Quick hits in Les Carroz

Needafixofthewhitestuff?Strappedfortime?Thisquiet, rathercharmingcorneroftheSavoieregionwillgiveyourspring alittlejoiedevivre,saysRichardBath

How do you fit in skiing if you're hideously time poor, with a job that is all-consuming over the winter months? This was my conundrum for almost 10 years as my 'second' job as a rugby journalist collided with my skiing addiction. There are many commitments in life you can reshuffle, but apparently rugby's governing body didn't fancy moving the Six Nations so I could get my annual fix of the white stuff.

The solution lay in two words: Les Carroz. This lovely little French ski resort is 45 minutes from Geneva airport, and has pretty much preserved my sanity for much of the last decade.

I'm lucky that my skiing buddy, Graeme, lives in Divonne-Les-Bains on Lake Geneva, just 10 minutes from the airport. On a Sunday or Monday after covering a rugby game, I'd catch the 06.30 Easyjet flight from Edinburgh, wearing all my ski kit apart from my salopettes. I'd smuggle aboard comically oversized hand luggage containing my boots and helmet, then forcibly wedge it into the overhead luggage rack.

As we hit the tarmac in Geneva at 09.40, I'd rush off the plane while texting my chauffeur. Ten minutes later Graeme and I would be en route to Les Carroz, a journey punctuated by a rapid pit-stop at a rental store to pick up skis (the owner appears to know me -last year he laughed and declared to his sidekick "Ah, le retour du grand massif"). By 10.45, we had parked at the Timolets red run and were sitting on our first lift of the day. Sometimes I'd stay for one night and two days of skiing, sometimes two nights. We'd either commute to

Graeme and his wife Tami's home, or stay in Les Carroz. Either way, Graeme and I are well-matched advanced intermediates who go hard at red runs all day, eking as many runs as possible from first lift to last. After two or three days I'd catch the 8.10pm flight back from Geneva airport, and be home by 10.30pm, refreshed and ready for work the next morning.

VARIETY...ANDSECRETSTASHES

Let me back up a little. If I've made Les Carroz sound like somewhere you only go if you're time poor, then I'm dramatically underselling one of my favourite ski resorts. I first visited in 2002 and fell in love with this traditional and charming, yet quiet Savoyarde family resort. It's low-key and relaxed, with a main square lined with bars, butchers and bakers, which suggest there's a real community here.

There's also an outdoor ice rink and sledging area for families, heated outdoor pool, and a market on Tuesday mornings. As I was there to ski and chill rather than party, it had everything I wanted, and before I started my series ofwham-bam-thank-you-maam trips after 2014, I had two further week-long trips there.

But why? Sure it's ridiculously accessible, very French, phenomenal value compared to the more chi-chi French resorts, and we found some outstanding accommodation. But, most importantly, as part of the Grand Massif ski area you can access 265km of pistes across Les Carroz, Plaine, Samoens, Morillon and Sixt, taking in a dizzying variety of terrain.

Les Carroz is quite low at 1,140m (its top lift is 2,480m), but has a good snow record and is connected to Flaine, one of France's most snow-sure resorts. The skiing at Les Carroz, with its 32 pistes and 15lifts, is particularly beloved of beginners and lower intermediates (I brought my oldest son here for his first ski trip), with several long green runs through the trees ending up back at the village. The resort even recently created a low-priced beginners' lift pass giving access to a handful of slopes for novices to find their feet on.

There is also a huge amount of skiing for intermediates to clock up mileage, especially if you range over to Samoens, Flaine and Morillon, which are all easily accessible and always on my agenda. There's also great on-mountain food -I particular commend L'Igloo (when in Samoens mountain biking, I fell and broke four ribs, only to find the lift took me to L'Igloo,so despite being thoroughly bloodied I stopped and had the cepes with pepper sauce on rustic bread and smoked cheese, arguably my favourite ever mountain meal, before heading to hospital).

But to label Les Carroz as simply a beginner and intermediate resort is to miss a trick -there are also some unexpectedly great stashes hidden away in the most unlikely places for stronger skiers. The area has 15 black runs and there are some wonderful powder bowls heading towards Flaine and Samoens, while the Corbalanche freeride area is accessible from the new Tete des Saix chairlift.

Local favourite the Piste des Cascades pitches at 40%, and if that's not adrenalised enough for you, try the narrow moguls of the Diamant Nair, the crevasses of the Flaine bowl, or hire a guide and take on the daunting Combe de Gers basin. Personally, I particularly enjoy a short but feisty black mogul field, the Feline, which is barely 100 yards from the main lift but hardly skied.

If you've got more esoteric tastes, the area can accommodate most snowsport activities. Les Carroz has two boardercross courses and the Oasis Cool Zone snowpark caters for all levels. Cross-country skiing is on 17km of tracks at the Col de Pierre Carree, while a free shuttle bus links Les Carroz to 50km of paths at nearby Agy. Paragliding, fat biking, dog sledding, snow shoeing trips and nocturnal 'snake' sledging (several sledges attached together in a line) are also available, and most evenings there is a torchlit ski procession down the mountain, which is watched by half the village.

Sleepsandeats

While accommodation in Les Carroz is mainly apartments, on my first trip (and all subsequent trips) we stayed at the luxurious Chalet Calluna, a catered chalet run by Aubin and Jackie Roger. These cheery Fife farmers sold their land near St Andrews 25 years ago and decamped to Les Carroz, where they have been joined by their son Mark, a former ski racer and sous chef in several Michelin-starred restaurants. Not only is the food stunning, but Mark is a knowledgeable skiing companion.

Now married to Nadine, who also has a background in five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, Chalet Calluna is being refurbished with the younger Rogers running nearby four-bedroomed Chalet Erica on the same formula.

All are surprisingly good, rather like Les Carroz. Indeed, on this year's trip, my annual ski companion Graeme seemed to be suspiciously well-informed on small gastronomic changes at Les Carroz's restaurants, and even the conditions of the various runs. Living where he does, he has access to a huge range of popular resorts within 90 minutes' drive, but always opts for Les Carroz and its four sister resorts.

It turns out Graeme's been doing a lot of research. "I always get drawn back here," he told me. "The Grand Massif has something for every condition, plus good food, small queues and free parking. And although it's not much further to go elsewhere and a change is always good, there are plenty of reasons why this place has become a habit I don't intend to break. Why would I go anywhere else?" Touche.

Factfile

SKI

A skipassgivingunlimitedaccessto thefiveGrandMassifskiareascosts€54JJerdayfor an adultand€43for 8-15yearolds(childrenaged7 or under,or adultsaged75andoverare free),with nodiscountfor buyingmultipledays(exceptconvenience).TheVillagesskiJJass, whichdoesn'tgiveaccessto Flaine,costs€48 (€39for 8-15yearolds),whilethe LesCarrozonlybeginners'JJassis€27(€20fm 8-15yearolds).