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Each country offers a slightly different holiday experience. The following list provides a stereotypical but handy rule of thumb.
Andorra is a small tax free principality in the Pyrenees with 6 small but fun resorts. Holidays here should be good value. The towns know how to party. Snow conditions can be very different to the Alps
Argentina and Chile can offer good skiing during the Northern Hemisphere's summer months, for those prepared for long journeys.
Australia offers good, cheap accommodation and few queues, though alpine skiing is limited. But it might be an option for those who can't last through July to September without a skiing fix.
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St Anton - Austria
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Meribel - France
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Austria provides traditional holidays in jolly, charming villages. Most of the visitors tend to be German.
Eastern Europe (the Czech and Slovakia Republics, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia) provides
limited but very cheap facilities. Standards of accommodation, instruction, rental
and lift equipment leave something to be desired.
France provides challenging skiing, with many resorts linking several valleys in huge ski areas. Most purpose-built resorts are in the Alps. Avoid the school holidays when the whole country floods to the slopes.
Georgia and Russia share the Caucasus mountains, the highest in Europe. Skiing can be fabulous, though the lift systems are under-developed and medical facilities,
hotels, transport and communications can be dreadful.
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Italy is relaxed and stylish, with good skiing and food. Resorts near to big cities are prone to overcrowding.
Japan offers good, though expensive skiing. Areas are frequently extremely crowded,
signs are in Japanese and there may be few rental boots for Western bigfoots.
New Zealand offers some of the best Southern Hemisphere skiing and boarding especially in the backcountry. The season lasts from July to September.
Sweden and Norway have numerous small resorts that offer alpine skiing. It can be expensive, especially
but great for cross-country skiing and saunas.
Scotland is great when it is great but can suffer from harsh weather. The resorts are small but interesting with some challenging skiing and a great nightlife.
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Sauze d'Oulx - Italy
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Lake Louise - Canada
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Spain is appropriate for beginners, with small, fairly cheap resorts and they certainly are good in the evenings.
Switzerland has the most stunning scenery, with well-organized, clean facilities.
United States and Canada offer large apartments, good facilities, orderly queues
and friendly service. The east coast can be crowded, with hard, icy pistes. The
Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) are the place to go for
really good powder.
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