Latest news with #FrenchAlps
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Property buyers warned against luxury European holiday home schemes
Have you invested in a fractional shares scheme? Email: money@ Property buyers are being urged to think twice before investing in schemes that offer shares in luxury holiday homes. The companies offer fractional shares in homes in popular European holiday destinations including the Costa del Sol and Balearic Islands in Spain, and ski resorts in the French Alps. The schemes offer buyers ownership between an eighth and half of a property. Those who own one eighth of a property generally enjoy access to it for six to seven weeks each year. But experts said that while the scheme could cut accommodation costs abroad, those using it to invest could be caught out by higher than anticipated fees that erode any potential returns. Others, experts said, could struggle to sell up. This is not a timeshare Shared owners generally benefit from at least two visits during each of the high season, 'mid season' and low season. The cost of a share in a property varies depending on its location and size. One popular estate agency offers an eighth of a four-bedroom chalet in Menorca, Spain, for around £121,000. Another offers a share of the same size in a three-bedroom villa in Mallorca for £386,000. In addition to the initial purchase fee, shared owners generally have to pay monthly or annual maintenance and administration fees of up to 2.5pc of the share cost each year – even in months when they themselves are not using the property. Darren Fletcher, of wealth management firm Chase Buchanan, said: 'Ongoing expenses such as maintenance, management fees and refurbishments can sometimes be higher than anticipated, reducing overall returns and potentially dampening enjoyment.' Fractional ownership schemes differ to timeshare schemes, which allow holidaymakers to buy the right to use properties for a certain amount of time each year, and were particularly popular during the 1980s and 1990s. Jason Hollands, of wealth management firm Evelyn Partners, said: 'Unlike timeshare schemes, which provide a right to use a property for a certain period each year, fractional ownership gives you a stake in it – typically through a limited company – exposing you to the potential for price gains.' But exposure to movement in the property's price could go both ways, and even if a property's price stayed still, fluctuations in foreign currency could quickly wipe out a portion of the investment in terms of pounds sterling. Unregulated schemes Hollands said that there are other potential dangers that come with this type of investment. He said: 'From an investment perspective, there are of course numerous pitfalls. Firstly, these are unregulated schemes – property is an illiquid asset, and you may not be able to easily dispose of your share. There is also the potential for disputes between owners around things like maintenance and upkeep costs.' It comes after Spanish officials earlier this year announced plans to implement a 100pc tax on property purchases by non-EU buyers. Experts said anybody considering fractional ownership of a holiday home should be doing so first and foremost because they plan to use it over a long period of time, rather than as an investment. Fletcher added: 'Unlike traditional property ownership, selling your fractional share can be complex. The secondary market for these shares is often limited, meaning it may take longer to sell, possibly at a discounted price. 'Clients should also be aware of platform risk, meaning the reliability and financial stability of the company managing the fractional ownership arrangement. 'Regarding investment returns, we would encourage clients to manage expectations carefully. Fractional holiday home investments usually don't deliver substantial capital appreciation compared to outright property ownership. Instead, most of the benefit lies in lifestyle enjoyment rather than significant financial gains.' *Please note that by submitting your content to us you are consenting to The Telegraph processing your personal data where required by law. For further details please see our Privacy Notice.
Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Calls to ban cow fighting instigates France's latest culture war
Pitting cows against each other is a traditional spectator sport in the French and Swiss Alps, but fans are now locking horns with activists who want it banned on animal welfare grounds. A bill to make cow fighting illegal has been tabled in the National Assembly for the first time. Unlike bullfighting and cockfighting, which are banned in most of France, cow fighting is not a blood sport, according to enthusiasts. The two cows, with blunted horns, engage in a pushing contest until one backs away. The loser from each round is eliminated and taken out of the competition until only one is left and declared the overall winner. The contests, which aficionados call combats de reines, or queen fights, exploit cows' natural instinct to fight for dominance in a herd. Hérens cattle, an Alpine breed known for their combative temperament, are said to make the best fighters. Jean-François Coulomme, the left-wing MP from the Savoie region bordering Switzerland who introduced the bill, said the practice was barbaric. He claimed both cows and spectators risked injury. 'This form of entertainment was only imported into the French Alps less than 30 years ago and cannot claim to be a traditional practice,' Coulomme said. Fans, however, insist that it is an ancestral tradition dating back hundreds of years. Coulomme's private members' bill has been signed by 74 MPs from across the hard-left party France Unbowed, the Greens and President Macron's Renaissance party. Animal rights activists claim pregnant cows are often made to take part in the contests because they are thought to fight more intensely. 'These fights between 800kg animals can be very violent,' said Pauline Di Nicolantonio, the head of the Savoie Association for Animal Justice. 'Videos of the fights are shocking, and it's even more shocking that the cows have to be pregnant to fight better.' Fans of cow fighting, including farmers, residents of the French Alps and a number of local MPs, describe those opposing the practice as city-dwellers who are out of touch with countryside traditions and values. 'Those who are against queen fights are deepening urban-rural divisions because of a lack of understanding,' said Jérôme Garcin, a farmer from Les Houches, a village near Mont Blanc. 'In the high Chamonix valley, these natural contests have been organised for many generations,' Garcin added. 'I can understand that it is shocking for people from places where it hasn't been practised for centuries, but I encourage anyone to come and see how we pamper our cows and treat them like high-level sports contestants.' Xavier Roseren, a centre-right MP for the Mont Blanc area, also described cow fighting as 'part of our living cultural heritage' and said that participating cows were very rarely injured. Bullfighting and cockfighting are banned in France except in areas where there is 'an uninterrupted local tradition'. Cockfighting is therefore allowed in parts of northern France and several overseas territories in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. Bullfighting is permitted in parts of southern France where it has been practised for centuries.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Alpine adventures: fairytale hiking in the hidden French Alps
The baguette was fresh from the boulangerie that morning, a perfect fusion of airy lightness and crackled crust. The cheese – a nutty, golden gruyère – we'd bought from Pierre: we hadn't expected to hike past a human, let alone a fromagerie, in the teeny hillside hamlet of Rouet, and it had taken a while to rouse the cheesemaker from within his thick farmhouse walls. But thankfully we'd persevered. Because now we were resting in a valley of pine and pasture with the finest sandwich we'd ever eaten. Just two ingredients. Three, if you counted the mountain air. As lunches go, it was deliciously simple. But then, so was this trip, plainly called 'Hiking in the French Alps' on the website. The name had struck me as so unimaginative I was perversely intrigued; now it seemed that Macs Adventure – organisers of this self-guided walk in the Queyras region – were just being admirably to the point. Yes, Queyras. I hadn't heard of it either. Bordered to the north and east by Italy, barricaded by a phalanx of 3,000-metre peaks, this regional natural park might be the least-discovered – and the Frenchest – corner of the Alps. Queyras only really entered the national consciousness in 1957, after disastrous floods made it briefly headline news. Tourism filtered in. But it remains little known to outsiders, and centuries of undisturbed agriculture and isolation mean its rural character has been preserved. Even now Queyras takes some effort to reach. Either you take the narrow, hair-pinning road through the gorges of the Guil River from Guillestre. Or you drive over the 2,361-metre Col d'Izoard (from Briançon) or the 2,744-metre Col Agnel (from Italy), both of which periodically test the thighs of Tour de France riders, and both of which close over winter, all but cutting Queyras off from the rest of the world. Making the most of Macs Adventure's collaboration with the