Vaujany in France

Resort height: 1250mThe mountains

Alpe d'Huez is the big draw: just shy of 'mega-plex' size, it boasts 252km of pistes, spread out over several flanks of the 3330m peak of Peak Blanc, and the big, treeless bowl above the main resort. The terrain here suits adventurous intermediates and advanced skiers and boarders best, and includes a couple of famously long (and, in places, steep) runs. One of them, the Chateau Noir, is thought to be the longest black in the Alps. This is a resort that's best enjoyed in the middle of winter, rather than the end of the season. Many of the pistes face south, and get a lot of sun: which means slush in the afternoon and ice the following morning when the weather warms up.

Over on the Vaujany side of the mountain, the snow is usually in better condition as the runs face north-east. There are fewer of them, but they include a nice area of nursery slopes near La Villette with a pleasant mountain restaurant (Les Airelles) on hand, where parents can relax and watch their children making their first turns.

Getting there

You can drive there, take the train, or fly into Grenoble, which is very close. Annoyingly, the airport is on the other side of the city, so transfers take 90 minutes.

Rating: 3/10Après-ski

The bar at the British run Hotel Rissiou is the place to go for a laid-back drink in Vaujany after the lifts have shut. You could do a lot worse than sticking around for dinner too (La Remise is another good spot for food - hung with Alpine artefacts and specialising in all the staples of French resort dining, including raclette, fondue and tartiflette). Teenagers, twentysomethings and resort workers go to Le Swallow bar to play pool, catch up on their emails, and complain about the lack of nightlife.

Rating: 3/10Non-skiers

Vaujany is fine if you don't mind sitting on the balcony for a week with a good book, but otherwise this is an isolated outpost with little on offer for adults beyond excellent skiing. Children are rather better catered for, with an excellent indoor pool, indoor games hall and an ice-skating rink.

Rating: 8/10Cost of living

If you stay in one of the highly-rated apartments and drive yourself to the resort, you can have a cheap holiday in Vaujany. None of the bars and restaurants are expensive either.

Rating: 8/10Attractiveness of the resort

Gorgeous scenery and a laid-back, villagey atmosphere make Vaujany a much-loved destination. Even bored teenagers will have to admit it looks lovely.