In these troubled climatic times, skiers and snowboarders can no longer rely on adequate snow cover throughout the season. So planning is vital. In particular, anyone arranging an early or late holiday should choose somewhere at high altitude, then even if there’s insufficient natural stuff, the sub-zero temperatures – at least at night – should ensure that artificial snowmaking can take place.
• Prices below are per person for one week, including half-board, flights and transfers, unless stated otherwise

DECEMBER AND CHRISTMAS

For a trip in early December, pick a high-altitude destination with a glacier – just to be certain. Over the holiday period there should ideally be a white Christmas at village level, too. Go for a resort that’s over 1,800 metres high and snow cover won’t be a worry.

Beginners-intermediates

Val Thorens, France, 2,300-3,230m, 169 lifts, 495km of piste, glacier

From late November to early May, snow cover is rarely a problem in Val Thorens – it’s the highest ski village in Europe, with 99% of it above 2,000m. The excellent choice of independent ski schools here includes New Generation (skinewgen.com). The resort has benefitted from new, attractive buildings, and a great collection of restaurants.
• £589pp on 20 December self-catering at ski-in ski-out Résidence Le Cheval Blanc, based on six sharing, sno.co.uk

Advanced skiers and boarders

Val d’Isère, France, 1,850-3,456m, 79 lifts, 300km of piste, glaciers

Val d’Isère is one of the Alps’ best-known resorts, which means it’s not the cheapest. But this is the one place that has plenty of snow at Christmas – especially as it has the largest snowmaking operation in Europe. It can pump out enough snow to cover Wembley stadium in a metre of snow in less than an hour.
• £710pp in traditional Chalet La Moraine (sleeps 12) on 18 December (or £950pp starting 26 December), travel extra. The chalet is in the farming hamlet of Le Joseray, close to the main bus stop, with skiing within 100m. yseski.co.uk

Families

Obergurgl, Austria, 1,950-3,080m, 24 lifts, 110km of piste, glacier

Obergurgl has been popular with British families for more than half a century, with a mainly easy ski area linked by gondola to the higher village of Hochgurgl. The climate is snow-sure, so this is one of the first major resorts to open for the winter, normally in mid-November.
• £2,499pp (£625pp) for a family of four (two adults, two children aged two to 10), staying at Chalet Verwall on 23 December. Extras: nursery £319pp for six full days, ski lessons £215pp (five mornings) or £295pp (five full days), afternoon at the in-house Snow Club £199pp. The chalet is just off the main street and has a sauna. espritski.com

JANUARY: LOW-SEASON SKIING

Height isn’t so important in January because there should have been decent snowfall by now. It’s low season and therefore the month to find good-value holidays and slopes that are much emptier. Temperatures can be low, too, so wrap up in plenty of layers.

Beginners-intermediates

Valmorel, France, 1,320-2,550m, 50 lifts, 165km of piste

This compact village is purpose built, but the centre looks as though it could be 100 years old. The attractive wood-and-stone buildings, with their slate roofs, are in keeping with the typical style of the Savoie area. There are loads of wide and gentle slopes, perfect for beginners and improvers, with 43% of the pistes graded blue (easy).
• From £243pp (with 10% off if booked before 31 October, otherwise £270pp) at four-star La Granges aux Fées. Apartments are next to a chairlift, with swimming pool, paddling pool, spa and fitness room. Price based on five sharing a two-bedroom, self-catering apartment, including Eurotunnel with FlexiPlus upgrades, peakretreats.co.uk

Advanced skiers and boarders

Saalbach, Austria, 1,003-2,100m, 70 lifts, 270km of piste

This is a really big ski area with a wide variety of slopes. Austrian resort prices are relatively reasonable and Saalbach is also known for its good mountain restaurants and lively après-ski. Last season, it linked up with Fieberbrunn in the Tirol, adding some off-piste terrain and making it one of the biggest ski areas in the country.
• From £626pp at cosy and friendly Chalet-hotel Christina, includes ski guiding, skimiquelholidays.co.uk

Families

Champoluc, Italy, 1,579-3,250m, 45 lifts, 200km of piste

Champoluc has a real mountain-village atmosphere – you won’t spot any glitzy boutiques or expensive restaurants here, or crowds. The Ski 2 British ski school has mainly native English-speaking instructors, so there’s no language barrier either.
• From £947 per adult, £420 first child, £320 second child (under 11) in a family room at three-star Hotel Petit Tournalin, including transfers, six-day area lift pass and lunches at a choice of mountain restaurants. Free ski hire for kids, in-house spa area, free British-staffed nursery in the Ski 2 Penguin Club on 3-22 January. It’s an all-inclusive holiday, but without flights, ski-2.com

FEBRUARY: HIGH SEASON AND HALF-TERM

Half-term week is the single most expensive time of year to ski. The upside is there’s usually plenty of snow.

