[Anyone who says that the snow this year is poor should have been in the French Alps this week.

What should have been a quick and easy pre-Christmas trip turned into a marathon snow-driving experience.

With the road up to Courchevel 1850 temporarily closed, I took the bubble car from Le Praz (the lowest of the four villages) up to 1850. Not only did it take less than 8.5 minutes, it also got me thinking about how easy it now was to find a charming village house in Courchevel 1300, and how easy it was to reach the 1850 slopes, lifestyle, restaurants and bars.

For the price difference between the two villages, the 8.5-minute lift might be a trade worth making.

Not only was Courchevel sitting in a lush covering of white joy, I also managed to fit into my whistle-stop tour the resorts of Meribel, Val d'Isere and Megeve, all of which were enjoying some of the best snow they have seen for years.

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Alps for Christmas, I am sure you will have a very, very merry one!