Best Ski Resorts for Après-ski

Les 3 Vallées is the world's largest lift-linked ski area, with 600 km of pistes across three Tarentaise valleys: Belleville (Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville), Méribel (Méribel and La Tania), and Courchevel. From the 1,300 m base at Saint-Martin to Cime Caron at 3,230 m, terrain spans every level: the upper Val Thorens cirque is famously snow-sure, while Courchevel concentrates the most groomed-piste mileage and the priciest lodging in the French Alps.

4 Vallées is Switzerland's largest single-pass ski area, with 412 km of pistes spanning four Valais valleys. Verbier anchors the high end at 1,500 m, with the Mont-Fort cable car climbing to 3,330 m at the area's roof: a famously challenging top-station with steep off-piste lines and views into France and Italy. Beyond Verbier, the lift network connects Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Thyon, La Tzoumaz, and Bruson. Terrain skews advanced; the area's reputation rests on the off-piste sectors off Mont-Fort and Bec des Rosses (host of the Freeride World Tour final).

Portes du Soleil is a 12-village lift-linked ski area straddling the French-Swiss border in the Chablais Alps, between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc massif. The lift network covers 580 km of pistes from a base of 1,000 m at Morzine to 2,466 m at Pointe de Chavanette (the steep ungroomed run known as the Swiss Wall). Avoriaz at 1,800 m is the snow-sure high base; the lower French villages (Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel) and Swiss bases (Champéry, Morgins) are pretty but more weather-dependent.

Formerly Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, now united as one of the largest Lake Tahoe ski destinations.

North America's largest ski resort by area, combining two massive mountains with a legendary village atmosphere.

Austria's top party resort linked with Samnaun in Switzerland, famous for concerts, nightlife, and excellent skiing.

Car-free village beneath the Matterhorn with one of the highest and largest ski areas in the Alps.

Host of the 2006 Olympics and the heart of the Via Lattea, a 400km-trail circuit linking Italy and France with high-altitude snow security.

Espace Killy is the lift-linked ski area shared by Tignes and Val d'Isère in the French Tarentaise. Around 300 km of pistes connect a base of 1,550 m to the Grande Motte glacier at 3,456 m, with summer skiing on the glacier and lift-served vertical rivalled in Europe only by Les 3 Vallées and Paradiski. The terrain leans intermediate-to-advanced; the area's reputation is built on long, high-altitude descents and reliable late-season snow.

Évasion Mont-Blanc is a lift-linked ski area on the south side of the Mont Blanc massif in the Haute-Savoie, joining Megève, Saint-Gervais, Combloux, and Les Contamines (along with several smaller bases). 445 km of pistes from a base of 1,000 m to 2,350 m at Mont Joux/Mont d'Arbois. Views of the Mont Blanc massif from the upper lifts are the area's best-known asset; terrain favours strong intermediates and is gentler than Espace Killy or the Tarentaise majors.