Val d'Isère

Val d’Isère, the glamorous French Alps hotspot where Brits come in droves (often with questionable “vintage” one-pieces), French locals show off on the Face de Bellevarde and the occasional Swedish pro breezes past everyone without breaking a sweat.

We love conquering the notorious black runs and then bragging about it at Dick’s Tea Bar, plus that mandatory Champagne-fuelled dance-off at La Folie Douce (where you’ll attempt to ski down afterwards like a baby giraffe).

We're not so keen on realising the “quick blue” is actually a thigh-burning red, navigating the early morning Solaise Express queues in a sea of neon salopettes, and discovering you’ll need a second mortgage to fund all the après-ski. But hey, if you’re going to blow your budget, at least do it somewhere that looks straight out of a Bond movie!