no-fly specialists Byway, my husband and I travelled as close as we could by train. We overnighted in Paris, whizzed down to south-east France, then chugged more slowly towards Montdauphin-Guillestre, where a Vauban hilltop fort surveils a strategic meeting of valleys. Finally, we boarded the end-of-day school bus, joining children inured to the spectacular views to squeeze up the valley to Ceillac, gateway to the natural park. The plan from here was to spend six days hiking a circular route that promised big, satisfying climbs but no technical terrain (and no shared dorms or privation). Covering up to 12 miles each day – and walking for an average of six hours – we'd use parts of the GR58 (the grande randonnée that circuits Queyras) as well as other trails to roam between traditional villages. We'd eat cheese, gaze over lakes and mountains, and generally revel in a region that, reputedly, has 300 days of sunshine a year and as many species of flowers as it does people (about 2,500 of both). On day one this meant walking from Ceillac to Saint-Véran, over the Col des Estronques (2,651 metres). It was a fine start, under blue September skies – we'd come at the end of the hiking season (the trip runs June to mid-September), when crocuses still fleck the meadows and houseleeks hang on higher up, but the bilberry bushes are beginning to blaze in fall-fiery colours and there's a sense of change in the air. We joined a light stream of other walkers, progressing up the valley via lonely farmsteads and meadows bouncing with crickets. Noisy choughs and a boisterous breeze welcomed us to the pass itself; 100 vertical metres more took us to the lookout of Tête de Jacquette, where we felt like monarchs of this mountain realm. These may not have been the very biggest Alps – few peaks sported any snow – but they rippled every which way, great waves of limestone, dolomite, gabbro and schist. From the col we dropped down through arolla pine and larch to Saint-Véran. At 2,042 metres, it claims to be the highest village in Europe. It's also a snapshot of Alpine life before the modern world seeped in. The oldest house, built in traditional Saint-Véran style, dates to 1641 and is now the Soum Museum; the ground floor, with its half-metre-thick stone walls, is where animals and families would sleep together for warmth. The upper floors, built from tree trunks, were used to keep hay, barley and rye; the grains were made into coarse loaves that would last all winter, baked in the communal oven. That enormous village oven is still fired up a few times a year, for festivals. But I was pleased to be fed at Hotel le Grand Tétras ('Capercaillie') instead. Here, we feasted on gratin d'oreilles d'âne (literally 'donkey's ears', actually a delicious spinach lasagne) and stayed in a simple room with a five-star view to the opposite peaks. Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion After this, our days settled into a familiar pattern. We'd set off after breakfast to buy picnic supplies. We'd hike up through butterfly-wafted green. We'd cross a pass, go by a lake or reach a panoramic ridge. Then we'd descend through forest or towards an icy river. By evening we'd be ensconced in a pretty village, drinking reasonably priced wine, with a multicourse meal or an indulgent fondue. The air was always fresh, the trails always joyful, the crowds largely thin. 'It's busy here mid-July to mid-September,' said Christophe Delhaise Ramond, the owner of a gîte in Abriès where we stayed one night, as he poured us mélèze (larch) liqueurs while we pored over maps. Then he reconsidered: 'But there are only around 2,000 tourist beds in the park, so it's never that bad.' It's thanks to Christophe that we made a slight detour the following day. As planned, we climbed up to 2,583-metre Lac Grand Laus, a lake so brilliantly blue-green it seemed a bit of the Mediterranean had got lost in the mountains. It was spectacular, but as crowded as we'd seen anywhere in Queyras. So, on Christophe's suggestion, we continued to climb, steeply, up to the Col du Petit Malrif, where tenacious flowers popped through the rocks and the views were immense, reaching to snow-licked peaks. From here, we looped back, via two smaller, but no less Mediterranean, tarns, where there were no other people. At the second we flopped down in the cotton grass and chewed baguettes stuffed with bleu de queyras. We stayed there long after the baguettes were gone, listening to the water burbling in the wind. Finally, we headed on, descending via a rocky cleft. Soon we emerged on a track so swirled by puffs of silken thistledown it was as if we were hiking in Fairyland. But no, we were still just hiking in the French Alps – albeit a particularly magical bit. The trip was provided by Macs Adventure and Byway,; the seven-night self-guided Hiking in the French Alps trip costs from £1,150pp half-board. Transport was provided by Byway, which can book return trains from London to Montdauphin-Guillestre, plus a night in Paris in each direction, from £734pp
The Australian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Australian
How Australians rate chronic health management
