Ski holidays: Top ski resorts this winter

Snowboarding hotspots

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With the pound regaining strength against the Euro combined with the country’s biggest ski operators, such as Crystal, slashing prices and offering great value all-inclusive packages, skiing and snowboarding is now more accessible than ever.

Here are our insider tips on the best resorts and latest developments this season:

Les Gets

Les Gets
Creative Commons / gruntzooki

Situated on the giant Franco-Swiss Portes du Soleil circuit of a dozen lift-linked resorts, Les Gets is already an established ski destination. However, it is making large investments in its slopes this winter and is one of the resorts that’s ‘new’ in lots of brochures this season. Its Chavannes gondola is having a total facelift following a 4.5 million Euro investment, as is the resort’s snow front and the ski runs at the Carry Area. There’ll be a new six-seater chairlift in the Chamossiere sector - meaning it now takes only five to seven minutes to reach the summit and the link-point in the Les Get ski area, which has the most spectacular views of Mont Blanc.

Solden

Gaislachkogl gondola, Solden
Gaislachkogl

In Austria, Solden was the first ski area to open for winter 2010-11 back in September and will be opening an architecturally spectacular new gondola at the start of the winter. The brand-new gondola will lift skiers to the top of Gaislachkogl peak. The stunning-looking lift has taken two years to build and will have fewer support towers, direct access to the slope from the middle station and snow-grooming machines.

Levi

Levi, Finland
istockphoto / Thinkstock

Up in Finnish Lapland the resort of Levi is causing a bit of a splash by opening a new Water World Spa, with no less than 17 indoor and outdoor pools of varying kinds for weary skiers and boarders to take a pre or post-slopes soak in. The complex also features nine saunas, a gym, spa treatments and other health and beauty services with the MediLevi service. There will also be new cafés, restaurants, children's playhouse, eight lane bowling alley, tennis, badminton, basketball, volleyball and floor hockey.

Avoriaz

Aquariaz complex, Avoriaz
Aquariaz

Just over the mountain from Les Gets a massive two year expansion of Avoriaz ski resort in France is underway, which will ultimately create two new resort districts. More exciting for guests though is that the resort is building a giant water park, the sprawling Aquariaz complex - complete with a ‘wave filled super pipe.’ There’ll also be a spectacular new lift to replace the cable car link from Morzine in the valley below.

Campiglio Express cableway

Madonna di Campiglio resort
Madonna di Campiglio

Probably the biggest news in Europe this winter is the long planned connection of Madonna di Campiglio’s ski slopes with those of Pinzolo ski resort. The new Campiglio Express cableway will connect the two ski areas and several runs will be opened up including the 3.5km long DoloMitica slope, pitching at an average 36% gradient for good skiers, or a longer 6km gentler run for those who prefer to take it easy, pitching at 20%. The new area will have 150km of linked pistes.

Stay one ski ahead and check out the latest resort news and exciting developments this season with our insider’s guide to ski resorts for 2010/11.