Resorts

Saas Fee, Switzerland

Saas Fee, Switzerland, has been introduced to a number of GB Ski Team members by Gower Tours, a school travel company used by the schools taught at by some of us. Both schools have taken pupils there for the car-free town, fantastic reliable late snow, super beginners nursery area and wide wide runs.

It is the second highest resort in Europe (to Zermatt), the top lift station being at 3600 metres, and after a heavy night (or even light night!), you can feel the altitude in the morning.

Scenes for a James Bond movie were filmed here, as was the video to George Michael's (a snowboarder I am sure) Last Christmas.

Beginner and intermediate heaven - the longest, widest red runs this side of the Atlantic. Flat gliding sections to improve speed mixed with the odd steep pitch to test and improve technique.
However, there isn't many of them and any decent skier will have covered all the terrain in a week.
High above the tree line and north facing which guarantees snow but also guarantees that when the weather comes in, you're not going to be skiing anywhere.
Superb Alpin express lift sends you miles into the air reasonably quickly, but best not to mention the other lifts, so stick to the AE where possible. (If you're intermediate you need never use another lift but its a different story for blue runs)
Nothing to really challenge the expert as you cannot off-piste due to glacier. A couple of short sharp blacks but nowt to write home about.
Definitely a family resort, two families from our school went at half-term and loved it. As for nightlife, we found the Metro bar great for Brits, Von Roll being the friendly Serbian owner, and Lizzie the barmaid. Poison is the 'nightclub' next door.