There isn't a short and sweet answer to this... We could tell people that it was because of a purple one-piece ski suit... but that's not true! We used to be "Ski Crêtet" when we had just Chalet Le Crêtet; in 1999 we decided to change as we'd expanded and Crêtet was no longer relevant - and difficult to pronounce! We wanted a web presence, and also needed a name that no one else had. Colours in company names were very fashionable at the time (Orange, Red Hat etc.), so Michael, Purple Ski's founder, decided on "Purple Ski". The colour purple symbolises very positive things - courage, nobility (Roman Emperors wore purple as the dye was very expensive and rare!) and some spiritual qualities too ... all in all it felt right!

Since 1991.

A 25% deposit is required to secure the booking, with the balance due 8 weeks before the start of your holiday. You can pay for your holiday by bank transfer or credit card.

We don't have an 'end of stay bill' as such. Most things (food, drinks, unlimited champagne) are included in the price of your holiday. If you do buy any extras, such as lift passes, we try to collect payment from you at the beginning of the week so that you can relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday. The exception to this is the massage service, which is generally paid for after you have used it. However, if you intend to purchase several extras in resort and would prefer to keep a running tab, we would be happy to collect payment from you at the end of the week.

We will be in touch by email a few weeks before your stay, to help you organise your holiday and pre-book extras such as transfers, lift passes, lessons/guides, and ski equipment rental. If your holiday is during a peak week (Christmas, New Year, February half term, and Easter) then everything will need to be pre-arranged, as availability will become limited and it is very unlikely you will be able to book anything in resort.

For non-peak weeks, it is still advisable to book ahead of time, particularly for transfers and lessons which can become fully booked even in the low season. Restaurants can usually be booked in resort outside of peak weeks, but for peace of mind it may be best to let us know any bookings you would definitely like to make so we can secure them for you.

If you are in any doubt, please just email or call the office and we will help you arrange anything that needs pre-booking.

• Your tickets, passport and visas (if required). Remember to check that your passport is valid for the duration of the holiday; we recommend that the validity extends for at least 6 months beyond your planned date of return.
• If you have not arranged for us to buy your lift passes in advance, please remember that a proof of age (e.g. passport) will be required for any discounted passes, and a proof of relationship (passport/birth certificate) for family passes (photocopies are preferable).
• Your credit cards (MasterCard or Visa cards are widely accepted in France, even for small transactions) and your debit card (for withdrawing cash from the many cash machines in the resort) with their PIN numbers, and a small quantity of Euros.
• Ski suits, hats, helmets, gloves (or mittens for children), goggles, sunglasses, SUNCREAM. For young children, you might want to sew elastic wrist bands onto their mittens - they are easily lost otherwise!
• The chalets are equipped with Apple TV, a DVD player, iPod docking station, and PlayStation 3. There is a small selection of traditional PlayStation 3 games and DVDs, but do feel free to bring your own games and films along, together with your iPod and CDs. Please ask your chalet staff for further information.
• Please also bring a pair of indoor shoes.

You do not need to bring towels, dressing gowns, slippers, hair driers, linen, cots, high chairs or baby listeners as these are all provided. We also provide full sized L'Occitane toiletries (bubble bath, shower gel, body lotion, soaps and shampoo).

Yes we do and they are definitely the best way to get to us! As well as being very competitively priced (we benchmark against all other reputable and professional operators each year) we have great vehicles (nearly new, air-conditioned VW Caravelles), professional Purple Ski drivers and we provide a picnic (lovingly made for you by your chef), drinks (including Champagne on the inbound journey), wi-fi so that you can check the weather forecasts and catch up on emails, and an iPad mini with a selection of films to keep the little ones entertained. Availability is limited though so book early to avoid disappointment!

To enable us to thoroughly clean and prepare the chalet ready for your arrival, but also as a courtesy to departing guests, we ask you not to arrive at the chalet before 16:30hrs. Please bear this in mind when booking flights.

If you do arrive earlier than 16:30hrs, we will of course be able to receive your bags and can also help you arrange lift passes and ski equipment so that you can get out onto the mountain, but please don't expect to have access to the main part of the chalet/your bedrooms. (Should departing guests leave early so that we are able to prepare the chalet earlier, you will of course be welcomed, but we often don't know this until the moment of their departure.)