By modern measures, Lesley Hoatson just might be a medical unicorn. In the past 40 years, she has been treated by only two general practitioners. Even then, she only switched doctors because one retired. She attributes it to her local clinic's knack for retaining staff. 'I think it's because the practice I go to is a community health centre and to work there you probably have to be pretty committed to that sort of service to the community,' she says. Ms Hoatson, 74, looks the picture of health. She leads an active lifestyle and is preparing to hike through the French Alps. She is also a frequent gym-goer, enjoys pilates and regularly volunteers in her local community. But what might not be as obvious is that, like half of all Australians aged over 65, Hoatson lives with multiple chronic health conditions. She has high blood pressure, high cholesterol and anxiety, all of which she says are managed effectively with the help of medication and a trip to the GP every six months. 'He monitors those medications each time I go, and that's fairly straightforward,' she says. Ms Hoatson feels her GP includes her in all conversations about her health and talks through her treatment options, and lets her decide the course of action. He supports whatever decision she makes. She says it is a relationship built around trust and respect, and that has filled her with confidence in the health system. 'Without him sort of breathing down my neck, I feel comfortable about having made decisions and managing what I'm doing with my own health,' she says. 'I've never known any different. Maybe it's a little bit of luck. I think if you were swapping to a different doctor every time, it would be a much more basic exchange of what's happening and that's it. 'Whereas this is actually about you, the person, and you should feel like (the doctor) is actually interested in you. Even though my doctor has a short amount of time to see me, he does it efficiently, and I come away feeling like I have been heard and he has responded to what I needed.' Ms Hoatson has documented her experience as part of the international Patient-Reported Indicator Survey. The survey focuses exclusively on the experiences of patients in primary care and compares how 19 OECD member nations perform. More than 100,000 patients who live with chronic illness took part globally, including 2392 from Australia. Respondents were patients aged 45 and over, had at least one chronic condition, and visited a GP in the six months prior to the survey. They were asked about their experience, outcomes, and how they accessed health information and services. Associate Professor Liz Marles is a spokeswoman for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, which conducted the study on behalf of the Health Department. She is also a former president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and says Australia held its own, performing better than or close to the OECD average across 10 health measures, and ranking in the top five in quality of care, co-ordination of care, person-centred care and physical health. However, there were three areas to improve, especially in mental health, wellbeing and social functioning – which considers how well someone can perform everyday activities and responsibilities. 'What we're looking at here is how people with chronic conditions, what their experience is in terms of healthcare delivery,' Dr Marles says. 'It's that in-depth perspective that allows us to see how well we're performing and probably gives us much greater insight, really, into what are the strengths in the system and what are the areas that we probably need to focus on.' One key finding was that patients with greater continuity of care had better outcomes than those without, and those who maintained the same GP had a greater level of trust in the system. 'As a GP, I know when I see a person that I'm familiar with, it's just a much easier consult,' Dr Marles says. 'I already know what their preferences are, so whether they're someone who is very anxious about their health and wants to have lots of investigations, or whether they're someone who maybe doesn't pay enough attention to their health, and I need to be a bit more proactive with that person. 'Knowing a person's preferences really helps, and that's what person-centred care is. And we rated really highly on person-centred care; Australia was 94 per cent versus 85 per cent for the OECD average.' The results further highlight the postcode lottery and other health inequalities, with patients in cities and those with higher levels of education and income reporting better experiences, which then led to improved health outcomes. David Fong is a general practitioner at Co Health, a multidisciplinary community health centre in the Melbourne suburb of Kensington. The clinic works closely with allied health professionals and was one of dozens nationally that had patients participate in the survey. A lot of Dr Fong's patients are from non-English-speaking backgrounds and include refugees, concession card holders and pensioners. Not all of them are familiar with how to navigate Australia's health system, which could lead to confusion and distrust if not managed appropriately. He says managing chronic conditions requires careful planning. 