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Baqueira, Spain
Description: Halfway from the Meditteranean and the Atlantic lies the rugged Valle d'Aran up against the border of France. In the Eastern section of the Valley are the ski lifts. The valley has a lot of old traditional buildings and the ski resort itself is more modern but uses stone and traditional timbers. The restaurants around here are superb, wonderful Spanish food
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Bardonecchia, Italy
Description: In 1909 the first Italian ski championships were held here and the first ski jump. "smith" was built in the same year. The jump was namerd after the Norwegian brothers Harold & Trigher Smith who had brokend the world record of their time by jumping 43 & 40 mtrs respectively. Bardoneccia sits in a sunny valley surrounded by mountains whose peaks reach as high as 3500m and it is on the border between Italy and France. As a historical mountain town Bardonecchia is easily reached by both highway and train from many European cities.
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Bareges, France
Description: Bareges is a spa village found in the French Pyrenees. We love the fact that it's cheaper than the Alps. The town itself has lots of restaurants and cafes and of course being a spa town, thermal baths. The lift base isn't in the actual village but 4km up the valley. Don't worry there is a ski bus running so you don't have to walk. From Bareges you have access to a massive ski area made up of Barèges and the La Mongie/Tourmalet ski zone
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Belalp, Switzerland
Description: A small village situated on a sunny car free plateau. Lofty backdrop of the Aletsch Glacier and look over 4000m peaks in the Valaisa Alps. The Matterhorn, the entire Mischabel Group, the Weissmies Mountains and the Monte Leone are all in your line of vision. Belalp rises high above Brig which is the main town in the Upper Valais.
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Belle Plagne, France
Description: One of the most skied resorts in Europe, La Plagne Domain offers some fantastic flattering skiing, good snowmaking facilities and owners who constantly invest in the lift system. It’s a terrific resort for families as there is lots of blue runs to learn on and there is less of an après ski scene. Consists of 10 Villages Aime La Plagne,Plagne Villages/Soleil, Belle Plagne, Plagne Centre, Plagne Bellecote , Plagne 1800,Montchavin, Les Coches, Montalbert Montchavin / Les Coches = very pretty Bellecote / Aime la Plagne = not as attractive as we'd like Plagne Centre = good access to slopes Belle Plagne = central to the Paradiski area (La Plagne & Les Arcs)
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Bellefontaine, France
Description: Bellefontaine is part of the Haute Jura region and the Rousses ski Domain. It is 6km East of Morbier and is at the foot of the Risoux forest
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Bellevaux - La Chevrerie, France
Description: Bellevaux is a great little family resort situated near Thonon Les Bains and only a short transfer time of 45 minutes from Geneva. It is based in the Chablais area of the Northern Alps, part of the Haute Savoie department.
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Bernex, France
Description: Traditional buildings make this a charming mountain village resort, very close to the Swiss Border. It is 60km from Lausanne and more importantly 50km from Geneva. It is part of the Haute Savoie region.
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Blatten, Switzerland
Description: Not to far from Brig, Blatten lies above Naters, and the Rhone below. Along with Blatten-Belalp, Rosswald and Rothwald are three independent ski areas. Blatten is a sunny resort great for children. It's a lovely resort for snowshoeing and long winter walks.
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Boi Taull, Spain
Description: Taull, or Boi Taull as it is also known is a ski resort located in the heart of the Boi Valley, in the Catalunya Pyrenees. It's a friendly family orientated resort.
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Bormio, Italy
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Bourg Saint Maurice, France
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Briancon, France
Description: The highest Town in France Briancon is part of the Serre Chevalier – a resort made up of 13 villages. The lift is right in the middle of town and takes you to mid mountain and then onwards. Around the lift station are shops, a casino, bars and restaurants but the area with the real character is the 17th Century fortified quarter with it’s charming cobbled streets, tradional bakeries, accommodation and restaurants It’s easy enough to travel around the villages with a free ski bus (with valid lift pass) though it does seem to stop relatively early.
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Brides les Bains, France
Description: Bride-Les-Bains is the quiet spa town in the valley below Meribel.Created in 1848 it is renowned for it’s slimming cures. There is a high speed gondola lift that connects to the bottom slopes in Meribel in 25 minutes, so that skiers and boarders have access to the renowned three valleys – Meribel, Mottaret, Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens It was 'the Olympic Village' and thus home to the athletes participating in the 1992 Winter Olympics. Brides-les-Bains has a number of bars and restaurants as well as two nightclubs and the only casino of the Three Valleys, all with prices well below those of Meribel and Courchevel. For non-skiers or après-ski relaxation there is a splendid new spa area based in the town’s famous thermal health centre. The thermal resort at Thermes d'Orsi employs specialists and professionals including doctors, masseurs, dieticians and psychologists who can work out special weight loss and fitness programs, often involving a pleasurable dip in the 36 Celsius thermal pool at Salins, a hydro massage and a visit to the mud bath. Brides-les-Bains is widely recognised as offering an exceptional value for money gateway to one of the world’s most prestigious ski area
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Brig, Switzerland
Description: Graceful old town with magnificient railway station. It’s the fulcrom for a dizzying series of major roads and rail routes, where people stop over on the way to Zermatt
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Bruneck / Brunico, Italy
Description: Brunico is a town which lies at the foot of the Kronplatz ski area and has a link via the gondola. The town is situated in the the Pluster Valley, in the South Tyrol region and dates back to the stone age. It's seen its fair share of history with floods in the 14th & 19th centuries, the plague in 1543 and various fires and earthquakes!! The town really started to take off in the 1800's with the opening of the Puster Valley railway which led to many visitors to the area. Today you will find a charming, picturesque town which still has some of the ancient walls from medieval times in the town centre. Many years ago this place used to be part of the Austrian Tyrol, so you will still hear German spoke frequently. There is the clue as to why it has two names. The Kronlplatz/ Plan de Corones ski field has some delightful slopes with a brilliant lift system which was built on tax breaks.
