Summer may be the time of sun and surf, but in winter our thoughts turn to snow and slopes.  For winter sports holiday makers, Geneva provides the perfect place to begin with a wide variety of ski resorts just a few hours’ drive from Geneva Airport.

For the beginner, the French resort of Les Rousses offers one of the best choices with 40 kilometres of downhill slope, 43 individual pistes, and 40 ski lifts.  In addition to being a great place for learners, Les Rousses also offers decent ski and snowboarding opportunities for those more experienced.

To watch some fantastic skiing, the French resort of Val d’Isère is a must for the 2010 winter sports season.  Serving as host to the 55th edition of the Critérium de la Première Neige, men and women from Britain and other parts of the world will be skiing Bellevarde for the World Cup trials.  The event takes place this December, from the 5th – 19th.

For the family that includes an expert skier, La Rosière has direct access to 140 kilometres of downhill skiing, with 73 individual pistes and 37 ski lifts.  La Rosière is Savoie’s only resort to offer international skiing with ski lifts connecting to La Thuile, which is located in the Val d’Aosta Valley of Italy.  This offers the opportunity to partake in heli-skiing.

For skiers with small children, the Morzine Resort and Chilly Powder are designed specifically for you, with all of the amenities a family could need or want – including good childcare.

Travelling without travel insurance is an unnecessary risk even for the brave of heart. For skiers, having proper insurance coverage is doubly important, and if skiing in France, consider taking on the country’s Carré Neige holiday insurance or Carte Neige annual insurance policy.

Carré Neige is easily purchased at all ski lift pass offices and at some ski schools. To cover individual holidays, the cost is approximately €3 per person per day, or there is the option of purchasing 10 or 21days for about €30. Or, for preference, there is an annual policy, the Carte Neige, for individuals and families.

Main points of coverage include rescue and transport, legal assistance, refunds for ski passes and lessons, reimbursement for various medical and hospitalisation costs, damaged skis, and repatriation. Should repatriation be required, the Carré Neige is good for residents throughout Europe.

A short list of what the policy does not cover include: complications with pregnancy, accidents during professional sport competitions, accidents caused by motor sports. Claims on the policy need to be filed within eight days of the event.

Be sure to carry the policy at all times in case there is an accident. Showing the Carré Neige or the Carte Neige card will immediately inform medical staff that coverage for treatment should not be a problem.

Some travellers may balk at the idea of paying extra and being over insured. But considering the dangers inherent with winter sports where conditions could require the use of much more rescue personnel, the extra cost seems worth it.

When you mention skiing one of the associated activities that comes to mind is snowboarding. Nowadays they kind of go hand in hand. In fact many skiers can also snowboard and many snowboarders were originally avid skiers. On the other hand, in some cases there is also some rivalry between the snowboarders and the skiers. Some people that ski are not big fans of the snowboarders, perceiving them as somewhat juvenile.

One reason for this rivalry is because the techniques for both sports are very different. When someone is learning how to snowboard they tend to fall a lot and it can be hard for others to predict which direction they are going to travel on the slope. Furthermore, beginner snowboarders and even intermediate level snowboarders are well known for sitting down on the mountain to take a break, causing a potential hazard for others. It is obvious beginner skiers have their problems, too, and also irritate the snowboarders; the result is the ongoing rivalry between the two sports.

If you are a skier that feels snowboarders get in the way the majority of the time, your solution is a skiing holiday where snowboarders are not allowed on the slopes. There are a number of these resorts. Speak with a travel agent or perform an internet search and a range of options will be available to choose from. There are also some resorts that are just for snowboarders; if you wish to segregate the sports you can certainly do so.

Les Deux Alpes is the second oldest ski resort in France. It is one of the most affordable resorts for skiing holidays in France; it is lively and has a very friendly atmosphere. With slopes that offer the ideal skiing conditions for all levels of skier, it is actually the largest skiable glacier in Europe.

The resort of Les Deux Alpes sits at an altitude of 1650m and covers a massive skiable area. There are 76 runs with 8 of those on the glacier itself. 63 lifts are available to take skiers to their chosen ski point, and views from the top are stunning.

Approximately three quarters of the runs at Les Deux Alpes are for intermediate skiers and it is also an area popular with snowboarders. Advanced skiers are recommended to try the village of La Grave and other nearby resorts also offer top class ski runs for the expert skier.

For those new to skiing holidays in France, Les Deux Alpes is an ideal resort to visit and there are many ski deals to be found by contacting travel agencies or having a search on the Internet. Beginners should take advantage of the resort ski instructors as having lessons from an expert will help to boost confidence on the slopes.

Of course not everyone enjoys skiing, and for those holidaying with a partner who loves to ski but who are worried about being bored and alone, Les Deux Alpes offers non skier activities such as snow shoeing and tobogganing. For those who are not keen to be out in the snow, the town also offers a cinema, bowling and a sports complex.

With more airlines imposing charges for carrying ski equipment, winter sports holiday makers are wondering, how is the best way to take their ski equipment to the slopes. The latest airline to deliver a blow to the “do it yourself” skier is British Airways with a charge which is by no means low!  You will be charged £58 if you pay for these when you book your flight online, if you do not, but wait until you get to the airport, this charge becomes a staggering £70!

