Apres Ski in France

However delightfully civilised an open air violinist, saxophonist and singer may sound, you won’t know what ‘sweet madness’ has hit you at Val’s original Folie Douce. Rumour has it the owners set out to create a slice of Ibiza in the Alps, and they’ve done a decent job of it… French après ski hasn’t been the same since. Kely Starlight et al do a stellar job of entertaining, with crowds spilling out into the street and champers raining from the VIP booths. But don’t get too trollied – legends like Dicks Tea Bar and the Moris Pub are well worth being able to ski back for.

Brits love this resort and the après ski here’s definitely one of the reasons why. The big dog for après (and one of the best après ski bars in the world) is the Ronnie (what friends call Le Rond Point). Grab a pitcher of beer or a round of their legendary toffee vodkas and the rest’ll be history. O’Suillivans is an intriguing mix of Irish pub and gritty underground club, which needs to be experienced at least once, preferably when the decks are manned by a famous DJ. Jack’s bar gets filled to the rafters for sporting evenings like the Six Nations and also hosts some cracking comedy evenings and live music nights. Wherever you end up, scour menus for Mutzig old lager for a taste of a fine local brew.

Brilliantly sunny mountains and cheap pints are a recipe for some seriously good times here. For a relaxed evening with a spot of experimental drinking, head to Lounge 21 and wash down meats like kangaroo and ostrich with a tray of shooters. Equally edgy, Freeride in town is a ‘stock exchange’ bar where prices slide up and down every 100 seconds, depending on popularity… They’ve even made trips to the loo fun, via a slide – what’s not to love? Underground bar and L’Igloo are two more terrific watering holes and, of course, there’s always the area’s new Folie for some good old-fashioned mountainside madness.

This year-round mountain town sure knows how to throw a party. Soak up the day’s last rays in the bars at the bottom of each ski area (we like Les Vieilles Luges in Les Houches) before moving onto the main hub in town. Unmissable Chambre Neuf will soon see you putting those ski boots to good work on its tables and the craic’s always mighty at Munster Bar. As darkness falls, head to L’Amnesia, Chamonix’s largest club, where they’ll be pumping out drinks and tunes till the wee hours.

After a bluebird day, everyone heads to Loop in Le Lac, where you’ll find the seasonaires bopping along to live music on the terrace. Those who still have the legs for it might then head to Queue du Cochon (formerly Scotty’s) in Lavachet for a boundary-breaking cocktail menu, and on to Val Claret where the night owls flock for partying till dawn. Blue Girl and Melting Pot are always jumping, and Saloon's soon filled to the rafters with students in onesies… (it’s the only part of town which allows Varsity trips). As if these weren’t enough, you’re also a couple of ski lifts away from Val d’Isere and the original Folie Douce.

When Rock the Piste comes to town in March, this famous festival certainly does what it says on the tin (previous acts include The Klaxons and Babyshambles). That’s not to say the rest of the season’s stilled to a whisper - enjoy a sophisticated vin chaud at uber posh L’Amara as the sun sets or turn up the tempo at Le Shooters with its never-ending choice of different shots. We also love the Mexican themed Wild Horse Saloon, a cracking hangout for drinks, burgers and nachos.

Let it be known that Courchevel’s après ski isn’t ALL magnums of bubbly and Michelin stars... It’s true, if you have a healthy budget, 1850 has its fair share of glittering institutions like Les Caves but this place also has decent spots doing happy hour deals and drinks that’ll get you change from a tenner. On the slopes, Le Panoramic does what it says on the tin and we like the tropical snowy vibes at Waikiki (sister to Adventure Bar Clapham) at the top of the Bellecote piste. If you like your après ski served at the foot of the slopes, Le Tremplin’s a true crowd-pleaser. 1650’s a livelier and more affordable area on the whole – head to Fire & Ice for pizza and drinks on a huge terrace, Instagrammable Le Zinc for DJ’s or La Boulotte and Funky Fox for live music events. Don’t forget Le Bubble either - a long-time seasonaire favourite.

Partiers of all ages and inclinations flock to L2A where the Avenue de la Muzelle (the main strip) is brimming with pubs and bars. Around ever since the first lifts started churning, a stint at Pub Windsor is a no-brainer (but choosing a tipple from over 100 beers or cocktails is a bit more of a challenge). Adventurous drinkers, meanwhile, will love the shots list at Smokey Joes. Whether or not Rum’s your poison, a trip to the Rhumerie and its 60 different flavours is another must (the chilli variety isn’t for the faint-hearted…) and bringing up the rear, Avalanche blasts out a mix of dance and house music into the early hours. To get the party started suitably early, Panobar under the Jandri Express lift is a smashing mountain pit stop, with a DJ from 3 to 5.

As if being in the humungous Portes du Soleil wasn’t enough, Morzine also has a brilliant buzz about it when the lifts close. These days, Taille de Mas du Pléney is better known by the rather instructive name of “Bar Street” for its stretch of watering holes – the Tremplin at the telecabine end draws in the crowds with its DJ sessions and grilled grub. Serving “giraffes” of beer, The Tibetan café’s another favourite, where drinking pure and simple takes prominence over grooving. This is closely followed, in our eyes, by Bar Robinson (or Robbos) - much-loved for its unassuming, French atmosphere and strong Mutzig on tap. If you’re nursing a bit of a hangover or you’d simply rather wind down, curl up in the Coup Du Coeur’s tub chairs and rest up with a nourishing draft beer or cocktail...

In a resort of record-breakers, The Frog and Roast beef, Europe’s highest pub, is always jam-packed (and they do a cracking English breakfast for those feeling fragile in the mornings). Folie Douce up at the Plein Sud also shouldn’t be missed, but make sure to spare a couple of afternoons for Bar 360 at the Moraine base station, where the atmosphere’s just as wild and the booze a lick or two cheaper. In the central square, the Danish Saloon Bar sees après ski flow seamlessly into a night out, with doors open for drinking and dancing until after 1. If your dial’s set to party, carry on with the record-breaking theme in Malaysia, the biggest dance floor in the Alps (700m2) which pumps tunes till 5.