Where to Ski And Snowboard -

Resort shortlists

25th August 2009, by Wendy King

Traditional or functional? [(c) La Clusaz resort / Lebeau]

Making your mind up

Choosing the ideal resort isn’t easy, especially if your group is a mixed bunch with very different priorities. Step in the Where to Ski and Snowboard resort shortlists.

To streamline the job of spotting the ideal destination for you, we have compiled lists of the best ten or so resorts for 21 different categories…so far.

Some lists include both European and North American resorts, but most are confined to Europe because the US has too many qualifying areas (eg for beginners), or because the US does things differently - making comparisons invalid (eg for off-piste).

For each category there are links to the corresponding resort reviews on the site - so, you can read the overview for each one as well. And, of course, the book provides the comprehensive, no-nonsense guide to the whole resort.

Below are the headings that we feature in the book and will be grouped for this feature. If you can think of others that you think we should include, jot them down on the forum link below and we’ll see what we can do…

• SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
• RELIABLE SNOW IN THE ALPS
• INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHTS
• OFF-PISTE WONDERS
• HIGH-MILEAGE PISTE BASHING
• DRAMATIC SCENERY
• TOP TERRAIN-PARKS
• CHOPAHOLICS (Heli- or Cat-skiing)
• POWDER PARADISES
• BLACK RUNS
• MOTORWAY CRUISING
• WEATHERPROOF SLOPES
• SPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES
• RESORTS FOR BEGINNERS
• BACK-DOOR RESORTS
• SNOW-SURE BUT SIMPATICO
• SPECIAL MOUNTAIN RESTAURANTS
• VILLAGE CHARM
• MODERN CONVENIENCE
• LIVELY NIGHTLIFE
• OTHER AMUSEMENTS

 

What’s your level?

Choosing the right resort to match your group and ability is very important. A shortlist can help to narrow the search.

So, here is Where to Ski and Snowboard’s pick of the bunch for ‘beginners’, ‘families’ and ‘something for everyone’. Each resort has a link to its relevant review page on the site too - just click and go…

Resorts for beginners:

European resorts with gentle, snow-sure nursery slopes and easy, longer runs to progress to:

• Alpe-d’Huez, France
  

• Cervinia, Italy

• Courchevel, France

• Flaine, France

• Montgenèvre, France

• La Plagne, France

• La Rosière, France

• Saas-Fee, Switzerland

• Soldeu, Andorra

 

Specially for families:

Alpine resorts where you can easily find accommodation surrounded by snow, not by traffic and fumes.

• Les Arcs, France

• Avoriaz, France

• Flaine, France

• Lech, Austria

• Montchavin (La Plagne), France

• Mürren, Switzerland

• Puy-St-Vincent, France

• Risoul, France

• Saas-Fee, Switzerland

• Les Sybelles, France

• Valmorel, France

• Wengen, Switzerland

 

Something for everyone:

Resorts with everything from reassuring nursery slopes to real challenges for experts.

• Alpe-d’Huez, France

• Les Arcs, France

• Aspen, Colorado

• Courchevel, France

• Flaine, France

• Mammoth, California

• Vail, Colorado

• Val d’Isère, France

• Whistler, Canada

• Winter Park, Colorado

Reliable, weatherproof, snow-sure

We all hope for good snow conditions when choosing our resort. Sadly, we can’t always predict the weather. When it does snow, we look for sheltered slopes; when the sun pops out, we don’t want it melting away too fast. And sometimes we just fancy a cosy village to hole up in. Where to Ski and Snowboard shortlists some of the best.

Reliable snow in the Alps

Alpine resorts with good snow records or lots of snowmaking, and high or north-facing slopes

• Bregenzerwald, Austria

• Chamonix, France

• Cervinia, Italy

• Courchevel, France

• Hintertux, Austria

• Lech/Zürs, Austria

• Obergurgl, Austria

• Obertauern, Austria

• Saas-Fee, Switzerland

• Sölden, Austria

• Val d’Isère and Tignes, France

• Val Thorens, France

• Zermatt, Switzerland

Weatherproof slopes

Alpine resorts with snow-sure slopes if the sun shines, and trees in case it doesn’t:

