NOW we’re coming to the end of the ski season it’s time to consider what happens to the slopes and resorts when the snow disappears.

They become marvellous venues for pursuits such as hiking, climbing, mountain-biking or even just sucking in the fantastic views and breathing the clean, crisp air.

Green becomes the predominant colour – and, because snow is covering the ground for so long each year, they are utterly unspoilt.

I visited the Paznaun Valley region at the heart of the imposing Paznaun mountain range deep in the Austrian Tyrol, but just a stone’s throw from Switzerland. Here, the ski resorts of Kappl, Ishgl, See and Galtur take on a whole new look for the summer – but the emphasis, aside from such luxuries as fine dining and spa treatments, is still firmly on outdoor life.

The area is natural, picturesque and verdant, and the villages are picture postcard beautiful, exactly as one imagines typical Tyrolean settlements to be. There’s a stunning vista around every corner.

The mountains utterly dominate the landscape. Snowy peaks in the distance, woody slopes nearby – and trails everywhere.

Step outside your hotel and you soon see the benefit of being in a winter sports resort – most of the ski lifts still work during the summer months to carry walkers to the higher ground.

Otherwise, it’s hardly much effort to take a walk into the mountains – although a certain level of fitness is desirable as what the Austrians call a gentle stroll could be classed by others as a full-blown Alpine hike.

From Ishgl or Kappl there are scores of routes through this hikers’ paradise of breathtaking natural scenery – everything from full-blown adventures requiring climbing equipment to trails for the more relaxed walker.

Streams rush past on one side, carrying away the melting snow, while cascading waterfalls plummet from great heights.

Alpine flowers, dormant under the snow, push their way through to bloom proudly and abundant varieties of wildlife reclaim the hills as their own.

Yet no matter how high you get, how much at one with nature and how far away from the madding crowd you travel, there will always be a traditional resting place.

They are known simply as Alpine Huts, but that is to do them a disservice.

I hiked up to the Jamtalhutte, which is more of a mountain restaurant, serving hearty Tyrolean delicacies and much more on a wonderfully warm sun terrace with views to die for.

Expect cured ham, mountain cheese, fondue, chateaubriand and, of course, plenty of schnapps – the authentic, properly flavoured, subtle stuff.

And, if you’re very lucky, there’ll be a local band banging out Tyrolean tunes until they’re blue in the face.

Ischgl is the most well-known of the villages thanks to its “top of the mountain” big name pop concerts bookending the ski season.

The likes of Michael Jackson, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and Rihanna are among those to have graced this party resort with their presence.

But it’s an altogether quieter place in the summer. Lifts come right into the village to carry visitors high into the mountains, or a short, twisting drive takes walkers to a good start point for a hike. Ours was a short, but very interesting stroll to the Heidelberger Hutte, taking us from Austria into Switzerland, a point marked only by an insignificant sign. No border guards here.

The views were, naturally, stunning – but it’s also the quality of the air that stands out. It’s so pure and fresh you can almost taste it.

Hiking, Nordic walking and mountain-biking aren’t the only summer activities here. The more adventurous might try rafting, canyoning or paragliding – and there’s always golf, swimming and tennis.

The four villages do, however, have 80 marked hiking trails together offering 1,140kms of walks – and you’d be mad not to take advantage of them.

• Cliff Moore flew from London Heathrow to Zurich with Swiss International Airlines and stayed at the Hotel Post in Galtür, where summer 2010 prices are from Euro 49 per person per night half board.

• The Paznaun Tourist Office covers the four villages of Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl and See, and offers various packages to holidaymakers throughout the summer season via their website at paznaun-ischgl.com

• Easyjet flies Gatwick to Innsbruck; BA and Swiss offer flights from many UK airports into Zurich or Munich. Onward travel can be via hire car, bus, taxi or train, with Innsbruck being one hour by road, Munich two-and-a-half hours and Zurich three hours.

• Contact the Austrian National Tourist Office in London on 0845 101 1818, call the Paznaun Tourist Office on 0043 5099 0100 or visit paznaun-ischgl.com