Odalys Residence Front de Neige

The apartments are very basic, but comfortable enough to sleep in after a long day skiing. Getting onto the piste from the block is one of the best things about the place. It isn't quite ski-in/ski-out, but with enough snow you can ski through the woods down to the telecabine. From Milk Hotel, it's a short uphill walk to Front de Neige. I didn't drive, though the car park looks very busy and parking seems a bit chaotic for visitors. The residence is at the top of a hill and a considerable walk from the Telecabine and town, so it can be difficult to reach if you're not very mobile. There are also lots of stairs, which could be a problem with a pushchair or fitness challenges. A few rooms are on the ground floor.

The staff were really nice and helpful, and we had a great time. We booked the cheapest studio, listed for four people, but good luck fitting four in there. For the two of us it was perfect. It's one of the cheapest places in town and has pretty much what you need. We were only missing a few kitchen and bathroom things, like a hairdryer and whisk. For breakfast you can order baguettes, croissants, and so on at reception. The food was high quality and not expensive, so I'd recommend trying it at least once. We had trouble finding the emergency number for getting into our apartment when we arrived. I'd suggest putting it on the bulletin board with the other numbers too.

The place is in a superb spot, but getting around the spread-out building is a workout. The apartments are on several levels, a long way from car access, and there are no elevators. With limited parking, carrying luggage up all those staircases is hard work. If you’re here to ski, you could call it a warm-up, but it’s plainly unsuitable for disabled guests. Inside, some original fittings sit alongside flashy bathroom renovations, but the plumbing is still shared. You can hear and smell neighboring toilet flushes. Tiled floors carry every scraped chair through the building, and conversations from other apartments echo through the floors too.

These apartments feel very cozy, with plenty of character. They do seem a little dated, as if they were built about half a century ago.