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Some Choice Places to Ski

Type the phrase ‘ski holiday’ into any search engine and you’ll be provided with millions of results on resorts,  each promising you the best deals, the best slopes, the best nightlife. There are hundreds of resorts out there, each catering for different tastes, and it can sometimes seem impossible to choose between them.      

When booking, it’s often better to go with a company who deal specifically with this kind of holiday as their expertise will lead you to the right spots and regions, and also take care of details such as transfers from the airport, accommodation and catering. Try Alpine Elements and their ski holidays – they cater to those with a penchant for the outdoors, in particular, some particularly good French regions, perfect for skiing.

Here’s a guide to some of the snowy regions that make great skiing destinations.

-         Val Thorens: Out of all the resorts in France Val Thorens is probably the one to go for if you’re looking for adventure. It is the highest of the famous ‘Three Valley’ resorts and boasts long, wide descents with unbeatable powder snow, all at high altitude. The resort itself is very popular with British and Scandinavian skiers, and boasts a buzzing nightlife fuelled by a plethora of clubs, bars and restaurants. The resort also offers good options for Snowboarding, its location and high altitude provides excellent Off Piste descents which are perfect for any level of boarder.

-         Tignes: If you’re looking for a resort suitable for a family holiday Tignes is an excellent option. It has highly accessible nursery slopes which are perfect for beginners or young children; once they’ve mastered the basics they can move on to a network of well kept, gentle ‘green runs’ which make up the majority of the resort. The resort also has lots of options for any non-skiers: fifty seven bars and brasseries, four clubs and a plethora of shops and spas, meaning there is something to keep everyone happy.

-         Courchevel: Courchevel has always had the reputation of being ritzy, glitzy and glamorous, a reputation which is well deserved. The resort offers an excellent range of nightlife ranging from clubs to restaurants to bars, the majority of which (despite the glamorous location) are reasonably priced. The chalets themselves are also reasonably priced but luxurious, many of them come with saunas or steam rooms. The resort’s location is exemplary; it is part of the ‘Three Valleys’, the largest linked ski area in the world. This means if you stay here you don’t only have access to the skiing of Courchevel, but also to the other resorts in the area, including Meribel and Orelle.

-         Meribel: If you’re looking for a resort which offers great nightlife and even better skiing, Meribel is probably the one for you. Meribel offers a famous seventy-six kilometer circuit  which spans the entire ‘Three Valleys’ area; this takes about a day to ski and incorporates a huge variety of slopes and terrains. After a hard day’s skiing you can take in one of the many apres-ski options, the bars and restaurants are varied so there’s something for everyone, there are also two great nightclubs- Dick’s T Bar comes highly recommended!