With epic views of Mont Blanc, Saint Gervais is one of the more scenic places to ski in the Alps and yet it’s just an hour from Geneva. The town forms part of a network of hamlets and villages that comprise the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski resort – which boasts 445km of slopes. The skiing on offer mostly suits beginners and intermediates happy to cruise the corduroy but there are some more challenging runs at the top of Mt Joly and some decent off-piste between the trees after a snowfall.
On the other side of the mountain lies upmarket Megève waiting to be explored. It’s linked by lift, while Les Houches – gateway to Chamonix – is a 20 minute drive down the road.