Fancy-free in france

WITH SUMMER ALMOST over, we at last managed an all-too-short driving holiday, discovering the Val de Loire region of France over seven days in our 2005 Maserati Cambiocorsa. That the Loire is one of t

It’s a dog’s life. Staying in Val Cenis, the day started cold, but with the astonishing clarity of sunshine and light you only find in the mountains in winter. Kitted out in my warmest gear, I took th

There is no such thing as a cheap skiing trip. Even budget skiing breaks are anything but budget when all of the extras such as lift passes, equipment hire and après ski are added into the equation. S

On arrival at Arc 1800, one of five resorts in the Les Arcs ski region in southeast France, we were surprised to discover a 4ft dump of snow had fallen overnight. Skis were parked up, snowmen were bei

Paris to Tokyo. Budget-ish airlines will fly you for as little as 300 quid. Although for that price you get a free 20 hour stopover and an imprint of your seat neighbour’s elbow in your ear lobe. Or,

Alex Roddie takes his snowshoes from Scotland to the Austrian Tyrol – and finds out just how far he can push them