Beginners-Intermediates

Reberty, France, 2,000-3,230m, 169 lifts, 495km of piste, glacier

Les Menuires is a resort usually known as the plain sister of Les Trois Vallées but Reberty, one of its satellites, is much more attractive. A handful of canny chalet companies base themselves here, a minute’s walk from the blue piste running past the village. Dotted between the chalets are some pleasant restaurants with sun decks overlooking the piste.
• £1,549 per adult, £1,239 per child at Chalet Imogen (sleeps 13), transfers, no flights. There’s a hot tub on the terrace and the tour operator provides British ski school helpers for little ones in their lessons. Extra: childcare from £329pp for six full days, including lunch, familyski.co.uk

Advanced skiers and boarders

Montgenèvre, France, 1,850-2,823m, 50 lifts, 252km of piste

Montgenèvre is at the French end of the vast Milky Way lift system. It’s snowier than its Italian neighbours and is a great place for families with older children who want to clock up the miles. The Jardin des Neiges (for three to sevens) is equipped with its own mini ski-lift and a roundabout. There’s also a mini-boardercross course for little ones, featuring small bumps.
• £1,314pp at all-inclusive Village Club du Soleil with free six-day lift pass, ski or snowboard rental, child helmet hire, full board with lunches and wine, children’s clubs, evening entertainment, flights and transfers, inghams.co.uk

Families

La Plagne, France, 1,250-2,050m, 128 lifts, 383km of piste, glacier

Ten villages make up La Plagne, and many of the high-altitude centres are ski in-ski out. Each has its own nursery slope and lots of wide and gentle pistes for confidence building. It’s possible to commute up the mountain from the hamlets of Les Coches, Montalbert and Champagny. About 70% of the pistes are above 2,000m. Plagne 1800 is set below Plagne Centre and, despite its traditional-looking chalets, most of the buildings have been built recently. Ski Famille has classes for children aged three to 12 and for adults.
• £1,779 per adult, from £1,512 per child under 10 years, in a family room at Chalet Nicole in Plagne 1800. Extras: Mountain Marmots morning ski school, £249 per child, Monty’s Afternoon Club, including lunch, £239 per child, skifamille.co.uk

MARCH: FOR SPRING SKIING

It’s low season again, so the crowds have gone, prices are lower, and the snow should be good – along with some warmer spring days, when there’s ample opportunity to sit outside for a long lunch in the sun.

Beginners-Intermediates

Peisey-Vallandry, France, 1,250-2,050m, 128 lifts, 383km of piste

Peisey-Vallandry is a collection of hamlets in the Paradiski area that links with the much larger La Plagne and Les Arcs. The two local beginner areas are Cabri and Flocon.
• From £360pp in the Grande Ourse 022 apartments in Vallandry, 100m from the piste and 50m from the shops. This 25m⁲ studio sleeps four (sofa bed in the living room, bunks in the hall). It has a balcony with views across the pistes.Travel not included, skiamis.com

Advanced skiers and boarders

Serre Chevalier, France, 1,400-2,800m, 62 lifts, 250km of piste

Several villages, each linked to the piste, makes up Serre Chevalier. It’s a quiet area with tree-lined slopes that tend to hold their snow well. The weather pattern can be quite different from the resorts further north, so there may be plenty of snow here when there’s little elsewhere, and vice versa.
• From £686pp (including 20% off for bookings before 2 November, full price is £802pp) in a one-bedroom, self-catering apartment (sleeps 5) at three-star Résidence L’Alpaga, including Eurotunnel with FlexiPlus upgrades, ernalow.co.uk

Families

La Tania, France, 400-3,230m, 169 lifts, 495km of piste, glacier

In Les Trois Vallées ski area, La Tania is a particularly good-value and family-friendly base. There should be plenty of snow in March and there’s sheltered skiing among the trees.
• From £782pp, or £469 for children aged two to four, in Chalet Le Rabel (sleeps 23). The attractive chalet has lots of family rooms. Extra: £280pp for six full days’ crèche, including lunch, leski.com

APRIL: EASTER HOLIDAYS

Beginners/intermediates

Sölden, Austria, 1,350-3,340m, 33 lifts, 145km of piste, glaciers

There’s extensive skiing at Easter in Sölden – even in the driest of winters. There are around 30 restaurants here, including the impressive Ice Q, which featured in the 2015 Bond film, Spectre, and is constructed mainly from glass.
• From £750pp B&B, including flights, at two-star Pension Ferdinand in Hochsölden, three minutes’ walk to the lifts, crystalski.co.uk

Advanced skiers and boarders

St Anton, Austria, 1,340-2,811m, 87 lifts, 305km of piste

In December 2016, the new Flexenbahn gondola opens between Zürs and Stuben, which in turn links the St Anton and Lech ski areas. It’s been discussed for over half a century and now it’s really happening. As a result, the Arlberg will be the largest ski area in Austria and among the biggest in the world, with 82 lifts.
• From £827 per adult, from £727 per child, both half board in Chalet Sophia (sleeps 14) including flights and transfers. The chalet is 15 minutes walk from the resort centre and has a wellness area, alpineelements.co.uk

Families

Vaujany, France, 1,250-3,330m, 84 lifts, 179km of piste, glacier

This is where all three of my children learnt to ski and it was a wonderful place to start. The village has virtually no traffic and is very family-friendly. Goats and hens may roam around at Easter, but there’s always snow high up. Alpe d’Huez built lifts on its glacier – not for summer skiing, but to ensure good cover at the start and end of each season. As a result, Alpe d’Huez, and the linked village of Vaujany, offer excellent spring skiing.
• From £625pp in former farmhouse Chalet Dibona (sleeps six). Extras: £60pp for return transfers, flights not included. Crèche (six months to five years) €135 for five full days with lunch included, skipeak.net

Felice Hardy is co-editor of ski information website welove2ski.com