The Cool Guide: Ski resorts

Fernie, Canada

Fernie, Canada

WHY FERNIE?

With 29 feet of snow each year and a vertical rise of 2,816 feet, Fernie is the epitome of steep 'n' deep. Naturally challenging terrain, knee-deep, snow-filled bowls and technical tree runs make it a paradise for powderhounds. But, Fernie's appeal is broader than that - it is the good time vibe of the town that gets people hooked. You won't find the glitterati hiding behind sunglasses and draped in furs here; in Fernie dead animals are mounted on the walls. This is not the American Rockies - it is Canada and they do it differently.

WHERE?

Nestled in the Canadian Rockies in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Fernie is a 200 mile drive from Calgary Airport. The town lies off Highway 3 in the Elk Valley, with the resort itself three miles away. Air Canada flies to Calgary from Heathrow from about £450, and Zoom has flights from £370.

DO

Fernie is all about snow, so after a big snowfall head straight up the mountain. The skiable area is within five natural bowls and served by three main quad chairlifts. The bowls are dotted with pisted runs, but the real fun is in the knee-deep powder fields and tree runs. Take the biggest and fastest lift, the Timber Bowl Express Quad, from the base of the mountain, which spits you out on the lower Timber Bowl slopes. From here you jump on the White Pass Quad to get to the famous Currie Bowl. If you want to get deeper into the wilderness rent a snowcat. Fernie Wilderness Adventures offers a day's backcountry snowcat skiing or snowboarding for $280 (£125).If you decide to rest your skis for a day try some traditional, more Canadian, activities. The resort office can arrange a day's ice fishing.

EAT

The lion's share of interesting eateries are in the town. The Blue Toque serves the best breakfast in Fernie. Located in the Arts Station, a converted stop on the Canadian Pacific Railway, it is a hub for local artists and has a friendly hippie vibe. The Green Goat spinach and feta omelette should keep you going all day. The Curry Bowl is a good spot for lunch, if you can get a table, with delicious and inexpensive Asian delights. In the evening the Wood Bistro and Tapas Bar is city dining at Canadian prices. Back in the resort, Gabriella's serves big portions of pizza and pasta for quick refueling, but if you're looking for a finer dining experience try the Lizard Creek Lodge's gourmet dining room, with it's stunning, on-slope mountain backdrop.

DRINK

First stop off the slopes has to be the Griz Inn, with beer by the pitcher. You might arrive with all the best intentions of staying for just a couple but, if there's a good band in, you could find you're still dancing in your ski boots at 2am. It's a refreshingly lively bar. In town, the Royal Hotel is an old pub with a western theme, it has a great atmosphere and is full of young hipsters crowding. The Grand Central Hotel is a friendly pub that also serves good food. But the real nightlife kicks off at The Eldorado where live bands and DJs get the crowd jumping.

SLEEP

You have two options of where to bed down in Fernie: either the resort or the town. Staying in the resort is the better, but slightly more expensive option, and means you're straight on the slopes in the morning. For a real ski-in, ski-out experience at the top end of the scale, the Lizard Creek Lodge offers luxurious suites with private balconies. Facilities include a heated outdoor swimming pool and aromatherapy spa. Alternatively, groups can rent fantastic Alpine-style, self-catered chalets through the Lodging Company. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, large kitchen-dining area and plenty of beds, not forgetting the all-important outdoor hot tub - this is luxury on a budget. The Grizzly Den and Alpine Lodge are two ski-in, ski-out chalets that will not disappoint. In town, the Grand Central Hotel is a relaxed guest house with 24 rooms and a good in-house restaurant, the Corner Pocket bar and patio. Budget skiers may want to try one of the hostels in town; the Raging Elk is sociable, cheap and includes breakfast.

PLAY

For a more sedate start to the evening you can enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride, organised by the resort office, or if you want something a bit more exciting, head down to the ice hockey rink. It's the home of the Fernie Ghostriders, a semi-professional team, which plays regular games throughout the winter season.

Fernie travel facts

Air Canada

(0871 220 1111; www.aircanada.com)

Zoom

(0870 240 0055; www.flyzoom.com)

Fernie Wilderness Adventures

1281 7th Avenue, Fernie

(001 250 423 6704; www.fernieadventures.com)

Fernie Alpine Resort

5339 Fernie Ski Hill Road, Fernie

(001 250 423 4655; www.skifernie.com)

The Blue Toque

The Arts Station, 601 1st Avenue, Fernie (001 250 423 4637)

The Curry Bowl

931 7th Avenue, Fernie (001 250 423 2695)

The Wood Bistro and Tapas Bar

701 2nd Avenue, Fernie (001 250 423 7749)

Gabriella's

5372 Ski Hill Road, Fernie Alpine Resort (001 250 423 7388)

Lizard Creek Lodge

5346 Highline Drive, Fernie Alpine Resort (001 250 423 2057; www.lizardcreek.com)

The Griz Inn

5369 Ski Hill Road, Fernie Alpine Resort (001 250 423 9221; www.grizinn.com)

The Royal Hotel Saloon and Steakhouse

501 1st Avenue (001 250 423 7750)

The Eldorado Lounge

701 2nd Avenue, Fernie

Lizard Creek Lodge

5346 Highline Drive, Fernie Alpine Resort (001 250 423 2057; www.lizardcreek.com)

The Lodging Company

(001 250 979 3939) www.skibc.com offers chalets

Raging Elk Hostel

892 6th Avenue, Fernie (001 250 423 6811; www.ragingelk.com)

The Edge of the World

902 6th Avenue, Fernie (001 250 423 9292)

Rocky Mountain Sky Shuttle Bus

(001 403 762 5200; www.rockymountainskyshuttle.com)

Lech, Austria

WHY LECH?

One of the few ski resorts to boast its own Yacht Club, Lech in Austria's Alberg is so protective of its image that it limits the number of people on its slope. Those in the know have long since registered their mobile phones with the lift company so that when there's a healthy dump of powder their phone asks them if they want to hit the slopes or not? Click "yes" and the phone reserves a prestigious slopeside parking space, and charges up the electronic lift ticket so that the turnstile swings open automatically as the skier approaches. Sheer perfection. To sign up, contact the Tourist Office before your trip.

WHERE?

The closest major international airport is Zurich, 125 miles away. Swiss Airlines operates a transfer bus, which runs between there and Lech once a day on Friday and Sunday, and three times on Saturday. There are a few direct flights from London to Innsbruck airport, 75 miles away. From there, a frequent train service operates to Langen, about 12 miles away; finish the journey by bus or taxi. Crystal and Inghams are among the operators offering packages.

DO

You can't go wrong skiing the Arlberg. Even more impressive than the slopes is the Kiegerhorn-Bahn, one of the world's coolest ski lifts. The base of the lift is housed within a glass structure, with special lighting, and seats that are more like armchairs. It is capable of carrying more than 4,000 people an hour, but numbers have been restricted.

EAT

FUX restaurant has a steakhouse on the ground floor and an Asian restaurant upstairs. Despite the name, it also has a great bar area with an open fire. For a more surreal experience try the Lying Dinner in the Hotel Pfefferkorn, where you eat your meal fully reposed.

DRINK

The Zürserl, in Zürs and a 10-minute drive from Lech, serves the best cocktails around, accompanied by great music.Live music can often be heard at the Pfeffkorns Club back in Lech.

SLEEP

The Hotel Gasthof Post, in the middle of town, offers expansive rooms. Or, take the lifts up to car-free Oberlech; your baggage will disappear on an underground railway and meet you at your hotel. The ski-in, ski-out Goldener Berg successfully combines traditional and modern styles.

PLAY

On top of skiing, snowshoeing is popular across the Alps, and torch-lit nightime hikes can be organised through the tourist office.

