TOP 10 WINTER DESTINATIONS

ASPEN, UNITED STATES

■ in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains,■ is a ski resort town and year-round destination for outdoor recreation.■ also known for high-end restaurants and boutiques, and landmarks

like the Wheeler Opera House, built in 1889 during the area’s silver mining boom.

■ a playground for skiers, hikers and lovers of the outdoors. ■ has a reputation for being the winter playground of models and

moguls, celebrities and socialites. With four mountains to choose from -- Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass.

Aspen Mountain is a ski area in the western United States, located in Pitkin County, Colorado, just outside and above the city of Aspen.

ASPEN HIGHLANDS -  a skiing mountain in Aspen, Colorado. It is famous for the Highland Bowl, which provides what some consider some of the most intense skiing in the state.

Aspen Snowmass is a winter resort complex located in Pitkin County in western Colorado in the United States..

Buttermilk Ski Area is a ski hill and unincorporated community. It is frequently considered the easiest skiing mountain in Aspen, Colorado.

Courchevel 1850, France

■ is a French Alps ski resort.■  the biggest connected ski area in the world. It is renowned for its excellent

lift system which is virtually queue free, even at the busiest of times.■  has one of the largest bases for ski instructors and other seasonal workers

due to the size of the three valleys area.■ It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world.■ also refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550,

Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850, which are named for their altitudes in metres.

■ Courchevel's name has become synonymous with "winter playground of the super rich" in Russia

ST.MORITZ SWITZERLAND

■  is a luxury alpine resort town in Switzerland’s Engadin valley■  It was also the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism (in 1864) and has twice

hosted the Winter OlympicS.■ is a high Alpine resort in the Engadine in Switzerland at an altitude of

about 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above sea level.■ Ski and snowboard areas include Corviglia, Diavolezza and Corvatsch, and

there are well-groomed cross-country ski trails.■  is a popular destination for the upper class and international jet set.■ also regarded as the most expensive ski resort in the world, with

many luxurious five star hotels and upscale shops.

Whistler-Blackcomb, Canada

 a major ski resort located 121 km north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada

■  is a great place for ski and snowboard-loving parents to introduce their toddlers to the piste

■ There are fully-licensed childcare programs for kids as young as 18 months old so even new mommies get a chance to hit the slopes.

Beaver Creek, United States

a major ski resortin the western United States, near Avon, Colorado.

■ is a major ski resort located 121 km (75 mi)[1] north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada.

■ By many measures it is the largest ski resort in North America; it is 50% larger than its nearest competitor in terms of size, has the greatest uphill lift capacity, and until 2009, had the highest vertical skiable distance by a wide margin.

■ also features the Peak 2 Peak Gondola for moving between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains at the top; Peak 2 Peak holds records for the highest and longest unsupported cable car span in the world. With all of this capacity.

■ Whistler Blackcomb is also often the most-visited ski resort, often besting 2 million visitors a year.

■ was originally conceived as part of a bid to win the 1968 Winter Olympics.■ hosted the alpine skiing events, including the men's and women's Olympic and

Paralympic alpine skiing disciplines of downhill, Super-G, slalom, giant slalom and super combined.

■ The resort is known for its upscale family-oriented accommodations. The Beaver Creek Golf Club, nestled against the slopes of Beaver Creek Mountain, is one of the longest established golf courses in the Vail Valley. Opened in 1982, the course is known for its long and narrow challenging fairways, and its stunning scenery.

■ The resort is known for its upscale family-oriented accommodations. The Beaver Creek Golf Club, nestled against the slopes of Beaver Creek Mountain, is one of the longest established golf courses in the Vail Valley. Opened in 1982, the course is known for its long and narrow challenging fairways, and its stunning scenery.

Club Med, Worldwide

■ Club Méditerranée SA, commonly known as Club Med, is a French public limited company specializing in the sale of all-in holidays at a number of "vacation villages" which it owns and operates in a number of (usually exotic) locations around the world

■ all-inclusive resorts (no extra charge for equipment) are known the world over for being family-friendly. Their ski resorts in Chamonix-Mont Blanc and Villars-sur-Ollon offer Baby Club Med childcare for babies as young as four months old.

■ For older kids, there are tailored programs for different age groups all the way up to teens. From four years old, kids can join their own ski or snowboarding classes. And in their Méribel and Val Thorens resorts, there’s the added convenience of ski-in-ski-out, especially handy for parents who don’t want to have to carry their tired children’s skis.

YellowStone Club, United States.

■ also Yellowstone Ski Resort, is a private residential club, ski resort, and golf resort located in the state of Montana, USA. 

■  employs 700 people in the winter and 450 in the summer.■ an invitation-only residential club, lost a bit of its luster when it filed for

bankruptcy protection in 2008, but it did re-emerge from bankruptcy the next year.

■ The saga of this exclusive ski domain was documented in a New York Times article, which named a few of its illustrious members who had had to fork out upwards of US$5 million for a home in the development as well as a joining fee said to be US$250,000 and annual fees of US$20,000.

■ In addition to skiing, there’s also golf.

Big Horn Revelstoke, Canada

■ is unique; Canada’s premier mountain home delivers a blend of luxury and adventure without equal.

■ This amazing property is located at the base of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, in the heart of the world’s best heliski terrain, creating a new ski concept. Fly into the wilderness from your own private helipad, alternatively take the lift to the top of the tallest hill in North America.

■ Experience the highest standard of premium accommodation and service. North America’s first full-service private retreat includes gourmet cuisine from an award winning European chef and a team of staff dedicated to delivering an unforgettable experience. Bighorn has it all.

■ Sleeping guests in complete comfort, this chalet boasts a fabulous wellness area with indoor pool, sauna and massage rooms alongside a gym, the outdoor hottub is perfect for relaxing after a hard day ski. The private cinema is yours to watch the latest movie and the bar and pool room is great for kicking back in the evening.

■ This private chalet offers heli-skiing in and around Revelstoke Mountain Resort. For C$64,500-75,000 (US$63,690-74,060) during peak months, 16 people get exclusive use of this chalet, complete with its own helipad, for seven nights.

■ The helicopter costs are extra. The chalet does come with chefs and housekeepers though, and is equipped with a bar, poolroom, private cinema, outdoor hot tub, indoor exercise pool, gym, sauna and massage room.

Big Horn, Hot Tub Big Horn, Lodge

Dolomites, Italy

 ■ an Italian-based adventure holiday company specializing in ski, bike,

hike vacations and tours in the Dolomites Italy.■ Elevation is 3,343m■ offers some of the best mountain thrills in Europe.

Megeve, France

■  is a ski resort village in the Alps of southeastern France, in the Mont Blanc massif.

■ It offers downhill runs, snow parks and cross-country trails. The area features rustic-chic chalets, upmarket hotels and designer boutiques.

■ The town is well-known due its popularity as a ski resort near the Mont-Blanc in the French Alps. Conceived in the 1920s as a French alternative to Saint-Moritz by the Rothschilds.

■ it was the first purpose-built resort in the Alps.■ Originally it was a prime destination for the French

aristocracy. It remains one of the most famous and fanciest ski resorts in the world.