Barrière Les Neiges, Courchevel: a chalet-turned-Palace

Still thirsty for the clean air of the peaks after a day’s skiing? Fouquet’s terrace is the hub of this elegant, friendly hotel, which opened in 2016 in a historic building in this French Alps resort. Wrap yourself in a blanket and enjoy a drink here as evening approaches. They’ve thought of everything from wood fires built into the coffee tables to live music performances.

With an open fire crackling invitingly, and amber and white decor echoing fir tree bark and snow, guests are enveloped in warmth and luxury from the moment they enter.

The mountains inspire the 22 rooms and 20 suites, designed like cosy cocoons facing the snow-capped landscape. Everything reminds you of the chalets of yesteryear, but with a contemporary touch.

Quality materials and stylish details enhance the lifestyle at the hotel. Larch and walnut wood illuminates the white walls and furniture, and there’s a pervading sense of escapism.

Guests’ skis are prepared on the Bellecote piste with heated boots and gloves. The hotel’s valet service from Maison Bernard Orcel ensures top-notch expertise in the 240-square-metre ski room. Here, all ski dreams come true: boots can be made to measure by a team of experts, and there are beautiful, exclusively-designed wooden skis, too.

Best place to relax after hitting the slopes? The Diane Barrière Spa, with its hammam, sauna, gym, treatment cabins (including exclusive suite for two) and 20-metre pool, the resort’s largest. It’s impossible to resist such an avalanche of après-ski options. Our favourite is probably the outdoor jacuzzi, surrounded by a snow-covered terrace.

Hungry like the wolf? At BFire, with its warm red décor and stripped wood, three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colegraco has mastered the delicate art of wood-fired cooking. Tuck into grilled rib of beef on the coals or langoustines flambéed with pisco.