Arêches – Beaufort, france
Arêches-Beaufort lies in the Beaufortain Valley, close to Les Saisies and the underrated Espace Diamant ski area. The skiing is on snow-covered mountain pastures, a plus for anyone looking for a traditional mountain village experience. Despite the relatively modest altitudes the Beaufortain receives heavy snowfalls. Arêches-Beaufort is very much a village which opens its arms to visitors and for those wanting to de-stress and just relax.
Cervinia, italy
Italy’s most snow-sure resort has a breath-taking backdrop of the mountain Italians call Monte Cervino, better known to the rest of the world as the Matterhorn. Cervinia's high altitude – 2,050m in the village and 3,480m at the top lift station. Cervinia is a magical village, very old, it offers something quite unique and the whole essence of the high mountains and alps. There is plenty of nice accommodation and most of the slopes are wide and cruisey – ideal for beginners and intermediates.
Chamonix, france
The Chamonix Valley is considered by many to be the best freeride resort in the world. With its 5 ski resorts (Grands Montets, Les Houches, Le Tour/Balme, La Flegere and Le Brevent) Chamonix Mont-Blanc offers the perfect ski holiday. While it does get a bit quieter during the inter seasons (May-June and Oct-Dec) Chamonix is a year-round resort with many activities available year round. The world famous Aquille du Midi cable car is open most of the year, where you can experience stunning views of Mont Blanc.
Davos and Klosters, switzerland
Davos is a bustling town offering a high chance of snow and access to a huge range of pistes. Davos Klosters is commonly referred to as 'the highest town in Europe, where the snow never fails to arrive'. Spoilt for choice - there are 300km of pistes, guaranteed to be laden with snow served by 57 modern lifts. Among the six areas that make up the slopes, there is some of the best off-piste in Switzerland. A repeat destination for many winter sports enthusiasts, many say it offers the best a resort has to offer, both on and off the slopes.
Grindelwald, switzerland
For stunning views from the resort and the slopes, there are few places to rival Grindelwald. As close to a fairytale village as you can imagine, a visit to Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland Mountains will be a memorable visit for skiers and non skiers alike. Ginderlwald is an excellent ski resort suitable for almost all physical, sensory, neurological and degenerative conditions including learning and additional needs. A year round resort set along a road that faces the towering north wall of the Eiger, a view that's impossible to escape. The resort also provides some of the best off-snow diversions of any resorts in the Alps. The cog railway, carrying sightseers as well as skiers up to the Jungfraujoch - the 'Top of Europe', a UNESCO protected site between Jungfrau and Monch peaks affords fantastic views around the Swiss mountains. In addition, the resort boasts Europe's longest sledging trail.
Gstaad Saanenland, switzerland
The villages of Gstaad, Saanen and Schonried make up some of Switzerland’s premier ski destinations. There is something for everyone here. It is a great year-round destination and on the Swiss Tour Route. Suitable for a wheelchair accessible winter holiday. Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ski touring catering for anyone affected by life-changing, life-challenging, special needs or similar conditions (physical, cognitive, degenerative, sensory, congenital, audio, trauma, neurological or mental) are possible here in the Gstaad Saanenland.
La Plagne, france
La Plagne is one of the most spread out ski areas in Europe consisting of no fewer than 11 separate 'villages'. Some are purpose-built, while others are century old Savoyarde villages. Each is a self-sufficient mini-resort, though they may vary widely in character. The diversity of these villages also means there are often many suitable options for winter sports enthusiasts with a disability. The resorts have fantastic instructors and equipment for sit-skiing; amputee skiers; skiing for kids with Down’s Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy; amputee skiing and much more. Whether you are looking to relax, recharge your batteries, get away from it all, La Plagne offers a multitude of activities to keep everyone happy.
La Rosière, france
La Rosière is a traditional Tarentaise village with a unique cross-border feel and is one of the top resorts for all types of adaptive skiing and winter sports. La Rosière spans the French Italian border offering 150km of runs, with a great mix of sunny south facing slopes on the French side and snow sure north facing pistes in Italy. La Rosière also offers excellent ski instruction, equipment and a warm welcome with traditional village charm, as well as the resort's great range of child-friendly facilities have led it to be awarded the 'Famille Plus Montagne' certification by the French tourist board.
