Luxury Europe ski holidays

Courchevel is dressed to the nines with gourmet eateries and glamorous shops, accessorised by high-tech lift systems that satisfy the fussiest celebs. Méribel’s sunny slopes turn the snow to tinsel and boast the best access valley-wide. And Val Thorens tempts intermediate challenge-seekers with its high altitude peaks, The quieter slopes are found at St Martin de Belleville, made for teaching new tricks to rosy-cheeked little ones.

Over near the Italian border, world-famous Val d’Isère kicks things up a notch with black runs and heliskiing adventures for seasoned aficionadas, while newbies to the scene get inspired to go-for-gold themselves on high altitude beginner slopes. Meanwhile, the short-break stars in the form of traffic-free Megève and alpine-village La Clusaz. Fun for all the family with their all-ability runs and seriously cool winter activities.

Much like sharing those chocolatey treats, tastes differ across these ski resorts. Some are renowned for their glamour, their snug-as-a-Swiss-roll family feeling, or the quintessentially cool alpine scenes. Take exclusive Verbier for example, where day is for playing hard at ambitious slopes and night is for partying harder; Villar’s quaint, laid-back village for calmer dalliances and dainty tea rooms; or fairy-tale Saas-Fee and traditional Zermatt that sprinkle the local charm into their towns like sugar. Others, however, are known for their extreme sports and charming off-piste pastimes.

Getting lost in the backcountry comes easily in the likes of Andermatt, while glamorous slope evaders sip champagne chasers and test their designer bag stamina in St. Moritz. Then over in Arosa, its gastronomic scene is almost enough to make visitors forget about skiing altogether, and Crans-Montana’s playground for snow-faring fun and sun-kissed slopes make it the one to watch.

The winter playground of choice for those seeking the glamour and indulgence of the Amalfi Coast in higher and cooler climes; even the stay-all-day-on-the-slopers find it hard to resist the bustling towns and quieter resorts. Brushing shoulder to shoulder with non-skiers and locals that make headway to its frosty wilderness of activities, the Dolomites is one of the main draws. There’s a variety across its ski safaris that soothes the unshakeable desire to explore every type of vista. The livelier ones opt for Cortina d’Ampezzo’s upmarket feel, while solitary-seekers make tracks to San Cassiano’s quieter village; with no need to compromise on the postcard-perfect eateries that scatter across both.

Further west, Courmayeur comes through with short breaks and the option to go heliskiing for the experts as it straddles the borders of France and Switzerland. Traversing Courmayeur’s ski-area is satisfyingly quick in a short but sweet escapade, but with its super high and snow-sure glacier, it's Cervinia that tempts a family of indecisive-types with the added luxury of popping over to Switzerland for its mesmerising-scenery.