Chalet Les Gnellets, Val d'Isere, France

In the hamlet of Le Joseray, three minutes’ walk from lifts, pistes and bus, six from centre

Les Gnellets was built a quarter of a century ago in the time-honoured local way, all wood and stone, with some of the rooms tucked under the massive roof timbers. It is a traditional, pretty and welcoming chalet. It might lack the bling of our more modern accommodation, but as our twentieth most expensive chalet out of twenty, it is fantastic value.

The room the time-honoured locals obviously planned to spend most of their time in is the spacious, high-ceilinged, open-plan dining-sitting-room-kitchen, with its log fire surrounded by sofas, its terrace and mezzanine.

On the same floor is the super master-bedroom with a balcony overlooking the Calabourdane stream, and both a bath and a very indulgent rain-head shower. The two other bedrooms on this floor have en-suite facilities, while the last two, upstairs, share a bathroom and separate loo. The two upstairs rooms are tucked under the rafters, up a staircase with not one but two low beams to test sobriety.

There are two more beds on the big mezzanine above the living room, which children or friends can book at half price, although we cannot guarantee flight seats for these two extra beds.

For whatever reason, Les Gnellets has always generated a particularly laid-back and contented atmosphere, possibly because it feels good, with all the larch and granite, perhaps because it is so convenient for skiing, with the Solaise and Bellevarde lifts and pistes not three minutes away. At night the loudest sound from without is the babble of the stream or the occasional lowing of Val d’Isère’s milk supply in the nearby farm. From within, there is occasionally a lot more noise, but Les Gnellets is one of our few chalets with no near neighbours to worry about.

The chalet is in the lovely hamlet of Le Joseray, six minutes’ walk from the village centre, though there are shops, bars and restaurants closer by, just two or three minutes away. The Rond Point is a 120m walk away, at which point you clip on your skis and glide down to the main Olympique and Solaise lifts. Those happy to make the Face de Bellevarde their last run of the day can ski to within a few yards of the driveway, while less hearty souls finish back at the Rond Point, with the added attraction of a couple of small, friendly bars, and the same 120m walk home.

We are extremely well-suited to families. Some of our chalets are large, some small. Some are very smart, some very good value. And some have Extra Beds for children.

Chalets are more relaxing for families than hotels, where parents are constantly worried that their brood will upset fellow guests, or self-catering apartments, where most of someone’s holiday will be spent shopping, cooking and clearing up.

And, perhaps surprisingly, Val d’Isère is the ideal family ski resort. It has good snow, short queues, wide nursery slopes with free lifts, and extensive new beginner runs higher up the mountain at the top of Solaise. (Beginners do, however, need a ski pass to access these higher nursery slopes) The flat village, free and frequent buses, very good ski schools, English-speaking instructors, and lots of British youngsters also help hugely. Where to Ski and Snowboard magazine describes the nursery slopes as ‘95% perfect’.

• Very popular ski chalet, spacious and full of atmosphere
• Long, high living room with log fire, verandah and mezzanine with extra beds
• WiFi
• Three bedrooms have en-suite facilities, two share the upstairs bathroom and separate wc
• Boot warmer
• In the hamlet of Le Joseray, three minutes’ walk from lifts, pistes and bus, six from centre
• No near neighbours, so insomniac clog-dancers welcome
• A chef and an assistant, who live out

5 bedrooms for 10-12 guests
3 baths, 2 showers

Bedrooms in order of preference (in our opinion)

Bedroom1
Double (12’6″ x 11′) on ground floor with en-suite bathroom with bath and rainhead shower plus separate en-suite wc, and a private balcony.

Bedroom 2
Twin (12′ x 10′) on the ground floor, en-suite bathroom with wc.

Bedroom 3
Double (10′ x 9’6″) on ground floor, with en-suite shower and basin.

Bedroom 4
Twin (10′ x 9’6″) on the first floor. Sweet room tucked under the eaves.

Bedroom 5
Twin (9′ x 9’6″) next door to and rather like Bedroom 4. It is larger than the measurements given, but part is not very accessible owing to the low beams.

Bathrooms
As well as the en-suite facilities there is a wc on the ground floor. On the first floor there is a bathroom with bath and basin and a small separate wc for rooms 4 and 5.

Sitting-Dining Room
(22’6″ x 13’6″) Long and high, with sofas around the fireplace. The kitchen (not included in measurements) is off the dining area. Mezzanine (13′ x 13′). WiFi.

Extra Beds
Two single beds on the mezzanine are available if one party books the whole chalet. The cost for these extra beds is half the quoted Les Gnellets price (not including any transport) or 85% of the quoted price if a flight and transfer are required. On certain dates we may not be able to provide a flight for an extra bed. Please note that there are minimum charges applicable – click here for more information

We start with a proper breakfast. Fruit juice, porridge, cereals from Rude Health, bacon, eggs, baguettes straight from the famous local bakery, yoghurt, tea and fresh coffee from Nespresso machines (with instant or infusions for those who prefer them). On one morning breakfast will be self-service with fresh croissants and pains au chocolat delivered to your chalet.

You return from the slopes to find bread and jam, a freshly-baked cake (except on staff days off), tea and coffee left out for you. If you would like hot chocolate, please inform your chalet staff (and tell them how you like it!).

Dinner is where we pull out all the stops on five nights of your holiday. Our policy on food is straightforward. We start with the best cuts of meat and the best fresh fruit and vegetables, not really counting the cost. Everything we need is available in Val d’Isère. Most people are very happy with our normal formula of canapés followed by a three-course, fixed-menu, dinner-party-style meal. The cuisine is largely French, though with a fusion of other influences.

A small proportion of our guests wishes to eat different food from the rest of their party. If you request a different diet, we will be able to offer one alternative meal so that the normal meal or this alternative will be suitable for vegetarians, vegans, dairy free, no red meat or no onions/no garlic.

Or you could tailor-make a menu for your party for the week and ask us to cook, say, two fish meals, one chicken, one red meat (when vegetarians can simply not have the meat) and one vegetarian meal – or whatever combination suits your group. This way everyone enjoys the same meals all together and, dare we say it, eats a little more healthily.

If a diet is more complicated than those mentioned above, we may have to make a charge for special ingredients but we will let you know in advance. If you want us to buy in special non-dairy milks and yoghurts there will be a charge in the resort, much the same way as the alternative wines mentioned below.

There are some diets we cannot cater for. We regret that we do not have the separate fridges, etc., required for Kosher diets, we do not have access to Halal meats, and we cannot guarantee that our chalets will be nut-free.

With dinner, we serve free unlimited quantities of a selection of very drinkable French AOC wine and vin de pays. This is, unfortunately, only with dinner, not breakfast, and we stop serving the wine when the coffee appears.

We also have a wine list from which you can buy everything from slightly smarter wine to Châteaux Lafite-Rothschild or d’Yquem. We sell these wines at less than they cost because you are not drinking the house wine.

Damage deposit for all bookings.