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Welcome to one of my favourite places I have ever stayed: The Landscape Lodge, a beautifully designed chalet located in a small hamlet close to Abondance in the French Alps. I spent two nights here last month as part of a holiday visiting my friends who live just a short drive away from the mountain, and I honestly did not want to leave. The weather was mostly grey and cloudy during our stay (my favourite weather for moody photography) but we were also treated to cloudless blue skies and warm sunshine on our last day. I’m already tempted to book to return both in the height of summer and the depths of winter, to see how the dramatic landscape surrounding the chalet changes throughout the year.

The Landscape Lodge comfortably sleeps nine people over four double bedrooms (one featuring a cabin bed tucked away in the eaves for little ones) plus it has a nursery with two cots for babies or toddlers. There is an additional annex on the ground floor that sleeps four. There were only three of us, so we had an en-suite bedroom to ourselves - I chose the ‘pink room’ on the top floor, mainly due to the incredible views of the mountains on the opposite side of the valley from the balcony, but also because I fell in love with the pink bathroom. Each morning, the first thing I did when I woke was pull back the curtain and step out on the balcony to breath in that fresh mountain air and watch the mist rolling across the mountains.

However much I loved my cosy attic bedroom, there were so many other nooks and crannies where I found myself curled up with a glass of wine or cup of tea. Lounging on one of the comfy chairs in front of the fire place, perched on the adirondack chairs on the wrap-around porch, soaking in the wood-fired bath, or sat at the large dining table, admiring the view through the large windows while dining on one of the many feasts we cooked up in the well-equipped kitchen. Every time you settled down to sit somewhere new, your eye was drawn to the beautifully curated antique and artisan-crafted objects that owner, Fran has collected over the years. An inspiring collection of coffee table books, a wonderful wicker fruit basket that I was tempted to wrestle into my suitcase, the most lovely array of ceramics, vintage skis and snow shoes, and much more.

We had planned our trip around hitting the local ski slopes, balancing our time between learning to ski (my friend who lives nearby is a very good skier and luckily for us, also an excellent teacher), sipping apres ski aperols in the sunshine and getting cosy in the lodge. The first day, we visited the weekly market in Abondance and stocked up on baked goods at a nearby bakery, before spending a few hours on the training slopes. The overall ski area is named Portes du Soleil, with 12 alpine resorts within a short drive of the lodge. We had the option of heading to more well-known resorts such as Avoriaz, Morzine and Les Gets, but decided to stay more local in Chatel. On the second day, we chose not to ski and headed higher up the slopes on the chair lift to find ‘real’ snow, watch skiers ascend the black slopes and enjoy a couple of drinks and platefuls of crepes. The last day was filled with skiing in the sunshine, followed by chips and an aperol spritz al fresco.

Wanting to spend as much time at the chalet as possible, we opted to eat out during the day and retreat to The Landscape Lodge in the evening for long cosy nights beside the fire. We cooked dinner both nights, taking our time to cook and then lingering over our meals, eaten by candlelight. The lodge may be large and predominantly openplan, but the combination of under-floor heating and a roaring fire kept us snug and toasty throughout our stay. Not to mention the hot tub, located out on the patio with views of the trees and mountains.

If you’re looking for a cosy mountain den with beautiful surroundings and carefully considered interiors, look no further than The Landscape Lodge. Although our visit coincided with ski season, I visited the area last summer and fell in love with the mountains and lake during the hot summer months.

Find out more about The Landscape Lodge and book your stay.