Resorts

IF MÉRIBEL and three valleys aren't enough, you could try Formigal and its four valleys. It is Spain's largest resort, with 137km (85 miles) of piste. Formigal has invested more than £79million on new lifts, restaurants and other infrastructure. It's a little cheaper than nearby Andorra and is quicker to reach - transfers from Huesca, which has charter flights this year for the first time, are an hour and ten minutes.

In France, Le Grand Bornand is new this year and hosts a number of tour operators, including Peak Retreats (0844 5760170, www.peak retreats.co.uk). It is a traditional Savoyard village, an hour out of Geneva, and has 90km of piste, catering for all levels of ability. A week's self-catering in a four-person apartment at MGM's new Village de Lessy development resort costs from £1,027 a week, including one Eurotunnel car crossing.

Hotels and chalets

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Opening up this year in the resort of Laax - well known among UK snowboarders - is the Rocks Resort, a complex of 11 enormous eco-cubes. The buildings have been designed to be sustainable and only local and natural materials have been used. The buildings are energy efficient and use a climate-neutral heating system. A week (room only) with Crystal Finest (0871 9710364, www.crystalfinest.co.uk) costs from £515pp based on four sharing.

Flaine Montsoleil is the new European village by Intrawest, the developers behind Whistler and Arc 1950. The first phase of the development opens this winter and gives ski-in, ski-out access to the Grand Massif network. A week's rental of a four-person apartment on a self-catering basis costs from £655 with Erna Low (0845 8630525, www.ernalow.co.uk), including car crossing by Eurotunnel.

Aspen's newest hotel, Limelight Lodge (001 970 925 3025, www.limelightlodge.com), has been built on the site of the former lodge. The hotel is aimed at families and anyone trying to ski Colorado's glitziest resort on a restricted budget. In low season the enormous rooms at the new 126-room property start from £111 a night and only reach £195 a night in high season which, by Aspen standards, is an absolute bargain.

Gear

The British skiwear brand E+O (www.eando.com) has stylish women's jackets this season. The Ashcroft (£380) has a detachable faux-fur collar - good for the slopes and the bar later on, while E+O's Rowling jacket/gilet combination features a flower print.

Big, bold colours are in. Combine a black Ace jacket (£540) and shocking-orange Performance pants (£340) from Norway's Kjus brand (www.kjus.com).

Salomon customised outer shells are still a hit. The ski shop heats the shells, you step in and they mould to your feet. Salomon Falcon CS Pro £325 from Snow+Rock (0845 1001000, www.snowandrock.com.

Courses

Anyone who has ever skied with the affable Warren Smith at his Ski Academy in Verbier will want to try out his five-day course in Hokkaido, Japan, operated in conjunction with Inghams (020-8780 4447, www.inghams.co.uk). The course is aimed at intermediates. Ten nights' half board costs £2,573ppn on a twin-share basis, including flights and the cost of the course.

Ski Freshtracks (0845 4580784, www.skifreshtracks.co.uk) is running a freeski week in the off-piste paradise of Andermatt in Switzerland from March 7 to 14. Try out the latest Salomon freeski gear and ski with freeski-legend Pat Sharples. A week's half board on a twin-share basis costs £950, not including flights.

Lifts

Whistler gears up for its hosting of the Winter Olympics in 2010 with the opening on December 12 of the Peak2Peak gondola (www.peak2peakgondola.com), which will link the tops of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The new link smashes the record for the longest unsupported span -- 3km - and also for height above the valley floor - almost half a kilometre. The journey will take 11 minutes. In Austria, the resort of Westendorf will be integrated into the SkiWelt network with the opening of a new eight-person cable car, which will take skiers who arrive at Brixen im Thale up to the top of Choralpe.

Services

Crystal (0871 2315659, www.crystalski.co.uk) and Thomson (0871 2315612, www.thomsonski.co.uk) are catering for parents who want to feed their babies organic food, with a Baby Bundle that includes 24 Hipp Organic jars, six organic juices and biscuits; prices from £35 to £50.

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