A flight to Geneva and bus transfer to Morzine/Avoriaz/Les Gets means you can be standing at the top of the mountain, taking in that spectacular view, the icy cold air and ready to take on your first piste less than three hours from stepping on an aircraft in London. Can it get better than that? Well, yes it can....
Although the Portes du Soleil ski area is easily the best and cheapest mini-break option from London, there is a quiet corner of the most fabulous runs that is almost unknown.
Mont Chery
No matter how busy the main Morzine and Avoriaz resorts are, just around the corner is a secret slice of skiers' paradise called Mont Chery.
On the piste map, it may not look so great: four black runs, four red, and just one blue. How is that going to keep you entertained? But the secret is the tranquility. Nobody goes there, so even at half-term, the mountain is deserted, and you can explore some wonderful pistes across the mountain, as well as some hectic stuff through the trees, all without the crowds.
Mont Chery also has some fabulous restaurants and cafes.
Two sides of the mountain
There are two sides to the mountain. you arrive on the cable car from Les Gets at the bottom of The red runs Chamois and Epervieron (on the left side of the map below) the face of Chery. These are very wide, and although they could be challenging for a beginner, the mountain is always empty, so you an take your time coming down. As you can see, there is also a blue to the right, Ourson. You can easily traverse these slopes whilst slowly descending. There is also a lesser known track that is basically a well-groomed blue/green, that sneaks down the back of the mountain. To get to this take the chair lift TS De La Pointe at the top go left off the chair and stay on the ridge as you travel along keep a close eye out for a red pole on the left, this is the start of the track (about 300 metres along) . You need to stay on this track otherwise you will end up on the red run, so keep eyes peeled as the track turns right. It speeds up a bit here and then you will reach a T junction, now turn left, this next bit is fantastic as the track flattens right out and there is a great view of the village below you will end up back at the same chairlift.
Marmottes/Chevreuil - the real fun
The far side of the Chery is where they real fun begins. Take the De La Pointe chair up to the ridge-line (and hey, stop off here for a second - because it has the most fantastic 360-degree view, across to Mont Blanc and Avoriaz). then you have two options:
Down the ridge-line to the very far end, and then ski off to the right, on to the fabulous Marmottes. This is a fabulous steep-ish red, which is almost always totally deserted. Hurtle down at break-neck speed, or do some very wide traversing as takes your fancy.
And for the more audacious - a turn left or right, and you are into the trees.
At the bottom of the run is the Chery Nord lift. But don't miss the cute little shack and deck-chairs to have a coffee, beer, some frites, or sneakily unpack your picnic lunch. you can't get more tranquil that here.
back up to the top on the Chery Nord lift, and instead of following the ridgeline down to the end, take a peak over to the right.
In front of you is a black mogul field that can be as easy or tough as you want. head way over to the right for a more gentle slope of bumps - and as ever, nobody around so you can take your time, a great place to build confidence. Or just head straight on down for a steep run at it under the lift.
Towards the bottom of this Chevreuil run, it mergers with the red Marmottes, so if you are part of a group skiing the different runs, this is where you can meet up for a canter to the finish.
Getting to Mont Chery
You can either directly drive or take a bus to Les Gets village, and take the cable car; or ski in from Morzine. From Morzine take the cable car up to the Nyon bowl. Head up to the Pointe de Nyon take a run down to the Charniaz Express chair. Take this way up to the top of the Ranfoilly bowl, using the lifts of Rhodes and Fenerets. Next head back to the top of Nauchets Express lift and take the long blue Gentiane which takes you all the way down to Les Gets village. To get to the Mont Chery bubble cabin, you then cross the road and walk through town – or take the free train/bus.
Did somebody say lunch?
Mont Chery is not short of places to stop and eat. Towards the bottom of the Chevreuil run, on the right, you will find the Grande Ourse restaurant. Breath-taking views, wonderful home-cooked food, deck chairs outside in the sun and a hearty fire inside, and a warm family welcome for lunch and dinner. At 1,725m, it is the highest altitude restaurant in Les Gets. Chef Ross Venning is as passionate about his food as his skiing. As well as a stop-off during the day, you can visit by night, carried up Mont Chèry on a piste basher under the moonlight. http://www.lagrandeourse.eu
And here is what the good folk at Tripadvisor say:https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g196708-d1718471-Reviews-La_Grande_Ourse-Les_Gets_Haute_Savoie_Auvergne_Rhone_Alpes.html
A quiet retreat at the bottom of the hill
La Chanterelle is my favourite stop-off point. It’s at the bottom of the fabulous red and back runs, always quiet and has the basics – coffee, sandwiches, and French fries if you are so includes. It always seems a sea of tranquillity, while there are queues elsewhere across Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets.
Getting back
At the end of the day and you want to go home, take the red Chamois run (snow permitting) all the way back down to Les Gets village (across a couple of roads take care if you have your own skis). You can also take the cable car down instead if the legs are weak. You then take the little train back to the centre of Les Gets and hop on the Chavannes Express lift. This will take you back to the Belle Mouille run, which is well on the way back to where you started. Take the Troncs Express, which brings you back to the top of the runs in the Nyon bowl and then just head down the mountain back to the car park!
But be warned, if you want to ski back to Morzine, are you are having a ball on the far side of Mont Chery, you need to allow some time to get across all those lifts. Make sure your run down the Chery Nord side is no later than 3.30pm!