On the day of your departure, we ask that you vacate your bedroom by 10:00hrs and the chalet completely by 10:30hrs.

For those wishing to ski on the final day, there are occasions when we can hold back a bedroom so that you can return to the chalet and shower and change, however this needs to be discussed with us in advance; our ability to accommodate this will depend on the arrival time of the incoming guests.

No. Our chefs are all fully qualified professionals with experience in top quality restaurants, and so we give them free rein to do what they do best, using their creativity and flair to create really remarkable dishes. They will tailor their dishes to any dietary requirements or special requests you may have, and so it is unlikely they will produce the same menu more than once.

For this reason, there isn't a 'set menu' as such for you to consult; most of our guests are very happy to let their chef surprise and delight them however, if you would like your chef to work with you to create a bespoke menu plan for your holiday, he or she would be happy to do so.

Absolutely. Your chalet manager will contact you in the days before your holiday to say hello and introduce themselves, and also to ensure we are fully prepared for your arrival. If you would like to speak to your chef at the same time, please just let the office know in advance.

Lunches are not provided, but we would be happy to recommend and book lunchtime restaurants for you. We can also leave out some basic supplies for you if arranged in advance (there may be an additional cost).

If you have a favourite food that you would like be available in the chalet, please just let us know as far in advance as you can (and at least 2 weeks before your arrival), and we will do our best to source it for you. Please try to remember that we are in France and so British brands are often hard to come by - and also that we are in the mountains, so our choice can be limited. The more notice we have, the better chance we have of being able to find it for you.

We would be delighted to welcome your friends at the chalet for drinks and/or dinner; please just let the office or your chalet manager know ahead of time if you would like to invite someone to the chalet so that we can prepare, also as there is a limit to the number of people we can fit around the dining table. There is an additional charge of €100 per adult for dinner.

You can have as much of the house champagne, spirits, beer, and soft drinks as you like, whenever you like - provided it is consumed on-site. The house wines are also unlimited. The only drinks that are not unlimited are the wines from our wine list.

During dinner, you will be served - at the chef's discretion - a selection of wines from our cellar (a different red and white each evening). Each wine is only served once during the week, so that every guest has the opportunity to try all of the wines on the wine list. For this reason, and because the wines are sourced direct from the producer and often only available in small quantities, even if you spot a favourite within the "list" or selection, I'm afraid it's not possible to only drink this for every night of your stay, as it will mean that we won't have sufficient supply to enable other Purple Ski guests to try those particular wines. However, if you would like to choose which night you have each wine, this should be manageable - please liaise with your chef or chalet manager.

If you would like a drink that we don't usually stock to be available, please just let us know ahead of time (at least 2 weeks in advance) and we will do our best to source it for you. For premium brands or wines there may be an extra charge.

On five nights per week of your stay, your chef will prepare pre-dinner canapés followed by a magnificent four-course meal.
One night per week, one of our relief chefs will prepare a more relaxed dinner in a family / sharing style. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy a simpler, more informal meal or even try a traditional Savoyard dish such as fondue or raclette.
As a result, dinners are provided on six nights per week, leaving you with one evening to experience one of the many superb local restaurants. We would be delighted to give recommendations and make any bookings on your behalf.

Your chalet staff's days off are staggered, so that at least one member of your core chalet team will be working on any given day. Our relief team will cover each member of staff so that your service remains uninterrupted throughout the week. The only exception is dinner on the chef's night off (see below). If you would like to know which day your chef will have off, please contact the office.

One of our relief chefs will provide breakfast, afternoon tea, and children's tea on your chef's day off. The only meal that is not provided on this day is the adults' dinner. We would be very happy to recommend and book a restaurant for you for this meal. A complimentary babysitting service is provided until 11pm, so that you can leave the little ones at home if needed.

If you would like your chef's night off to be on a different day to the one specified above, please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to arrange it for you. However, it may not always be possible as our relief team cover staff in all of our chalets, and so may be needed elsewhere on certain days. Thank you for understanding.

