“I’m going to jump in, daddy.” My youngest daughter, Freyja, stares at the diving board that stretches eight feet above the powder-blue water of the pool. I eye her nervously.
I’m not sure I would attempt it. But she is six, she is young and fearless. I take the safer option of the metal steps.
The water is cool and refreshing in the heat of the midday sun. I watch as she climbs the ladder, strides forward and jumps without a hint of hesitation. So far so normal for a family holiday in the sun.
Except, this is anything but normal. For we are not in a crowded hotel pool in Spain and the backdrop here is not identikit rows of apartment blocks. Instead, as I watch Freyja tiptoe across the poolside for another jump, my eye is drawn to a paraglider sailing in front of forested Alpine hills and rich green mountain pastures.
We are in Verbier, the jewel in the crown of Switzerland’s famous 4 Vallées ski area, for a family holiday. And, courtesy of staying at one of the many hotels in Verbier, Val de Bagnes or La Tzoumaz, we have been given four Verbier Infinite Playground Passes, meaning entry to the outdoor pool is free. The temperature is pushing into the high 20s and we quickly dry off before taking the five-minute walk back to The Shed Hotel, a classic Alpine retreat with a pared-back modern Scandi vibe.
Our room is a top floor two-bedroom apartment that gives panoramic views of forests and snow-capped peaks. We have a packed itinerary planned in a resort more known .