Roche Blanche

Apartment 169 is tiny, filthy, and has no ventilation or proper heating. The photos must have been taken by someone who knows Photoshop well. Unsafe, uneven internal alterations left both small beds sloping, which made it hard to sleep. The owner Olivier/Bezombes is obnoxious and, in my view, a compulsive liar. He promises everything, then denies it all even when the contract says otherwise. In emails he picks and chooses when he can understand English, then acts like a gangster. Total conman. Avoid this rental and spend your money elsewhere.

Being so close to the pistes was really handy, and having three elevators helped too. I liked that lockers are required. It was pretty noisy during my stay, though. Maybe I just got unlucky.

The rooms are small and self-catered, with ski-in, ski-out access and storage for each room. There’s a lift once you’re inside, but you have to use stairs to get to the main entrance.

Right in the centre of Val Thorens, which is great, but the shared facilities really need attention. Two of the three lifts weren’t working.