Ryan says: “Travelling to Val Thorens by train was an enlightening experience to say the least. I had never taken an overnight sleeper before, but I will be doing it in the future whenever possible to go skiing. Boarding the train at King’s Cross was simple and far less intrusive than going through an airport.

“The main benefit first and foremost is not having to think about your luggage limit as you can take as much as you can carry on the train. We took a load of food and drink with us to see us through the journey too (plenty of wine!) and had fun sharing snacks, stories and drinks with our fellow passengers.

“The return journey was more placid, as you may expect after an exhausting week of skiing, but again the short transfer to the train station at Moutiers was welcomed. Both journeys went without a hitch and I would recommend the direct train to anyone, provided you don’t mind sleeping in a chair (they are large and comfortable).

“Avoiding the super early start at Gatwick and the views from your window when the sun rises are great, but the standout bonus of train travel for me was the fact I got two extra full days of skiing in, having arrived early on the Saturday and left after supper a week later. Next time maybe I’ll take in a night in Paris en route!”