It is hard not to love a country—Austria, Switzerland—where the hopes and dreams of its people rest on the shoulders of its best skiers. One jaunt is all you’ll need to see that the mountains have shaped virtually all aspects of life in the Alps, and that skiing is the anchor of everything. With once in a lifetime snowfall hitting this winter, and the Euro faltering, there’s never been a better time to ski the old continent. Choose wisely for your first skiing trip: these resorts offer quality tuition and confidence-boosting slopes.
Cervinia, Italy
Chamonix–Mont Blanc, France
Zermatt, Switzerland
Courchevel, France
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Courmayeur, Italy
Kitzbühel, Austria
Val d’Isère, France
Lech Zürs am Alberg, Austria
St. Moritz, Switzerland