Lech travel facts

Lech Zurs Tourist Office

(00 43 5583 2161; www.lech-zuers.at)

Swiss Airlines

(0845 601 0956; www.swiss.com)

Austrian Airlines

(00 43 5 1766 4455; www.aua.com

FUX restaurant

6763 Lech am Arlberg (00 43 5583 2992; www.fux-mi.net)

Crystal

(0870 160 6040; www.crystalholidays.co.uk)

Inghams

(020 8780 4444; www.inghams.co.uk)

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides

(00 43 664 3443730)

Hotel Gasthof Post

(00 43 5583 2206; www.postlech.com)

Hotel Goldener Berg

A-6764 Oberlech am Arlberg (00 43 5583 2205; www.goldenerberg.at)

Hotel Pfefferkorn

6764, Lech (00 43 5583 2525; www.pfefferkorns.net)

Zürserl (Hotel Edelweiß)

A-6763 Zurs am Arlberg (00 43 5583 2662; www.edelweiss.net)

Villars, Swiss Alps

WHY VILLARS?

One of the ski world's grandes dames, and home to several Swiss finishing schools, Villars has tried hard to stay cool. The village in the Swiss Alps has succeeded, partly thanks to space-age architectural gems like the Whitepod. Villars also attracts Europe's party crowd with 24-hour ski races, and the infamous Snowbombing festival, which draws international DJs, music acts and snowboarding stars.

WHERE?

Villars is easy to reach from Geneva airport, which has regular flights from the UK with Easyjet, British Airways and Swiss. Packages are available from Crystal, Inghams or Thomson.

DO

A horizontal chair lift links the slopes of Villars to its neighbour, Les Diablerets, opening up 80 miles of trails. The longest is a 10-mile run, and a day should be allowed for this epic trip which can be done almost entirely on easy or intermediate level trails.

EAT

Restaurants in Villars have a good reputation. Try a concoction of seven forest mushrooms served with local wines. Head to the Golf Club House Restaurant, which has excellent views of Mont Blanc, for French cuisine, while the La Toscana is the happening place.

DRINK

Charlie's Bar is the buzzing après ski joint, and the newest wine bar is Murphy's. Carry on to El Gringo Club which continues into the small hours.

SLEEP

Whitepod, the coolest lodging in the Alps, opens high above Villars this winter. You can bed down in Nasa-built deluxe eco-friendly tents with luxury meals provided. The Hotel la Renardière is a more conventional Swiss alternative.

PLAY

The indoor centre has tennis, squash, badminton, a climbing wall, and also offers archery facilities. Outdoors it's possible to try parascending or glider flights.

Villars travel facts

Villars Tourisme

(00 41 24 495 32 32; www.villars.ch)

Easy Jet

(0871 750 0100, www.easyjet.com)

British Airways

(0870 850 9850, www.ba.com)

Swiss Airlines

(0845 601 0956; www.swiss.com)

Crystal

(0870 160 6040; www.crystalholidays.co.uk)

Inghams

(020 8780 4444; www.inghams.co.uk)

Thomson

(0870 606 1470; www.thomson-ski.co.uk or www.thomson-snowboarding.co.uk)

Golf Club House Restaurant

(00 41 24 495 78 37)

Hotel la Renardière

(00 41 24 495 25 92; www.larenardiere.ch)

La Toscana

( 00 41 24 495 79 21; www.elgringo.ch)

White Pod

(07787 515 406; www.whitepod.com)

Ruka, Finland

WHY RUKA?

Ruka in Finland gives an added dimension to cool as temperatures drop to 20 below in the dark months of mid-winter. That hasn't stopped this snug little ski area rocketing onto the world stage, helped by some of the lowest priced lift tickets in Europe: EUR130 (£92) for six days - about two-thirds the price charged by some of the big French and Swiss ski areas. Ruka also has a lively boarding and freestyle culture, with the added attraction of an eight-month season from October to May. Next March it plays host to the World Freestyle Ski Championships - the biggest ever ski event to be staged in Finland.

WHERE?

The "Gateway to Lapland" is a half-hour drive from the Kuusamo airport. Tour operator Inghams has a weekly charter flight from Gatwick.

DO

Check out the mogul slope in the Freestyle Centre before the pros arrive for the World Championships next year. Riders can enjoy two superb snowboard 'streets', a boardercross course and three pipes. There are 28 ski runs in total, and more than half of them floodlit until 7pm.

EAT

Restaurant Piste is the place to eat Lappish and Finnish food, like reindeer, crowberries and blinis. If you feel an urge for Alpine cuisine, the SkiBistro serves up a variety of fondues and raclettes.