• Les Arcs, France

• Courchevel,France

• Courmayeur, Italy

• Laax, Switzerland

• Schladming, Austria

• Selva, Italy

• Serre-Chevalier, France

• Sestriere, Italy

• La Thuile, Italy

Snow-sure but simpatico

Alpine resorts with high-rise slopes, but low-rise, traditional-style buildings:

• Andermatt, Switzerland

• Arabba (Sella Ronda), Italy

• Argentière (Chamonix), France

• Les Contamines, France

• Ischgl, Austria

• Lech/Zürs, Austria

• Monterosa Ski, Italy

• Obergurgl, Austria

• Saas-Fee, Switzerland

• Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

 

 

Village charm or modern convenience?

If you don’t mind where you rest you head at night, then convenience is probably more important than looks, and purpose-built doesn’t matter. Often though, chocolate-box charm wins us over and the traditional village becomes an essential part of a winter holiday choice.

Village charm

Resorts with traditional character that enriches your holiday - from mountain villages to mining towns

• Alpbach, Austria

• Champéry, Switzerland

• Courmayeur, Italy

• Lech, Austria

• Mürren, Switzerland

• Saas-Fee, Switzerland

• Telluride, Colorado

• Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland

• Wengen, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

Modern convenience

Alpine resorts where there’s plenty of slope-side accommodation to make life easy

• Les Arcs, France

• Avoriaz, France

• Courchevel, France

• Flaine, France

• Les Menuires, France

• Obertauern, Austria

• La Plagne, France

• Puy-St-Vincent, France

• La Tania, France

• Tignes, France

• Valmorel, France

• Val Thorens, France

Cute, scenic or often overlooked

Here are some options you may not have thought about: satellite villages linked to major ski areas, resorts where you can’t take your eyes off the mountains and resorts where the skiing is better than you think - and there may not be quite so many Brits.

Back-door resorts

Cute little Alpine villages linked to big, bold ski areas, giving you the best of two different worlds

• Les Brévières (Tignes), France

• Champagny (La Plagne), France

• Leogang (Saalbach), Austria

• Montchavin (La Plagne), France

• Peisey (Les Arcs), France

• Le Pré (Les Arcs), France

• Samoëns (Flaine), France

• St-Martin (Three Valleys), France

• Stuben (St Anton), Austria

• Vaujany (Alpe-d’Huez), France

Dramatic scenery

Resorts where the mountains are not just high and snowy, but spectacularly scenic too

• Chamonix, France

• Cortina, Italy
  

• Courmayeur, Italy

• Heavenly, California

• Jungfrau resorts (Grindelwald, Mürren, Wengen), Switzerland

• Lake Louise, Canada

• Megève, France

• Sella Ronda, Italy

• Selva, Italy

• St Moritz, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

International oversights

Resorts that deserve as much attention as the ones we go back to every year, but don’t seem to get it

• Alta, Utah
  

• Andermatt, Switzerland

• Bad Gastein, Austria

• Big Sky, Montana

• Les Contamines, France

• Copper Mountain, Colorado

• Laax, Switzerland

• Monterosa Ski, Italy

• Risoul, France

• Telluride, Colorado

• Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland

Powderhound or park trickster

Freeride, freestyle and off-piste

You want challenge, to escape the crowds, to feel free to explore the whole mountain, to dive into some untracked powder…which resorts can offer those thrills? Or maybe you prefer jumps, rails, tricks and spins - where will you find the best parks and pipes?  We suggest some of the best here:

Off-piste wonders

Alpine resorts where, with the right guidance and equipment, you can have the time of your life

• Alpe-d’Huez, France

• Andermatt, Switzerland

• Chamonix, France

• Davos/Klosters, Switzerland

• La Grave, France

• Lech/Zürs,Austria

• Monterosa Ski, Italy

• St Anton, Austria

• Val d’Isère/Tignes, France

• Verbier, Switzerland

Top terrain parks

Alpine resorts with the best parks, pipes and rails for all your freestyle thrills

• Les Arcs, France

• Avoriaz, France

• Cervinia, Italy

• Davos, Switzerland

• Les Deux-Alpes, France

• Ischgl, Austria

• Laax, Switzerland

• Lech, Austria

• Livigno, Italy

• Mayrhofen, Austria

• Méribel, France

• La Plagne, France

• Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria

• St Moritz, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

 

