Situated in the huge Trois Vallees ski region of Savoie in France, Val Thorens is a lofty resort (Europe’s highest) boasting wide, open slopes above the tree-line. There are 140kms of pistes in total, some superb off-piste powder and summer skiing on the Peclet Glacier.

Purpose-built, traffic-free Val Thorens is a very convenient resort village, with ski-in/ski-out accessibility and a good range of shops and services. There are 70 shops here and childcare services for toddlers. Accommodation is in self-catering apartments and hotels, with over 23,000 beds on offer.

Every level of expertise is catered for at Val Thorens, with 66 per cent of the 140kms of terrain for beginners, 21 per cent for intermediates, 30 per cent for the advanced and seven per cent for experts; the longest run is 2.25kms. Thirty-four ski lifts, including a 150-person cable car, can handle up to 61,000 people per hour and, in addition to the pistes, there are 132kms of cross-country trails.

Other winter activities and facilities at Val Thorens ski resort include: mono-skiing, paragliding, a six-kilometre toboggan run, and snowshoe trekking. There is also indoor swimming, three indoor tennis courts, sauna, sports centre, gymnasium, Turkish baths and a whirlpool. Après-ski is fairly laid-back with a cinema, coffeehouses and a handful of bars and discos.

The November to early May ski season at Val Thorens has its best snow in February and summer skiing on the glacier. Cheaper weeks are in mid-December and from mid-April.

A return flight to either Geneva or Lyon, together with a bus transfer to the resort is the most practical travel option for many. Moutiers train station has direct links with Waterloo station in London over the winter, which is also convenient.