Prices on the peaks hit record high as skiing draws ever greater numbers

Lift passes, equipment hire and lessons are up to 25 per cent more expensive than two years ago.

Prices have risen 15 per cent in Austria, 13 per cent in Norway and 9 per cent in Switzerland.

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The 25 per cent increase was recorded for Canada, largely because of the strength of the country's dollar against the pound.

Even Andorra - once one of the cheapest ski destinations - has seen prices rise 18 per cent since 2005. It charges the second-highest fees for ski passes.

Germany and the U.S. are the only countries where a holiday on the slopes is not more expensive than two years ago, according to the survey by the Post Office.

Those after a bargain should head to Borovets in Bulgaria and Poiana Brasov in Romania.

A lift pass in Borovets costs £90 for six days - £150 less than in Banff in Canada's Rocky Mountains.

In Poiana Brasov, the charge for a one-hour skiing lesson is £11 compared with £62 in Banff.

Prices for U.S. resorts have fallen because the pound is at a 26-year high against the dollar.

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But Italy was found to offer the best value when it came to equipment hire and lessons.

The price increases across Europe are in part owed to the pound's weakness against some Continental currencies.

Higher oil prices have also pushed up the cost of running resorts. A further factor is global warming, which has been blamed for poorer snow conditions.

Higher-altitude resorts with more consistent snow have been able to cash in by charging a premium.

Geilo in Norway was found to be the most expensive destination. A cup of coffee there costs £2.32, compared with 68p in La Thuile, Italy.

Beer in Geilo can cost £5.56 a glass - whereas the price in Borovets is £1.

And the Norwegian resort charges £69 for a meal for two without wine, compared with just £22 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Helen Warburton, head of travel services at the Post Office, said price is not the only factor in choosing a destination.

"Challenging ski runs and resort facilities are more likely to determine choice for experienced skiers, whereas first-timers and families will be more concerned about sticking to a budget than about finding black runs," she said.

"For those people and for bargain hunters, Bulgaria and Romania represent excellent value."