France's Val Thorens Tops List of Europe's Best Ski Resorts 2018

France's Val Thorens ski resort has topped another "best of" ranking, this time taking the title of best ski resort in Europe.

Just a week after being named the world's best ski resort 2017 at the World Ski Awards held at the Kitzbuehel resort in Austria, Val Thorens was named Europe's best ski resort 2018 in an online poll that garnered 119,228 votes over 10 days in November.

The annual online competition is organized by the Brussels-based group European Best Destinations, which works to promote culture and tourism in Europe.

Set in the French Alps, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe, at an altitude of 2,300m. Along with topping the list altogether, it was also voted best for families, and best for guaranteed snow.

A breakdown of voter stats reveals that the resort is particularly popular among Russian and British skiers.

"The ski resort has been standing out for years thanks to high quality infrastructure and teams," editors write.

"Val Thorens offers everyone the unique, unforgettable, perfect experience. The station never stops improving and invests large budgets every year."

Of the 119,228 votes, 67 percent came from Europe, and 33 percent from outside the continent. The competition attracted voters from 92 countries.

The results also show a clear bias for French ski resorts, as seven of the top 10 winners hail from France.

Overall, Val Thorens received 20,472 of the votes. Next up, separated by a margin of about 2,200 votes, is Alpe d'Huez, France (the top pick among Canadian skiers and riders) and Livigno, Italy (the top-ranked destination for voters from the US, the Czech Republic and Italy).

Meanwhile, Austria's Kitzbuehel was voted Europe's most beautiful ski resort; Courchevel in France the most luxurious; and Bankso in Bulgaria the most affordable.

Here are the top ski resorts in European Best Destinations list for 2018:

1. Val Thorens, France

2. Alpe d'Huez, France

3. Livigno, Italy

4. Mongenèvre, France

5. Avoriaz, France

6. Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria

7. La Plagne, France

8. Valloire, France

9. Crans Montana, Switzerland

10. Les Contamines-Montjoie, France