Unlike my children, snowboarding has never held much attraction for me. I think you need to be young when you start and watching beginners struggling to get on a button lift looks tricky! I am disappointed that my skiing isn’t as good as it should be for the amount of time I’ve spent on the slopes. I reached a certain level when I was about 18 and stayed there ever since but this doesn’t deter me and, now in my mid 40s I’ve been to many ski resorts, all of which have their own special charm and differences.

I have skied in Colorado, where the big resorts of Vail and Breckenridge are purpose built and the runs are wide and uncrowded – real motorway skiing. The service is second to none - it’s almost too friendly and a bit disconcerting but it’s easy to get used to, and enjoy such high levels of customer service; the sheer enthusiasm of everyone and the small detail of being offered a tissue as you enter the mountain restaurant to wipe your inevitably dripping nose.

Although the skiing is great across the pond, I still prefer the Alps and have come to know and love the slightly superior air of the French lift operators and waiters. There are so many resorts in this mountain range that everyone can find somewhere to stay to suit their needs perfectly. My favourites are the small villages where people live and work year round and the ski resort has grown up amongst them, frequently linking resorts via the mountain rather than by road.


Val D’isere is one of the most famous resorts in the world and with good reason. The village has barely changed over the years and it’s surprisingly small, yet the ski area is immense with miles of runs, all under the banner of Espace Killy which includes Tignes. Val is one of the few resorts to host the world championships, most recently in 2009.


Chamonix, the oldest resort in France has also retained its village feel and is as pretty as a picture. With Mont Blanc at its heart, Chamonix is famous for its 17 kilometre off piste run, the Vallee Blanche, not for the fainthearted. Two successive cable cars take you from the village at 1000 metres to 3842 metres in a matter of minutes. Arriving at the top, you strap on your crampons and edge your way along a narrow ridge (the arête) harnessed to a rope – a guide is highly recommended for the whole day. Once the arête has been safely negotiated, you begin your descent for five few hours of deep powder snow ahead of you. For the less courageous, there is a restaurant at the top of the Aiguilles de Midi and several lookout points where the view of the majestic Mont Blanc is unsurpassed. Up close, the highest mountain in Europe leaves a lasting impression.


Back down at the village and a short walk to the station to catch the 100 year old mountain train, Montenvers. It’s utterly charming and a feat of engineering. It winds and creaks its way up to almost 2000 metres and brings you to the Mer de Glace glacier. Those inclined may walk down many steps into the glacier while the less inclined can just enjoy a superb Savoyard lunch and breath in the scenery before catching the train back down to base.


Serre Chevalier in the Hautes Alpes is a huge ski area covering four areas from the hamlet of Monetiers Les Bains to the town of Briancon. Over 250 kilometres of pistes makes Serre one of Europe’s most extensive resorts. The valley is south facing and has an average of 300 days of sunshine. Thanks to the marvel of snow making machines, which cover 150 hectares of Serre Chevalier, good skiing conditions are ensured between December and April.


The great thing about a winter holiday in the mountains is that you can choose to ski or snowboard but can also enjoy the experience of simply being there. Most resorts have plenty of other activities, including ice skating and driving, snow shoe walking, paragliding, museums, shops, spas and of course, a fabulous range of restaurants serving local specialities.

For more information please visit the following 3 websites:-:
www.valdisere.com
www.chamonix.com
www.serre-chevalier.com