Chalet Montenvers

Chalet Montenvers is the kind of chalet people picture when they think of Chamonix. It sits among tall, snow-laden firs, with a deep roof, a carved wooden balcony and the mountains of the valley rising behind.

Inside, the open living space sits under a frame of old timber. Leather sofas and club chairs gather round the fire and a cowhide rug, there's a board game on the coffee table, and the long dining table is lined with red leather chairs. The kitchen keeps the same reclaimed wood, with modern ovens set into it. If you want a luxury chalet rental in Chamonix that feels cosy rather than corporate, it's spot on.

Chalet Montenvers sleeps ten guests in six bedrooms, each with a king bed, and six bathrooms. Bedrooms are wrapped in old wood with fur throws, and the bathrooms are in dark slate with deep tubs. From the covered balcony, with its leather armchairs, you look straight into the trees.

Below, there's an indoor pool with a timber deck and glass doors to the snowy garden, a sauna area, a gym that's bigger than many hotel gyms and a cinema with leather sofas. Chamonix is one of the great mountain towns of the French Alps, for skiing, climbing and long lunches with a view of Mont Blanc. It's perfect for a family or a group of friends who want a proper ski week with every comfort.