Review: Sun, snow and skiing in the beautiful village of Les Gets, courtesy of VIP SKI

Sat halfway up a mountain in Les Gets, Altitude Lodge is a charming chalet-hotel run by VIP Ski and its smiling, hospitable team of staff. The ski-in, ski-out accommodation is a firm favourite with returning guests, who enjoy the exclusivity, convenience, and scenery of the place.

Having previously been run as a hotel with a public bar and restaurant, the property now caters to just 18 to 29 guests at a time, with nine warm and spacious rooms. The piste-side chalet also boasts a sauna, an outdoor hot tub, and a terrace, where you can sit by the fire and admire the views of the mountains for miles.

Cooked and continental breakfast is on offer every morning; delicious chipolata sausages, perfectly cooked eggs, bacon, herby tomatoes, hash browns and mushrooms is served to your table within five minutes of you sitting down. Little pastries and toast with different spreads line the bar, with fresh orange juice, fruit and cured meats nearby.

Although the stay does not include lunch, the chalet staff offer a beautiful afternoon tea. Each day, you can head up to the lounge restaurant and find a different homemade cake; a fluffy, zingy lemon drizzle cake one day, and an indulgent Nutella chocolate sponge the next. I rather liked this routine, because it offered the chance to explore some of the local restaurants.

As night falls, the chalet’s private chef and hosts provide a canape reception and three-course dinner on six nights of the week.

Right next door to the lodge, towards the ski lifts, was a most wonderful eatery called Le Grand Cry. It has a large patio for the warmer days, and an impressive menu with a dish for everyone, from winter soups and hearty salads to Morzine fish and homemade pizzas. The pizzas looked too good to pass up, so I chose a ham and mushroom and it did not disappoint.

After lunch, we tried a glass of Génépi, a traditional french herbal liqueur. Over the coming days, I made it a personal tradition to end every meal with a little glass of Génépi, and you should too.

Le Grand Cry was a lovely and very convenient place to eat and enjoy a midday tipple - it’s never too early when you’re up on the slopes. No rules, baby!

In order to hit said slopes, I had to get geared up. VIP Ski sorted me out with some hire equipment from Intersport, a sports retail and ski hire shop in town which you can get to via the cable carts. The entrance to the cable carts are right next to the ski lifts; you can’t miss it.

You just hop on using your lift pass and it carries you right into the centre of town. It stops running at about 4.20pm, so the only way you can get into town after that is via taxi - another option is to hitch a ride off one of the staff members at the lodge if they’re available. At around 8.30pm the night bus starts and it runs until 11.30pm, going up and down the mountain. It’s only about a 10-minute drive either way.

You’ll find the Intersport shop directly opposite the cable cart ticket office, so it’s really easy to grab your kit and jump back on the bubble, straight back up to the slopes. Before getting my boots, the staff measured my feet on a Boot Doctor scanning machine - you just stand on a flat surface, and everything you need to know about your feet shows up on the screen in front of you. Pretty cool.

For first-time skiers - and those who just need a little refresh sesh - there are a number of great ski schools in the area. Prior to this trip, my skiing abilities merely extended to a handful of lessons at the Tamworth Snowdome, so I was pretty keen to be shown the ropes… and pulleys.

Portes Du Soleil’s tourism team were very helpful in booking me in with local ski school ESF. Their multi-lingual instructors were obviously very cool and great at teaching too, which is quite an important skill to have as a teacher. Dotted up and down the slopes in their bright red uniforms, you can’t miss them.

After that, it was time to clip in and hit the snow. There’s nothing quite like a clear blue sky and soft, smooth terrain after a snow day. If you can, try and plan your trip when the forecast is good, because a rainy day makes for icy snow and a more challenging traverse. Saying that, there are plenty of other things you can get up to on a drizzly day.

As the sun sets on the slopes - and you’re enjoying a final drink and dance at the Apres-Ski bar - a lovely way to spend the rest of the evening is by going for an early dinner and heading to the Alta Lumina park. This magical place is a spectacle of light and sounds that meander through the woods. The immersive and enchanting trail tells the story of a music peddler and his hot air balloon as he journeys over the mountains. Truly magical.

There are some great bars and restaurants in Les Gets. I became very fond of a joint called The Black Bear, which had a pool table, darts and a heated outdoor area. The decor inside was fitting; it had a wooden bar and furniture donned with rugs and cushions. A great spot to have a drink and play some games before going out for dinner.

Speaking of dinner, I was treated to a very luxurious one at a highly talked-about Italian restaurant called La Bokka. La Bokka was art-deco but modern, spacious but lush, comfortable but glamorous. My skiing instructor recommended I visit La Bokka, so I was pleasantly surprised when Porte Du Soleil’s rep told me it was already on the agenda. It didn’t just look pretty; the menu was a sight for sore eyes too, and the food hit the mark. Dishes include truffle pasta, grilled swordfish, rustic salami pizza and salmon carpaccio. There really is something for everyone here.

Those looking for a bit of entertainment after dinner at La Bokka will find it just a few hundred yards away. The town has a beautiful and quiet outdoor ice rink, just in case a day on the pistes wasn’t enough. Visit in the late afternoon or early evening, when you can glide around and admire the evening sun setting over the town.

Another idea is to check what’s on at the Salle de la Colombière, a performance hall which hosts comedy shows, gigs, and loads of other fun stuff.

For a seven-night stay at Altitude Lodge, prices start from £1,360 per person, based on two people sharing. The price includes a scheduled coach transfer from Geneva airport, which is booked as close to your arrival time as possible, and catered accommodation.

Altitude Lodge exceeded my expectations. I could step out of the ski room, geared up and ready to go, and find the ski lifts up the mountain - and the cable cars down to the village - just a minute’s walk away. Of course, the other option is putting your skis on outside the lodge and gliding straight down to the lift, which is much more fun.

Les Gets is in the Savoie region in the Northern French Alps. It is a quaint, traditional-style village with beautiful wood chalets lining the slopes. Les Gets offers magnificent beauty from every angle. It has a lively main street and plenty to do off the slopes, with great restaurants, bars with pool and darts, a bowling alley, spa, and the Alta Lumina Park within close reach.

Intermediates, beginners and families will get the most from Les Gets’ terrain, but it has a range of pistes and shares the slopes with its popular neighbour, Morzine. Both resorts are part of the huge Portes du Soleil circuit.

My thanks to VIP Ski and Porte Du Soleil for hosting me on this wonderful trip.

To book a stay at the Altitude Lodge, or see the other accommodation and chalets that VIP SKI has to offer, visit vip-chalets.com, email ski@vip-chalets.com or call 0203 892 4060.