Budget ski destinations: Where to discover the secret resorts with top skiing at affordable prices
With a gloomy economic outlook, your hopes for a ski break may be rapidly heading downhill - but you just need to know where to look.
Here are some of the places you can find top-class skiing at prices you'll love - in fact, skiing is believing...
Snow, snow, thick, thick snow: You can enjoy perfect conditions in a less well-known resort
France
Aussois (aussois.com) is an ancient village on the boundary of the Vanoise national park, with 55 km of piste and ten lifts.
Ideal for young families, and surprisingly good for intermediates and even advanced skiers. Self-catering, ski-drive in the Les Flocons d'Argent building, sleeping two to four, costs 417 for the apartment, including Eurotunnel, with Peak Retreats (0844 576 0170, peakretreats.co.uk).
Other operator: Lagrange (020 7371 6111, lagrange-holidays.co.uk).
St-Lary (www.saintlary.com), in the Pyrenees, is a favourite with the French and Spanish. There are 32 lifts and 100 km of piste for all standards. A self-catering apartment sleeping two to four in L'Ardoisiere costs 580, including Eurotunnel, through Ski Collection (0844 576 0175, skicollection.co.uk).
Other operators: Lagrange, Pierre & Vacances (0870 0267145, pvholidays.com).
French fancy: Aussois is perfect for young families and charming to boot
Saint-Sorlin d'Arves (saintsorlindarves.com) is a quaint mountain village and my favourite destination in the 320! km Les Sybelles ski area. Best suited to beginners, intermediates and young families. A self-catering apartment sleeping two to five in L'Oree des Pistes costs 577 for the whole apartment, including Eurotunnel through Peak Retreats.
Other tour operator: Crystal (0871 231 2256, crystalski.co.uk).
Le Grand-Bornand (legrandbornand.com) is a beautifully preserved Savoyard village between Mont Blanc and Lake Annecy, with 90 km of pistes and 29 lifts. Best for intermediates and families. Self-catering Le Village de Lessy, sleeps four to six and costs 1,013 for the whole apartment, including Eurotunnel, through Peak Retreats.
Other operators: Skiweekender (0845 557 5983, ski weekender.com), Ski Independence (0131 243 8097, ski-i.com).
Ski some day: Saint-Gervais in France is part of the six-resort Evasion ski domain on Mont Blanc
Val Cenis (valcenis.com), in the Haute Maurienne, has lots of appeal for all standards and is great for families. It has 125 km of pistes and 27 lifts. Le Val Cenis is a three-star hotel on the edge of the piste, costing 679pp full board, through Crystal.
Other tour operators: Erna Low (0845 863 0525, ernalow.co.uk), Lagrange, Peak Retreats.
Oz-en-Oisans (tourism-oisans.com) is a purpose-built satellite of Alpe d'Huez. A one-bedroom, self-catering apartment sleeping two to six costs 313, travel not included, through Lagrange.
Other operator: Peak Retreats.
Les Carroz (lescarroz.com) links seamlessly to Flaine and the rest of the 73-lift Grand Massif ski area. It's an attractive village with slopes best suited to intermediates. Chalet Deux Freres sleeps ten, 499pp half-board, travel not included, through Skiology (07894 758535, skiology. co.uk).
Other tour operators: Erna Low, Peak Retreats.
Puy-St-Vincent! (Puy-saint-vincent.paysdesecrins.com). This underrated resort near Briancon has a 1,350m vertical drop, 75 km of pistes and 12 lifts. Its well suitedto families. Mona Lisa apartments are on the edge of the piste, where two-bedrooms self-catering, sleeping four, costs 525pp, through Snowbizz (01778 341 455, snowbizz.co.uk).
Saint-Gervais (saintgervais.com) is part of the six-resort Evasion ski domain, which includes a mighty 445 km of pistes. Best suited to intermediates. The main area is linked to Megeve. Les Arolles is a collection of three townhouses in the upper part of the resort. A two-bedroom apartment sleeping four to six costs 567, including Eurotunnel, through Erna Low.
Other operator: Peak Retreats.
Write on trend: Gaschurn in Austria was favoured by Ernest Hemingway, who holidayed here for a whole winter
AUSTRIA
Werfenweng (werfenweng-austria.com) is one of those places in Salzburgerland where ambitious villagers have developed a wonderful little resort. Seven lifts and 25 km of easy terrain. Ideal for beginner families. Family Resort Werfenweng with free childrens club, 689 half-board, through Thomson (0871 971 0578, thomsonski.co.uk).
Gaschurn (gaschurn-partenen.com), in the Silvretta Montafon region, was much loved by Ernest Hemingway, who spent a whole winter there. There are 61 lifts and 219 km of pistes in the area. Hotel Explorer is a modern three-star, B&B from 655pp, through Crystal.
