Travel
|  | | | | | | | | | | | | | SOUTHEND UNITED | | | | HEALTH | | | | | | | COMING UP IN YOUR ECHO | | |
|
|
|
Luxury skiing in Chamonix
 |
| No limits - Chamonix is regularly voted one of the top ten ski resorts in the world |
AS we climbed into the back of the army truck, the same thought seemed to be flitting through everyone's minds, "How did a luxury ski weekend end up like this?"
We had left the warm fug of a Savoyard stew and aperitif lunch after a morning's skiing in the shadow of Mont Blanc to be squashed tightly together on the hard metal benches of an army van, on the promise of going to a secret location.
As we bumped along up the mountainside with tyres struggling to grip the narrow track and our drivers mumbling in incomprehensible French, our guide kept resolutely quiet until we ground to a halt in a clearing.
We were confronted by a row of skidoos (like a jet ski but for snow) for the next part of our ascent. We duly loaded up two by two and juddered off higher up the mountain, now hardly caring where we were headed: from my pillion seat, I could see stunning views of mountain peaks covered by only the wispiest of clouds.
Our destination was a hidden chalet nestled in snowdrifts where an enormous bowl of spicy vin chaud awaited us. From here, those of a "James Bond" disposition might later ski or sledge down the mountain by torchlight while average skiers would settle for another form of descent.
Under orders, we knelt in the deep snow outside, awaiting our carriage. At first we could only pick out a distant whirr, but soon a helicopter appeared over the lip of the mountain and flew straight at us.
It landed practically on our toes of our boots after flinging bucketfuls of snow in our direction. But the floating flight down over the valley made up for my slightly soggy camera and chaffed face, and the message was clear: Chamonix offers far more than simply skiing if you leave the beaten track to find it.
Certainly our accommodation for the weekend, Le Hameau des Chalets Philippe, was about as far from the beaten track as you can get.
Its creator, French film and theatre producer Philippe Courtines, described his reaction on first seeing the site back in 1983 as a "coup de coeur" - love at first sight - and it is easy to understand why. This is utter picture-postcard land.
Set back in the enclave of Le Lavancher, the hamlet sits above the Chamonix Valley, catching the sunshine by day and glowing in the light of a sole lamp-post and twinkling blue roof lights by night.
Seven chalets now dot the area, courtesy of more than 20 years' of Courtines's dedication to his labour of love. They are like little gingerbread houses on the outside and packed full of 17th century antiques inside, collected by the man himself from brocante shops and sales all over France.
This place is like Narnia, and as I unlocked the door to my little chalet with an enormous iron key the size of a grown man's hand, I certainly felt as if I could be a character in the CS Lewis children's classic.
Perfect for a romantic winter break, my miniature chalet has a bijou dining area and kitchen downstairs, with a bathroom and loft-style bedroom upstairs.
As I snuggled up in the thick flannel linens on the first night, my mind wandered back to 2002, the last time I stayed in Chamonix as a student on a French university ski trip.
Then we settled for a hostel in dorms of eight, slept on bunk beds and had lentils for dinner. Chalets Philippes was definitely an improvement - by a long way.
With its rustic feel, yet luxury on tap - including a personal chef, outdoor whirlpool baths, English-speaking staff to cater to your every whim and a state-of-the art cinema with a DVD collection to die for - there is scarcely need to venture anywhere else.
To give an idea of the level of seclusion, this was where the then-Chancellor Gordon Brown was once holed up to meet the US Secretary of the Treasury, John Snow.
But for most visitors, Chamonix is not a destination to talk politics but a place to ski - or hike, snowboard, paraglide, husky ride... the list is endless.
At Chalet Philippes, there is someone ready to guide you through the maze, because everything is organised through concierge service Pollen-Brooks Leisure.
Its boss Dean Pollen, an ex-RAF navigator bounding with energy, never fails to pull something special out of the bag, whether you are a couple wanting a romantic winter picnic or a group of guys seeking an adrenalin rush.
To be fair, the setting helps: famous writers like Byron, Shelley and Victor Hugo have all raved about Chamonix's charms and it is now consistently voted one of the top 10 ski resorts in the world.
Its ski areas cover three flanks of the valley, creating 153km of piste, more than 90% of them above the 2,000ft mark and its lengthy season runs from December to May, and budget airlines make it easier to get there than ever.
I was more than happy to simply absorb the views of Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi while skiing blue runs on Le Brevent and tackling the odd red. But this is the home of the legendary 23km Vallee Blanche and Kandahar World Cup Downhill runs so there is plenty to keep even the most experienced skier interested.
Although more than two million tourists flock here every year, the resort remains definably French, perhaps because it is a proper working town and not one that shuts down when the skiing is done. In summer, the focus switches to golf, walking and climbing and just as many tourists, from France and beyond, visit then too.
For guests at Chalet Philippes, where champagne is at the ready and a chef can conjure up a six-course meal, there is little need to hit the town, aside from the slopes. But if you insist, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from, and the chance of spotting Pierce Brosnan's stunt double (who skiied the amazing opening sequence in Bond film Die Another Day and is a regular in the valley) or maybe another fan of the resort, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But bumping into a celebrity could not make this holiday any more memorable. There's always something awe-inspiring about a ski trip because of the purity of the snow and mountains, the freshness of the air and the feelgood factor of swooshing down the slopes.
Chamonix, with Mont Blanc looking on, feels more authentic and lacking in pretension than the average ski resort. Combine its charms and character with the magical setting of Chalets Philippes, and you probably have the ski holiday of a lifetime.
Pollen-Brooks Leisure operates seven-night B&B breaks in Chamonix from £300 per person based on a one-bedroom mazo (two sharing). Larger chalets are available from £800. For more information, call 01344 849135 or visit www.pollenbrooks.com.
EasyJet flies direct from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted to Geneva - an hour's drive away from Chamonix. Prices start from £22.99 one way and £35.98 return (including taxes). For further details, log on to www.easyjet.com.
12:00pm Friday 30th November 2007
Print 
Email this
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
