Serre Chevalier - village

Given the dispersed nature of Serre Chevalier Vallée and the fact that each of the 4 main centres has its own distinct character, choosing the right base is crucial. A fairly busy main road runs through Briançon and on through Chantemerle, Villeneuve and Monêtier. Its presence is less noticeable in the bustling town of Briançon than in the villages, where it literally separates the old town from the newly-developed areas of Chantemerle and Villeneuve. Monêtier is the least developed, most charming village of the 4, although night birds might find it sleepy. Here’s our summary of the key benefits of each:

• Briançon: good for non-skiers, urbanites and weekend breaks

• Chantemerle: good for families and beginners, relatively quiet with easy access to nursery slopes

• Villeneuve: good for the 18-30 group, with inexpensive purpose-built apartments, lively bars and various access points to the slopes

• Monêtier: good for spa-lovers, couples, families and hardcore freeriders who can access some of the resort’s best off-piste quickly and easily

Accommodation types

There is a wide choice of hotels and apartments in Serre Chevalier’s key villages, although catered chalets are harder to come by. There are a handful of upmarket properties - our favourites include Hotel Alliey (00 33 492 24 40 02) in Monêtier and Chalet Chez Bear (00 33 492 21 11 70) near Briançon - but most hotels are 2- or 3-star.

Ski/snowboard equipment hire

Given the number of villages within the resort of Serre Chevalier, there are more than 33 ski rental shops. For something different, pay a visit to the Ride Doctor (00 33 628 23 08 42) in Villeneuve, which rents and sells uniquely-designed twin tips.

Non-ski activities

Monêtier les Bains gets its name from the natural hot springs that bubble up from the river Guisane here, where people have come to take the waters since Roman times. The superb Grands Bains du Monêtier (00 33 492 40 00 00) public spa complex opened in 2008 and boasts indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, steam rooms and water jets.

Childcare

There are nurseries in Chantemerle (6 months - 12 years), Villeneuve (from 6 months) and Monêtier (9 months - 6 years) as well as three children’s leisure centres, which offer nature guiding classes and day excursions.