Bring your snorkel, water wings, a pair of the fattest skis you can find, and perhaps some XL sweatpants. Japan is all about culture with a capital C. Half the fun of a ski holiday here are the amazing experiences to be had sampling this incredible culture. The other half is shredding powder until you can’t take any more. Hokkaido, Hakuba, and Tokyo are on the list

La Grave has one lift and three marked runs, but you could spend a lifetime here and not repeat yourself. Every run is an unforgettable epic adventure that can easily consume your entire day and every ounce of epinephrine you’ve got. Think of the greats like Doug Coombs and the TGR crew, they’ve all been here, but they’ve kept its secret pure for the other hardcores out there.

Located in the Aosta Valley on the Italian side of Mont Blanc can boast having some of the best mountain views in the world and an excellent snow record. The skiing terrain at Courmayeur is fantastic; expect to find huge open powder fields, deep natural bowls, seemingly endless groomed fast trails, mogul runs and tight tree skiing.