Brides Les Bains’ history as a health resort means you’ll find several dozen doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths, hydrotherapists and dieticians. There’s even a rare in-ski-resort psychologist and a couple of vets should you bring your dog along and it catches a cold.

On the pampering side though there are several beauticians, hairdressers and a relaxation therapist but the main attraction is Le Grand Spa des Alpes (+33 (0)4 79 55 23 44; http://www.legrandspadesalpes.com) which offers 2,100 square metres of relaxation space.

Facilities here include seven treatment rooms, a solarium and two outdoor Jacuzzis. There’s a huge range of relaxation and health programmes available for part-day or multi-day visits.