Luxury holidays in Savoie

When to go

The French ski season starts in late November/early December in high-altitude, glaciated resorts such as Val Thorens, and continues until April, depending on snowfall. When not buried beneath snow, the flower-clad Alpine pastures and tranquil mountain lakes can be explored by foot, kayak and bike between May and August.

Getting there

• Planes

  Fly direct to Chambéry airport from across Europe; you can also find direct flights to nearby Grenoble and Geneva airports (Méribel is roughly two hours away and Tignes and Val-d'Isère are about two-and-a-half-hours by car).

• Trains

  In winter, Eurostar runs a direct train service from London St Pancras and Ashford in Kent to the stations of Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, from where you can catch a coach to local ski resorts.

• Automobiles

  A car (we recommend a four-wheel-drive) is necessary if you plan on venturing beyond the slopes. Car hire is widely available across France and our Smith24 team will happily arrange a car for you to pick up at the airport.