Les Marmottes: Where to stay in the Swiss Alps

By Yolanda Carslaw Published: 1:08PM GMT twenty-two February 2010

Supper is customarily fondue or a three-courser with a gamy main

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Les Marmottes

LOCATION On a meadow on top of the ski encampment of Anzère, in French-speaking Switzerland, at 2,000m. Within the ski area, nonetheless secluded, it lies a two-minute ski from the nearest lift, an hour"s travel or snowshoe from the village, or a 20-minute travel from the telecabin mid-station.

CHARACTER A normal chalet used for cheese-making until twenty years ago. Now a boutique guesthouse and a shining food or vin chaud spot. The cosy front room is furnished with stout wooden tables, a club and a wood-burner. Ancient tillage implements and skis accoutre the walls and a sheepskin-covered sledge serves as a bench. The terrace, with a prohibited tub, has a smashing view.

Rooms One master suite, with very old beds, habit and washstand and bath in the corner. Ladder to a art studio with dual mattresses, so a family could nap here. Next doorway are 4 pairs of "dormitory" beds, widely separated by curtains. No television.

FOOD Supper is customarily fondue or a three-courser with a gamy main, such as venison with red cabbage. You can additionally book for repast only, and snowshoe up and down, stand up on skis and ski down, or travel up and sledge down.

WE LIKE The most country touches.

NOT SO KEEN Twin beds are a bit short.

ESSENTIALS 0041 78 863 5137; lesmarmottes.biz . Half house from �53 per chairman in the bunks; from �98 in the master suite.

Getting there

You can get without delay to the Bellevue des Alpes and the Gornergrat utilizing Swiss trains (sbb.ch/en); both are 3 to 4 hours" rail float from Zurich airport, that is served by Swiss (0845 601 0956; swiss.com) from multiform British airports. For Les Marmottes, fly to Geneva (BA, Swiss and easyJet), afterwards it"s dual hours by car, or a small some-more by sight and bus: you have the last climb by gondola, afterwards skis or on foot.