Small can be beautiful, and that’s the case with ski slopes. Sometimes you want an intimate resort with attractive bags, especially during the school holidays. Not everyone needs hundreds of kilometers of pistes to explore, especially beginners. While some resorts are fully controlled, others can be a quieter, more relaxed gateway to a larger ski area, giving you the best of both worlds. It’s also worth going beyond the usual suspects in the French, Swiss or Austrian Alps.

Deals on February’s half-term ski holiday are disappearing fast, so get moving if you’re looking to take the family to the slopes. Easter is relatively late this year and may come after many lower altitude resorts have closed for the seasons. But take a look at some of these lesser-known resorts for inspiration on where to spend your February or Easter half-term ski holiday.

Read more: Why you should head to the ski slopes of Greece this winter

Ruka, Finland

Ruka is right near the Russian border and is a proper winter wonderland. There are only 19 km of slopes and you won’t have the air-thinning heights of the Alps, but you will have plenty of snow and charm in the wooden huts scattered around the village. This season celebrates its 70th anniversary and offers not only downhill skiing, but also cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing and reindeer sledding – as well as a new restaurant with an indoor sauna.

Ski Igloo has an Easter break at Roca Village Ski Hotel and Apartments in the heart of Pide Village next to the lifts. Seven nights dining from April 17 costs from £849, excluding flights and transfers. ruka.fi

Jasna, Slovakia

Slovakia’s largest ski area has just 50km of pistes, but Jasna in the Tatra Mountains can pack a punch. Easy and intermediate pistes are mixed with the variety of black pistes found in the World Cup along with a challenging freeride area.

Jasna Adventures Dragon’s Nest Lodge has independent apartments as well as double and family rooms. Seven nights’ half-board, departing February 15, costs from €741, including six days’ ski hire and free lift access. Flights are extra. jasna.sk

Read more: The best ski slopes for late season snow

Le Grand Bornand, France

Cheese and charm abound at Le Grand-Bornand in the Aravis Mountains. Just an hour from Geneva, this lovely little village has all the Savoyard countryside you could wish for, complete with cheese farms where you can sample the Reblocone variety. The 90 km slopes include good beginner slopes as well as some black and night skiing in neighboring Manigod. For more variety take the ski bus to La Clusaz.

Peak Retreats has a wellness center with an indoor pool for a week at Le Village de Lessy, a short walk from the ski lifts. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £2,867 from 15 February and include a Channel crossing on Le Shuttle. legrandbornand.com

Virgin Mary, Spain

Located on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, Baqueira Beret has 160 kilometers of pistes in three ski areas: Baqueira, Beret and Bonaigua. There’s something for all levels of skier – from beginners on the nursery slopes to experts who fancy some off-piste terrain. Ski tourists can get away from it all on several challenging mountain trails in the Val d’Aran.

A week’s SNO at the centrally located five-star MIM Baqueira Hotel, which has an indoor pool and spa with hot tub and sauna, from £1,879, from 16 February, half-price. The price includes flight and transfer. baqueria.es

Read more: The best ski holiday destinations in Europe and around the world

Alpbach, Austria

Alpbach is often featured on lists of the most beautiful villages in Austria – all traditional Tyrolean architecture and snow-covered log cabins and connected to equally beautiful neighbors Inneralpbach and Auffach. It is located on the 128km Joule ski range and offers good range for all abilities and is less than an hour from Innsbruck Airport. Non-skiers in the party will enjoy the fact that their mountain restaurants and outdoor terraces are accessible by cable car, and there’s also a 5km toboggan run.

Crystal Ski has seven nights bed and breakfast at the family-friendly Pension Fürstenhof, departing February 15, from £2,048. The price includes flight and transfer. alpbachtal.at

Les Carroz, France

The Grand Massif ski area is often overshadowed by its bigger, flashier neighbors like the Trois Vallees. Most skiers tend to head to the large resort of Flaine, but if you prefer the traditional beauty of Savoyard to the brutal architecture of Flaine, base yourself in the charming village of Les Carroz. You’ll have forested slopes just above the village as well as the Grand Massif itself. When you’re not ice skating or dog sledding, relax at the village’s Aquacîme spa center.

Erna Low has a week of catering at Chalets de Léana in the center of the village, which has an indoor pool and spa. For departure on February 15, prices start from £2,803 and include flights and transfers. Accommodation prices start from just £1,802. lescarroz.com

Read more: How to have a “grown-up” ski season in your 40s?

Morne, Switzerland

Morne is exquisite, a beautiful little village that happens to have fantastic views of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch. And then there’s the Shilthorn trail, which is the steepest in the Jungfrau Valley at 88%. The famous Piz Gloria restaurant at the top of the Schilthorn, known to Bond fans since 1969. On Her Majesty’s Secret Serviceis closed all season and a new cable car is being built. But come at Easter after the re-opening of the new cable in late March.

A seven-night igloo ski break at the Blumenthal Hotel in the center of the village starts at £721, including breakfast. Flights and transfers are extra. muerren.ch

Ski Monterosa, Italy

Another underrated ski area, Monterosa skis spread across the Aosta Valley in southern Cervinia, with three ski villages to choose from: Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna. You will have the resorts for about a week before the Italian weekend arrives on Saturday. While there is a good variety of terrain throughout, Montrose’s main attraction is off-piste and heli-skiing.

Ski Solutions offers a week’s half-board at Chalet du Lys, which is a short walk from the ski lifts and has a spa with hot tub, sauna and steam room. Prices start from £1,295 for accommodation only for the April 12 departure. visitmonterosa.com

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