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Campitello di Fassa, Italy
Description: An enviable postion in the heart fo the Dolomites super ski area offering more than 1200km of scenic interconnected pistes.Campitello is the little sister of Canazei but with the advantage of its Col Radella cable car that enables skiers to beat the queues and be first on the slope in the morning - my mum would like that! There are a number of shops, restaurants and for non skiers a spa centre. A free bus operates in this rustic, pretty village with its narrow streets.
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Canazei, Italy
Description: An enviable postion in the heart fo the Dolomites super ski area offering more than 1200km of scenic interconnected pistes. Canazei with its neighbour Campitello is in the Val Di Fassa and is in the Trentino and the slopes are part of the huge Sella Ronda circuit.
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Candanchu, Spain
Description: Candanchu sits at 1,560m on the Spanish French border in the centre of the Pyrennes. It's about 380km north west of Barcelona. The Spaniards love this resort and you also get a few Americans visiting as they escape to a ski resort that hasn't been spoilt by tourism
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Castelrotto, Italy
Description: Castelrotto is the main town on the plateau Schlern. There is a beautiful town centre with a fantastic church whose tower dominates the sky line. This a really beautiful and sunny resort. It is located to the west of the Sella Ronda cicuit.
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Cauterets, France
Description: Cauterets is found in the French Pyrenees and is an elegant old spa town. Generally you will find prices here so much cheaper than the big French Alps resorts. Cauterets is full of beautiful hotels and wonderful restaurants. The actual ski area is Cirque du Lys which you get to from the village either by the Lys cable car (2000 skiers/hour) or by car (but you will need chains) Eventually the ski areas of Cauterets and Luz-Ardiden should link which would make a combined ski area of 100km +
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Ceillac, France
Description: Ceillac is situated near Serre-Chevalier in the Haute Alps District and not too far away from the highest village in Europe, St Veran. Here you will find French rustic charm with wooden buildings.
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Cerler, Spain
Description: Very much a Spanish resort with a local clientelle from Madrid. It's a purpose built ski resort with a ski area similar to nearby Andorra's Arinsal
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Cervinia, Italy
Description: Some would consider it a little bit of an ugly resort ,as there is no consistent style of architecture, but the regular clientelle like the fact that with a pedestian centre, everywhere is close by. There are some good bars, fairly decent restaurants and remember you can ride over to fashionable Zermatt but without having to pay the Zermatt accommodation prices. A word of warning at weekends & public holidays the day trippers arrive en masse from Milan and Turin.
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Chaillol, France
Description: Situated in the Southern Alps and not far from the resort of Orcieres, Chaillol is a traditional French ski village.
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Chamonix, France
Description: Firstly Chamonix is a town rather than a village and as such offers a lot to do besides skiing and snowboarding. As you arrive in the resort you just have to be impressed with the scenery – Mount Blanc towering above you. Chamonix is all go – lots of restaurants, hotels and visitors and a lively Saturday market. There are some beautiful old building in the centre an the cobbled streets and squares are car free so you can wander around at ease. There is some good shopping available stocking everything a winter sports person could require. Chamonix is a wonderful full sized town that is open year round. In winter people from all over the world come to enjoy the Snow. Since the first winter Olympics back in 1924 Chamonix played an important role in the history of the skiing. Chamonix has some of the largest glaciers in Europe. Mont Blanc which rises up majestically is centred on three national borders, France, Switzerland and Italy. There is a project underway to have Mont Blanc listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Getting around the resort is easy with the free bus (use your C'arte D'Hote - Guest Card) which links the centre of town with all the ski resorts. The centre is pedestrianised and you will find Chamonix making a conscious effort to cut their CO2 emmissions. It's even free to travel on the train with your Guest Card between Servoz and Vallorcine. If you aren't given your free Guest Card at your place of accommodation on arrival go to the tourist office for details.
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Chamonix Sud, France
Description: Firstly Chamonix is a town rather than a village and as such offers a lot to do besides skiing and snowboarding. As you arrive in the resort you just have to be impressed with the scenery – Mount Blanc towering above you. Chamonix is all go – lots of restaurants, hotels and visitors and a lively Saturday market. There are some beautiful old building in the centre an the cobbled streets and squares are car free so you can wander around at ease. There is some good shopping available stocking everything a winter sports person could require. Chamonix is a wonderful full sized town that is open year round. In winter people from all over the world come to enjoy the Snow. Since the first winter Olympics back in 1924 Chamonix played an important role in the history of the skiing. Chamonix has some of the largest glaciers in Europe. Mont Blanc which rises up majestically is centred on three national borders, France, Switzerland and Italy. There is a project underway to have Mont Blanc listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Getting around the resort is easy with the free bus (use your C'arte D'Hote - Guest Card) which links the centre of town with all the ski resorts. The centre is pedestrianised and you will find Chamonix making a conscious effort to cut their CO2 emmissions. It's even free to travel on the train with your Guest Card between Servoz and Vallorcine. If you aren't given your free Guest Card at your place of accommodation on arrival go to the tourist office for details.
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Champagny, France
Description: Set within the forest the modern architecture has been tastefully done to make this a pretty village. It's easy enough to take a car or taxi and have a day trip to Courchevel
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Champery, Switzerland
Description: The resort itself is a charming place full of wooden chalets, very friendly locals and access to the Port du Soleil.
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Champoluc, Italy
Description: Champoluc is about an hours drive up the Aosta valley and it is a quiet place to stay but importantly gives you access to some wonderful skiing. Very popular with the Italians at weekends who come from Milan and Turin.
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