As one of the select handful of resorts renowned worldwide for its off-piste skiing, Val d'Isère is a real mecca for back-country skiers.
The terrain is enormous, expansive and varied, the scenery is beautiful and there's something here for skiers with every level of off-piste experience. Thanks to its altitude, Val d'Isère is also one of the most snow-sure off-piste destinations in the Alps, with skiing often available from late November right through until May.
One of the real plusses is the ease of accessibility of the off-piste skiing - it's quite literally all around you. Slopes like Cugnai, Spatule and Tour du Charvet are ideal as an introduction to off-piste skiing and are literally just a drop off the top of the lift.
The off-piste around Le Fornet is legendary and is especially good in spring conditions. The snow here is often excellent right through until May and there are several really good ski schools and private mountain guides who specialise in off-piste instruction and guiding.
For the more experienced and adventurous, there's also a vast amount of steeps and plenty of classic couloirs, especially if you're prepared to walk a bit further. Iconic descents include Pisteurs' and Moniteurs' Couloirs, the Table d'Orientation in Val d'Isère itself and the Fingers and Couloirs 1, 2 and 3 over in Tignes.
Tick them all off your list, or for a real off-piste experience, try skiing from Mickey's Ears at on the Bellevarde/La Daille sector right down to the lake, or from the top of the Fornet glacier into what feels like the middle of nowhere at Bonneval-sur-Arc in the Maurienne Valley, then get a helicopter back to Val d'Isère.
And don't overlook spring. We have great weather, great après-ski and, by then, the hordes have gone. Better still, the spring snow transforms, making the back-country accessible even to nervous intermediates who'd never imagine they could ski off-piste in midwinter.
For us, the last month of the season is the best by far. The skiing is vast, seemingly limitless, easy to access and the atmosphere in the resort is fantastic.
Just remember - once you leave the marked pistes, you're in uncontrolled mountain terrain.
Avalanche risk is real, so unless you have the knowledge, equipment and experience to make good decisions, always go with a qualified mountain guide.
It'll almost certainly be the best money you spend all week.
