Le Marie

Five master bedrooms, each with a bathroom of its own, set up as a king-size double or twin to suit the group. The living area runs wide and low under old beams, panelled in old wood, a stone fireplace at its centre. Bay windows line one side, holding the peaks in view while you eat, the dining table set by the open kitchen. In the drawer, a raclette and fondue set for the evenings you stay in.

The spa: a heated indoor pool tiled in blue and white, arched windows along one wall, a wood-lined hammam beside it for the ache after a long day out. The kitchen is modern behind its old-wood front, ceramic hobs, a full run of appliances, a Nespresso machine. The ski room takes the kit at the end of the day, boots drying in the warmers, and a garage keeps the cars off the snow. Skis are fitted here, not in a queue at a shop.

The hamlet stays quiet, but Val d'Isère is a short walk down: the restaurants and the après-ski, and 300 kilometres of the Espace Killy from the edge of the village. Service comes in two tiers. Premium brings a concierge, a butler who makes breakfast, and a driver in the village. Prestige adds a private chef for five dinners and a driver into the evening. Winter runs Sunday to Sunday, late November to early May, open again in July and August.