DRINK

Ruka's young crowd keeps things lively right through the season. The Music Bar Piste is one of the hippest, with live bands and top DJs often in town. The After Safari Restaurant Zone is where dancing on the tables is de rigueur. Watch the Northern Lights and catch the ski bus home - it runs until 3am.

SLEEP

Finn Fun offers traditional Lapland log cabins with a real Finnish sauna and plenty of room and comfort. In December the stylish new RukaSuites Apartments open their doors.

PLAY

Though possibly the antithesis of cool, you may as well pop over to Santa's year-round retreat in Ruka, and get a photograph of yourself with the jolly chap. But if you need something more credible to brag about in the bar, grab a snowmobile and whizz through to the Russian border, 15 miles away. No need to let slip that it's an organised activity when recounting your adventure later.

Ruka travel facts

Ruka Ski Resort

(00 358 8 8600 222; www.ruka.fi)

Inghams

(020 8780 4433; www.inghams.co.uk)

After Safari Restaurant Zone

(00 358 8 860 8686; www.ruka.fi)

Log Cottage

(00 358 203 70020; www.finfun.info/ruka)

Music Bar Piste

(00 358 8 8600 222; www.ruka.fi)

Restaurant Piste

(00 358 8 8600 222; www.ruka.fi)

RukaSuites Apartments

(00 358 8 8600 208; www.ruka.fi)

SkiBistro

(00 358 8 8600 222; www.ruka.fi)

Snowmobile Safari

(00 358 8 860 8600; www.rukapalvelu.fi)

Val D'Isere, France

WHY VAL D'ISERE?

Val d'Isère in the French Alps has held on to its status as a premier ski resort for decades, never crossing the line that others have done to become passé. Having hosted more than 150 World Cups and staged the 1992 Winter Olympics, the resort is now preparing play host to the World Alpine Skiing Championships in four years' time. As a result it is constantly reinventing itself, with stylish new bars, hotels and shops opening all the time.

WHERE?

The nearest international airport is Geneva, 180km to the northwest. EasyJet is among a number of airlines that provide regular flights from Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton and Newcastle. More than 20 tour operators, including Thomson, Ski Val and VIP, arrange holidays from the UK.

DO

Choose the Solaise bumps run above the resort or the Olympic Men's Downhill from Bellevarde, or hit the powder fields, though remember to take a guide. The descents from the Pissaillas glacier and the Tour de Charvet basin runs are recommended.

EAT

La Fruitière has the best food on the mountain, and an excellent wine list. When the weather permits a DJ plays on the terrace, which becomes a focal point for daily parties. The more central La Taverne has a sophisticated atmosphere, serving Alsace food.

DRINK

With half the foreign visitors coming from Britain, it is reflected in the après ski atmosphere at pubs like the Pacific Bar, and Dick's T Bar.

SLEEP

The imposing four star Barmes de l'Ours (meaning "Bear's Cave") opened last season at the foot of the celebrated 1992 Olympic run. It has a bar, two restaurants, a fitness and beauty centre, and an indoor swimming pool to accompany its stunning views. The trendy three star Hotel La Savoyarde has just been renovated, and has beautiful rooms and an excellent central location. Hotel Blizzard, in the town centre, has an excellent restaurant, and a good atmosphere at the bar.

PLAY

If you still have a need for speed after a day on the slopes, try driving on the ice circuit, whether to practise your skid control or just slide around. For relaxation, the Thérapéos health centre has saunas, steam baths, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, as well as fitness equipment and treatments.

Val D'Isere travel facts

Office du Tourisme Val d'Isère

(00 33 4 79 06 06 60; www.valdisere.com)

Easy Jet

(0871 750 0100, www.easyjet.com)

Thomson

(0870 606 1470; www.thomson-ski.co.uk or www.thomson-snowboarding.co.uk)

Ski Val

(0870 746 3030; www.skival.co.uk)

VIP (08701 123119; www.vip-chalets.com)

Hotel La Savoyarde

28 route des Moussoux, Chamonix

(00 33 4 79 06 01 55)

Hotel Blizzard

(00 33 4 79 06 02 07; www.hotelblizzard.com)

La Fruitière

(00 33 4 79 06 07 17)

La Taverne

(00 33 4 79 06 48 49)