A breathtaking location

The house itself is at the foot of Montchavin in the small hamlet of Montorlin; it is a converted farmhouse with superb views across the valley and on to Mont Blanc. Full of charm and ambience with pretty little streets and alleys and a C17th church, the hamlet is quiet and rural but close to the action. We drive our guests the 2 minutes to the lifts when you're ready in the morning; and collect you whenever you choose.

Set on the small village square, the house is an intriguing combination of old beams and stone walls and modern open plan spaces of glass and wood. The 6 bedrooms sleep 12 - 14 guests, with additional put-up beds available on request.

A spiral stone staircase connects the floors, leading up to the huge open plan 'loft' living area that takes up the entire top floor of the house. The sitting area has sumptuously big, squashy sofas and is a great place to take afternoon tea and to relax after dinner. Books, games, CDs, videos and DVDs are on hand for rainy days or lazy afternoons. The kitchen and dining area has glass doors leading onto the large balcony with its sweeping views across the rugged miles of the Tarentaise, with Mont Blanc in the distance.

The cellar underneath the house is a general utility room and boot room, and has storage for your skis or snowboards.

A quality of service

Mountains, Inc will provide you with the best of the traditions of the English Chalet Skiing holiday, plus some of our own.

On your arrival, over tea and biscuits, we will take you through everything you need to know about the resort and the chalet and then, when you're ready, we'll show you around the resort village and help you sort out the essentials. Lift passes, ski and boot hire and lessons can all be arranged in Montchavin and your hosts will help you do this. Lessons can also be arranged in advance; the web links are included above and a price guide included in the At A Glance section. Contact us if you want help with any arrangements.

Breakfast
As well as a range of cereals, croissants, breads and jams there is a daily changing menu of cooked breakfasts on offer, including bacon, eggs, porridge, and pancakes. One day a week a cold breakfast will be set out for you the night before for you to serve yourselves.

Afternoon tea
Indulge yourselves - Liza makes great cakes. (Last season's favourite - a close contest between Lemon Drizzle, Banana cake and Chocolate Gateau). Tea and cakes will be ready for you from 4pm, 6 days a week. On cold days we make mulled wine or hot chocolate toddies, served in the cosy sitting room. On sunny days you may prefer to take tea on the balcony and admire the views.

An honesty bar is available all day long on the balcony, where you can help yourself to soft drinks or beer.

Evening meal
The evening meal is the main event of the day, after your skiing adventures of course. A superb 3 course meal is served at the communal dining table facing the picture windows. A typical menu might include Grilled Goats Cheese on Walnut Bread; Pork Stuffed with Toulouse Sausages and Prunes; and a Chocolate Roulade, with a vegetarian option of a Nut and Wild Mushroom Wellington. Wine is included with all meals and the carafes will be topped up until your after dinner coffee is served, in the living room. And once a week we offer you our version of an Alpine speciality - a chocolate fondue, served with fresh fruit and marshmallows.

One day a week your hosts will have a day off, giving you the opportunity to sample the local restaurants in Montchavin or
Les Coches.

A child friendly holiday
Montchavin village is accredited for its child friendly facilities and you will find everything you need for children of all ages to make their stay an adventure and yours a holiday. A crèche takes children from 6 months old; clubs look after the toddlers and older children; and ski schools coach them from their first brave snow-ploughs through to an enviable excellence. An in-house nanny service can be booked by the hour. All the details are listed in the At a Glance guide. If child care facilities are an integral part of your holiday we advise you not to risk disappointment and to book these at the same time as your accommodation. If you prefer we can arrange this for you, leaving you to fill in the important bits such as the name of your child's teddy bear and your credit card number.

In the early evening a special Children's Supper can be provided. We know how particular the younger gourmet can be and are happy to take advice from the parents at the time of booking on favourite foods and definite dislikes. The Children's Supper is timed so that you can settle your children in bed in time to enjoy your own, more sophisticated dinner without distraction. Older children and young adults are of course welcome to share the main evening meal.