All of the team work very hard to make your stay as enjoyable & comfortable as possible. Naturally, what you elect to give to show your appreciation is entirely up to you, and the chalet staff will be delighted with whatever you choose to give them. However, if you would like a guideline as to what is "normal", or an average, we would suggest about €100-€150 per guest. A portion of your tip will be set aside for the support team, including relief staff and those that work behind the scenes (office, supplies, maintenance). The remainder (and the majority) of the tip is split between the core members of your chalet team. This is a tried-and-tested system which we believe is fair and recognises the effort put in by all the staff - and we hope you agree!

In the mornings, your personal driver, dedicated to your chalet, will be on hand in a toasty warm vehicle from 08.30 until 11.00 if needed, to take you to the slopes and help you load and unload your skis (and children!). One of our drivers remains on duty and on-call from 11.00 to 17.30 (the duty driver phone number will be given to you on arrival). With just 20 minutes notice he/she can pick you up from anywhere in the valley and take you back to your chalet. After 17.30 and before dinner, your designated chalet driver is available to pick you up and take you back to the chalet. You can be driven to, and picked up from, anywhere you wish within the valley. For our Méribel chalets this extends as far as Les Allues and Le Plantin; for Val d'Isère this extends as far as La Daille. Your private chauffeur service continues after dinner if needed (please pre-book with your driver before you sit down to dinner), until midnight.

Our driver service is limited to the resort your chalet is in. For our Méribel chalets this extends as far as Les Allues and Le Plantin; for Val d'Isère this extends as far as La Daille. We are unable to provide pick-ups or drop-offs in another valley. However, if you would like to be collected / dropped off in another valley, we would be happy to arrange a taxi for you.

Purple Ski has access to dedicated, qualified and very experienced massage therapists who'll treat you in the comfort of your chalet, which means no travelling to and from your session. We highly recommend booking your massages in advance to ensure your preferred day & time is available. To pre-book, simply email the office, or your chalet manager can help with this during your pre-arrival call or on arrival. We can also arrange other beauty treatments such as hairdressing, facials, manicures and pedicures. Beauty treatments book up quickly and availability in resort is generally very limited. To avoid disappointment please contact the office to book these in advance.

We stock a wide range of children's equipment which you are welcome to use during your stay. Included in our equipment are high chairs, cots, bed guards, baby bouncers, changing mats, stair gates, buggies, car seats, potties, sterilisers, bath mats, and a selection of games, DVDs, and toys. In addition, we can order in nappies & wipes for you at an extra cost, so that you can cut down on your luggage! If there is anything you would particularly like to be available in the chalet please let us know ahead of time, and we will do our best to source it for you.

For childcare during the day, we're fortunate to have some fantastic childcare companies and professionals operating in our resorts and with whom we have excellent relationships. They're able to offer private nannies to look after your children in the comfort of your chalet. All the nannies we recommend and work with are English speaking, qualified to NNEB or equivalent standard or have significant formal childcare experience, and all hold an up-to-date paediatric first aid certificate and have had their references and police records checked, so you can rest assured your children are in safe hands. It is also possible to arrange more informal babysitting if you just need someone to watch the little ones while you head out for the evening. Both the nanny service and babysitting need to be booked in advance due to limited availability, so please get in touch as soon as possible if you think you may need these services. Don't forget that we provide complimentary babysitting on the chef's night off, which does not need to be pre-booked.

In France it is a legal requirement that all ski guides must be fully qualified professionals, and for these reason it is not possible for your chalet staff to guide you on the pistes. However, we would be very happy to recommend qualified guides or instructors and book them on your behalf, at an extra cost.

Yes, it is very important that you have insurance in place that will cover any medical expenses incurred due to an accident on the mountain. Most of our guests take out a travel insurance policy with additional winter sports coverage, so that all aspects of their holiday are covered by the same policy. However, some guests choose to add 'Carré Neige' insurance to their ski pass, which we can arrange for you at an extra cost of €3.30 per day per person. For full details of what Carré Neige covers, please click here. Please note that we do not add Carré Neige to ski passes as a default, as most of our guests do not require it. If you would like us to add this to your pass please let us know before you use it, as we are unable to add it once the pass has been used!

Aside from the skiing, Méribel and Val d'Isère all have a range of other activities which we would be happy to book for you if required. These include snowshoe walking, snowmobiling, ice-skating, swimming, bowling, tobogganing, and several spas.