For many of these, the preferred means of transportation to the mountaintops is a helicopter.

On any sunny spring morning there may be dozens of skiers waiting for one of the flights to the heights, and helicopters take off every five minutes, with the noise reverberating off the sheer rock faces of the mountain.

Both residents in the valley and all the environmental groups in the country are now urging the government to restrict or ban the use of helicopters for “unnecessary” trips.  Esther Hegglin of Mountain Wilderness, one of the environmental groups decrying the practice of heli-skiing, said that a ban on landing pads in protected wilderness areas would be at least a good first step in reducing the impact of traffic and noise on the peaceful silence of one of the last remaining ‘uncivilized’ spots on Earth.  Of the 42 landing sites in Switzerland and France, about half are in protected areas.

There is much controversy regarding the issue, with helicopter companies insisting that heli-skiing is an important part of their business and good for the local economy, and various rescue operations and other interests stating that helicopters are a ‘fact of life’ in many remote areas.

They are useful for delivering food and building supplies (often for new ski resorts) and often essential for rescuing hikers and skiers.  This is true, but the argument from protesters makes the point that helicopters are not the only way for skiers to reach their take-off altitude.  The attitude is that if it’s worth doing it’s worth some effort, so why not walk?

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With two major mountain ranges, the Alps and the Pyrenees, the options are limitless and accommodations range from very basic to wildly elite, and include some of the most exciting and incredibly beautiful areas in the world.

The immense appeal of French resorts for winter sports derives not just from the breathtaking scenery, but from the facilities common to almost all of them, which include good cheap food and plenty of bars for socializing and taking the chill off.

The French also make it very easy to reach any of these inviting winter-oriented areas.  If you don’t mind paying fairly steep tolls, most can be reached by road.  If you are flying in, there are several airports with ground connections to everywhere.

Most resorts can be reached by train, which is an attractive option since the rail service is excellent – inexpensive and fast.  During the winter there is train service direct from Waterloo Station in London to Bourg St. Maurice.

If you wish to work at a French resort through the winter months you won’t even need a visa as long as you’re an EU national, and there are a lot of jobs available among the hundreds of resorts.  Bartending and table waiting are good possibilities, but don’t try holding an instructional class on the slopes if you don’t have a French instructor’s certificate.

Options for accommodation often include apartment blocks with few restrictions on party number.  If you’re on a budget, stick with fast food and buy your alcohol in the supermarket.

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Geneva – flights from £30

Close to the French border (the airport even has a French sector) Geneva airport is an ideal landing point for skiers and snowboarders, offering the choice of over 100 ski resorts within two hours’ drive. One of the closest is Lelex, a small resort served by 13 ski lifts, ideal for families and beginners. At the other end of the scale there’s Morzine, part of Les Portes Du Soleil, a huge interlinked ski area offering some 650 different pistes, served by over 200 ski lifts

Nice – flights from £43

Located for good access to the ski resorts of the southern French Alps and Italian Alps, there are 12 ski resorts within three hours’ drive. Isola 2000 is one of the best in range, rising to 2610m and offering about 50 pistes and around 120km of downhill skiing and snowboarding. Alba, about 2.5 hours from Nice, is an ideal choice for beginners; a compact area, it’s also good for cross country skiing, boasting 52km of Nordic trails.

Grenoble – flights from £24

There are over 50 ski resorts within 1.5 hours of the airport, including some of the biggest and best such as Alp d’Huez, Courchevel, La Grave, Meribel and Valmorel. For somewhere a little more secret, try Autrans, a quieter area with 16 lifts and about 18km of downhill slopes as well as 160km of cross country ski trails.

Toulouse – flights from £45

Toulouse airport offers access to Pyrenean ski resorts in France, Andorra and Spain. Pas de la Casa is a firm favourite with the Brits, renowned for its excellent value and lively après ski action, whilst the lesser known Andorran resort of Arcalis was recently named one of the most underrated ski resorts by The Times, due to its strong powder snow record and excellent off piste terrain.

Chambery – flights from £69

Deemed the ‘gateway to the French Alps’ Chambery is a top choice for skiers and snowboarders wanting quick access to the slopes. This small but modern ski airport is located just one hour away from several of France’s top ski resorts including La Tania, Courchevel, Méribel, Megeve and Valmorel.

Click below to start your ski flight search.

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