Rooms

Chalet Cannelle is an upside-down house, with the main bedrooms below the lounge. All are spotless with an uncluttered contemporary chalet style (low ceilings, lots of smart wood). Comfy super-kingsize or twin beds are dressed in white linen, and stylish bathrooms come with Cowshed products.

The Deluxe Rooms (Capra, Feather, Bumble) are the best, each big and beautiful with doors onto a balcony for views of the valley and mountains. They can be made up as doubles or twins. Antler (double only), the other room with a valley view, is a little smaller, but this doesn’t matter - it’s a warm, cosy room with a chic feel. Expect lovely colours, pretty fabrics and a smart bathroom with a power shower over a big bath.

Owl, a double or twin, is the biggest room. It doesn’t have the view, but inside there’s a sofa from which 2 single beds emerge - perfect for young families. It has a bath with a power shower overhead, and you’ll find the odd piece of upcycled rustic wood. Bear is the cosiest room with a cabin ceiling and a vast shower. It too can work as a double (for 1 adult) or twin (for 2 kids), and is good for older children who want a room to themselves.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• WiFi

Eating

Andy’s fresh, local food is a lovely surprise - you don’t expect to find such accomplished cooking on a holiday like this. He’ll mix and match more creative stuff with delicious comfort food - roast chicken, a vegetarian Thai, seafood curry - all just as tasty as his formal dishes.

Breakfast sets you up for the day. You get fresh bread, croissants and pains au chocolat, then homemade yoghurts, jams and muesli or local ham and cheese. There’s fresh juice and always something hot - home-cured smoked bacon and eggs from the chickens in the garden. For lunch you’ll probably eat at a mountain restaurant, or you can pack your own (you'll need to get your own supplies, but they can be stored and prepared in the kitchen).

As for dinner, the 4-course menu is preceded by aperitifs and accompanied by lovely wines. There’s no choice but dietary requirements are discussed in advance. We were served porcini mushroom and Gorgonzola arancini (fabulous), a pumpkin ravioli (light as a feather), a plate of Taleggio cheese (irresistible), then a Sicilian lemon and vanilla pannacotta (the best comes last). Fish and meat are served regularly, and accompanied by seasonal produce, much of it from their kitchen garden.

If you take the whole chalet during the peak ski season, dinner is included for 5 of the 7 nights, along with afternoon tea and drinks. You eat at a big table under a beamed ceiling, or out on the terrace with the mountains looming above.

It's worth noting that dinner is only offered when the whole chalet is booked, but you can book B&B and eat out. When deciding where to go, Andy and Lorraine are happy to make suggestions, book tables and order taxis.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Communal dining
• Kids' meals
• Vegetarian options
• Picnic lunches

Activities

• The Portes du Soleil area straddles France and Switzerland, offering 650km of fantastic skiing, connecting Châtel with Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Champeréy and Morgins. The 6-day passes are well-priced and cover all runs and lifts. Andy and Lorraine can arrange ski hire and advise on local ski schools
  
• If you need a little pampering, head to Lavey-Les-Bains for a blissful dip in the natural thermal pool, with the warmest water in Switzerland
  
• Walking and hiking are the big draws in summer, with lifts running to the top of mountains to make your life easier. Hundreds of km of signposted tracks wait, with low-level walking through valleys and serious hiking in the mountains
  
• Mountain biking and road cycling are hugely popular, too. Mountain biking is more adrenaline-inducing - you can strap your bike to the side of a cable car, then roll (or speed) down the mountain. For a calmer experience, opt for an e-bike!
  
• In summer, the fantastic Châtel multi-pass gives access to 24 lifts, local swimming pools, bathing lakes and tennis courts, plus discounts for bobsleigh runs and the Fantasticable, a zip wire 240m above the valley, which travels at 120kph
  
• Some excellent day trips are on your doorstep: Thonon-Les-Bains for lovely old buildings and beaches on Lake Geneva; Evian, where ferries zip you across to Lausanne in Switzerland, and Montreux (also in Switzerland) for its famous summer jazz festival and Christmas market
  
• Or visit Annecy to the south for some excellent shopping and its picture-perfect lake

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Ice skating
• Mountain biking
• Museums / galleries
• Shopping / markets
• Skiing
• Snowsports
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Well being

Kids

Children are very welcome; the gardens are safe for playing, and there’s an Xbox, TV and playroom to keep them entertained indoors. There’s plenty for kids to do nearby, too - skiing for all levels in winter, and zip wires, bathing lakes, mountain lifts and biking in summer.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Owl has a sofa that cleverly turns into 2 single beds. Bear can be made up as a twin room for 2 older children. Baby cots can be added to some rooms. Note that Owl and Antler are the only rooms with baths; the others have showers only.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1.5 hours (Geneva)
• Shop: 5 minutes (Châtel)
• Hospital: 40km

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Chalet Cannelle is located in the hamlet of Suvay, 1km north of Châtel in the Abondance Valley, France. It’s 5km west of the Swiss border and 35km south of Lake Geneva (also known as Lac Léman).

By Air:
Geneva is not only the nearest airport (75km), but it has a huge range of international flights - click on the links below for a list of airlines. It has exits on the Swiss and French sides of the border. There’s also a small airport near Annecy (110km away), served by internal flights from Paris.

From the Airport
Transfers can be arranged (see Rates), and you don’t need your own car in winter, when travel to and from the ski lifts is included in the price. If you’re coming in summer, we recommend hiring a car to explore - see below.

By Train:
There’s a station at Thonon-Les-Bains (40 minutes from the chalet), served by local trains from Lyon (where you can connect with the high-speed TGV from Paris). There’s also a station at Aigle in Switzerland (about 40km away), with trains to and from Geneva airport; it's connected to Châtel by bus in winter. Andy and Lorraine can arrange transfers from either station.

By Car:
When the snow has vanished a car makes sense, as there’s lots to do in the wider area. See our car rental recommendations. Note that you’ll need a vignette (annual permit) to drive on Swiss motorways.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to France and getting around