Hello, Plato
If you want to be sure of good snow in this period of the year, you have to go for the mountains which have a glacier. So for example the Kaunertal glacier or the Kaprun glacier (
www.ripstar.at is a snowboardschool which have apartments and are dedicated to carving). Last year we had the luck of enough snow in november and december, also in lower places like Schladming were you can find the guys of Blue Tomato. I've been three times in this area now. The pistes are broad enough to carve and the lift system is very modern, no liftqeues at all and the lifts are most comfortable highspeed chairlift(6 persons). The pistes are mostly red and black (I believe they call it diamond and double diamond in the USA if I remembered it well of a trip four years ago to Beavercreek and Aspen). They have snowcanons untill the lowest of the pistes at 700 metres. Look for more area information of this area at
www.planai.at or
www.hauser-kaibling.at. (very professional internetsites). People in this area are helpfull and very kind. The livingcosts and eating in this area are almost the cheapest of whole Austria. The quality of the area and service is excellent. If you want to have some apresski I advice you to go to Schladming. I've also good experiences with alpine/carve lessons in St. Anton am Arlberg (Austria). Very good certainty of snow, high prices, good apartments and hotels, very good apresski and international orientated (nice swedish girls). Carve lessons you can book with two very professional local ski-and snowboardschools. Other places the carve well in France are Val d'Isere and Tignes which is one area. Snowcertainty is high, it's the place to be, it's to see and be seen, but prices are also high. I've no experience with Switzerland, I've been only in Verbier. Nice place, good snow but old, slow liftsystems (5 years ago may be it changed).
Conclusion: So it depends on what you want, the higher the mountains the more euros you spend. That's mostly the way it is in Europe. The cheapest area in Austria with good snowboarding is Salzburgerland (Haus am Ennstal, Schladming, Rohrmoos and so on). France in general is expensive but snowcertainty is high because of the high altitude in comparison to Austria (use of snowcanons for snowcertainty). If you want more background information with tips of places to stay and to eat, please mail me.
Cheers and greetings, Hans, welcome in Europe.