Is your dream to own somewhere by the sea that’s also within striking distance of snowy mountaintops? These destinations in Spain, France and Italy offer just that – lovely beachside homes less than two hours from a ski resort…

Northern Costa Brava, SPAIN
Glance up from your coffee beside the Bay of Roses on a clear winter’s day and prepare for your breath to be taken away by views of the snow-capped Pyrenees. It’s here that the eastern end of the mountain range separating France and Spain meets the Mediterranean. Your choice of resorts on this large sweeping bay near Girona includes L’Escala, with its pretty old town nestled around two small bays, larger Roses, with its busy, sweeping beachfront and water park, and the marina community of Empuriabrava, where houses typically come with a private mooring.

What they all boast is easy access to the Catalan Pyrenees, as well as the ski paradise of Andorra. The two nearest ski resorts to the Bay of Roses are Vallter 2000 and Vall de Núria, both around two hours’ drive away. Walkers and non-skiers will enjoy visiting them in the warmer months, and exploring the ancient farming villages and medieval towns, such as Camprodon and Setcases.

Other option: Head south to the Sierra Nevada in Andalusia for Spain’s other famous skiing destination. The sparkling Mediterranean of the Costa Tropical, home to the resorts of Motril and Salobreña, is less than 90 minutes’ drive from the slopes!

Abruzzo, ITALY
Halfway down Italy and often overlooked in favour of the country’s other better trodden and more touristy regions is Abruzzo. Combining 130 kilometres of pretty Adriatic coastline with some of the finest slopes of the Apennine mountains, it offers fantastic unspoilt beach resorts and exciting ski slopes, all with a friendly rustic feel and many around just an hour from the coast.

In total, Abruzzo has no less than 18 ski resorts, offering a total of 261 kilometres of runs, served by more than 90 lifts. The most popular are Roccaraso – Italy’s third largest resort outside of the Alps, Campo Felice and Campo Imperatore.
A highlight of the Abruzzo coastline is a collection of family resorts in the Teramo province, each known for their pristine water, culture and unspoilt character. Dubbed the ‘seven sisters’, these are Martinsicuro, Alba Adriatico, Tortoreto, Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzo, Pineto and Silvi Marina.

Other option: Tuscany primarily attracts culture vultures and foodies, but did you know it is home to half a dozen ski resorts, including one of the largest in the Apennines, namely Abetone? Buy a house on the Tuscan coast, for example in one of the charming resorts of Marina di Carrara, Marina di Massa or Partaccia and you could be just two hours from Abetone!

Pyrénées-Orientales, FRANCE
The Mediterranean coast in the southern corner of the Languedoc – known as the Vermillion Coast – might be less chic than A-lister hot spot the Côte d’Azur, but it’s more affordable, equally charming and has another lesser known draw – its proximity to the Pyrenees.

Sitting by the quayside in one of the picture postcard resorts that string out south of Perpignan, including Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure, it’s hard to believe there are towering snowy peaks so close to you, beyond the surrounding vineyards and fruit groves. In fact, just a two-hour drive away you have a choice of pretty ski resorts, including one of the most modern and largest ski areas of the eastern Pyrenees, namely Bolquères Pyrénées 2000 with 43 kilometres of slopes. Other ski resorts nearby include Formiguères, Les Angles and Cambre d’Aze.

Other option: If your heart is set on being in the Côte d’Azur, you can still be close to ski slopes. The Alpes-Maritimes region is home to 15 different ski resorts, including Isola 2000 and La Colmiane. Base yourself around Nice or Menton and you could feasibly be on a slope in the Southern Alps in less than 90 minutes!