St Anton am Arlberg

St Anton's place in skiing is not marketing. The Arlberg Ski Club was founded here in 1901, and Hannes Schneider, a local, developed from about 1907 the Arlberg technique - a progression from snowplough through stem turns to parallel skiing, taught in a graded sequence - which became the basis of ski instruction worldwide and was spread through his school here and through the films he made with Arnold Fanck. Schneider was arrested after the Anschluss and emigrated to New Hampshire, where he did the same thing again. The village sits at the foot of a large linked area with Lech, Zürs and Warth, known for steep terrain and heavy snowfall, and for an après-ski culture that is loud and internationally notorious.

What you actually see

• The birthplace of ski instruction - where the Arlberg technique was worked out.
• The ski museum - Schneider, the club and the history in the Arlberg-Haus.
• A large linked ski area - joined with Lech, Zürs and Warth.
• Steep terrain and deep snow - the reason the resort has the reputation it does.

When to go

December to April for skiing; June to September for walking. A day.

Honest expectations

Winter prices are high and the village is packed. Après-ski here is loud and drink-driven, which is either the appeal or the reason to stay elsewhere. Terrain is demanding for beginners.

Nearby

Lech and Zürs are over the pass; Landeck and the Inn valley are east.