One way round the ski holiday carriage problem is to use “snow train” which is Eurostar and travels from St Pancras to the French Alps each week on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. You still have to get to your resort, which is usually a short transfer, but you can take as much luggage as you want, including skis, free of charge. If you are going skiing in North America, and more of us are taking this choice with the great snow that they offer, you will have no choice but to pay up, but of course you can hire your skis or snowboard when you get to your holiday destination.

When you think of going on a skiing holiday you do not usually think of a time in late March or mid-April as most people would typically consider skiing during the winter months of December, January, February or early March. In most ski resorts, late March and mid-April are considered the start of the spring skiing season.

Yes, people do ski in the spring and not just in places that have an overwhelming amount of snow for the majority of the year. Some people may not intentionally book their holiday with the thought of spring skiing but due to an early arrival of warmer weather they can find themselves having to adapt to that situation.

Spring skiing can be a lot of fun. You do not have to worry about numb toes or fingers. Usually you can ski in just a light jacket or long sleeve shirt. Some people even ski in just a t-shirt.

One of the biggest drawbacks when it comes to spring skiing is the slush created from melting snow and being subjected to rain instead of snow when you are on the mountain. Towards the top most of the snow stays fairly solid but as you travel down it becomes more and more slushy, which does not make for good skiing. Fresh snow may be no longer possible; many skiers love the fresh powder and wouldn’t want to trade it for some slightly warmer weather.

The Alps have many top name ski resorts, beautiful villages and amazing views, and there is something in the Alps to suit all levels of skier. Ski deals to resorts in the Alps should be easy to find as there is so much choice. Searching the internet will produce many good results, or alternatively requesting help and advice from a travel agent, who can also advise on last minutes bargains, may be an ideal way to find an affordable ski holiday in the French Alps.

Possibly the most famous of the ski resorts in the French Alps is Val d’Isere. This will most likely not be a suitable resort for those on a budget as it is one of the most expensive in the whole of Europe. The Val d’Isere resort can cater for all levels of expertise and has many activities for the non-skier.

Chamonix is another extremely popular place for skiing holidays in France. Chamonix lies at the foot of the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc, and again is a very expensive resort to visit.

Lesser known resorts such as Aussois or Serre Chevalier are smaller and therefore much more affordable places to holiday for those with families or who are just looking for cheap ski deals.

One of the largest resorts in the Alps is L’Alpe d’Huez. It is thought to be one of the best for family based skiing holidays and has a relaxed but lively atmosphere. Again, there are options for all levels of skier and some beautiful off-piste trails for the more advanced skier to try.

With 650 km of interlinked ski piste, the ski and snowboarding is limitless whilst the variety of local French and Swiss mountain towns makes the summer a haven for walkers and mountain bikers. Essert-Romand is one of the satellite villages dotted around the main resort town of Morzine. Set in idyllic surroundings the town is mostly residential, with many business owners and local people choosing to live here rather than Morzine itself.

Morzine is a traditional Savoyard town, superbly situated in the Portes du Soleil, one of the largest linked international ski areas in the world. The ski resort is set in a picturesque valley, and has a distinct charm with its traditional chalet style architecture. Convenient links in the Portes du Soleil allow easy access to the nearby Swiss resorts of Morgins and Champéry, and the French resorts of Châtel and Les Gets, or over into Avoriaz for some more testing runs.

How will the announcement by budget airline Ryanair affect you forthcoming winter skiing holiday? If you had planned to fly with them, then of course you will be affected, but there are plenty of alternatives. They have planned to  cut its UK winter capacity by 16% from November, has blamed Air Passenger Duty (APD) for a move which will see it carry over two million fewer passengers this winter compared to the same period last year. Mainly these cuts will concentrate on London Stansted, where the airline will base 22 aircraft instead of 24. This will mean a flight volume decrease of 17% at the airport and a loss of up to 1.5 million passengers between November and March 2011. The cuts will affect some other UK bases but if you are planning to fly from Leeds or from Edinburgh you will still get to Munich or Treviso.

Ryanair pulling out of the winter flight schedule so popular with skiers could leave a hole but we would imagine that there will be other airlines that can fill the gap. Jet2 and EasyJet are examples who fly to French ski resorts and the popular destination of Geneva could become ever more popular this coming winter as we plan our next skiing holiday.

It would seem that every nation has their own problems when it comes to snowboarding and skiing holidays according to a survey which has been carried out by a major winter sport insurer. It would seem that British skiers, especially men, have a habit of showing off on the piste, so it is not just on the beach after all! The Italians are, well just Italians, and they do everything at breakneck speed including skiing and boarding. The French simply overestimate their own abilities whilst the Spanish don’t believe in lessons! Unsurprisingly it is after lunch when most accidents occur, alcohol has to play its part but this is when most people are getting tired, particularly after a long lazy lunch on the terrace. The biggest cause of accidents is people pushing themselves beyond their ability because of jealousy of others’ expertise on the slopes.

However it is the Germans that, it would seem, cause the biggest problem, they do not have any awareness of who is around them and perhaps they believe that the slopes are for them alone. Another area where our German friends have won is the battle for the beach bed! Thanks to Thomas Cook, tourists from the fatherland will no longer need to lay out their towels at 5am to secure a prime spot by the resort pool; they simply have the option to pay €3 per day when they book their ski holiday.