The unique holiday on ‘top of the world’ inside a UNESCO geopark – just two hours from the UK

IT’S not often you can say you’ve stayed on the top of the world.

But that’s just what you get at La Haut, which translates as The Top – a boutique “refuge” 1,830 metres up the French Alps.

SuppliedI wanted an adventure on my holiday this year – so I went off to the Alps[/caption]

SuppliedLa Haut, which translates as The Top, is a boutique ‘refuge’ 1,830 metres up the French Alps[/caption]

This quirky collection of 1960s polar exploration shelters in the beautiful Massif des Bauges UNESCO Geopark strips things down to the essentials in epic fashion.

Bed and breakfast with 360-degree views of Mont Blanc, Lake Annecy and Tignes is served here, but this is no hotel.

The five metal shelters were airlifted, one by one, by helicopter and dropped on top of La Sambuy Mountain.

The renovated rooms have a single or double bed, blankets, kettle, water, candles, some books (in French) and a first aid kit.

None of the doors have locks.

Mine also boasted a rope, ice pick, a lamp and a helmet.

Very Bear Grylls.

Lifted off the ground and suspended by four metal posts means the footprint of each shelter doesn’t affect the wildlife – the only way they were allowed in this UNESCO geopark.

Large windows have been fitted to give all five of these incongruous boxes unobstructed alpine views.

“We want to put you in a postcard”, ex-rally-driver-turned-entrepreneur and owner of La Haut Refuge, Marc Azzolini, told me.

Of course you can’t mail that postcard in the traditional sense, but you can post it on Instagram thanks to Elon Musk’s Starlink providing “essential” Wifi.

But you won’t want to waste any of your time on your phone.

Bespoke tours, hiking or skiing can be arranged in advance, the location offering one red and two black ski slopes.

However, sleeping so snuggly in a container high up a mountain is one thing.

Getting there, and back, is of course, another.

But there are three options.

One is a seasonal ski-lift, which connects a parking area with ski shop and pub to the top.

The second is Marc’s vintage ex-Austrian Army 6×6 personnel carrier in which he will chauffeur you up the 35-minute, rock-strewn trail to the refuge.

Thirdly, you can do it in your own car – but it needs to be a four-wheel drive.

Luckily that doesn’t have to be a £100k Land Rover.

My motor was the cheapest 4×4 you can buy new – a Dacia Duster.

But this little SUV lapped up my enthusiastic rock crawl without getting stuck.

Parking triumphantly at the top, the mist-shrouded refuge welcomed me with a log fire, some local wine and a “fondue savoyarde”.

Dinner on arrival and a bottle of plonk are extras but given the remoteness, are well worth it.

A hot tub or sauna provided the best view I’ve ever seen – yes, they do stretch the “essential” concept a bit.

Roughing it in surprising comfort with panoramic alpine views is more than just short-lived Instagram gold.

The memories of breathing in the wild will last much longer.

SuppliedLarge windows have been fitted to give all five of these incongruous boxes unobstructed alpine views[/caption]