ELTIPS AV R T
Yes, REALLY flying. Within minutes I’m 1,000ft above Courchevel in the French Alps, taking in the mind-boggling view and feeling just a little nervous as the instructor invites me to take the controls of our tandem parachute.
I smile at the selfie stick camera and breathe a sigh of relief when he takes back the reins.
The pistes of Meribel, Val Thorens and Courchevel are tiny but I can pick out the resorts – including La Tania, a jewel in the Three Valleys crown. Or Les Trois Vallées, I should say, which has the world’s largest skiing area with 391 miles of pistes.
This is a winter wonderland where fabulous conditions and irrepressible apres ski combine for the ultimate holiday.
A place for adrenaline junkies with paragliding, 80 euros, a 1,300 metre zip wire, 55 euros, slalom runs and plenty of ski jumps in the adventure snow parks.
And a place for cheeky monkeys – live music and dancing on the tables at mountain restaurant La Folie Douce or letting your hair down at the likes of La Tania’s Ski Lodge and Taiga Bar.
That’s the beauty of the Three Valleys – you can party hard or take it easy. And the perfect base for me and son Joe, 19, was at one of Ski Beat’s chalets in La Tania, where we were well and truly pampered.
We stayed at the refurbished Chalet Nid Alpin – Alpine Nest – and enjoyed spectacular food cooked by our hosts Neil and Jane.
Full English breakfast, afternoon tea and cake and three- course dinner – with wine – are included. You can even order specialist wine before the trip.
I loved the beef stroganoff on the first night – as well as the fish, duck, pork, scrumptious starters and delicious desserts over the week.
Fourteen guests are accommodated in six bedrooms – all en suite. There is a smart TV in the lounge and another in the loft room, which sleeps four. You can book the entire
Ski schools such as Oxygene offer expert tuition and tours.
We had a day with top instructor Guillaume, who was encouraging, informative and entertaining.
He had other handy advice, too. Suc Such as avoiding the most expensive bary bars Your and chalet restaurants. hosts will happily
Get the free
Les 3 Vallees app for info on pistes, transport, restaurants – and a location tracker.
Use your hosts’ knowledge for tips on the finest skiing, the best value eateries and the coolest bars. They know their stuff.
Most chalet staff have Wednesdays off. Breakfast and tea are set up but you should book somewhere for dinner. We went to Le Praz for a fab French meal at La
Caves des Lys. chalet or take one or two rooms and mix in with other small groups, as we did. It’s a great way to meet people and a chance to hook up with new friends for a day on the piste.
Nid Alpin is a ski- out, ski- in chalet, with the slopes literally on the back doorstep.
In-chalet ski and boot fitting – available in La Tania and Meribel if you hire your gear through Ski Beat – is a bonus too, saving a trek back from the hire shop with your gear.
Massage
point you in the direction of snack bars and reasonably-priced eateries. La Tania is a small but delightful resort with a free bus connection to the rest of Courchevel and its attractions including ice skating, aqua fun, spas, cinema, bowling, gyms and much more.
Neil and Jane host a quiz night on Tuesday and offer after-dinner port and cheese on Thursday.
And a mobile therapist from Massage Me called to soothe away the aches in our bones halfway through the week.
That recharged our batteries for more cruising down the Lac Creux blue run, red runs from Vizelle and a tricky but doable Pylones black run. Oh, and not to forget the long and winding Plan Fontaine green run which brought us home.
Ski out, ski in at Nid Alpin. You can’t Ski Beat it.
FACTFILE: FA Ski Beat has 54 ski ch chalets for six-19 guests across ni nine resorts in France. A week’s fu fully hosted and ski holiday in Ni Nid Alpin costs from £699pp, ba based on Gatwick flights (M ( Manchester +£ 20), includes tra transfers and catered chalet. Ot Other chalets from £ 659. Contact Co Ski Beat on 01273 855100, 85 skibeat.co.uk.
For solo or group lessons with Ox Oxygene, see oxygene. ski. Ma Massage Me prices start at 45 eur euros, see massage-me.com.