Torgnon

The praise is for calm and cost: after the big Aosta Valley resorts there is neither crush nor stress, and a family day on the snow costs noticeably less than at the neighbours. What Torgnon does best is small children: wide blue slopes around Chantorne, playful trails through the woods and a competent kids' service. The mountain bars' food and the panoramas get warm words, while stronger skiers pick out the reds between Chantorne and Collet.

The emptiness off the slopes draws criticism: the village has essentially nothing - no restaurants worth naming, no apres-ski, no shops beyond a grocery and a couple of souvenir stalls. The south-facing aspect works against it in spring, with the sun eating the cover quickly and fresh snow setting into crust within hours. The main complaint is the gap in difficulty: the blues are softer than greens elsewhere, while the reds immediately demand a lot.