Les Trois Vallées, for example, is made up of the three valleys which include the resorts of Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens and Les Ménuires. The whole area has a massive 600km of pistes.

The country has two main mountain ranges, the Pyrenees and the Alps, with ski resorts scattered around both. France also has some of the best summer glacier skiing in Europe.

French resorts really vary in style. There are huge, ugly, purpose-built monstrosities like Flaine and pretty old farming villages like Megève or Chatel. But you can't beat many of France's purpose-built resorts for convenience. In La Plagne, for example, it's easy to ski to the doorstep of most apartment blocks and hotels – a big plus for families with small children.

Like the villages, the lift systems vary enormously from antiquated single chairs to modern high-tech, high-speed six-seater chairs and top-of-the-range cable cars. The lift passes aren't cheap though, so it's a good idea not to lose your pass when you accidentally find yourself in a club still in your salopettes…

Good quality bars, mountain and village restaurants are consistent throughout France, with top-notch cuisine and wines at prices to suit all pockets. Some resorts are quiet and family-oriented, most resorts have a good nightlife and some are absolutely banging with clubs - frequented by top DJs and staying open until dawn.

Some of the best off-piste skiing in the world can be found in France. The French attitude, "if you want to go off-piste it's OK with us, but on your head be it", means that there are none of the restrictive out of bounds policies that limit riders in North America. It's always best to take a guide though. If you are new to off-piste, maybe try one of our off-piste clinics and learn to ski the white stuff in safety.