Chopaholics

Resorts where you can quit the lift network and have a day riding helicopters or cats

• Aspen, Colorado

• Courmayeur, Italy

• Fernie, Canada

• Lech/Zürs, Austria

• Monterosa Ski, Italy

• Panorama, Canada

• La Thuile, Italy

• Verbier, Switzerland

• Whistler, Canada

• Zermatt, Switzerland

 

Powder paradises

Resorts with the snow, the terrain and (ideally) the lack of crowds that make for powder perfection

• Alta/Snowbird, Utah

• Andermatt, Switzerland

• Big Sky, Montana

• Big White, Canada

• Fernie, Canada

• La Grave, France

• Jackson Hole, Wyoming

• Kicking Horse, Canada

• Monterosa Ski, Italy

• Revelstoke, Canada

• Ste-Foy, France

Piste of the action

What’s your piste?

You want your pistes tough, right? Maybe black runs will suffice, or a few moguls will satisfy your thirst for a challenge. Or do you like to explore; clock-up the miles; see how far you can ski in a day? A big ski area is the way to go for variety and distance. But for others (or those just starting out), that groomed, gentle cruise is a real temptation - nice and easy does it…There’s a resort waiting for your style - take a look.

Black runs

Resorts with steep, mogully, lift-served slopes within the safety of the piste network

• Alta/Snowbird, Utah

• Andermatt, Switzerland

• Argentière (Chamonix), France

• Aspen, Colorado

• Beaver Creek, Colorado

• Courchevel, France

• Jackson Hole, Wyoming

• Whistler, Canada

• Winter Park, Colorado

• Zermatt, Switzerland

Motorway cruising

Long, gentle, super-smooth pistes to bolster the frail confidence of those not long off the nursery slope

• Les Arcs, France

• Breckenridge, Colorado

• Cervinia, Italy

• Cortina,  Italy

• Courchevel, France

• Megève, France

• La Plagne, France

• Snowmass, Colorado

• La Thuile, Italy

• Vail, Colorado

 

High-mileage piste-bashing

Extensive intermediate slopes with big lift networks

• Alpe-d’Huez, France

• Davos/ Klosters, Switzerland

• Laax, Switzerland

• Milky Way: Sauze d’Oulx (Italy), Montgenèvre (France)

• Paradiski, France

• Portes du Soleil, France/Switz

• Sella Ronda, Italy

• Selva, Italy

• SkiWelt & Kitzbühel, Austria

• Les Sybelles, France

• Three Valleys, France

• Val d’Isère/Tignes, France

• Whistler, Canada

Eat, drink and be active

Mountain huts sum up many a great holiday: soak up the sun, enjoy a long lunch, grab a beer, boogie in your boots - from small, rustic and quiet to gourmet dining and special service; some resorts do it better than others. And when the skiing ends and you want to party; you’ll need to know which resorts liven-up and which have the best off-slope activities…

Special Mountain restaurants

Alpine resorts where the mountain restaurants can really add an extra dimension to your holiday

• Alpe-d’Huez, France

• La Clusaz, France

• Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

• Courmayeur, Italy

• Kitzbühel, Austria

• Megève, France

• La Plagne, France

• Saalbach, Austria

• Selva, Italy

• Zermatt, Switzerland

 

Lively nightlife

European resorts where you’ll have no difficulty finding somewhere to boogie, and someone to do it with

• Chamonix, France

• Ischgl, Austria

• Kitzbühel, Austria

• Méribel, France

• Pas de la Casa, Andorra

• Saalbach, Austria

• Sauze d’Oulx, Italy

• Sölden, Austria

• St Anton, Austria

• Val d’Isère, France

• Verbier, Switzerland

• Zermatt, Switzerland

 

 

Other amusements

Alpine resorts where those not interested in skiing or boarding can still find plenty to do

• Bad Gastein, Austria

• Chamonix, France

• Cortina, Italy

• Davos, Switzerland

• Innsbruck, Austria

• Kitzbühel, Austria

• Megève, France

• St Moritz, Switzerland

• Zell am See, Austria

 

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