Surviving snowmageddon in the world's biggest ski area: The family-friendly resort that keeps the fun flowing... even in a whiteout blizzard

There was something oddly reassuring about waking in the early hours to the sound of explosions booming around the wintery expanses of the Belleville Valley.While skiers slept - or at least tried to - avalanche control teams were hard at work out in the blizzard, triggering thunderous blasts to make the mountains safe around the French ski resort of Les Menuires.On the same 4.30am graveyard shift was an army of piste grooming vehicles, their headlights twinkling high above like stars, ploughing up and down at near impossible angles as they prepared slopes for the morning onslaught of skiers.The day before had seen relentless heavy snow blanketing the mighty ski domains of the Northern Alps. So much so that my eight-year-old daughter and I - dressed and ready to hit the slopes at 8.30am - stayed firmly indoors with a drip-feed of hot chocolate until we could at least see something - anything - through the driving snow. Perhaps this was all my fault having spent weeks at home refreshing weather apps and saying silent prayers for a powder-fest during our long-awaited father-daughter ski trip. What happened was an Arctic overcorrection of epic proportions.Fortunate, then, that this high mountain resort has seen it all before when it comes to extreme weather conditions.Soon enough lifts were reopening, skiers were zooming past our window and, after yielding to my daughter's carefree spirit, we were cutting into the blizzard with the rest of them.Sitting at 1,850m and at the centre of Les 3 Vallées, the biggest interconnected ski domain in the world with 600km of pistes, Les Menuires certainly benefits from something skiers crave more than almost everything else: reliable snow. Whiteout: The Alpine resort of Les Menuires has one thing skiers now crave almost more than anything: reliable snow Much of the accommodation in Les Menuires is ski-in, ski-out, meaning virtually no time is wasted trudging through snow or queuing for buses to get to the slopes and ski-school meeting points Winter wonderland: Snow tumbles down during a blizzard in Les Menuires. The resort sits in the heart of the vast Les 3 Vallees ski areaMy daughter and I started the day exploring the resort's lower runs to shelter from the storm, weaving through a winter wonderland of trees groaning with snow and building up our confidence on the wide gentle blues and greens ahead of the opening of lifts to higher runs.When they did, we were treated to the full splendour of this vast winter playground in what turned out to be one of the best seasons for snowfall in years.With the help of our brilliant instructor Lorenzo, from Maison Sport, we made our way up the lift system to the dizzying 2,850m heights of the Col de la Chambre - a 3 Vallées crossroads that enables skiers to branch off into two other world-class resorts in Val Thorens and Méribel and onward towards Courchevel. Les Menuires was quite big enough for one day however, so we navigated our way to base camp as the snow tumbled down - stopping at the odd mountain restaurant to warm up and taking the occasional detour to try out some jumps on the side of the piste.With a blizzard closing in, we called it a day mid-afternoon to defrost and explore some of the resort's many other family-friendly attractions.Chief among them is the adrenaline-pumping Roc’n Bob toboggan run, which takes thrill-seekers down a winding and, at times, quite terrifying 4km track. My daughter and I shared a sledge for this high-speed descent and frequently found ourselves entombed in deep snow thanks, my young passenger insisted, to some pitiful steering from the driver... Parents beware: this activity is not for the faint-hearted!Away from the slopes, the wider resort features Le Break des Menuires, a substantial leisure centre with swimming pool - itself offering a magnificent view of the towering La Masse mountain opposite. Hold on tight: The adrenaline-pumping Roc'n Bob toboggan run takes thrill-seekers down a winding and, at times, quite terrifying 4km track Julian and his daughter enjoy an afternoon of sun after three days of heavy snow in Les MenuiresPart of the appeal of Les Menuires is that much of its accommodation is ski-in, ski-out, meaning virtually no time is wasted trudging through snow or queuing for buses to get to the slopes and ski-school meeting points - a huge logistical weight off families in the morning. Free lifts and bus shuttle services are also available to ferry tourists around.The resort’s central village area and social heart, with restaurants, cafés, shops and lifts is built in a sort of horse-shoe with pedestrianised areas and covered, indoor links around the centre meaning life goes on in harsh weather conditions.For self-catering families, there are supermarkets and a wide range of restaurants, serving up Savoyard specialties including skiers' favourites such as Tartiflette, fondue and raclette.First impressions of this 62-year-old resort can be jarring for Alpine purists; parts of it are a far cry from the chocolate-box villages of neighbouring Méribel and Saint Martin de Belleville.Indeed, the vast 560-room Brelin building - where we had a lovely apartment with breathtaking views - is described on the resort website as 'a ship that has dropped anchor in the middle of an ocean of snow'. Les Menuires was purpose built to help bring skiing to the masses and make a mountain holiday more accessible and affordable - a legacy that has stood the test of timeBut the ambitions in the 1960s and 70s were commendable: to bring skiing to the masses and make a mountain holiday more accessible and affordable - a legacy that has stood the test of time. TRAVEL FACTS Inghams Ski offer packages to Les Menuires including flights, transfers and services of a Destination Expert in resort from £619pp.For instructor bookings see maisonsport.com.For ski Intersport ski rental, see intersportrent.com from eight euros per day. Resort info at: lesmenuires.com It was certainly good enough for the late French president Jacques Chirac, who owned an apartment in the complex.As one French newspaper puts it, Les Menuires is 'unapologetically functional' and a 'practical sibling' to its glamorous neighbours but without the eye-watering price tags.Back in the village after a long day in the mountains, my daughter is given a bowl of ice cream by a cheerful waitress while we sit at our table - ingeniously installed in a reclaimed gondola pod.Needless to say, there are smiles all round - it's called 'Friendly Menuires' for a reason.