'Many patients do recognise the value of seeing the same doctor or the same clinicians, or nurses they're familiar with as well, who have learned this story,' he says. 'But it's also a supply problem … sometimes one particular doctor is not available. For chronic conditions, though, if you plan ahead you can always see your doctor, you just might have to wait.' Australia has a high burden of chronic disease, which is growing as the population ages. It's a trend that adds pressure to the broader health system, care providers and the community. According to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, in 2022, half of Australians had at least one chronic condition, and in that year alone $82bn was spent on treating chronic disease. 'Chronic conditions were recorded as an underlying or associated cause of 90 per cent of all deaths, and were responsible for 91 per cent of the non-fatal burden of disease,' the report states. Further, chronic conditions represent the fastest-growing segment of healthcare users in Australia. The most common chronic condition reported in this country was high blood pressure, followed by arthritis or joint pain, depression or other mood disorder, breathing conditions, and cardiovascular or other heart conditions. The survey found patients with multiple chronic conditions were less confident of managing their own care but also had less trust in the health system and doctors. People living with chronic conditions including liver disease, neurological or mental health conditions reported having the worst experiences of all chronic care patients. The survey also revealed a breakdown in communication between doctors and patients when it came to explaining care, finding that while many doctors were completing personalised GP Management Plans for patients, they were not always informing or involving the actual patient at the centre of the plan. 'In about 50 per cent of cases, people are not even aware that they've had one done,' Dr Marles says. 'We need to create those plans in partnership with our patients so that they actually understand what the tasks are for them in terms of self-management; what are the goals that we're hoping to achieve? Who are the other people involved in their care? It's a really important plan and I think it's an area that we need to focus on a bit more.' Dr Fong suspects that will change following amendments introduced on July 1 that replace the existing GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements with a single GP Chronic Conditions Management Plan. As part of the change, GPs may have access to additional Medicare billing benefits if they develop a plan for a patient with chronic conditions. 'As of July 1, there's much more emphasis on reviewing the plan periodically, approximately only three, four to six months,' Dr Fong says. The report also found men were far more likely to trust the healthcare system than women, a trend that was not influenced by the gender of the healthcare provider. Dr Marles says the cause of the distrust was not obvious from the findings, speculating it could be the result of more women seeking medical help for complex conditions including psychological issues. 'That's not to say that they have more psychological issues, it's just that they may seek help for mental health complaints more than men,' she says. 'Maybe there's some element of that medical misogyny, where they may feel dismissed around their concerns. It's very hard to drill down and find out exactly why that statistic is there based on the results.' Dietitians Australia president Dr Fiona Willer believes the findings show the need for allied health professionals to be better embedded into primary care. 'We're failing at best practice here, it makes no sense for Australians at risk of, or living with, diet-related chronic diseases, like type-2 diabetes, not to be getting adequate access to dietitians,' she says. 'We can't expect GPs to be managing complex chronic conditions alone, for patients with multiple chronic conditions, comprehensive multidisciplinary team care is absolutely essential – and not the reality in Australia yet.' It is hoped the findings will be used by policymakers and doctors to help fill national healthcare gaps. Lesley Hoatson hopes that happens. 'This is really about social justice issues, because not everyone gets access to those sorts of services like continuity of care,' she says. 'It's made a big difference to my life, and I reckon there'd be very few people who wouldn't want that. It's just that they can't necessarily get access to it.'
Times
4 days ago
- Times
7 of the best catered ski chalets
