Puy-Saint-Vincent, France: Great little ski resorts

Clubbers might not find too much to excite them but this pretty resort is perfect, and reasonable value, for families with children up to early teen

So, where?
Pretty Puy-Saint-Vincent sits on the edge of the Ecrins national park in the southern French Alps, not far from the Italian border. The closest airport is Turin, less than two hours away, or add another hour to drive from Grenoble or Chambéry. A small UK company, Snowbizz, established a base here in 1986 and offers full family packages to the resort.

Why try it?
When it comes to family ski holidays, it doesn’t get much better. Little ones (six months to 11 years) are well cared-for at the morning ski school, all-day crèche and evening kiddie club, all a few steps from the shops, bars, and ski lifts. In fact, nothing at this compact resort is more than a short walk away. Except for the French school holidays, the pistes are not crowded and queues rare. Even absolute beginners should quickly feel confident enough to get high up the mountain and wind down a long, gentle green run, or even tackle one of the blues. And ski passes are among the cheapest in the Alps.