This cute apartment is an absolute must-rent if you are planning on staying in the Briancon area for hiking, cycling or skiing. We are a Canadian family of 4 (2 parents+2 teenagers) who have rented the apartment during all 4 seasons and we cannot recommend it enough for it's cleanliness, spaciousness and location.
The apartment is fully equipped with every appliance and kitchen ware one could require. There's even a dishwasher and fondue/raclette machine! If you have teenagers the free and high speed wifi is also a bonus. The very efficient use of space makes the apartment feel very open and spacious and we found it to be very cosy, especially in the winter after a cold day on the slopes.
The location is UNBEATABLE. Firstly, you get free parking in an actual gated parking lot. This is an incredible bonus especially during the summer and winter months when there are lots of tourists and definitely not enough parking areas throughout the city. Secondly, you are literally right at the base of the gondola. You go down the elevator, out the door, walk 100m and voila! you are on the gondola and on your way to skiing the entire Serre Chevalier range. If you don't want to ski along the range then you can step onto the shuttle bus that stops right outside the apartment. The shuttle bus is free for pass holders or 3euro and runs throughout the ski season almost hourly. Lastly, you are a 10 minute walk to the very quaint Briancon city centre where you'll find great coffee, baguettes and other little shops and eateries to explore. If you prefer large scale shops the Carrefour and Geant are a 2 minute drive away or a ten minute walk on the flats. The old town is a 20 minute walk uphill or a 5 minute drive.
The best part of this apartment though is the owner - Arielle.
If you are new to the area and want to discover all its incredible hiking potential then we recommend that you hire her as your guide. When we first arrived in Briancon we realized that getting a guide would be the best way to see the mountains safely and easily. We hired Arielle(who is a certified mountain guide) for a three day hike called Le Tour des Cerces. What an incredible adventure we had. Arielle took care of everything in terms of booking refuge accommodations, lunches, even transport. She also gave us a rich introduction to the area with information on the flora and fauna, history, geographical points of interest etc.
Unbeatable location, fully equipped, clean and charming rental!