PICTURESQUE VILLAGE: A picture shows the Swiss resort of Gstaad. With a little over a week until Christmas the lack of snow at top European ski resorts has caused a flurry of worries ahead of the key holiday season. France, Austria and Switzerland, home to some of the most coveted ski slopes in Europe, have experienced unseasonably warm temperatures that have prevented the skiing season from getting into full swing. (AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI)