Resort shortlists

11th January 2013, by Chris Gill

So much choice ...  [(c) TO Aravis]

So much choice ... [(c) TO Aravis]

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, updated annually from our guide book. Here is the 2012 list.

To streamline the job of spotting the ideal destination for you, we have compiled lists of the best ten or so resorts for 22 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).

You can read the overview for each resort on the site. 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.


  • 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
  • CHEAPER THRILLS


 

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

  • Passo Tonale, Italy

  • 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

  • La Rosière, France

  • Ste-Foy, France

  • Saas-Fee, Switzerland

  • Vars/Risoul, 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

  • 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

  • Champéry, Switzerland

  • Courmayeur, Italy

  • Les Gets, France

  • Lech, Austria

  • Megève, France

  • Mürren, Switzerland

  • Saas-Fee, Switzerland

  • 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

  • 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

  • Laax, Switzerland

  • Monterosa Ski, Italy

  • Sella Ronda, Italy

  • Sölden, Austria

  • Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland
  • Vars/Risoul, France

    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

    • Saas Fee, Switzerland

    • St Moritz, 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

    • Revelstoke, 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

    • Trois Vallées, 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

    • Serre-Chevalier, 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

    • Mayrhofen, 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

    • Kitzbühel, Austria

    • Megève, France

    • St Moritz, Switzerland


    Cheaper thrills


    Alpine resorts that feature near the bottom of our price survey index, with reasonably extensive slopes

    • Bad Gastein, Austria

    • Monterosa Ski, Italy

    • Pyrenees (Baqueira-Beret, Formigal in Spain)

    • Pyrenees (La Mongie, St-Lary-Soulan in France)

    • Sauze d’Oulx, Italy

    • Schladming, Austria

    • Sella Ronda, Italy

    • SkiWelt (Ellmau, Söll), Austria

    • Vars/Risoul, France




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