Skiing on the Zugspitze
Skiing in Germany has long been a poor relation in the winter sports market.
Package tourism from the United Kingdom and Ireland pushed the development of the villages of the Austrian Tyrol and the high-rise blocks of many of the French ski resorts.
And skiers already on the European continent found it all too easy to drive straight through on their way to the Arlberg or the Dolomites.
Long-haul trips to powder snow destinations on the other side of the Atlantic attracted those looking for something new.
Yet all the while the German ski resorts have retained their special qualities - accessible, friendly and with a southern German charm all of their own.
Glacier skiing and World Cup races, quiet mountain hideaways and cosmopolitan resorts - Germany can boast of a winter selection which will cover most tastes.
With a position in the centre of Europe, most of the resorts possess easy access for both scheduled and passenger flights from a number of regional airports.
And the growth of budget flights and ski charters to the central European airports has meant that it has never been easier to arrange a short break in the Alps.
Time then to mingle with the chic set in Garmisch-Partenkirchen or Oberstdorf, hit the hidden gems of Berchtesgaden, Schliersee or Lenggries or sample the village ambience of Oberammergau or Mittenwald.
It's even easy to throw in an extra day's skiing on a business trip or city break to Munich.
Why not give Germany a go when it comes to skiing this winter?