Skiing in Europe in 2011

by Bethan
(London)

Europe has always been associated with the most popular winter sport, skiing. It offers far more skiing and snowboarding than any other part of the world and is renowned for fantastic skiing combined with lively après-ski, especially in the Alps.

There is a wide choice of European resorts which makes it easy for the individual skier or families to find the most suitable resort for their needs and ability. Below are the top three skiing and snowboarding resorts based on their varying terrain, activities to do aside from skiing, accommodation and nightlife.

Val d'Isere, France
The French Alps are a very appealing skiing destination for Brits because of the close proximity to the UK and the beauty and diversity of the landscapes. One of the most popular resorts in France is Val d'Isere, it has something to offer everyone from beginners to experts and is one of the busiest resorts in the Alps. Val d’Isere links with Tignes to form l'Espace Killy which offers a combined 300km of piste which are set out between 1550m and 3450m meaning there are great snow conditions. Boasting 10,000 hectares of off-piste skiing terrain, Val d'Isere is a must go resort for advanced skiers. Skiers can also explore six slalom courses, a mogul field and two snow parks. Val d'Isere also offers a huge variety of activities aside from skiing such as snowmobiling, husky sledging, ice climbing and ice skating and also boasts a lively night life.

Zermatt, Switzerland
The picturesque resort of Zermatt is surrounded by a range of stunning mountains and has a fantastic range of varied terrain. Zermatt really excels in its off-piste terrain and has enough to keep a free rider occupied for weeks, while there is also 38km of official off-piste routes. The high altitude of the resort means it is snow sure and it is one of the only places where you can ski 365 days of the year. In the winter there are four ski areas; Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klien Matterhorn and Schwarzsee while in the summer there is skiing on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Zermatt is a resort of tranquillity owing to its car-free community, with transport in the form of electric cars and horse-drawn sleighs. Accommodation in Zermatt is hard to beat with a huge array of luxury ski chalets which sit alongside the first-class ski slopes.

St Anton, Austria
It is not hard to see why St Anton is one of the best ski areas in Europe. Not only is it a great destination for skiing and snowboarding because it offers some of Austria’s most extensive and challenging skiing but it is also renowned for its wild après-ski. St Anton has a good variety of catered chalets and hotels to head to after a lively night of drinking. For experts there is no shortage of challenges and St Anton has a reputation for having rough and tough off-piste terrain which is extensive and varied and dubbed as some of the best snowboarding terrain there is around. For freestylers there is a terrain park on the Rendl which features a jibline, intermediate and pro tabletop jump lines, fun cross for children and a chill area. The resort is also littered with natural hits and even if you were to spend a couple of months boarding you wouldn’t find them all.