One of Europe’s most famous snowboarding towns, Val d’Isre features 408 KM of pistes. The season gets going in Nov and closes in the start of May. The high altitude purpose built French village supplies everything for you. The village is spread down the vale from La Daille as far as Le Fornet with the focus and the apres ski in the centre Val d’Isere. The bunch of cute chalets incorporate dapper dress shops most of which have sprung up since the resort was chosen for the Winter Olympics.

Split into three areas Val d’Isre has many slopes for all levels. Like Chamonix France it has a good historical snow record, the resort is hugely fashionable among pro boarders and piste hungry intermediates, but you do not need to be particularly adventurous to relish what is there. It’s easy to how come a lot of British are drawn to the town, with its famous apres ski and the variety of entertainment on offer, but the near proximity of Tignes enables you to venture out to less busy climes if it all begins to get a bit much.

Pros

A superb apres ski in the French Alps. Everyone speaks English. Comfortable entrance to both Val d’Isre and Tignes known collectively as the the Espace Killy skiing area. There is lots of cars and though there are regular buses during the day, devoted apres skiers had better aim to be within a short walking distance from the town centre.

Cons

Pricy. Hectic and fashionable with English skiers, and so not for holiday makers anticipating a classic French ski town to enjoy a relaxing skiing holiday. A lot of skiing lifts can close in bad weather conditions. A few difficult blue and green runs.