Anyone that snowboards knows it’s more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. From the clothes to the relaxed attitude, you can feel part of a global community as soon as you strap in. Whether you are a beginner or a self-confessed pro, snowboarding has something to offer everyone you just need to know where to find it.

Here is a roundup of Europe’s best resorts for beginners, advanced, families, powder hounds, park riders and party animals.

Best for powder hounds: St Anton in Arlberg, Austria (pictured right)

Wow! The linked resorts of St Anton, St Christoph, Lech and Zurs make one massive powder bowl out of the Arlberg region of Austria. You can ride from almost 3,000 metres down into the village at around 1,000 metres.

There are bowls, couloirs, pillows, tree runs, cliff drops – you name it, St Anton and its neighbours have it. The region has over 440km of descents to jump, jib and powder-turn your way down. Getting bored here really isn’t possible.

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Best for beginners: Söll, Austria

Austria’s reputation for offering outstanding winter sport holidays continues to grow. In the last 10 years, it has come into its own and now offers a real alternative to the large French and Swiss resorts.

Austria wants to nurture snowboarders from their first days of linking turns, right through to the park dominators and big mountain riders. So with this in mind, it offers free ski and snowboard lessons for kids in many of its resorts at the beginning of each season and Soll, a cute but lively Tyrolean resort sells – at a smile-inducing price – a ‘Learn to Ski ‘pass that means you don’t have to pay for all those red and black runs you won’t use.

Best for families: Kaprun-Zell am See, Austria (pictured below)

Postcard worthy Kaprun, the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier and Zell am See together make up the Europa Sport Region. The nursery slopes are located right in the heart of Kaprun and you can safely leave your little snow bunnies there whilst you head up to the more challenging slopes on the glacier or the Schmittenhohe in Zell.

If they only have a morning lesson booked, then ride on the Maiskogel, which allows you to board down right into Kaprun. As well as kid-friendly snowboard schools, with companies such as Esprit operating here, there are numerous child care services on offer. The resort is lively enough to keep you and your offspring entertained, but not too hectic that you’ll be kept up all night listening to Euro pop.

Best for advanced riders: Verbier, Switzerland

Four words: steep, challenging and adrenaline inducing. Another four words you will need to bear in mind when riding down the face of Mont Fort is ‘no guts, no glory’. Verbier has some of the most testing conditions in the Alps.

It is a huge resort, and 20% of its pistes are black. It also has extensive off-piste riding that is not for the faint-hearted. Get a guide and make sure you have an avalanche transceiver.

Best for park riders: Livigno, Italy

This hidden gem that’s not quite Italian, not quite Swiss, has hosted the Burton European Open three times and this heavyweight snowboard brand has obviously had an effect on Livigno’s park building abilities.

Located in Mottolino, the park is 30,000m2 and has everything from 1m beginner baby jumps to stomping 25m mega-kickers. Another cool feature is ‘park cam’, sponsored by Swatch; you can have your park run recorded for your endless viewing pleasure.

Best for party animals: Val D’Isere, France (pictured above)

France has more than its fair share of world-class resorts offering mouth-wateringly good snow conditions, more riding variety than a box of Celebrations and parks that don’t just stand in the shadows of their American rivals, they create very long shadows of their own.

It is ironic then that the only French resort on the list appears in the ‘nightlife section’. However, nightlife in the big four Frenchies – Val D’Isere, Morzine, Courchevel and Chamonix rivals that of any good British city. However, Val D’Isere, pips them all to the post.

Kick off your night at Cafe Face for some happy hour cocktails, then head off to Bananas, then move on to the Pacific Bar, catch live music at the Moris Pub, then finally finish off the night with some naughty messiness at Dicks T Bar. The best hangover cure is a powder-riding session on the Tour de Charvet.

Sarah Benton, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine