Resort height: 1350m
The mountains
Where do you start with resort the size of the Three Valleys? There are 600km of pistes to be sampled here, and plenty of off-piste and freestyle terrain besides. Admittedly, accessing some of it from La Tania is going to be tough, but even if you stick around in Courchevel you'll have plenty to keep you busy for a whole week. When the snow's good, the tree-lined pistes immediately above La Tania are a real pleasure too, and only the people staying in the resort ski them much. They're also a great place to be when it's snowing hard or cloudy, because the trees add some definition to the murk.
The only real drawback to La Tania is its low altitude. At 1350m it's at the limit of what's acceptable for a modern resort, and during warm or dry winters, everyone has to ride the gondola up the mountain to get good snow - a bit of a hassle for families with young children. For this reason you should think twice about booking it in Easter.
Getting there
You can drive to La Tania, take the train, or fly in using one of four airports - Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon and Chambéry. Chambéry is the closest airport - the transfer shouldn't take more than 80 minutes.
Rating: 
4/10
Après-ski
A village dominated by families doesn't make for a hotbed of après action. However, Pub Le Ski Lodge makes an effort with live bands, and is a favourite with British chalet staff. La Taiga is the place to go for a quieter, less pubby atmosphere and cocktails. Many guests stay in catered chalets, and go out for dinner only once a week - and there's a wide range of mid-priced restaurants in La Tania to look after them when they do. For a really memorable meal however - say, for parents who've booked a nanny and are treating themselves to some quality time together - the place to go is Le Farcon, which has a coveted star from the gastronomic Michelin guide.
Rating: 4/10
Non-skiers
Most of the non-skiing focus in La Tania is on keeping children amused once ski school is finished: there's not so much for grown-ups. On-mountain activities including including cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing (if the snow's in good nick), ski-dooing and tobogganing. The shopping in the village is very limited.
Rating: 
6/10
Cost of living
Because of the link to the Three Valleys, and its popularity with British families, La Tania accommodation tends to be pricey for such a low-altitude resort. That's fine if you've got children - it's worth paying extra to go with a tour operator which can provide childcare. But adults-only groups might wonder if it's money well spent in a warm or dry winter. They should treat it as a bargain-basement, or go looking for accommodation higher up the mountain.
Rating: 
7/10
Attractiveness of the resort
La Tania is purpose-built, but in an age when architects had learned not to fill mountain resorts with high-rise apartment blocks. As a result, this is one of the prettiest villages in the Three Valleys.
