I have a number of mods to recommend but I don't have too much time at the moment so I'll focus on two mods in particular:

TESV Acceleration Layer
Requires the script extender. Getting more FPS never hurts.

Toology ENB and FXAA settings
Almost perfect setting that will make the game look incredible. I say almost because some players may not like the saturation but this can be edited. As far as performances are concerned my old computer can manage the game without any lag but I have some longer loading times. Your experience may vary but I'd say it's a small price to pay when you can make the game look that good on a very average machine.

The second one sounds interesting to me, Cara. I have taken a look a tthe images available and they do look good. However I see no snow. I lived in Alaska for a year and a half. Skyrim looks like the Matanuska Valley area where I lived. