| 1. La Tania, France | | | | town, there's a range of decently priced |
| Need to know: Quiet, good value, purpose-built resort | | | | accommodation, and supermarkets for self-caterers |
| with nursery slopes and gentle sledging at village level. | | | | or picnic fans. The cafes and coffee shops will keep |
| Attached to the Three Valleys area, off-duty parents | | | | a non-skiing parent or grandparent entertained, too. |
| can get in some proper ski time, but as it's also | | | | Bonus: Aspiring freestyle skiers or snowboarders will |
| below the tree line, on-duty parents can take the | | | | love the park at the top of Tappenalm. |
| kids on activities such as woodland walks. | | | | 4. Avoriaz, France |
| Good for: Anyone worried about altitude. La Tania is | | | | Need to know: Purpose-built, car-free and built high |
| one of the lowest resorts at only 1,350m high. And | | | | up on the cliffs, Avoriaz is attached to the gigantic |
| at under 600 miles from Calais, you can drive there | | | | Portes du Soleil area and boasts 650km of piste, half |
| from the UK. | | | | in France and half in Switzerland. Accommodation is |
| Bonus: Geneva airport has a good nursery - useful in | | | | mainly self-catered apartments in ski-in, ski-out blocks |
| the case of flight delays. | | | | run by big tour operators. |
| 2. Flaine, France | | | | Good for: A family keen to try some more advanced |
| Need to know: Purpose-built, car-free and | | | | skiing. Good black runs and challenging reds in Portes |
| architect-designed in the 1960s. All of the pistes lead | | | | du Soleil, for the piste-lovers - three snowparks in |
| back to the same nursery slopes, so ideal for a | | | | Avoriaz for freestylers. Those looking for off-piste |
| group of mixed ability as everyone can regroup | | | | will find tree runs, powder bowls and cliff drops. |
| between laps. The nursery slopes are well kitted out, | | | | Bonus: Great for beginners, too, with loads of space |
| and the main slopes have something for everyone, | | | | for the first-timer. And the resort is so compact, you |
| from cruising slopes to challenging black runs, and | | | | can send the kids out to get the morning croissants. |
| easily accessible off-piste between the runs. | | | | 5. Cervinia, Italy |
| Good for: A quiet holiday. The traditional chalet-loving | | | | Need to know: This resort is over the Italian side of |
| French aren't big fans of the architecture, so Flaine | | | | the Matterhorn (or Cervino, in Italian). The high, |
| can be quieter than you'd expect in the village and on | | | | sunny, snow-sure pistes are laid out over a valley |
| the pistes. | | | | head - wide runs that all lead back down to the |
| Bonus: It's one of the closest resorts to Geneva, | | | | village. The area links up with the pistes of Zermatt |
| which makes for an easier-than-usual transfer. | | | | at the top, making a massive 350km of runs. |
| 3. Mayrhofen, Austria | | | | Good for: Hearty Italian food that won't break the |
| Need to know: At 630m, Mayrhofen is low but has | | | | bank at the mountain restaurants in attractive chalets |
| three spectacular gondolas that whisk you up to the | | | | (try the Chalet Etoile), and lots of good pizza joints, |
| slopes on either side of the valley. Beginners will | | | | as well as some treats like the Baita Cretaz |
| enjoy the gentle slopes of the Ahorn mountain. The | | | | restaurant - only accessible by skidoo once the lifts |
| other mountain, Penken, is great for intermediates, | | | | are closed. |
| with a variety of red runs, and a valley called | | | | Bonus: Runs all stay wide, gentle and consistent right |
| Tappenalm, dotted with good cafes. | | | | to the bottom. And the village is small enough to let |
| Good for: Getting to by road or rail from | | | | older kids go exploring the shops on their own. |
| budget-airline-friendly Salzburg and Munich. Once in | | | | |