Saint Martin de Belleville ski resort, France

While not a place ideal for beginners, this is a great skiing area for snowboarders, intermediate and expert skiers.

The resort only has 4 green runs, and then 24 blue ones, 26 red, and 7 black runs. The area has 39 ski lifts, 160 km of pistes going downhill, and 28 km of cross country runs. Most of the ski runs are above the 2,500 m level, so you can ski and snowboard throughout most of the skiing season.

The area also has 408 snow cannons, which helps to augment snow coverage for the slopes. Six airports cover the region, with Chambery Airport only about one hour away, and Geneva, Grenoble and the two Lyon airports around two hours. Over a dozen hotels and chalets service the area, and they have amenities such as kitchenettes, pools, internet access, and easy access to restaurants and shops.