Pila

Modern, purpose-built, car-free resort that's popular with families and school groups and is set above the old Roman town of Aosta - a 15-minute gondola ride away or reached by a 30-minute drive on a winding road. Chairlifts (some fast, most slow) and a cable car fan out to serve a fair-sized and interesting mix of well-groomed, snow-sure slopes. The treeline is high, at about 2300m, and most runs are below it, making this an excellent bad-weather resort. From the top heights there are grand views to Mont Blanc in the west and the Matterhorn in the east. There are runs for all standards, but mostly they are reds. The few blacks, above the treeline at the top of the area, don't amount to much, but there is quite a bit of off-piste. There are two short beginner lifts, but progression to longer runs means using a central run, which when the resort is busy is unpleasant. Like so many other Aosta Valley resorts, Pila is pretty quiet during the week but can be hectic at weekends - and it does attract lots of British school groups. 'A good day trip,' says a 2014 visitor.