Risoul, Domaine de la Foret Blanche , France

One of the southern French resorts, Risoul started up in 1977. It is linked to neighbouring Vars 1850 for a combined total of 174km of pistes, collectively called the Domaine de la Foret Blanche. Risoul is beginning to feature in more brochures, especially in Eastern Europe, because of its good value, great sunshine and surprisingly late season. For such a southern resort, it has a remarkably good snow record, also offering tree-line skiing and good boarding at the Surfland Park. The skiing is convenient, but much more for the beginner and intermediate market, with fairly limited off-piste challenges for the more advanced skier. The lift system will need upgrading from draglifts to chairlifts and gondolas, while the nearest airports are all over three hours away. When compared to the considerable amount of skiing offered, the selection of restaurants is rather limited.

Overall, Risoul 1850 is a great venue for first or second-time skiers working on a lower budget. It offers many of the advantages of a French purpose-built resort, but beware of the considerable transfer and the slight lack of non-skiing activities.

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