Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes with its unique atmosphere is a true transition area between the Northern and the Southern Alps. From Serre Chevalier, at the feet of the Ecrins National Park, to Les Orres, the southernmost resort, the mountain environment changes : the vegetation is adapted to the more temperate climate and the weather is sunnier. The ski slopes run mainly through forests in very natural surroundings. It's a fairly long drive to reach the resorts. .

Alpes de Haute Provence
As its name suggests the Alpes de Haute-Provence is the meeting point of the Alps and the Provence. This vast scarcely populated region is a land of contrasting landscapes and climates. It is hard to get here but well worth it for discovering wild landscapes of a rare beauty. The ski resorts are sunny, traditional and family-orientated but there are no large ski domains here. .

Alpes Maritimes
The striking feature of this region is the large diversity of its landscapes, largely due to the great differences in altitude. The Mediterranean Sea is only 90 km from the first resorts. In these rugged mountains the roads are rather precipitous but the landscapes and the nearby Mercantour Park are worth the drive. The Alpes-Maritimes offers good snow conditions, an exceptionally sunny climate and a lively and friendly atmosphere.

Haute Garonne
At the heart of the Midi-Pyrénées regions is the very pleasant and sunny Haute-Garonne area filled with contrasts and paradoxes. Between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, bordering on the Pyrénées, on the banks of the Garonne River and the Canal du Midi is one of the rare French “department” to offer the benefits of a large metropolis as well as a varied and extremely well protected countryside. The Luchon ski resort has the charm of a nice and sporty village. .

Hautes Pyrénées
Plains, hills and mountains dominate all the landscapes in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Over a few kilometres going from the north to the south we go from 200 metres altitude to 3000 metres and this great and rapid change creates a large diversity of landscapes. The Hautes-Pyrénées has wonderful natural and cultural sites making it a great tourist area not to miss. Water is omnipresent here with no less than 17 rivers taking their source in this region. The ski resorts, favouring artificial snow, have great facilities for alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing as well as snowshoeing…

Pyrénées Atlantiques
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Pyrenean mountain chain in the south, and the region is clearly marked by this double influence. They give it beautiful landscapes, a mild climate and an intriguing history.
In the south the mountains offer a large variety of exceptional sites : snowy peaks, immense cirques, narrow gorges, lakes, caves and waterfalls create a lovely walk for hikers.
In the north the Pyrenean Piedmont is a zone with hills and valleys broadened by the mountain streams into plains.
The diversity of the landscapes is very visible and their charm very obvious.

Ariège
The Ariège area is located in the central part of the Pyrenees and it has kept its traditions in a wild but accessible nature. Due to a varied relief the flora and fauna are very rich and this will enchant visitors.
In the Ariège each season has its charm… In the winter, you can do all sorts of winter sports in the many ski resorts, or just simply enjoy the tranquillity of the snow-covered mountains...

Pyrénées Orientales
The Pyrénées-Orientales area is bordered in the east by the Mediterranean Sea and in the south by the Pyrenees. Between sea and mountain, in Catalonia, is Le Roussillon with its varied landscapes allowing you to enjoy the sea and the mountains in the same day.
The climate in the mountains is quite different from that in the plains. The sheltered valleys get plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures. The lower plains have a Mediterranean climate with mild winters, unless the Tramontane wind is playing a few tricks…

Les Grisons, located in the far eastern corner of Switzerland, is the vastest Canton in the country with a surface of 7105 sq kms. With only 200 000 inhabitants it is also the least populated. Three languages are spoken here : German, Italian and Romans. But three languages is the minimum requirement for describing the nature in Les Grisons. From Coire, the capital of the Canton, the landscape consists of glaciers, lakes (there are over 600 of them), narrow valleys and dense forests. To admire this fantastic spectacle to the full there is nothing like the famous red trains that relentlessly brings its passengers up mounts and down into dales heading for evocative places like Davos and Saint Moritz.

