, information boards, sign-postings). Rustic restaurants such as La Bergerie, off the side of the Villarais piste, is the perfect stop after a powder run, and Chalet du Lac Besson, towards Huez, does meat grilled on an open fire. But there was one thing left on our to do list…we could not leave the Swiss and Italian Alps without Patrick having his first bite of Toblerone! The slopes are particularly suited to mile-hungry intermediates, with an efficient network of bubble and chairlifts. There are 86km of pistes, or 211km if you include neighbouring Annecy resorts like La Clusaz. Situated in the stunning Aravis mountain range above Lake Annecy, Le Grand-Bornand’s little village is steeped in old Savoyarde chalet-style buildings, the wood darkened from years in the sun. Some of the Alps’ finest après-ski huts line the pistes, attracting skiers on their home runs like moths to glowing lamps. The unique topography allows for the possibility of an incredible powder descent, dropping a total of 2,000 vertical metres back to the village, best and most safely done with an instructor or mountain guide, of course. The variety of skiing we did, the experiences, stories, people, food, cultures, and even countries we got to wallow in would have been impossible without the knowledge of Ski Itineraries. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Gianluca kept reminding us how important it was to carbo-load while skiing, so I let myself indulge. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); A travel and lifestyle brand sharing moments that make trips personal. One of the most charming villages to be based at is Les Allues, just 11km from Moutiers train station. There’s also a 22-metre ice-climbing wall in Champagny, cheese fondue nights (€29pp) at the Igloo Village restaurant above Plagne Bellecôte, and a converted piste-bashing machine complete with jacuzzi that you can spend the night in (€320 B&B for two).
Return fares from £109.Stay On the village square, the simple San Giorgio hotel has doubles from €150 half-board and an excellent restaurant.