Hi,
The location is unique. I am standing on one of the sunniest balconies in the Durance Valley, near the historical busy trading town of Briançon, surrounded by fortresses and colourful houses. This relatively small town is the highest in Europe. It has 300 days of sunshine a year. Not only is it less that 1/4-hour from the Italian border, it is close to the Les Ecrins National Park, with its 4000-metre peaks and glaciers.

And the well kept secret that is the Vallée de la Clarée - another perfect place for hikes and year-round mountain activities.
Why don't more people know about this region? And why hasn't anyone done what Matthew and Hélène have done? Lots of unanswered questions come into my still sleepy mind.

Was it the bark of a dog or the crow of a cockerel that woke me from my deep, childlike sleep? I rub my eyes and step out on to the balcony, to be greeted by another sunny day in the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. I drink in the stunning scenery before me: a rocky, seemingly sculptured mountain to the south; a couple of more gently sloping peaks and intriguing valleys opposite; and the lovely garden below me.

The smell of toast and coffee brings me back to reality. Time for breakfast with my excited holiday friends, chatting away about what delights they will discover today.

There are mountain holidays where you start by buying enough food for a week, filling up the tiny fridge in the four-person studio "apartment" barely big enough for two. Stepping out into a concrete suburbia on to the slopes. All so industrialised that you have the feeling you never really left home.

And then there are the holidays at Chez Bear, an entirely new vacation experience. I would call it a small first-class hotel - no, a country house/chalet - located where you would least expect it.
 

Just minutes away from the bustling southern French town of Briançon, yet high up in a charming mountain hamlet, you will find this beautifully restored, privately owned farmhouse, well preserved in old mountain style, yet with all modern facilities and that little extra touch of exquisite taste. No white paint or pine wood, but lovely aged larch beams and warmly welcoming and cosy rooms. Every one of them is decorated in an individual style that makes you feel at home. But who gets treated like a lord at home?
 
 Our nearest skilift in the Serre Chevalier domaine is only 4 minutes drive away but today we decide to take a 20-minute ride through the extended valley of La Guisane to Monetier les Bains taking us to the highest resort where both families and keen off-piste enthusiasts look for fresh powder falls. We'll ski back to Briancon taking lunch on the way and Hélène will pick us up later, about a couple of drinks into the après-ski hour.

The skiing is great, as well as different from my previous Alpine experiences. Not just in Serre Chevalier, but also in the smaller resorts in the surrounding valleys of the Hautes Alpes, as the whole region is called. Although it has modern skiing facilities, there is a southern French relaxed atmosphere and charm about it. There is something most genuine, especially when you find out some locals still keep their sheep in their houses during the winter!

So there you have it. Matthew and Hélène's idea is simple yet sophisticated. They do everything for you, beginning with a gentle knock on your door with your first chocolat chaud and croissant of the day, and then you decide which of the 8 ski domaines you should try today. Or, if you fancy, do something different, such as the Via Ferrata - a different sort of Alpine walk which takes you to new heights. 

Just like the haute cuisine meals that top chef Matthew, chef to the celebrities, prepares for you while you relax in front of the open fire enjoying a drink. If you don't fancy a five-course gourmet meal, there is always the pizza oven in the lounge for simple mountain fayre.

It doesn't take long to realise that this is the El Dorado of active holidays. It has some of the finest rock and ice climbing in the Alps, as well as river-kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, walking, paragliding, canoeing, to mention just a few activities. In winter, there is downhill skiing and heliskiing (Italy) in the resorts of Sestrière, Montgenèvre, Serre Chevalier, Puy St. Vincent, La Grave and Les Deux Alpes. There is also brilliant touring on cross country skis, snowshoes, etc. You won't get bored during your stay, I promise you.

and so to bed...