Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Morzine, Champery), France/Switzerland

Portes du Soleil is the largest or second largest ski area in the world depending on how you count. In total there are 650 kilometers of slopes in two countries and 14 valleys with 12 resorts to stay in.

In the middle of the Portes du Soleil is Avoriaz, which at 1800 meters is the highest resort in the area. Although the village was built in the sixties, it is very futuristic with tall wood-clad buildings and one of the few car-free resorts in the Alps. Transportation is mainly on skis on the snow-filled streets. Bags and other items are transported by bandwagon or by horse-drawn sleighs. You can ski to and from all apartment hotels, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops. If you're looking for accommodation in the area with a more traditional Alpine feel, Morzine is one such place. Just be aware that you'll have to start the day with a long transport up the mountain.

Avoriaz gets an average of eight meters of snow per season and has fast and modern lifts. On the Swiss side of the system, the lifts are older and slower, especially beyond Chatel.

As in many parts of the Alps, you should be early on snowy days. Try the Vallée de la Manche with dramatic views of Mont Blanc or the Swiss side of the Mossette which starts with a narrow passage before opening up to a larger plateau. For those less advanced in off-piste skiing, there are patrolled snowcross zones in several places.

If the conditions are good and you like to ski really steep, you can try "The Swiss Wall" in Chavanette. Considered one of the steepest slopes in the Alps, it's not recommended on a late afternoon when the wall turns into an icy madness with giant bumps.

More steep skiing can be found between Grandes Combes and Les Prodains and long fine red slopes wind through the trees between Les Lindarets and Chatel. Quiet and comfortable skiing can be found above Champery in the Planachaux area. From here you can also reach wide open skiing around Champoussin and Les Crosets. In poor weather and visibility, there is plenty of forest skiing around Les Lidarets, Pre La Joux or in Super Morzine, which is rare in the Alps.

The Portes du Soleil ski system is huge and offers something for every type of skier although the size can sometimes make it difficult to find. Lift queues are rarely long, even in high season, but when there are bottlenecks in the system, the number of skiers can take away some of the tranquillity and sense of nature.