Peyragudes

Reviewers single out the modern four and six-seat lifts and the heavy snowmaking that covers most of the area. The east-west orientation lets you follow the sun all day. The resort is rated a good match for beginners and confident intermediates, with more than half the runs easy. Long runs down the valleys hold snow better than the upper slopes, off-piste is easy to reach, and outside the French school holidays the slopes stay quiet.

What draws criticism is that the area is rarely open in full: some runs on the map almost never operate, so the piste plan should not be taken at face value. The price follows from that - for the terrain actually open, many call it too high. Snow guns running all day are another complaint: the artificial snow sticks to goggles and spoils the skiing. There are also reports of poor service and billing errors. Apres-ski and cross-country score lowest.