There she was: black-and-white photographs of Bardot skiing in the Alps in the 50s and 60s. Megève, Courchevel, Val d’Isère. Long legs, narrow trousers, oversized sweaters. No helmet. No effort. She looks as if she’s gliding through winter the way she moved through life

By midday, skis are clipped off, sunglasses go on, and suddenly I found myself dancing on tables while DJs, live musicians and cabaret-style performers wearing flamboyant attire brought full festival energy to the mountains. It’s loud, joyful and unapologetically extra — and that’s exactly the point.

Admittedly, my favourite part of the week was an indulgent afternoon spent in the outdoor jacuzzi, surrounded by snowcapped peaks. For an ex