Chambéry

It's hardly a secret that most people choose charter flights to Chambéry as a stepping-stone into the French Alps. The airport here is one of the closest to some of the best and biggest ski resorts in Europe – nay, the world. Less than an hour through the peaks to the southeast brings you to the Three Valleys, which clocks up a whopping 600kms of piste and one of the highest ski towns on the continent. The same driving distance to the south opens the runs of Alpe d'Huez, a rambunctious resort where the Dom Perignon flows in La Folie Douce.

Linger in Chambéry before whizzing off to the mountains; you'll find plenty to like. Elegant facades like the Chateau de Chambéry decorate a relaxed and easy-going centre, which is also laced with charming delicatessens bursting with pungent regional cheeses and fantastic Savoie wines. There are also pretty fountains and Parisian-style cafés for people watching amid the foothills of the Alps.