Chalet Flaine, Flaine, France

Had a great midweek break in Chalet Flaine where my two friends and I were welcomed with open arms and made to feel at home from the moment we walked in. Abbie the chalet host was the perfect person to welcome you with coffee and cake settling us in quickly and getting us out onto the slopes that afternoon. She worked wonders from her little kitchen area producing delicious meals where nothing was too much trouble. I would return here just to have her as my chalet host. The administration and organisation of the trip was very smooth ensuring a great time was had by all. One word of caution is that the bunk room beds are not suitable for anyone who is 6ft or over as they are meant for children I’m sure. However if you are looking for a friendly, comfortable home from home without paying silly money then Chalet Flaine is for you.

Apres-Ski 3/5
Accommodation & Value 5/5

Stephen Harvey

Both the chalet and the resort exceeded expectation. Our chalet host, Abby, could not have been more helpful or attentive, striking just the right tone. Great breakfasts, homemade cake in the afternoon and excellent, home cooked food in the evening. We had the double bedroom downstairs sharing a nicely fitted bathroom with an adjacent bunk room. Worked fine. The communal space, sitting room/dining area worked perfectly well for the nine people staying. It is a 100 metre walk to the ski hire shop and a couple of minutes to the bus stop, which runs free of charge on a loop every 15 minutes and takes less than five mins to reach the central lift hub. Alternatively you can ski from the bus-stop to the main cable cars. Though there is ski storage in the chalet we chose to store our kit by the main lift (Patrick's) for convenience. A little steep at 5 euros per head per day, perhaps, but for two of us over a four-day stay it worked nicely. Flaine was a delight, great snow and for intermediate cruisers across the Grand Massif area, good variety. The views of Mont Blanc are arguably the best in the Alps, so close you can touch it, well, almost. Flaine gets a bum rap from some over its lack of charm. While that might be so it does not impact at all on the experience. The resort would benefit by more mountain restaurants but there a couple of belters close together in the trees as the pistes converge towards the central lift cluster. We paid around 35 euros for two for arguably the best food either of us had eaten on the piste.

Apres-Ski 2/5
Accommodation & Value 5/5

Kevin Garside