Paradiski,

Trois Vallées,

Espace Killy

Includes: Val d'Isére, La Tania, Courchevel, La Plagne, Méribel, Val Thorens, Les Arcs.

Includes the giant ski areas Trois Vallées, Paradiski, Espace Killy. Well-planned links and lift systems for easy getting around and access to the slopes - ski from your doorstep at La Plagne. Some purpose-built resorts may put convenience ahead of charm, but setting and aprés-ski are legendary. Something for intermediates, beginners and experts - budget or splurge, from nursery slopes, black runs, terrain parks to heli-skiing. High altitude, good, early snow. Attracts 25% of British skiers.

Tourist Office: Courchevel | La Tania | Val D'Isere | La Plagne | Meribel | Tignes | Val Thorens

Alpe d'Huez
Alpes Du Sud

Resorts: Les Deux Alpes / Risoul, Vars, Serre Chevalier, Montgenèvre

The big appeal of Alpe d’Huez is a 2230m vertical drop and 16km black run and the off-piste skiing around Les Deux Alpes (which also boasts Nitro, a boarders’ park), however it offers good skiing for families, plus great scenery and a relaxed ambience, as well as traditional mountain villages all around for authenticity. Serre Chevalier boasts Europe’s largest glacier (3568m).

Tourist Office: Alpe D'Huez | Les Deux Alpes | Risoul

Portes du Soleil

Includes: Morzine, Avoiraz, Les Gets

14 linked resorts with 650km of piste including Avoriaz, self-proclaimed home of boarding with terrain park and young, lively atmosphere. Purpose-built larger resorts swap prettiness for efficient services, but many, like Morzine, are still glorious. Slopes for beginners, black runs aplenty, and ideal range for every grade of intermediates. Check snow forecast – area includes some, like Les Gets at 1000m at lower altitude. Non-skiers could possibly enjoy scuba-diving under ice, the Fantasticable, the Via-Ferrata, bob-sleighs, snake-gliss, snowscooters, devalkarts, snowskates, horse-riding through the snow…and much more.
Tourist Office: Morzine | Avoriaz | Les Gets

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Chamonix Valley

Includes: Megève, Chamonix / Argentière, Les Houches, Les Contamines, Saint Gervais Mont-Blanc. Also Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens (towards Geneva)

Chamonix, beautiful under Mont Blanc offers more charm and challenge than get-around convenience. Much-loved by experts who also ski off-piste at nearby Argentière. Beginner-intermediates prefer Flaine, part of the Grand Massif that extends from Chamonix. Samoens is smaller and quieter, ideal for families while Megève is a veritable Christmas card, traditional mountain chalets, wooded runs - and old style lifts.

Tourist board sites: Chamonix | Flaine | Les Carroz

Andorra

Includes: Soldeu, Arinsal, Pal de la Casa

French / Spanish borders on the Pyrenees. Grew as a bargain destination for partiers on skis and boards and still popular with younger crowds. Cheap, good for beginners – Soldeu has one of the best ski schools around - and not for gourmands in search of ambient charm. Five ski areas of which Pas de la Casa and Soldeu, the biggest are linked.

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Espace San Bernado

Includes: La Thuile , La Rosière

An easily accessible top Italian resort, La Thuile village is split between old and purpose-built, with easy, quiet slopes for beginners higher up, tough, tree-lined lower pistes lower down. Heli-lift for a 19km run down the Ruitor Glacier takes experienced intermediates and experts into Ste-Foy, across the border. The French resort, La Rosière is also easily accessible, as are the major Italian resorts of Courmayeur and Cevinia.

Tourist Office: La Rosiere