Head to La Tania for a blissful break of skiing and beautiful sunshine in the French Alps

THE search for winter sun can involve epic journeys, but this blissful break was much closer to home. No need for long-haul flights and far away beaches as my week in the French Alps during March offered endless blue skies and blistering sunshine. Admittedly I swapped my bikini for ski pants and didn’t manage an […]

THE search for winter sun can involve epic journeys, but this blissful break was much closer to home.

No need for long-haul flights and far away beaches as my week in the French Alps during March offered endless blue skies and blistering sunshine.

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Admittedly I swapped my bikini for ski pants and didn’t manage an all-over tan — but what a glorious tonic it was.

When the gloom of winter seems never ending, a sublime week skiing is the perfect pick-me-up.

For my week of energising Alpine air I was staying in the small but perfectly formed village of La Tania, nestled on the edge of the awesome Three Valleys.

Sitting below its rather brassy and impossibly ­expensive neighbour Courcheval, La Tania is a cosy little village with plenty of Alpine charm.

The beautiful Nid Alpin ski in/ski out chalet, which we shared with five other couples (it can be booked exclusively for your group), sits beside the beginners’ piste for quick and stress-free access to the vast ski area of Courcheval, Meribel and Val Thorens.

Despite being at a lower altitude than the larger resorts, La Tania has superb lift links offering the perfect combination of amazing skiing without the fancy prices or long lift queues.

After a short Ski Beat charter flight to Lyon we were greeted at our gorgeous chalet by the most cheerful hosts you could wish for.

Neal and Jayne are true experts in looking after their guests and the smell of welcoming soup and fresh bread as we walked through the door set the tone for a week in foodie heaven.

We soon realised we would need every inch of the huge ski area to work off the delicious calories on offer.

So what is it that is so special about skiing in the Three Valleys? Well, it is the world’s largest ski area for a start, boasting 373 miles of interconnected ski runs.

A vast network of hi-tech cable cars and chair lifts link each valley while at night 160 “piste groomers” get to work to make sure each run is kept in tip top condition, even in the spring sunshine.

Whether you are a complete beginner or searching for moguls and couloirs, this is the area that guarantees it all.

Of course skiing isn’t just about the slopes . . . the joy of mountain-top restaurants and après ski parties are the reward for all that exercise.

Choose carefully though as some of the prices in the mountain restaurants can blow a week’s budget in one go.

In some of the posh spots a coffee can range from £6 to £10.

A good rule to follow if you are on a budget is to avoid restaurants with fur rugs on the seats outside.

Of course, with a cooked breakfast, home-made cakes for afternoon tea and a three-course ­dinner in the chalet, not splashing out on lunch is not too tough.

Après ski is where La Tania is full of surprises. Many of the bars around the square have live bands and crazy fancy dress nights.

Le Ski Lodge was our favourite, where tired skiers swap stories and summon up the energy to dance.

For families with excited kids there are fun filled snowy family parks and a 1.5mile toboggan run snaking through the trees.

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The small pedestrian centre keeps little ones safe and the crêperie at the bottom of the slope is sure to be a hit with hungry teenagers.

Our amazing chalet hosts were full of top tips and keen to suggest the best places to ski or bars to go to.

To be honest though, with a chalet so cosy, incredible dinners, a tummy full of cheese and, best of all, wine included in the price, our favourite option was to sneak off to bed and dream of the next glorious day in the sun and snow.

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