TRAINS TO ESPACE KILLY

The ski area above the world famous resorts of Tignes and Val d'Isère is generally regarded as one of the world's best, with some regular skiers saying it's so good that there's no need to ski anywhere else.

Previously named after local celebrity Jean-Claude Killy, who won triple gold at the 1968 Winter Olympics, it's a vast area of some 10,000 hectares, with 300km of groomed pistes, extending over one of the biggest lift-served verticals on the planet – more than 2,000 metres of it.

Best known for its incredible freeriding terrain and world-class racing slopes (Val d'Isère is one of just a handful of resorts to have hosted World Cup, World Championships and Winter Olympic downhill races), there's also plenty of skiing for every ability level. You'll find well-designed nursery slopes, world-class terrain parks for freestylers and seemingly endless kilometres of wide, sunny blue and red pistes for holiday makers.

Both Tignes and Val d'Isère are world class resorts, of course, each with a good selection of bars, restaurants and shops. There's also accommodation ranging from budget up to four star in Tignes and right the way to super-luxury in Val d'Isère.