Les Gets, france
Les Gets is a family-friendly resort set in an attractive, sunny village of traditional chalet-style buildings, on the low pass leading to Morzine with a very French feel to it. Being within an hour and half of Geneva airport, it makes for a great ski holiday. Les Gets also affords access to the huge Portes du Soleil ski area. The resort has a great selection of non-skiing activities to keep families occupied and has great ESF facilities for disabled winter sports enthusiasts.
Les Saisies, france
Les Saisies offers a traditional-style cross-country venue, surrounded by varied Alpine slopes. Offering direct access to the stunning mountains just south-west of Mont Blanc and with three gorgeous villages Les Saisies, Areches and Hauteluce, there is something is something here for everyone making an excursion in the Beaufortain region of the French Alps a must for winter sports.
Montegenèrve, france
Montgenevre is right on the French/ Italian border, offering a great mix of French and Italian skiing and culture. The resort has made big strides in recent years, banishing through-traffic and developing modern upscale lodgings. Montgenevre is an intimate village sitting on the high east-west pass set on a sunny slope above the main street, looking over the nursery slopes at the foot of the north-facing slopes of Les Gondrans. Behind the village are the south-facing slopes of Le Chalvet. There is so much to do and with two excellent ski schools offering assisted activities there is something to suit everybody’s needs and requirements. The resort is also horizontal and therefore ideal for wheelchairs.
Morzine, france
Morzine is a fantastic village and ski resort suitable for a wide range of health and special needs. It manages to maintain a rare balance of picturesque and practical - a large year-round town rather than a village, and the centre of the expansive Portes du Soliel area, maintaining its charming Savoyard charm and architectural feel. Morzine is also a 'flat' village and therefore, depending on snow conditions good for wheelchair users. The local ESF ski school has instructors who can cater for most disabilities and the wider area of Portes due Soliel, comprising a massive 12 resorts including Avoriaz, Chatel, Les Gets, and Champéry among others with a whopping 207 lifts between them catering for all levels of ability.
Salen, sweden
Scandinavia's largest winter sports area - is made up of four separate sets of slopes. Most slopes are very gentle, suiting beginners and intermediates. In the alpine resorts Lindvallen, Högfjället, Tandådalen and Hundfjället there are 116 descents and 86 lifts and 13 conveyor belts. Salen is very family-oriented with many adventure areas and fun parks for kids, plus with the Sälen Pass you can ski in all the resorts on one ski pass. Salen is 410km from Stockholm and 460 km from Gothenburg. You can reach the resort by car, bus, plane and train.
Tignes, france
The ski resort of Tignes has skiing on offer for the vast majority of the year with the winter season running from October till May, alongside six weeks of summer glacial skiing thanks to its altitude and the Grand Motte glacier nearby. Tignes shares the huge Espace Killy ski area with its neighbouring resort Val d'Isere. Between the two, there are 300km of pistes for all abilities on offer, served by 78 lifts. Despite sharing slopes, they could not be more different. Where Val d'Isere is more historic and traditional, Tignes is more laid back and friendly than its glamorous neighbour. The endless terrain and guaranteed snow have long made Tignes a favourite with UK visitors and is used by many adaptive skiing competitors for pre-season training and is a good location suitable for most conditions. ESF offers adaptive ski instruction at Tignes la Lac, which also offers an excellent and very well equipped sports centre complete with a swimming pool which is accessible for wheelchair users.
Val D’isere, france
Val d'Isere, one of the premier ski resorts in the French Alps, is a great resort for everyone. There's a reason more Brits come to Val d'Isere than any other ski resort - it is widely considered one of the world's best resorts in the world, offering that sought-after balance of nearly unbeatable range of on snow terrain coupled with off snow experience and amenities that are hard to match, all nestled within a charming 17th century town. Not only is it a ‘horizontal’ village resort but has a good selection of wheelchair accessible and adapted hotels - some of them situated right on the snow and in the centre of the village and the resorts cater for all disabilities.
Val Thorens, france
Val Thorens is not just the highest ski resort in the Trois Vallées, alongside Meribel and Courchevel, but at 2300m it’s the highest in Europe. With skiing available from November till May, it has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most snowsure resorts in the Alps. The resort offers great ski instruction, equipment and a warm welcome for all disabilities and assisted mountain activities in the winter. The town is compact and purpose-built, thoughtfully planned to offer ski to door for many guests. with a compact village centre with a vast range of accommodation to suit all ranges. Val Thorens has minimal car traffic and a wide range of restaurants bars and clubs makes for a lively Apres Scene. The three valleys provide 600km of pistes and 200 lifts, claiming the crown of the largest connected ski area in Europe.
