Ask any person who regularly skis; odds are they have been to the Espace Killy, 3 Valleys, Arlberg region, Portes du Soleil or the Paradiski.

I love these regions, my personal favourite being the Espace Killy where I worked and lived. I love the vast area, fast ski lifts and the cheesy Euro beats at Après. In these resorts, you have endless KM of piste to track, which are pisted to perfection and have artificial snow to cover them up until the last run of the season. But one thing can be missing from these resorts....Soul.

Now don’t get me wrong, the likes of Tignes, Meribel and Morzine have a certain charm depending on your taste, but what I mean, is seeing the same person day after day on the chairlifts, knowing the lifties by first name on the 3^rd day and being able to really ‘connect’ with a resort, henceforth, making it a regular destination for years to come. Oh yeah, and they are shit load cheaper.



Is There A Better View, than from the Top of L'Aguille?



My first instance is the resort of Ste Foy. Ok, geographic fact first. This small resort is wedged between the super resorts of Les Arcs and Tignes, after Bourg st Maurice, up the hill and left. Can’t miss it. The drive in is beautiful, snow lined roads amongst an avenue of trees, passing little wooden huts and arriving into a small village, dominated by wooden chalets. First impressions box is ticked, and once inside these chalets, you will not be disappointed. Again, I was lucky enough to have worked here for a few weeks, and L.O.V.E.D every minute. The locals are friendly, the Patchoulli bar at the bottom of the village is sociable and the vibe is peaceful. There is a reason everyone goes to bed early, and this is simply for 2 words.....fresh tracks. You may notice in resorts like Val Thorens, that unless you camp at the top of Orelle, the likely hood of getting a fresh track in the morning is up there with winning the lottery or finding a tenner behind the sofa cushion. In Ste Foy, this is achievable up to 2 weeks after snowfall. There are no lift queues, granted there are only 5 lifts, but you don’t need any more, this is what gives this resort SOUL. Once you reach the top of the Aiguille car, stand at the top, take a moment, and realise you will never get this moment of peace and ability to track your line down in a super resort, as some 10 year old grom will have overtaking you and side slipped down. Head to ‘shapers paradise’ off the Le Marquise chair, take a shovel, a couple of stubbies and a camera and you will never want to be buying a Paradiski pass again. Look over towards Tignes and give a big two finger salute to the guys who have been in lift queues for 45 minutes in half term week, all in the while getting their board cut to shreds.



Yep...I don't see anyone either.



In terms of soul, you can’t beat Austria. Who can honestly say they don’t enjoy drinking overpriced steins while stamping your ski boots to the reverberating sounds of an oompa band. The picturesque villages take some beating, and unfortunately the high street in Avoriaz, doesn’t quite match up to my standards. Having skied for 10 years in the Schneewinkel area of Austria, I can honestly say that it has a soul like no other. Yeah you have to get a bus from resort to resort (Canada anyone?), OK they only have 15 lifts per resort (Kicking Horse?) but in these resorts you get a real sense of community, and a superb holiday. Lift passes are cheaper and the rise of resorts such as Saalbach, Nassfeld and Ischgl, show that people stay here for a reason. You also don’t have to pay €16 for a Guiness – after my trip to Courchevel, my bank card took a beating.



The Austrian Alps.



My advice to you is simple. If you like miles of piste, and don’t mind queuing go to one of the super resorts. These resorts are simply brilliant, and if you find the right catered chalet, combined with the hours of skiing you can do it will blow your mind. But, if like me, you like the character and soul of the smaller resorts, find yourself a catered chalet holiday in resorts like Ste Foy and Chatel in France, Grimentz and Nendaz in Switzerland, or Kuhtai and Saalbach in Austria and reap the benefits, tell your friends and enjoy some of the best riding you will ever experience.