We chose Serre Chevalier since we had never been to the Alps, and it’s very convenient to get to from Lyon where we are currently living. We thought the area was absolutely gorgeous and the drive through the mountains was spectacular.

The apartment was fantastic – very cosy, beautifully decorated, and with stunning views of the mountains. The two bedrooms were spacious and the en-suite bathroom was gorgeous. The balcony was a great spot to relax and enjoy the view.

We really enjoyed the pool at the apartment and the wonderful new kids playground down the street. In terms of location, you can’t go wrong – we found that it’s a great spot for outdoor activities such as hiking or cycling, exploring Briancon, and relaxing in the hot springs in the village.

I can’t wait to go back and would highly recommend this place for a getaway anytime of year!

The weather was lovely, and so fresh with the mountain air. We rented an apartment on the ground floor of Chalet E and it was perfect; very smartly and comfortably furnished, with a terrace where we could sit out all day. The pool was great too – it’s a really good size which I appreciate as I am a fitness swimmer.

We did a couple of good walks, one up into the mountains, across the alpine meadows strewn with flowers and back down to Les Guibertes village (not that far in kilometres, but the metres upwards are quite a challenge) and along the river Guisane to the next village (Le Casset) one beautiful evening.

There are fabulous places to eat in Monêtier les Bains, and our favourite (and quite reasonable we thought) was Le Kawa – very friendly and great food. However, a treat was a meal at Le Chazal in Les Guibertes, not to be missed!

If you’re a history buff, there is so much to explore both in Briançon and locally. We thoroughly recommend Serre Chevalier for spring, summer or autumn.

If you’re reading this and you’re an experienced skier, then you probably don’t need me to explain the benefits of Serre Chevalier being high in the Alps and having north-facing slopes. For the rest of us however, this means winter’s have good consistent snow that the sun doesn’t ruin, giving a more reliable ski experience.

If you’re an avid cyclist, you won’t need me to tell you either that in the 2011 summer, the Tour de France ran three mountain stages on the roads in the area – and it is a mecca for road riders wanting the challenge of the hills. If off-road or downhill mountain biking is your thing, it is useful to know that in the summer season the ski lifts have hooks to take your mountain bike up into onto the snowless slopes to use the downhill ski runs as trails. We filmed the guys doing it from the ski lift and it looks like great fun without the uphill slog!

We hired an apartment via Mel and we are going back! She looked after our every need and the apartment was amazing. She really was a friend away from home. Heated floors, a real open log fire (not that we needed it), two loos and a kitchen full of cooking gear meant that we wanted for nothing. Our apartment had a garage for storing bikes and equipment and the complex had its own heated outdoor pool, sauna and steam room (or hammam as it’s known here). What was difficult to gauge from the internet was how close the apartments were to the beginners’ slopes and lifts – literally 200 yards!

We were also a minute from the village and a minute from “Les Bains”, the volcanically-heated indoor/outdoor public spa pools that you gain access to for about 17 Euros each. We went and it was well worth the money. It is a cathedral to steam and hot water. Amazing hammams, differing temp plunge pools and indoor and outdoor hot pools with submerged Jacuzzi benches greeted us. We swam through the plastic curtain to outside and lay there on a Jacuzzi bench in the sun and the warm water just staring at the Alps towering up in front of us for ages. It’s the best way to take them in I reckon, a great experience.

We were smitten by the charm and unfussed natural beauty of the old village. It’s geared up for tourists sure, but we felt it hadn’t been spoiled by it. The old Alp buildings are in a Swiss-style and we wanted to move into every one. The old winding streets that lead down to the river are a treat. We found the food to be to a great standard here also and counted three wood-fired pizza ovens in the restaurants making the kind of crispy tasty Italian-style pizza we love.

We can’t wait to return!