Ski Resorts
Alpe d'Huez
A high resort with excellent snow making facilities. Southern Alps location means lots of sunshine. Good for all abilities of skier, particularly beginners. Plenty to do on and off the slopes. Good choice of tour operators and accommodation. Lively après ski – plenty of bars, restaurants and clubs.
Avoriaz
Highest resort in Portes du Soleil, good annual snow fall. Purpose built, traffic free offering doorstep skiing. Good for all abilities, extensive pistes for intermediates plus good facilities for children. Excellent for snowboarders. Accommodation mainly self catering. Good après ski bars and range of restaurants.
Chamonix
Traditional Alpine town at foot of Mont Blanc, spectacular scenery. Good for advanced and expert skiers/ snowboarders, some of the world’s best off piste. Huge choice of accommodation both hotel and self catering. Plenty to do on and off snow. Fantastic après ski, great selection of restaurants.
Courchevel
Four linked villages in Three Valleys area, good snow reliability, lift system and piste maintenance second to none. Great terrain for all abilities, plus lower tree lined runs. Wide choice of accommodation and tour companies. Restaurants from Michelin Stared to budget. Good après ski bars, upmarket night clubs.
Flaine
Main resort in Grand Massif ski area, close to Geneva, good record for snow. Terrain for all abilities. Family resort, good facilities for children. Accommodation mainly self catering, some lovely new developments. Very much a snow sport resort, some après ski bars, reasonable selection restaurants.
La Plagne
Six high altitude resorts and four lower village resorts offering a good choice of places to stay. With Les Arcs forms the Paradiski, a huge area with 425km of pistes, skiing for all abilities, brilliant for intermediates. Good off piste, good snowpark and halfpipe. Lots of restaurants, fairly quiet après ski.
La Rosiere
Small, high altitude, purpose built village, plenty of snow and plenty of sunshine. Quiet and friendly, good for beginners and intermediates. Accommodation mainly catered chalets and self catered apartments. Not a big après ski scene, some bars with live music, small selection of restaurants.
Les Arcs
Four purpose built high altiude resorts, the resort of Peisey Vallandry and the town of Bourg St Maurice. Links to La Plagne to form the Paradiski, a massive area with 425km of pistes, skiing for all abilities, brilliant for intermediates. Good off piste, good snowpark. Not many hotels, lots of self catering, good for families.
Les Contamines
Unspoilt Alpine village in shadow of Mont Blanc, reliable snow record, good network of pistes, varied off piste, easy access to Megeve and Chamonix valley. Super pipe and terrain parks, excellent cross country ski facility. Family run hotels plus chalet and apartments. Quiet après ski some interesting restaurants.
Les Gets
Edge of Ports du Soleil, shares its slopes with Morzine. 1 hour from Geneva, unspoilt village semi pedestrianised, good family resort. Good for beginners and intermediates great facilities for children. Accommodation mainly hotels, chalets and some apartments. Fairly quiet après ski.
Les Houches
Village offers quieter alternative to staying in Chamonix town. Has spectacular views of Mont Blanc. Easy access to Chamonix, Megeve and Les Contamines. Good for intermediates and advanced, plenty of tree lined runs for bad weather, terrain park. Quiet après ski.
Les Menuires
Best value base for the Three Valleys, convenient slope side accommodation. St Martin offers a more traditional place to stay. Good for families, guaranteed snow, excellent lift system, lots of blue and red runs for intermediates, good off piste. Pretty good selection of restaurants, relatively quiet apres ski.
Megeve
A very French resort with picturesque village centre, lots of smart shops. Large ski area, good pistes for beginners and intermediates, good off piste for advanced and expert, 2 snow parks. Gourmet restaurants both on and off the mountain, lively après ski. Plenty to do off the slopes.
Meribel
Heart of Three Valleys ski area, very popular with British skiers. Excellent lift system, piste maintenance and snow making. All types of accommodation, wide choice of tour operators. Good après ski scene, plenty of bars and restaurants. Lots to do off the slopes.
Morzine
Large resort in Ports du Soleil, shares ski area with Les Gets, links to Avoriaz. Good for beginners and intermediates, some good off piste for advanced and experts, extensive cross country routes. Wide choice of accommodation and tour operators. Good après ski with plenty of bars and restaurants.
Serre Chevalier
Large resort in the Southern Alps with three main villages and the town of Briançon. Good for all abilities, 250km of pistes, good off piste. Close to La Grave, Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez. Wide choice of accommodation, some nice restaurants, fairly quiet aprés ski.Plenty to do off the slopes.
Tignes
High altitude, purpose built, excellent snow record. With Val d’Isere forms Espace Killy, miles of pistes, efficient lift system. Great for all levels of skiers, one of the best in the world for intermediates, excellent off piste. Good choice of accommodation, lots of self catering. Lively après ski plenty of restaurants.
Val d'Isere
Attractive village good snow record, with Tignes forms Espace Killy. Miles of pistes, excellent lift system. Lots of ski schools, good for all levels of skier, super off piste, terrific snow park, Wide choice of hotels, apartments, chalets and tour companies. Good après ski, great restaurants, plenty of shopping
Val Thorens
Highest ski resort in Europe, compact, purpose built. Guaranteed snow, long winter season, excellent lift system, lots of terrain for all abilities, good off piste, good snow park. Mostly ski in ski out accommodation. Lively après ski scene, lots of bars, decent restaurants including one Michelin Starred.