LIKE ITS ESPACE CRISTAL PREDECESSOR, the name might not sound too familiar, but this is an area about which you’re going to be hearing a lot more as it continues to expand and develop. Located just south of Megève (to which it may one day become linked), the Espace Diamant brings together the ski areas of the Val d’Arly with those around Hauteluce and Les Saisies (above) in the Beaufortain. The result is currently one of the best kept secrets in the French Alps, with a wealth of varied terrain and great snow record, thanks to the nearby presence of Mont Blanc.

Accommodation-wise, the choice is between the traditional village feel of the Val d’Arly and the more developed (but still attractive) style of Les Saisies. Not surprisingly, the latter attracts major tour operators, leaving villages like Flumet, Praz sur Arly, Notre Dame de Bellecombe and Crest Voland to independent travellers looking for something more authentic. That said, Peak Retreats already lists Notre Dame de Bellcombe, while MGM Constructeur is busy completing new luxury apartments close to Crest Voland. One to watch, then.

Our approach from the Val d’Arly, past venerable, unmodernised mountain chalets, suggests that this is going to be interesting. Sure enough, the sinuous route up to Crest Voland requires a steady hand — not easy when there’s so much dramatic scenery to distract the eye.

Crest Voland is at first glance the classic mountain ski village, with a cheerful, welcoming style and a refreshingly strict low-rise planning policy. The ski-lifts are also located close to the heart of the village. Best of all, snow conditions are perfect when we arrive, so next morning we set off early with Alexis, our ESF moniteur, on a grand tour of the terrain above the Val d’Arly.

The circle game

We begin above Notre Dame de Bellecombe on Mont Rond (1767m), swooping down through silent wooded glades and heading back up to the exposed vastness of Mont Vores (2069m). The sheer scale of the terrain becomes apparent as we work our way systematically around the mountain and down into Praz sur Arly, almost 900m below. If it’s going to be a high-mileage day, then bring it on.

Fresh snow above Hauteluce, en-route for Les Saisies.

Our lunch stop, La Montagnette, looks, feels and smells like an authentic chalet restaurant and enjoys a tranquil setting below the Roc des Evettes, between Praz and Flumet. Copiously warmed and refreshed we press onward to tackle the assortment of drag lifts serving this area. Low-tech it may appear, but the system works and gets us where we're heading, back up to Mont Rond for a final run back into Notre-Dame de Bellecombe, where we started.

Bonus time

So, we’ve made a full circuit around the mountains in a single day and seen something of what the various areas have to offer. But we know that there’s a lot more enjoyment to be had by digging a little deeper to exploring the many hidden valleys and glades we overlooked in the quest for the grand tour. Not that we’ve done that, just yet.

Cohennoz is an authentic mountain village little touched by time.

Next morning we set off from Crest Voland to see another side of the Espace Diamant’s engaging personality, namely the area extending into the next valley, known as the Beaufortain. From Mont Lachat (1650m) we work our way through more pristine forest to the Chard du Beurre (1889m) and La Legette (1865m), for the exhilarating steep plunge down between ancient mountain chalets above Hauteluce. Things get gentler, though, as we approach the popular ski village of Les Saisies, for the onward run over Mont Bisanne (1940m). Again we’re covering a lot of ground, and there’s more to come on the long, wooded cruise back to Cohennoz. The silence and beauty of it all is haunting, adding yet another dimension to the remarkable Espace Diamant.

At Cohennoz our journey is almost over. One final haul back up to Mont Lachat lets us drop down towards Crest Voland. During a welcome lunch break on the restaurant terrace of le Vent Volet we gaze out at the pistes and try to take in all we’ve seen and done in just two days. Conclusion: this place really is amazing.

© Roger Moss