The lunchtime rendezvous required careful planning. While we were all skiing the same slopes, our routes would cover a large span of the extensive Trois Vallées ski area. Some of us were staying in Méribel, some in Courchevel and others still in the village of Brides-les-Bains. More than 45 ski companies and specialists go to Courchevel and the list is even longer once you add other Trois Vallées resort destinations such as Méribel, Mottaret, Val Thorens and the several smaller villages.

Between us, we had travelled by car and boat, train and low-cost airlines. Our accommodation varied from hotels to chalets to self-catering apartments. I was staying in a rustic log cabin, the epitome of cosiness and alpine splendour, with a snow-laden roof and necklace of icicles. The journey had been easy - a schedule flight (on time), no charge for skis and a comfortable mini-van ride that made the three-hour journey pass painlessly.

Chalet Anemone was tucked away off the main Bellecôte piste in Courchevel 1850, hidden among strongly scented pines. Being only five minutes from the main Courchevel gondolas meant it was possible to pack in a full morning's skiing before having to think about getting to the designated lunch spot in the next valley of Méribe. Our friends, who were staying in a self-catering apartment in Brides-les-Bain, faced almost as long a journey but without the same quality of skiing. Other friends, who were staying at a luxury chalet in a small enclave a few minutes away from Méribel centre, only had to click their fingers for their "part of the service" mini-van to take them straight to the slopes.

But no matter how you reach the ski areas (or how much you have to pay to do so), once there the slopes offer a range of skiing and boarding experiences.

For confident intermediate skiers or better, the cheapest way is to buy a lift pass and head up to the mountains armed only with a piste map. But unless you are familiar with the area, finding your way among more than 600km of pistes and 200-plus lifts can be daunting. What may look straightforward on a piste map can easily prove to be misleading or impossible to follow if visibility becomes poor or you are not experienced in the mountains. This season, the Trois Vallées has grown so large it should probably be renamed the Quatre Vallées - the ski area is now linked by gondola with the Maurienne valley.

If you do decide to go it alone, it might be an idea to split the cost of hiring a guide or ski-school instructor for a day (usually about £100-£150) to be sure of getting your bearings.

Nearly all the large tour operators, and most of the smaller ones, will provide ski or snowboarding "hosts". These are not qualified instructors but people who know their way around the mountain.

There are other costs to take into account, too: child care services, lift passes, equipment rental and ski school. Larger operators often include a two-for-one lift pass or reduction on rental equipment or kids' ski school.

Bear in mind, too, that in large ski areas such as Courchevel, a Trois Vallées pass (Ffr1,193/€182 for six days) may not be necessary. Courchevel, for instance, has 67 lifts over 150km of groomed pistes (Ffr970/€148 for six days. A Méribel-only six-day ski pass for 75 lifts and 150km of skiing costs up to Ffr945/€145.

Do it yourself

easyJet (0870 6000 000, easyjet.com) flies to Geneva from £40 return (including tax) from Liverpool, Luton or Gatwick. (You can rent a car at Geneva airport through easyrentacar.com from £9 a day plus a £5 one-off administration fee). Ryanair (0870 1569569, ryanair.com) flies Stansted to Lyon (St Etienne) from £40.18 return (including tax). Eurostar (08705 186186, eurostar.co.uk) has an overnight service from Waterloo to Moutiers from £175 return. For accommodation on the web check out: ifyouski.com, skiclub.co.uk, courchevel.com and meribel.com.

A regular bus service from Geneva airport goes to more than 40 French resorts. It's advisable to book in advance by calling the bus company direct on 0041 22 7982000 or through touriscarnet.com. Resorts in the Tarentaise Valley such as Courchevel and Méribel are about three hours from Geneva.

Pros: You can probably keep holiday costs down.

Cons: No holiday rep or resort manager to call on if things go wrong.

Self-catering

Erna Low (020-7584 2841, ernalow.co.uk) has several self-catering apartments in Brides-les-Bains. A studio for four people sharing costs £71 each including ferry crossing. Allow £50 for French motorway tolls. For an extra £20, you can upgrade to one of the new MGM self-catering apartments, in Méribel Mottaret. Use of a fitness centre with sauna and swimming pool is included.

Pros: Good value, comfortable accommodation; choice of eating in or out.

Cons: Long journey from UK; Brides-les-Bains is much lower than Méribel and can suffer from snow shortages; it takes 25 mins to get to Méribel.

Catered chalet

Chalet Anemone in Courchevel 1850 sleeps 10 in five large ensuite bedrooms and costs £655pp from FlexiSki (0870 9090754, flexiski.com). This includes return scheduled flights, mini-van transfer, ski orientation, tea or coffee in bed, full breakfast, bathrobes, tea and four-course dinner with wine. Lift passes are brought to the chalet. (FlexiSki also offers a number of hotels including the four-star half-board Hôtel des Neiges for £1,355 and the three-star Hotel de la Croissette B&B for £670.)

Pros: Attractive chalet; easy, hassle-free journey; excellent mountain access.

Cons: Chalet communal areas are quite small.

Méribel chalet

With 18 years' experience at the top end of the market, Meriski (01451 843100, meriski.co.uk) has snapped up the most sumptuous chalets in town. The 16 chalets, lavishly furnished, cater for 6-10 guests, and are so spacious they look more like mini-hotels. Expect excellent service including a mini-van and driver at your disposal, scheduled flights, private transfers, champagne on arrival, daily tea and a qualified chef to provide a four-course meal after drinks and canapés. From £655pp.

Pros: Stunning chalets; above average food and wine; easy travel.

Cons: No ski/board orientation included.

Courchevel chalet

Finlays (01835 830562, finlayski.com) has 11 chalets in Courchevel 1550, a gondola away from the Courchevel hub at 1850. Chalet Cerf is a simple but comfortable three-bedroom chalet ideal for renting with friends. Breakfast, tea and a three-course dinner including charter flights and coach transfer start at £560.

Pros: Good value for money; excellent food

Cons: Tedious journey; gondola stops at 8pm.