In the UK we have a clothing system developed for mountaineers in Scottish winter conditions, where you get lots of freeze-thaw actions, high winds, wet ground, ie perfect conditions for hypothermia and a lot trickier to handle than cold, dry continental winters.
It consists of a single-sided fleece (ie pile) with a Pertex nylon face. It is not waterproof but dries rapidly and keeps you very warm. I have used the jacket for cold-weather touring and rate it quite well.