Chaletneuf du Tenne

This lovely, elegant, eco-conscious ski chalet sits up high in the charming Portes du Soleil resort of Châtel, with 650km of skiing on its doorstep and breath-taking views. It comes with lots of extras, including airport transfers, stunning indoor heated pool, and a lovely fondue meal up the mountain on chef’s night off.

The chalet was newly built in 2012 and combines traditional Savoyard style with tasteful modern twists. From the outside the dark burnt wood and beautiful stone make it blend into the hillside, but inside it is stunningly modern, light, and spacious with an expanse of glass to take in the far-reaching views across to Mont du Grange and beyond. The owners have combined quality fabrics and chic designer pieces with stylish antiques to create an elegant and comfortable luxury ski chalet. Eco credentials are taken seriously at Chaletneuf du Tenne too, with features such as a geo-thermal heating system and the use of natural, local materials throughout the chalet.

There are four genuinely large bedroom suites in this ski chalet, sleeping up to 8 adults and 4 children in total. Each room features super-king sized doubles or twin beds, seating areas, and en-suite bathrooms with either deluxe showers or deliciously deep baths plus plentiful Molton Brown toiletries, hair driers and even straighteners. The family suites have been thoughtfully designed to include children’s sleeping dens, hand-built using local aged wood, and complete with cosy beds, DVD players and curtains to block out the parents.

The food at this fully catered ski chalet is excellent and imaginative. Instead of laying on a five-course feast every night, they mix the catering up a little. On four nights they offer a four-course ‘elegant home cooking’ menu (when I stayed I ate a superb duck dish combining pan fried duck breast with a mini confit de canard Shepherd’s pie, followed by a meltingly light chocolate tart with roasted almonds and pistachios). On another night they do a ‘comfort food night’, which might consist of a giant lasagne or lamb tagine or curry served in a big bowl in the middle of the table for guests to help themselves to.

Wines are handpicked, largely from the Languedoc region, with the option to upgrade to a Chablis or Sancerre or even a Pol Roger champagne if guests wish. Soft drinks and spirits are all included too.

The views which are genuinely breath-taking, and the fact that the chalet has been designed to perfectly suit family groups. Oh, and the pool.

The chalet has a stunning heated indoor pool with contra flow swim system, ideal for soaking aching limbs after a hard day on the slopes or for keeping the children occupied while you enjoy a pre-dinner glass of fizz.

Chaletneuf du Tenne is a properly family-friendly ski chalet. Two of the bedrooms have kids’ dens attached to them, equipped with their own DVD players so children can hide out watching films from a vast array of kids’ DVDs. There is also the separate TV room where they can play and watch TV, while the chalet can do early teas, supply all manner of baby paraphernalia (from off-road buggies to nappies and wipes and high-chairs — Paddy and Jo, the owners, are parents of two young children themselves) and also offers baby sitting at an extra cost. It even uses instructors who specialise in teaching children, and there is a local crèche in town which welcomes visitors’ children.

The chalet doesn’t have a hot tub, but it’s not really needed given the lovely swimming pool with views.