You could hear it long before we arrived, but when the Folie Douce ski resort finally heaved into view out of the fog, it felt like the Playboy show scene in Apocalypse Now.
He once made a bottle of wine go round seven and believes lunch is a luxury. It makes you wonder, as family members head to Sandringham whether they shouldn t pack a few extra sandwiches.
For decent value on the slopes, experience tells us that we should head to Bulgaria – to the likes of Borovets and Bansko, renowned for their budget-friendly hotels and après ski. But not necessarily anymore, says the Post Office: Italy now tops its table of Europe’s cheapest ski spots, namely the resort of Bardonecchia, on the border with France about an hour west of Turin.