Le Valais
In the southwest of the country is its third largest canton, Le Valais, that stretches along the Rhone valley, between Lake Geneva and the impressive glaciers. With 51 peaks reaching over 4000 metres it looks like a real wall to the skies has been raised across the Canton. There is also a language barrier here with 28% of Sion's 280 000 inhabitants speaking German and the remaining 72% speaking French. You will not have time to get bored in this area : the Pierre Gianadda Foundation in Martigny hosts excellent exhibitions all year long, and higher up in the mountains no one wants to miss the local cow fighting. In the winter Le Valais puts on its best dress : sunny slopes on the Portes du Soleil, chic living at Crans Montana, rugged mountains in Zermatt. When it comes to skiing Le Valais has plenty to offer, from the peaceful Val d'Anniviers to the steep slopes in Montfort. As icing on the cake this is a winegrowing region and you won't leave it without having enjoyed a glass of Fendant.

Oberland Bernois
Oberland Bernois is located in the Bern Canton. This is the second largest Swiss Canton and its 5 959 sq kms stretch from the Alps to the Jura. The highest peak is the Finsteraarhorn at 4 274 metres altitude whilst the Aar Plain hardly reaches 400 metres. This region has plenty of farmland and it is the home of the famous Emmental cheese.
92% of the population speak German and 8% speak French. In the Oberland Bernois, separated from the Valaisannes Alps by the Rhone valley, stands what many regards as the most difficult peak in the Alps : the Eiger. But the Massif with 9 4000's is not as unattainable as it may seem. In Grindelwald, “the glacier village”, visitors can take a train on the rack railway that climbs up to 3 400 metres altitude on the Jungfaujoch glacier. The region also has a few famous ski resorts. In Wengen you ski at the foot of the mythical Northern side of the Eiger, in Gstaad you will glide down the same slopes as James Bond before enjoying one of the most exclusive after-skis in Europe.

Central Switzerland is both the geographic and historic centre of the country. Some of the greatest pages of its history were written in the Canton's main city, Lucerne. William Tell, the most famous Swiss of all, was born here. It was in Central Switzerland that Europe's first rack railway train was built in 1871. This train still climbs along the rock face, sometimes close to 50% inclination. Like the entire country the Canton is marked by a great cultural diversity (the majority of the population speak German though) and fantastic natural surroundings of forests and lakes. One of the best ways of enjoying this is to take one of the Canton's many cable cars, especially the Engelberg rotary cable car that offers amazing views. When you get up there, just get your skis on and slide down the slopes into the valley.

“Suisse Romande” is a French-speaking region on the shores of Lake Geneva. It is marked by the contrasts between the calm and serenity of the mountains and the many thermal towns, and the liveliness of the resorts. The region offers a wonderful combination of an old-fashioned charm and very contemporary winter sports, which can be found in places like Leysin, Villars or Les Diablerets. Sliding down the slopes between fir trees, admire fantastic views of Lake Geneva, go up to a glacier at 3000 metres altitude or do tricks in the snow parks, you can take your pick here in Suisse Romande.

The Tyrol is the third largest province in Austria with its 12 648 sq kms. Only 13% of its surface is inhabited by the 630 000-strong population. The rest is pure nature with 600 peaks reaching over 3000 metres. 20% of the land is protected all construction is very restricted. The region is a maze of valleys with the Inn valley running straight through it. There is a large number of ski resorts here. Innsbruck (that literally means “bridge on the Inn”), the Canton's main city, once was one of the six Imperial cities of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. In more recent times the city hosted two Olympic Games. Being the nerve centre of the region it offers a fantastic historic heritage and great tourist facilities. “The heart of the Alps” is no less than a paradise for lovers of winter sports, a paradise easy to get to thanks to a very good motorway system.

Vorarlberg is the westernmost region of the country. It stretches over 2 600 sq kms and is situated on the shores of Lake Constance. It has 306 000 inhabitants and the main city is Bregenz. Vorarlberg means “before Arlberg” and this is where the first foothills of the Massif, with some of the most beautiful Austrian resorts, starts. It takes its full dimension in the neighbouring Tyrol region. After the Bregenzerwal pre-Alps you can see the first snow-covered peaks of the Montafon and the Silvretta with the first winter sports resorts. Two of the most famous Austrian resorts, Lech and Zürs are here. Vorarlberg is an open door to all your snow adventures, with easy access from Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein.