Gone are the days when your standard catered ski chalet meant well-meaning if inexperienced youngsters serving up questionable coq au vin. Nowadays, access to a hot tub is virtually non-negotiable in the luxury chalet scene, while many properties come with hotel-trained staff, chefs with Michelin-star experience, full-service spas, ski-in, ski-out access … and a price tag to match. Catered pads assure blissful independence for minimal effort after a day spent on the slopes: breakfast in your thermals, returning from the slopes for afternoon tea and drinks by the fire while the chef rustles up supper for the kids, privacy without the faff of having to cook. Fortunately, for those who love the cosy chalet vibe but aren't sure where to choose, there's a raft of choice within the catered chalet world. This includes chalet-hotels, where you book by the room rather than taking the property exclusively, with the same excellent meals delivered to your door daily. Some chalet operators offer simple bed-and-breakfast packages while others include the services of staff and charge only for the food and drinks you consume. Pricing varies significantly for these differing service levels, enabling you to select what works best for your budget and needs. And, of course, peak weeks (Christmas, Easter and school holidays) can triple the cost of a holiday, richly rewarding those able to travel during quieter times. This is our selection of the best catered ski chalets, from the French Alps to the heights of Japan. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue £ | HOT TUB | SLEEPS 15 | Half board | Best for passionate skiers With a 200-year history of mountaineering derring-do, Chamonix offers skiing across five diverse mountains, ranging from sunny intermediate pistes overlooking Mont Blanc to the world's longest off-piste ski route, La Vallée Blanche. The historic town is also ideal for non-skiers, with winter hiking trails, husky sledding, guided snowshoeing and the historic Montenvers train, which chugs from Chamonix to the spectacular Mer de Glace glacier. The rustic-chic Chalet Violette places it all on your doorstep, with a secluded setting near the popular Micro Brasserie de Chamonix, the go-to Cham spot for locally brewed après-ski beers and generous burgers. Note that the seclusion does mean a ten-minute walk to the nearest lift (the Les Planards nursery slopes) or a five-minute walk to the nearest bus station for access to Chamonix's main ski lifts. The eight-bedroom accommodation serves hearty breakfasts, generous afternoon teas and lavish dinners with wine, adding a hot tub and outdoor sauna with views of Mont Blanc for good measure. All bedrooms are ensuite, and the wood-panelled living room with its huge log fireplace makes for a cosy base after a day on the powder. There's a fully-equipped kitchen and optional fridge stocking service if you do feel like cooking, but if you're feeling lazier, private chefs can be arranged at an extra cost (note the property is self-catering-only during the summer months). Olivers Travels works with local cooks and professional chefs to set you up with the culinary whizz best suited to your needs, be that an informal tartiflette night or a gastronomic feast. • Discover our full guide to ski holidays• Best great-value ski resorts in Europe ££ | HOT TUB | POOL | SLEEPS 2-8 per apartment | Fully catered | Best for families It can be hard to beat Club Med for hassle-free, all-inclusive holidays, particularly when you plump for one of their ski-in/ski-out properties like the Valmorel Chalet-Apartments. Set on Valmorel's family-friendly blue pistes within the extensive Grand Domaine ski area (100 miles of pistes, four dedicated freeride zones and several beginner slopes), the Club Med property packages up accommodation, lift passes, ski instruction and childcare for children aged 4-17 years, throwing in an on-site ski rental shop to boot. Full board is included in the room rate, with the option to enjoy fondue or raclette in the privacy of your apartment. Guests are spoiled for choice when it comes to accommodation options, with spacious hotel rooms and suites, dedicated family suites and two to four-bedroom chalet apartments. Guests benefit from all-inclusive access to the activities, children's clubs and wellness area in the adjoining 4-Trident Village while the chalet apartments offer added benefits like a mountain-view terrace and butler service. Dinners can be enjoyed in two distinct restaurants and are fantastically French — work up an appetite on the slopes to indulge in regional specialties like fondue Savoyarde and tartiflette topped off with blueberry pie. • Best all-inclusive ski hotels £££ | HOT TUB | POOL | SLEEPS 10 | Fully catered | Best for luxury Just a short hop from Salzburg lies one of Austria's largest ski areas, the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. Spanning 167 miles of predominantly intermediate pistes and the four villages that make up its trips-off-the-tongue name, the Skicircus remains mystifyingly little-known by British skiers. Tranquil Leogang is particularly appealing for families, with sunny nursery slopes and gentle local blue runs at its base as well as easy access to the more challenging sections of the Skicircus. The plush Chalet Henne, with wraparound full-height windows affording exceptional views, is a knockout property for multigenerational families. In addition to five stylish suites, it's got an indoor pool and climbing wall, private cinema and self-playing grand piano. Handily, there's also a chauffeur service from 7am until 11pm. Guests are welcomed to the chalet by a hamper bursting with regional specialities and a wine fridge generously stocked with Austrian varieties, while a dedicated chef is on hand to create meals precisely to their requirements. Whether this means early suppers for the