La Ferme du Bois

La Ferme du Bois is one of the most genuinely charming ski chalets I have ever stayed in. You walk up the stairs into the vast living space and can’t quite believe how stunning it is. It’s all antiquey and full of beautiful old artefacts, with a giant, walk-into old fireplace. It is a wonderful space for families or for big groups. It’s also perfectly safe for children, with a big garden all around it.

An antique slice of old Chamonix, yet with beautifully tasteful contemporary updates such as cutting edge bathrooms. Just heaven.

Nostalgic Alpine is the style at this beautiful, luxury ski chalet. It is stuffed with authentically traditional antiques including lots of ancient wooden pieces such as writer’s desks and giant framed mirrors that have been with the chalet for centuries. Ornate old-fashioned lamps and genuine artefacts such as old wooden ploughs adorn the walls. It’s like a decidedly tasteful, well-heeled granny’s house. Notably there is no TV in the main living area, just lots of gorgeous old sofas and the most immense fireplace you can imagine, which you can actually walk into and stand up in. In fact, this space is possibly the most charming I’ve seen – it is a fabulous living area.

The rooms have all been cleverly updated with their own chrome and slate en-suite bathrooms, flat screen TVs and modern lighting/sound accoutrements. That said, the feel of them all is still traditional, with old chairs, beautiful giant old wardrobes with tassled keys and delicate bed linens. Toiletries are gorgeous Bamford Bath, and the best room is probably the first on the right as you go in because it has its own bath, but all are lovely.

La Ferme du Bois is totally flexible as a fully catered or self-catered ski chalet, lending itself particularly well to self-catering, although a chef can easily be raised for all or part of your stay. The fridge can be fully stocked for your arrival (you agree beforehand what you want buying in via a long pre-order list sent out to you by the company). The chef costs around £35pp for each evening meal. As for wine, a selection of excellent house wines are laid on, with the option of upgrading to more exciting ones at an extra cost. Veuve Clicquot is the on-tap house champagne, with the tempting possiblity of spending up on other fizzes such as vintage Krug.

La Ferme just has a lovely outdoor hot tub and no other spa facilities.

This ski chalet is properly child-friendly. Jamie and Julia, who run the chalet, have young children and are highly aware of all the possible needs of parents. Baby monitors, security gates, sterilising equipment, you name it, can all be provided, including even a wooden cot if parents prefer that to a travel cot. Spare bedrooms can be turned into playrooms for little ones, plus excellent nannies and babysitters can be raised or even chalet staff can wade in and help with escorting children to and from ski school.

The stunning sit-in old fireplace, the beautiful antiques everywhere, and the huge main living space – just charming.

Not all the rooms have baths, although all are en-suite.