The mountainous Salzburg area is spread over 7 150 sq km and has 440 000 inhabitants. By the northern side of the Alps, set around the Salzach valley, the region has famous ski resorts like Saalbach or Zell am See, as well as the largest interlinked ski area in the country : the Salzburg Amadé Sport World.

In the Northwest of the country, on the northern side of the Alps, lies this region of 12 000 sq km inhabited by a population of 1 300 000. This region has a landscape of great diversity, from the farmland in the valley of Alpenvorland to the calcareous massif of Salzkammergut and its many lakes. The main city is Linz, but Salzburg is closer to the region's ski resorts, where all winter sports lovers will be satisfied.

The southernmost part of Austria bordering on Italy and Slovenia, with several different alpine chains running through it and with a large number of lakes (over 200). The region stretches over 9 530 sq km with 540 000 inhabitants, of which 4% are Slovenes. Klagenfurt is the main city of the region. In Carinthia there are fantastic ski resorts such as Bad Kleinkirchein, which offers winter sports and thermal spas.

The Graz region is largely covered in mountains and has a surface of 16 400 sq km with 1 200 000 inhabitants. Two thirds of the surface is a forest-covered relief (which is why the region is called the green walk). Styria has a large number of ski centres including the famous Schladming resort. The domains, linked by skis or car, will please any lover of alpine skiing.

This is the northernmost region of Italy. It borders on Switzerland and Austria and consists of two provinces : Trentin and Upper Adige. Italian and German are both official languages. It spreads over 13 620 sq km and has 877 000 inhabitants. Trentin is a transit area at the heart of the Alps. Located south of the high Austrian peaks the region is a bridge between Central Europe and the Mediterranean zone. This buffer zone location puts Trentin at an equal distance from Munich and Venice. It is set at the heart of the Dolomites and has a nice mild climate. Most days are sunny which guarantees nice skiing. Statistics from the last ten years prove this : from December to April 65% of days are sunny. The region gets an average snowfall of 3 metres. If this should not be enough, there are more than 2000 snow canons to assure minimum skiing conditions. Skiing in the Dolomites above all offers natural surroundings unique in the Alps.

Aosta Valley
The Aoste valley spreads over 3262 sq km at the feet of the southern side of the Mont Blanc. This region has only 115 000 inhabitants and is famous for being one of the most picturesque parts of Italy. It is true that at an average altitude of 2106 metres, the view of the superb summits of the Mont Blanc, the Cervino or the Monte Rosa takes another dimension. A real barrier of peaks, close to 4000 metres high, surrounds the valley and makes its climate fairly mild. These ideal conditions have created fantastic nature, and the Gran Paradiso Natural Park is home to the chamois and the ibex as well as an extraordinary flora. This region has a particular administrative system with a relative autonomy. This status aims to protect one of the Aosta Valley's original features : the widespread use of the French language.

Piedmont
This region has borders with France and Switzerland and is lined by the Alps and the Apennine Massif (where the name “Pied mont” –foot of mountain- comes from). It was once under the rule of the Duke of the Savoy and has a remarkable historic and architectural heritage. Today, Piedmont with its 25 398 sq km and 4 032 565 inhabitants can be considered the industrial heart of Italy. The head office of the Agnelli Empire is located in the regional capital of Turin. This dynasty was very powerful until the mid-nineties and it was behind the creation of the fantastic Sestriere ski resort. The Po valley has many vineyards and you should not leave Piedmont without trying a glass of Moscato.

Lombardia
Lombardia is a flourishing region. Its capital, Milan, is also the financial capital of Italy and the European, if not World, capital of fashion. In the northern part of the province, close to the Swiss border, are several ski resorts, including one of the most exclusive in Europe ; Bormio. Great skiing and art de vivre Italian style is on the agenda here. You will enjoy the special atmosphere of this area.

In the far southern corner of the country, in Allgau Alpen there are many german ski resorts. The ski domain is as big as in Austria and you find slopes for every levels. But you can make your opinion by yourself because there's a skipass which link Vorarlberg (Austria) where Allgau Alpen begin.