Other tour operator: Thomson.
Alpendorf (alpendorf.com) is the ski base for the cathedral city of St Johann im Pongau and is the gateway to the 282 km Salzburger Sportwelt. Suits all standards, especially big-mileage intermediates. Hotel Rothirsch, 689pp half-board, through Crystal.
Katschberg (katschberg.at) This small, traditional resort is! on a hi gh mountain pass between Carinthia and Salzbergerland. 70 km of pistes and 16 lifts. Best suited to families of varying ability. Falkensteiner Hotel Cristallo from 795pp full board, through Neilson (0844 879 8155, neilson.co.uk).
Zell am Ziller (zillerarena.com), not to be confused with Zell am See, provides an alternative to Mayhofen for skiing the 625 km of pistes and 177 lifts in the Zillertal. Its smaller and more peaceful than its famous neighbour. Best suited to intermediates. Hotel Neuwirt, 527 half-board, First Choice (0871 200 7799, firstchoice.co.uk).
In the pink: Gressoney-La-Trinite in Italy boasts 24 lifts and 180 km of pistes
ITALY
Ortisei (valgardena.it) qualifies as one of the most attractive village in the Val Gardena and the best base with links into the Sella Ronda and the scenic Alpe de Suisa ski areas, with 83 lifts serving 175 km of pistes. Best for intermediates looking for a big daily mileage. Dolomiti Madonna Hotel has half-board for 765pp, through Inghams (020 8780 4444, inghams.co.uk).
Other operator: Crystal.
Bardonecchia (bardonecchiaski.com) is an under-rated resort for all standards at the Italian end of the Frejus tunnel, close to the Milky Way ski area. Suitable for all standards with 21 lifts and 110 km of piste. It also has an excellent terrain park. Chalet Bianca sleeps 12, 519pp half-board, through Neilson.
Other tour operators: Crystal, Thomson.
Gressoney-La-Trinite (monterosa-ski.com) has tons of Italian charm. Its one of four linked villages tucked beneath the towering peak of Monte Rosa, with 24 lifts and 180 km of pistes. Best suited to intermediates. Three-star Hotel Nordend, 645 B&B with flights and rental car, through Momentum Ski (020 7371 9111, momentumski.com).
A Lauter snow: The Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland is a low-cost area suited to intermediaries
SWITZERLAND
Grimentz (sierre-anniviers.ch) is an ancient and attractive village in the beautiful Val Anniviers, with 50 km of local skiing and a shared lift pass with St Luc, Zinal and Vercorin covering 220 km and 44 lifts. Suitable for all standards. Chalet Cole Ridge sleeps ten, 799pp half-board, travel not included, through Mountain Heaven (0151 625 1921, mountainheaven.co.uk).
Other operators: Chalet Charr (01947 896391, chaletcharr.co.uk), Ski Bespoke (01242 200 202, skibespoke.com).
Veysonnaz (veysonnaz.ch) above the valley town of Sion has links to Verbier and the rest of the 90-lift Four Valleys. It also has its own attractive ski area, where the Swiss team train. The skiing suits all standards. Hotel Magrappe 719pp half-board, through Crystal.
Other tour operator: Hidden Dragon (0845 505 0251, hidden-dragon.com).
Lauterbrunnen (jungfrau.ch), in the Bernese Oberland, is a low-cost and convenient base for skiing the 213 km area of Murren, Wengen and Grindelwald. Best suited to intermediates. Chalethotel Rosa, 603pp half-board, through Ski Miquel (01457 821200, miquelhols.co.uk).
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AND NOT FORGETTING...
Jasna (jasna.sk/en), in the Low Tatra mountain range of Slovakia, has some of the best skiing in Eastern Europe for intermediates. Chalet Koliesko, 799pp half-board, including lift pass and equipment rental, through Mountain Paradise (0161 408 8988, mountainparadise.co.uk).
Baqueira Beret (baqueira.es), in the Pyrenees, is the top Spanish resort with 115 km of skiing suitable for all standards and families, a relaxed atmosphere, fine restaurants and enjoyable nightlife. Chalet Solana, 565pp half-board, through Ski Miquel (01457 821 200, miquelhols.co.uk).
Other tour operator: Neilson.
Are (skistar.com) in Sweden is the only world-class resort in Scandinavia, with snowmobiling, dog-sledding, ice-fishing and a host of other non-skiing activities. It has one of Europes best terrain parks and suits all standards, particularly good for children. Chalet Arebo sleeps 12, 595pp half-board, through Neilson.
Sochi (sochi2014.com), in Russia, will host the Winter Olympics in 2014 on three mountains near the Black Sea resort. New lifts are being built and so far, theres 100 km of pistes. Best suited to intermediates. Park Inn by Radisson in Rosa Khutor ski village, 1,129pp B&B, through Crystal.
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