Take to the pistes at Sainte Foy

"Not at all. Not. At. All." Even for a French ski instructor, Alex Rippe is blunt. "We will try one more time, and then maybe we stop." I'm not enjoying his lesson, as apart from two sessions at Ski Dubai, I haven't skied for four years. The high-octane memories of previous ski holidays to Val D'Isere, St Anton and Chamonix are being crushed as I slip and slide my way awkwardly down the nursery slope while small children barely out of nappies ski rings around us. I just about manage to board the "magic carpet" without falling over. Still, I need this lesson. It's April 2 and having caught the tail end of an already poor snow season, I'm lucky not to be tackling the thin icy slopes alone. Thankfully, after a serious talking to about my posture (I'm too rigid and lean either forward from the hip or backwards as I go downhill), Alex manages to get me back in control of my skis ("forward from the knee", "weight on the outside edge", "lean downhill") and my speed. It's enough for me to make it from the top of Sainte Foy's beginner's slope to the bottom in a reasonable time without crashing and burning. Like any skill, skiing is all about practice, and after an hour Alex says we're able to tackle one of the resort's five blue runs. Les Combes, the only green run, is a lovely, long descent through trees but is out of action due to lack of snow. "Much better!" Alex shouts, scarcely able to believe the improvement I've shown: so surprised, in fact, that he buys me a coffee at a scenic terrace at the bottom. That's the luxury of an individual lesson over a group one - your progress is about five times as fast. The next morning I'm able to tackle all the reds and blues in the resort - a necessity to access the chairlift to Col de l'Aguille at 2,620m, where there is the best snow and unreal views across the mountain plateau. Yet I've chosen Sainte Foy not solely for its skiing but because of the town's size and location, and the presence of The Peak, a new "boutique chalet" which offers eight luxury rooms, a spa and all meals right next to the slope. Being used to the mega-resorts of Val D'Isere and St Anton, I want something smaller, friendlier and less crowded, and that's certainly what I get. Much of the small village centre is car-free so it feels laidback, family orientated and exclusive without being snobby. Unlike some French ski resorts, a large proportion of its business comes from the UK so people don't object to speaking English. Most of the resort has been purpose-built in the traditional style, with simple pitched roofs and local wood and stone. The Peak, four storeys high, is grander than most of the other properties in town. My room looks out over the nursery slope, which is never crowded during the day and by nightfall it's silent, once the pistes have been groomed. I love being able to breathe the cool night air and watch the moon from my balcony. On the top floor, is a gorgeous open-plan living area with exposed timber and high ceilings. It's where fellow guests - in my case an interesting mix of mostly British skiers - can relax on sofas or in the hot tub on the terrace with views of the Tarantaise valley after a hard, or not so hard, day's skiing. I meet Barry, a pilot with Virgin Atlantic, Sophie, an actress and three generations of the same family - two well-behaved young children, their parents and grandparents. Each night we're served an elaborate three- or four-course dinner (roast duck in orange sauce one night, fillet steak the next) and mornings see freshly baked croissants and crusty bread delivered from the bakery in addition to a hot breakfast. It's means I'm able to be first on the lifts without rising at the crack of dawn and trudging miles through town or onto a bus. I simply grab my ski boots from the ground-floor boot room and step out onto the slope. There are no queues for the lifts, the slopes aren't crowded and the quality of food at the restaurants in the converted farm buildings on the pistes - particularly Brevettes and La Maison a Colonnes, which offer big salads, tasty stews, raclette and other comfort food - is excellent.