little ones, traditional raclette each night or burgers for the teens and healthy meals for the adults, chef has it covered. • The world's most luxurious ski resorts £ | SLEEPS 25 | Fully catered | Best for intermediates Chalet Sondanella is located in the charming town of Selva at the heart of the Dolomites. Regarded by many as the world's most beautiful mountains, the jagged peaks provide a spectacular backdrop for the mostly intermediate 112 miles of trails that make up the Val Gardena ski area. Set at the foot of the towering Sella massif, Selva is ideally placed to tackle its jaw-droppingly scenic 25 mile-long circumnavigation, the Sellaronda. Toast your successful circuit with a glass of prosecco at Chalet Sondanella, where aperitivos are taken each evening before four-course dinners, with unlimited wine. Served family-style, with all guests seated at the same time at shared tables if desired, dinners are convivial affairs and span a wide range of cuisines, from a classic French boeuf bourguignon to authentic Italian lasagne. Breakfasts are equally generous, with continental options served each morning and cooked ingredients, like a hearty full English, available on all but one day. The charming chalet staff also bake fresh cakes each day for afternoon tea, served with tea, coffee or beers if requested. The comfortable chalet, which is set just paces off a blue piste that leads down to the Ciampinoi gondola, offers 13 spacious bedrooms, some with balconies, and an inviting top-floor lounge with far-reaching views of the Dolomites. • Best ski resorts in Italy £ | SPA | POOL | SLEEPS 10 | Fully catered | Best for groups of friends Located in a quiet residential part of St Anton — whose Ski Arlberg is the largest ski resort in Austria — just beyond Rendl mountain, Chalet Albona is one of four chalets in the contemporary Mountain Lodge, which has a communal spa area and plunge pool. Whether you team up with mates to secure the whole five-bedroom chalet or just take a double room or two, you'll enjoy generous chalet catering and a warm welcome from your hosts. Note that, outside of peak dates, children 11 years and under are only welcome when a group books the property exclusively. A free bus service stops 300m away from the chalet, whisking you off to the main ski lifts in under five minutes. Bookings include flights, transfers and all your food and drinks, including a generous continental buffet or cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, a four-course set menu every evening, and local wines. One evening a week is all about Austrian cuisine, with a range of local delicacies served. • Best ski resorts in Austria ££ | SLEEPS 6 | Fully catered | Best for culture vultures Japan is one of the snowiest places on earth, lending the bountiful white stuff the nickname 'Japow'. More than merely incredibly fluffy powder, skiing in Japan also serves up a rich cultural experience, with authentic sushi and ramen for lunch and saké and traditional outdoor onsen (hot springs) for après. Let ski specialist Powder Byrne arrange a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan with catered accommodation in a beautifully restored kominka (traditional folk house). Set in the mountainous Kiso Valley, the three-bedroom Zenagi overlooks rice paddies, rivers and forests. Staying here is a truly immersive experience, with refined Japanese cuisine served by a dedicated chef (your meals might feature wood-fired aged dairy cattle risotto with wild nameko mushrooms and red rice), skiing in Nagano's diverse resorts and soaking in a giant wooden bath tub with forest views. The self-styled 'expedition hotel' not only aims to pamper guests and immerse them in Kiso Valley's rich culture and unspoiled surroundings, it also matches them with highly skilled expedition guides, who can take you paddleboarding along pristine rivers and canyoning in protected private forests. • Best ski resorts in Japan £ | HOT TUB | SLEEPS 10 | Fully catered | Best for après-ski The ever-popular Méribel is a vibrant town in the midst of the Three Valleys, the world's largest ski area. With nearly 100 miles of local slopes that lead directly into the 3V ski area (370 miles), Méribel buzzes through the winter with live music and festivals. One of the best-known après destinations in the Alps, this is the place to be for table-top dancing at the infamous Folie Douce, cheesy sing-alongs at Le Rond Point (Ronnies to those in the know), comedy nights at Jack's and late-night finishes at Lodge du Village. Explore it all from the traditional, five-bedroom Chalet l'Arclusaz, which has an indoor hot tub and sauna, a lovely south-facing balcony and a cosy sitting room warmed by a fireplace. The chalet is operated by Ski France, a pioneer of 'contactless catering', whose hosts deliver fresh breakfast, afternoon tea and pre-dinner snacks, as well as a three-course dinner on six of your seven nights here. Set in the secluded village of Mottaret at 1,750m, the chalet is a five-minute walk from the slopes and ski lifts. There's a regular, complimentary shuttle bus from Mottaret to the centre of Méribel, which is great for exploring the town's nightlife. • Best ski chalets in France • Best ski resorts for beginners
