You don’t have to have skied before to feel the lure of fresh air, snow-covered mountains, blue skies and long lunches enjoyed on the sunny terraces of beautiful mountainsides restaurants. The truth is that, even as a beginner, you can experience all that if you pick the right destination.

While many resorts restrict their beginner slopes to the lower, less scenic parts of the mountains, Breuil Cervinia in Italy is famous for wide, gentle slopes which cover most of its skiing area. In fact in Breuil Cervinia even the red runs are more like the blues you would find elsewhere.

And, of course, this is Italy so expect great home-cooked food served at the many mountainside restaurants which line the resort’s pistes. The gentle runs here mean that even beginners can clock up some decent mileage during a morning’s ski so you’ll really feel you deserve that steaming bowl of fresh pasta come lunchtime.