Gimme five ... safe bets for late snow

Many skiers think that once Easter is over, the skiing is too.

But this time the break falls two weeks earlier than last year, which means there is still a good month's skiing left in Europe's snowsure, high resorts, while recent heavy snowfalls in Europe mean even some middle altitude resorts will stay open. Late skiers can look forward to uncrowded slopes, shorter lift queues and basking in sunshine. Here are five surefire bets for late snow:

Val Thorens

You don't get much more snowsure than Europe's highest resort. While neighbouring Méribel and Courchevel suffered from poor snow until the late February falls, Val Thorens has been in reasonable shape all season. All that fresh snow and the resort's glacier translates to happy late skiing. Extensive pistes for all abilities drop right down into the resort's compact centre, which still maintains a village feel despite being purposebuilt.

How to hit the piste: Leisure Direction (020 8324 3030, www.leisuredirection.co.uk) has one week self-catering at the three-star ski-in/ski-out Les Temples du Soleil from £95 per person based on five sharing, including Channel crossing, departing 13 April.

Whistler

It's been a bumper season for this Canadian resort, which has already had more than its annual average of nine metres of snow with two months of the season left. Whistler has the most extensive terrain in North America with more than 200 runs, spanning 7,071 acres (La Plagne, by comparison, has less than 2,000 skiable acres). The average temperature is low until May, preserving all that lovely snow for post-Easter visitors. And you won't have much trouble getting a restaurant reservation - a tough proposition in peak season.

How to hit the piste: Frontier Ski (020 8776 8709, www.frontier-ski.co.uk) is offering a 10-night stay at the five-star Chateau Whistler for £1,120 room only, including flights to Vancouver and transfers, departing any day in early May.

Ischgl

Austria has been Europe's star snow performer this season and, despite not getting the recent dumps of France, is still in good shape. Ischgl offers particularly good skiing for intermediates and extensive off-piste terrain for experts. Although the lower slopes could do with more snow, up top there's plenty to last until 30 April when the resort throws its annual endof-season, open-air mountain concert. This year's headliner is Enrique Iglesias, supported by the winning bands from Austrian and Swiss Popstars.

How to hit the piste: One week's half-board at the Hotel Madlein (00 43 5444 5226/www.ischglmadlein.com) costs from £515. Return flights to Munich with Go (0870 607 6543/www.go-fly.com), departing 20 April, cost from £55 return. Transfers from £35pp.

Zermatt

The high and extensive slopes of car-free Zermatt are a dream for intermediates and experts looking for late snow. There's good snow from top to bottom - 180cm on the higher slopes - and, because many of the runs are above 2,500m and north-facing, they'll keep their cover until well after Easter.

How to hit the piste: Scott Dunn Ski (020 8682 5050/www.scottdunn.com) has departures on 14 April for the Bolero apartments - a chaletstyle building with its own Jacuzzi, sauna, solarium and gym. A three-minute walk from the Klein Matterhorn lift, the three apartments sleep up to eight. Fom £675pp, including scheduled flights to Geneva, transfers and half-board.

Les Arcs

Beginner-friendly series of purpose-built resorts, heaps of snow in the past couple of weeks and wide slopes above Arc 2000 make it ideal for enjoying good snow in spring sunshine. Virtually all accommodation is ski-in, ski-out and home runs down are in great shape.

How to hit the piste: Erna Low (020 7584 2841/ www.ernalow.co.uk) has seven days self-catering at Les Alpages de Chantel in Arc 1800 for £816 for an apartment sleeping up to eight, including ferry crossing.