Doucy

The praise is for the quiet, human-scale village and its family atmosphere with none of the resort noise. The ESF ski school stands out, with instructors described as patient and attentive with children. Over the holidays visitors appreciate the concerts, hot chocolate, torchlit descents and fireworks. The practical plus mentioned most often is the direct link into the large Valmorel and Saint-Francois-Longchamp area, with the Lanchettes lift reached in roughly twenty minutes.

Its low position draws criticism: snow arrives later here and holds less well than higher up. The lifts are called dated - an old chair and two very long drags, with breakdowns a regular occurrence, and on poor days the trip back has taken a full hour. The pass is considered expensive for what the local slopes deliver. Shopkeepers are described as unfriendly, and there is neither a bakery nor a doctor on site.