Megève is the French Alps without the swagger. The Rothschild family developed it in the 1920s as a French alternative to St Moritz, and what they built was a village — cobbled streets, a medieval church square, horse-drawn sleighs still working in winter — rather than a purpose-built resort bolted onto a mountain.

It sits lower than Courchevel at around 1,100 metres, with Mont Blanc directly across the valley. The skiing spreads across the Evasion Mont-Blanc area, and the village keeps a genuine year-round life of its own.

Americans usually choose Megève over the higher resorts for three reasons: it is about an hour from Geneva rather than a long transfer, the village works for a family where not everyone skis, and the atmosphere is quieter. If you want to be seen, Courchevel is the better choice — and we will say so. If you want somewhere your children can walk to a bakery, Megève is it.