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It all depends on what you want and what your budget is.

 

The general consensus is something like this. For Alpine charm, go to Austria or Switzerland. If it is maximum sliding efficiency, then go to the purpose built French resorts. Both these options are expensive. Italy, the French Pyrenees and Spain are generally the cheaper options.

 

I've had really good times around San Sicario in the Italian Alps, and I like both sides of the Pyrenees. The best skiing I've had has been at places like Tignes. Never skied in Austria or Switzerland.

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Excellent BC touring is available across the Alps, very liberal and free in France, same goes in Suisse. I have no experience in Austria yet. Italy is I think slightly less unrestricted, but far fewer people seem to go off piste in Italy so snow goes untracked for much longer. If you set of a av in Italy you can get in very big trouble, particularly if it threatens a town or resort asset (groomed piste included).

 

The choices are plentiful so you need a way to narrow the down. The first filter I would apply is language. Can you speak German, French or Italian? Communication (internet, books and verbal) is a massive advantage to enjoyment and safety in back country endeavours. So pick a region that speaks the language you can speak.

 

French: French Alps, Pyrenees, Western Suisse.

German: Suisse, Austria

Italian: Italy and parts of southern Suisse.

 

The second filter you should apply is consideration of how often you are going to visit the Alps. If you want to do it very often then do this: rent a really small shit apartment in a small cheap town within 30 minutes drive of a Ryan Air serviced airport and 1-2 hours drive from the snow. Buy a crap car. Take all your gear down there. Fly there each weekend. You will be amazed how accessible the Alps suddenly become.

 

The third filter is choose a place that is not mega popular. There are 100's. One example is the great area of Leysin in Suisse. Not mega high, not mega popular. But loads of BC touring and very pretty mountains. Plus quite close to Geneva airport. France is also full of little places with local resorts, same as Italy.

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Hey Firedog, you need to look closer to home matey. The UK has it all!

 

Oooo, indoor artificial slopes. Lucky Brits.

 

 Quote:
The UK has one of the most vibrant snowboard scenes in the world, which lasts all year long. This is despite being a basically snowless country. Us Brits are actually very fortunate, because we can ride all year long on the UK's artificial slopes and when the winter does come, we can just nip over to mainland Europe.
http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/

 

One of the most vibrant snowboard scenes in the world ???!!!! lol.gif lol.gif

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 Quote:
Originally posted by scouser:
Runcorn Ski and Snowboard Centre is class. And very easy to get to, not far from Runcorn station in sunny (and sometimes smelly) Runcorn.
Yeh, "Go Backcountry" lol.gif in Runcorn. Avalanches are not the problem. Losing your wallet is a terrain challenge.
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lol.gif Deffo. Backcountry in Runcorn takes you somewhere into the lovely Castner Kellner plant.

 

As for the wallets, you just can't trust those people from Cheshire can you?

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Runcorn is amongst other things a very romantic place, as is neighbouring Widnes. Good access from London as well. lol.gif

 

I think it really fits in well actually.

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As mentioned above - there is a healthy dome and dry slope scene in the UK.

 

There is also Scotland - and though the weather is unpredicable up there, it can offer some great skiing if you get the timing right.

 

Check out the Scotland article on this site:

 

www.snowsphere.com

 

The European Alps and the Pyrenees offer hundreds of resorts, and everywhere I've been (Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Andorra) have some accessble off piste close by.

 

Eastern Europe is also getting a lot of hype right now, for having good snow, interesting culture, and being very cheap - so it's worth looking into places like Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Rep, etc.

 

You've also got Scandinavia, which is more famous for it's pipes and parks, and is said to be pretty expensive.

 

So - there you have it - Europe is a skiing mecca.

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