Highest hotel in the Alps set for December completion

Construction of the highest hotel in the French Alps is still on course, despite higher than average snowfall in the past ski season.

The new hotel, named Le Refuge de Solaise and situated at 2551 metres, is due to be completed in December this year.

It is the latest in a series of significant investments in the development of the Val d'Isere resort in its bid to remain a world leader in mountain tourism.

The hotel, which will sit atop the summit of Val d'Isere's mountain, will boast 19 rooms, three apartments and a 14-bed dormitory.

It will be positioned 800 metres higher than the town centre, meaning guests will be the first to hit the slopes each morning and will enjoy around five hours of additional sun.

Other on-site facilities will include a restaurant, bar, cinema, children's playroom and spa.

Le Refuge de Solaise, which was formerly the arrival point of the Solaise cable car, is only accessible by ski or gondola in the winter and car in the summer.

The heavy snow levels during the spring meant that access to the construction site was limited. However, the project is now fully underway again and the completion date of December - in time for the next ski season - remains on schedule.

Moreover, plans for redevelopment of Le Coin de Val are still on track. What is being described as the 'most significant redevelopment of any mature French ski resort in recent decades' will consist of two four-star hotels, residences including up to 900 beds and commercial spaces.