Anyone who has been to the big French Alpine ski destinations will be familiar with the annoyingly jacked-up food and drinks prices, the high-end shops you would never venture into and the Disneyesque hollowness of the resorts.
However, there are lesser known places where you can enjoy the same stunning views, awesome slopes, and delicious local fare without the pretension. One of them is the Savoyard region, specifically the Grand Massif ski area (Flaine, Samoens, Les Carroz, Morillon and Sixt Fer à Cheval – www.winter.grand-massif.com)