Snow better place

WHY would any Brit want to cross the Atlantic to ski when crossing the Channel is so much handier? FRAN GOODMAN and family have been to Banff, a lively former frontier town set in a stunning Canadian national park. Here she gives you 20 reasons why it's well worth the trip.

1. The snow, of course! Ski season here starts in November and goes on until May. At Sunshine they don't even own a snow-making machine. They say: "We don't make snow, we farm it!" Meaning they trap it in nets and spread it on their pistes, providing amazing coverage all season long. And that's a LONG season.

2. The variety. The Banff Tri-Area lift pass covers three ski resorts Norquay (5 minutes from town), Sunshine (15 minutes) and Lake Louise (40 minutes). Lake Louise is huge and provides three ways down from most lifts (beginner, intermediate and advanced). So mixed ability groups can ski together without anyone getting scared or bored.

Sunshine is renowned for the amount and quality of its snow over three mountains. So whatever you like - open motorway pistes, pretty, curving runs through trees or thrilling jumps - they've got it covered, with about 30ft per year of natural snow.

Norquay is the smallest and its runs aren't as long but for reasonable intermediates and above, it's a must . . . fast, steep and totally thrilling. For speed freaks or those who want to push themselves to the next level with a bit of pace, this is the one.

3. The scenery. Yes, the Alps are beautiful, but the scale and grandeur of the Rockies are in a class of their own. Everywhere you look are vast, stunning mountains. Soon you take them for granted, but every so often, glancing out of a car or shop window, you look up, catch your breath - and think: "Wow!" It makes Mont Blanc look a bit vanilla.

4. The child care. At Lake Louise they take 'em from 18 days to 6 years old. Ski lessons can be part of the package. Sunshine and Norquay take youngsters from 19 months to six years, plus there are dedicated childrens' ski lessons. What makes these facilities different from many European counterparts is the high carer to child ratios, the fact everyone speaks English and the friendly, upbeat staff. It's like ski-Beebies!

5. The instruction. Total quality delivered to small groups. Unlike lessons you may have had in Europe, where a dozen people vie to hear the instructor deliver his five stock English phrases, here they have six people max. If seven book, they pull in another teacher. As our Lake Louise instructor told us: "You can't teach anything in a class of 12. It's just risk control and crisis management."

6. The space! We skied Easter week when local schools were on holiday and there were more foreign skiers than at any other time of year, but many slopes were almost empty. Which means . . .

7. No queues. The only lift line we saw all week was for the gondola at the base of Sunshine on Easter Sunday. In an experience that might be alien to skiers in France or Italy, it took five minutes to get to the front, and no-one pushed in front of us or trod on the kids. It was polite, orderly and efficient and it was the only line we saw all day.

8. The ski hosts. Experienced adult skiers can get a bit fed up with ski school. You know your style isn't perfect but sometimes you just want to learn about a new resort without anyone on your case. That's what ski hosts are for. They run guided tours at all three areas every day, each tour is geared to different abilities and they're FREE. Just turn up at the meeting place. And they won't say a word about your dodgy knees.

9. The nature. In Banff National Park conserving wildlife is top priority. Elk wander round town as if they own it, which in a way they do. There are also, depending when you go, caribou, bears (black, brown or grizzly), lynx and cougars, but you'll need sharp eyes to spot them.

10. The Banff Springs. You'll find comfortable hotels in most ski resorts, but not many have the blend of glamour, history and service that you'll find at the Fairmont Banff Springs, a Canadian institution for more than 120 years. A spooky blend of Scottish baronial and 1920s gothic (think Disney's Tower of Terror!) it's like stepping back in time to a lost world of style and comfort. It has indoor pools, outdoor pools, an ice rink, bowling alley and loads of restaurants and bars. And it's a national monument.

11. The room rates. Astonishingly, stays at the Banff Springs start at about £850 for a week with flights. You could pay £1,500 a week for a ski hotel of this quality in Europe. But Banff has plenty of accommodation choice, most of it cheaper than in Europe partly because rooms tend to come with two queen-sized beds, so a family can share one room in comfort.

12. The car hire. It's included on many Canadian ski breaks, thereby avoiding those tedious coach transfers where the bus stops at every single hotel before yours. Parking is free everywhere and petrol is cheaper.

13. The welcome. When Canadians say have a nice day, they mean it. They're friendly, most have British relatives and they can't wait to discover your roots. And they love letting you in on all the local ski secrets.

14. The travelling. OK, the flight IS longer at eight hours rather than two. But the transfer from Calgary to Banff is a 90-minute pootle through stunning scenery on roads so empty you'll worry you might be lost. Ponder the five-hour crawl down a choked autoroute, stopping at rip-off service stations with smelly loos as half of France invades the Three Valleys, and the journey to Meribel doesn't look quite so belle, does it?

15. Eating out. Great for all tastes and budgets, downtown you'll find Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mexican, Italian, French and Canadian. We didn't have one bad meal. Our favourite was the Magpie and Stump, where our Tex-Mex dinner for four with plenty of beers and margaritas, came to under £90.

16. Banff town. It buzzes. You don't get shopping like this in a regular ski resort. There's bargain ski kit, and craft and souvenir shops selling local gemstones, cowboy stuff and maple syrup. There are some fun bars too. We liked the Rose, a big rambling place with live bands, cheap beer and a terrace with great views.

17. The activities. Snowmobiling, ice-skating and sleigh rides. The best fun though is dog-sledding. We did a 90-minute tour with local operators Kingmik. Nothing beats speeding along isolated trails through forests and across frozen lakes behind a team of keen dogs literally born to run. And you get to drive the team.

18. Culture and history. Banff Park Museum has an awesome natural history collection dating from the 19th Century in a giant 100-year-old log cabin. Or take the waters at Banff's Upper Hot Springs - like swimming in a giant hot bath surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

19. The money. With about 1.60 Canadian dollars to the pound you'll do better than in the Eurozone. The cost of living is lower so cash goes further.

20. The Willow Stream Spa. At the Banff Springs but worth making the trip for if you're not staying there. Start with the Kur - three pools under waterfalls, each colder than the last, followed by a warm mineral pool. Finish with hot tub, sauna or steam room. Treatments are fab too. I had the Total Adjustment - 90 minutes of aromatherapy heaven with a scrub, hot towel wrap, massage and facial, leaving me VERY well adjusted.

Getting there

FOR more information and help planning a holiday to Banff check out www.TravelAlberta.com or call 001 780 427 4321.

British Airways offers a 7 night fly-drive to Calgary from £581 per person departing November or December 2009. Includes return flights from Heathrow and Avis inclusive car hire for the duration. Prices are based on two sharing and include all UK taxes. Visit www.ba.com or call 0844 4930758. Room only at the 5-star Fairmont Banff Springs starts at £70 per person per night, see www.fairmont. com

See www.banfflakelouise.com for general tourist advice and www.skibig3.com for ski info. You can find out more about dog-sledding at www.kingmikdogsledtours.com

And check out The Willow Stream Spa's facilities and treatments at www.willowstream.com

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