Like Ischgl, but in France: only one keeps the nights

Val d'Isère is the only one of the three that keeps Ischgl's lively tag, and our matching has it giving up none of Ischgl's traits. It is lively and upmarket by our read, a high altitude classic that skis big and stays up late, with lively evenings on its list next to high altitude and advanced skiers. Its season runs from late November to early May, almost exactly Ischgl's.

The size is a near match and the snow is better. We measure 158 kilometres of piste around the village, a few kilometres more than Ischgl's 152, and the Espace Killy it shares with Tignes is 300 kilometres. The village is at 1,850 metres, the joint fifth highest of the 55 resorts we cover and 473 above Ischgl's, and 100 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres, a share no resort we cover beats. The skiing reaches 3,205 metres by our measure, 337 above Ischgl's top. For the off piste end of a group, there are 28.7 kilometres of marked itinerary, the fifth most of the 55 resorts we cover, against Ischgl's 10.6.

What changes is the shape. There are 22 kilometres of black against 27, and 29 percent of the piste is steeper than one in four, against 34. The reds average 23.9 percent against Ischgl's 20.7, so the long red cruise you are used to will feel steeper. In exchange there is far more easy ground: 90 kilometres of green and blue, against 43 of blue and easier. And you lose Samnaun: there is no duty free afternoon in Switzerland.

Our matching puts Méribel nearer to Ischgl than any other French resort we cover, and on the mountain itself the heights are almost uncanny. The village is at 1,450 metres, 73 above Ischgl's, and the skiing tops out at 2,891 metres by our measure, 23 above. Thirty-one percent of the piste is steeper than one in four, against 34. It is snow sure on our measure: 78 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres, up to 2,891 metres.

Then the scale takes over. Méribel is the friendly middle of the Three Valleys, an area quoted at 600 kilometres and genuinely linked, though not measured by us. Around the village alone we measure 261 kilometres, the second most of the 55 resorts we cover, with 156 kilometres of green and blue, also second, and 30 kilometres of black, the third most and more than Ischgl's 27. The reds are the steepest of the three picks, averaging 25.4 percent, seventh of the 55 resorts we cover.

The trade is the evenings. Méribel is pretty and friendly by our read, a family resort of chalet style buildings where the catered chalet is half the point, with families, a central location and chalet holidays on its list. It is not lively in our tags. For a group that went to Ischgl for the skiing and put up with the noise, that may be a gain. For a group that went for the noise, it is the wrong trip.

Serre Chevalier is the quiet match. We measure 153 kilometres of piste around it, level with Ischgl's 152, and the village sits at 1,350 metres, 27 below Ischgl's. It is snow sure on our measure: 72 percent of the piste we measure is above 1,800 metres, up to 2,751 metres, which is 117 below Ischgl's top.

The mix is much kinder. There are 91 kilometres of green and blue, more than twice Ischgl's easy piste, and 38 percent of the piste is gentler than 15 percent, against 30. There are 17 kilometres of black against 27, and the blacks average 27.8 percent against Ischgl's 29.9, so the hard end is shorter and softer. Our read on it is relaxed and sunny, a string of old villages with sun, trees and value on its list, and its airports are Turin and Grenoble rather than Innsbruck.

It is the right pick for an Ischgl group that has grown out of the nights and still wants the size and the snow. It is the wrong one for a group that has not.