Now imagine suddenly finding yourself in a winter wonderland of diamond-studded drifts as high as your head and impossibly long icicles hanging from the window ledges.

And to top it off, Santa Claus is in town with an army of elves.

Not too surprising, then, was my son's sheer wide-eyed amazement when we pulled into the French alpine resort of Les Gets the week before Christmas.

At four-and-a-half, the only winter Marcus had experienced up until that point was the relentless drizzle which swathes the British Isles during the darker months.

But just a short flight - a merciful two hours from Newcastle to Geneva - and an hour-long drive through the mountains changed all that forever.

Here we were, beneath brilliantly blue skies and surrounded by towering white peaks for a whole week in Haute Savoie.

Set in a long valley between Switzerland's Lake Geneva and France's towering Mont-Blanc, Les Gets sits at the heart of the region known as Les Portes du Soleil - the Gates of the Sun.

Pronounced "Lay Shay", it's a quaint, meandering affair of traditional wooden lodges, many with exquisite carvings, interspersed with modern yet modest buildings, and comprises three parallel streets culminating at the historic church at its western end.

We'd booked into the Hotel Christiania for the duration of our stay, right in the heart of the resort and directly on well-groomed pistes flowing down from the Chavannes chairlifts.

This wonderfully rustic mountain lodge hotel, warmed by a real log fire and offering the very best of traditional Savoyarde hospitality, prides itself on its family-friendly atmosphere.

Not only is it "ski-in and ski-out", making it an ideal retreat for an active winter sports holiday or a summer alpine break, but it has all the comforts of home, as well as a fully-fitted playroom for the kids.

It took no time at all for Marcus and baby sister Rose - just 20 months - to make themselves comfortable and get acquainted with the Christiania's excellent staff, who did everything they possibly could to cater for their every need.

And believe me, that was quite something.

The accommodation was excellently equipped, comprising of a double bedroom for parents and an adjoining suite for the kids.

A separate bathroom and toilet also ensured no clashes erupted during our stay.

The beds were large and soft, with voluminous eiderdowns to keep everyone snug during the night.

And a spacious balcony overlooking the town and its magical alpine surroundings opened out beyond the shutters, which were framed by five-foot icicles which hung from the roof overhead.

Downstairs, the comfortable bar lounge beckoned with its enveloping sofas in front of the open fire, and a well-stocked bar ensured everyone was kept happy and well-refreshed.

And to Marcus's delight, round the back of the Christiania were two hot-tubs, bubbling away at a very tropical 40 degrees.

We knew we would be spoiled for choice.

After a good night's sleep and a hearty traditional cooked breakfast of French sausages, eggs and pressed apple juice, we decided to go sledging.

It proved to be the ideal way to ease Marcus into the world of winter sports, and before long he was hurtling down the slopes at almost supersonic speeds all by himself.

My pint-sized pocket-rocket did have a couple of close encounters with the large canvas mesh fence at the foot of the hill, but thought the resulting bounce into a five-foot snow-drift was quite amusing.

Nearby, instructors from the Ecole du Ski Francais were putting kids as young as four through their paces, and the way some of the tots handled their skis and snowboards with such apparently effortless grace was a joy to watch.

As we took a wander through the village, we watched as other youngsters took skating lessons on the open-air ice rink.

Because we were staying half-board at the Christiania, we only had to arrange lunch and that was easily taken care of at any of the excellent restaurants and take-aways in the resort.

One particular highlight was a most fantastic pizzeria about five minutes away from the hotel, which served up mouth-watering ham, salami and black olives on a thin, crispy base.

The Rue Centre contains most of the shops, a rustic mix of butchers, bakers and craft shops, and, of course, ski hire vendors.

Lanes connect to Rue du Front de Neige on the north and Rue des Grandes Alpes to the south, where the pistes can be found, as well as an array of bars, restaurants and hotels.

There are gondola rides - known as the Boules de Gomme, or 'gumballs' - direct from Les Gets, up the Chavannes piste, and also to the Belvedere on Mont Chery.

Be prepared for stunning vistas in all cases, including views of Western Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc, a huge white dome dominating the ragged skyline.

During December, the village also throngs with seasonal activities, and even Santa Claus sets up his cabin in the woods.

And travelling beyond the confines of Les Gets couldn't be easier.

For just one Euro per journey - and kids under five go free - you can take the first-rate bus service up the valley, to any of the other towns and villages.

The next nearest town, Morzine, is well worth a visit, and there's also a free navette, or ski-bus, up to the cable car station which accesses the mountaintop heaven of Avoriaz, with its precariously cliff-hanging hotels.

Even if you don't plan to come back down on skis or a board, it's well worth the visit, if not only for the breathtaking views from over 2000 metres up.

Further up the valley is the village of St Jean d'Aulpes, with its magnificent ruined medieval abbey and interactive visitor centre, while the picture-postcard beautiful lake at Montriond is within easy reach.

And after your busy day skiing, snowboarding, sledging or just plain walking, what better than the allure of the Hotel Christiania's restaurant to look forward to.

Featuring a feast of French culinary delights, you'll find the best of Savoyarde cuisine served up daily, such as braised lamb shanks with sauteed fennel and ratatouille, or stuffed chicken fillet with asparagus and Gratin Dauphinoise and, for particular mention, ice-cream profiteroles with chocolate sauce to die for.

To top it off, the Christiania's Scottish owner, John King, also has a share in a vineyard, from which he and his friends produce a most wonderful chardonnay.

It's the ideal end to another perfect day in alpine paradise - not least because all the activity and fresh mountain air has left the kids without an ounce of energy to spare.

Bedtimes have never been easier.


GETTING THERE:

EasyJet flies direct to Geneva from airports across the North East and Scotland, and transfers to Les Gets are arranged through the hotel.

HOTEL CHRISTIANIA

Half-board varies between 75€ and 140€ per person per day, with substantial discounts and frequent special offers for families and children.

Check the hotel website here for further details.

TYPICAL VILLAGE PRICES

Pizza lunch: 10€
Sandwich/burger: 4-5€
Soft drink: 2€
Sledge hire: 2€ per day

SKI-PASS PRICES
(until April 20, 2008)

"Portes du Soleil" - open access to 650km of slopes
Full day (adult/child/senior): 39/26/31€
Six days: 189/127/151€
Seven days: 211/141/169€

Les Gets/Morzine ski-pass prices
Full day: 28.20€/adults, 22€/children.
Six days: 141.50€/adults,106.60€/children.

Remember to check locally for discounts, or book online.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

From 6 months to 4 years:

• Garderie Les Fripouilles Creche offers indoor
activities (drawing, painting, water-play, stories)
as well as an introduction to the fun of snow.
Prices: half-day 19€.

From 3 to 5 years:

• The Ecole du Ski Francais Snow Garden: introduction to
skiing in a specially designed area, plus indoor
and outdoor play activities.
Prices: Six full days without lunch, 168€. Six full days with lunch, 281€.
• L'Ile des Enfants: Learning to ski and take
those first snow-steps, for future champions.
Price: 6 half-days of group lessons 110€.

From 4 to 12 years:

• The P'tits Montagnys Crèche (ESF):
indoor or outdoor play activities depending
on the weather (snow games, sledging, walks,
reading etc). It's possible to combine the P'tits
Montagnys crèche with ESF ski lessons (group
lessons or Snow Garden).
Prices: 6 days with lunch 336€.
6 x 1/2 days with lunch 245€.

All prices are correct for the Winter 2007/2008 season.

Check out live images of Les Gets on the Les Gets webcams.

Special thanks to John King and all the staff at the Hotel Christiania.