school me on where to ski in Europe

it turns out i am (most likely) going to spend the entire next season (14-15) in Europe and will get several good chances to ski. i will be in Rome but will have a number of good stretches to take the 2.5 hour train to Turin and get out from there. I have skied pretty extensively in the US and Canada (you might have seen this) but never in Europe. I am certainly going to ski Chamonix and I have a family connection at Val D'Isere but what are the NOT TO BE MISSED places, the top 10 in Italy, France and Switzerland by your book? Thanks!

if that is overly vague and general (it is) the not-surprising laundry list is: big ripping lines and good access to them, excellent reliable snow, beautiful authentic towns, good multi-language ski schools (for the kiddo), great food. thanks!

In addition to all the recommendations that'll be flooding in, I'd suggest that you order the 2015 Where To Ski And Snowboard Worldwide when it's released in early September (if you can't wait, buy the 2014 edition on Amazon). It has detailed chapters on dozens of Euro ski regions and includes the good, bad, and ugly. I can't tell you how much time I've spent over the years reading it on commuter trains and getting ideas for places I'd like to hit someday.

The only disclaimer is that the book is written by Brits, who can't help themselves from complaining about places that don't have mostly high-speed lifts and Michelin-level on-mountain dining -- neither of which are dealbreakers for us Yanks, so you can filter that stuff out.

I've posted three articles about trips to Austria -- all of which I can recommend for different reasons -- and will have a new one soon about last year's visit to the Portes du Soleil region along the France/Switzerland border.

Lemmy,

The Dolomites are some of the most scenic mountains I've ever seen pictures of. Besides the aforementioned stuff that sprang to your mind (all of which are probably awesome), you might also consider heading to the more east coast style stuff east of the alps. There are resorts at lower elevation in Slovenia (pretty close to you!), Macedonia (farther, super cheap), Bulgaria (only expensive compared to Macedonia) and even Greece.

All of those locations will have their own Euro flair and might save you a couple coins compared to France or Switzerland, but the amenities might suffer as well. Still, I've seen some great looking lines and far fewer queues there, at least in pictures.

I'm very excited for you (but will obviously miss you at Platty)!

Seems timely: http://www.powder.com/digital-features/super-flipbook/

Also, nice avatar!

I really liked Verbier.

Since you will be in Italy to start with I think the Dolomites you must hit

Cortina has some good skiing and excellent off piste

Arraba was my favorite in the Sella Rounda route.  It's high alpine and very Utah like with big bowls and very accessible off piste.

The food in the small rufugios on mt will blow your mind.

thanks, keep em coming. i will definitely go to cortina as there are some things there i will be researching- and years ago i remember reading this

Must do Chamonix, as you noted.    Watch the weather here too.

Verbier is amazing..if I recall, there are 6 valleys.  

Friends love the Dolomites, they go often but never rave about the snow.    Just saying, look before you leap.  

TIP:   Check out the "Ski club of Great Britian"     You may want to join them, its about $150.00.   Some great benefits come with membership including guides, discounted backcountry guides, at lots of friends to party with.  Drunk Brits are just plain fun.     I was a member for about 5 years.      

The Refugio at cince Torres is the one the blew our minds listed in your article.  My wife still talks about that lunch.

The skiing and snow is much better in the next valley over from cortina.  Like I said Arraba was great.

There is a cool experience where you can ski from the Cortina section into the next valley and pay a farmer to pull you with his horse to the next lift complex.