Don't do anything related to a chalet-company because what most of them do is keep a percentage of you wages from each month which you then get as a bonus for completing the season. Don't do anything related to a chalet company anyway. All kinds of odd jobs you can do that it won't matter if you leave. Having a car and doing airport runs is a great way of earning extra cash, appartment cleaning for a day a week is good money, shaping the park might get you a cheap/free season pass in many places. If you get out there and put yourself about you should be able to get by no probs.
As for places there's so much on offer across the alps, even within the criteria of 'good freeride terrain'. For instance, Cham, La Grave, Verbier, Andermatt, Engelberg etc are some of the most highly regarded freeride towns, but some have complications. Cham and La Grave are very exposed glaciated areas so unless you have EXCELLENT knowledge of traveliing in that kind of terrain then much of it is hard or dangerous to access. The lifts in Verbier can be a nightmare, as can the crowds of chargers getting after it on a pow day. Same applies to some extent at A-Matt and E-Berg.
My pick for a great all-rounder would undoubtedly be Val d'Isere/Tignes. Same area, unparalleled lift network, superb terrain relatively easily accessed, not too many people in general (because of the lifts) and not that many real chargers compared to other freeride meccas. Good snow, loads of variety and vert. Throw in a top class park (Oakley Valpark), and fun cruisy park (Swatch Tignes Park) and banger nightlife in both towns, XGames Europe week, and you're on to a winner.
Val d'Isere is very expensive (manageable nonetheless) but is more compact and has (in my view) better nightlife, prettier girls etc. Tignes is spread over multiple villages although they're all fun and the vibe is more low-key. It's cheaper to live in too.
Many will argue that you should go to one of the mulitude of smaller, lesser known areas. Make no mistake, there are some absolute gems around the alps that not many know about but remember: you have to live there too. Most of the big towns are near to, and even provide free access to (with a season pass) many of these little spots, (e.g. Champex, Bruson, Ovronnaz near Verbier), (Courmayeur, Aosta resorts near Cham), (Sainte Foy, La Rosiere near Val d'Isere/Tignes). These are another great reason to have a car.
Enjoy!
