Rome about with Rabbie
balconies are threaded with steep stepped lanes. Farmers have been replaced by craftsmen offering sculptures, pottery and knitwear.
See venosc.com.
Pit stops Where to eat
Ski resorts offer more than just fondu these days. In Les Deux Alpes you can get fish and chips at the Red Frog, crepes galore at Les Sagnes, and if you graze along the main street at around 6pm you will likely find free tastings in Le Vieux Chalet delicatessen and free wine degustation in Doume bar and restaurant.
For lunch, a particular recommendation is friendly Cafe Edina, which has good inexpensive
UK specialist Rabbie’s Tours is launching its first range of excursions across the Channel.
It has an Italian Lakes and Swiss Alps Explorer six-day tour, departing from Rome, with prices from £1,110. The price includes vegetarian food and makes its own bagels. For a traditional mountain meal, which means cheese and meat and more cheese, Cellier, with an open fire, is a long-term favourite. A raclette here will set you back £16.
The vast majority of visitors from the UK come with tour operators on week-long packages that include flight, transfer, accommodation, and discounted lift pass and equipment hire.
Usually these deals are cheaper than you can ever achieve yourself. For Les Deux
Alpes, particularly good value transport in a luxury minibus, Englishspeaking guide and five nights in a three-star hotel with continental breakfast. Flights to Rome are not included. See rabbies.com/en. operators are Inghams and Crystal Ski. A week in late January with Inghams, including flight, transfer and half board accommodation, costs £729. See inghams.co.uk.
Alternatively you can get a week’s self-catering for £570 via crystalski.co.uk.
Neither price includes ski pass and equipment.
If you want to come independently, for shorter durations you can get return train travel to Grenoble for £142 and a bus from Grenoble station for £28 return. See transaltitude.fr.
To stay cheaply, the resort’s People Hostel has dormitory beds for £17, and private double rooms from £56 a night. See thepeoplehostel.com.
For something a bit more upmarket Chamois Lodge offers doubles from £110, with breakfast. See chamoislodge.fr. A daily lift pass costs £44 and ski and boot rental a further £23. It can be an expensive business, skiing.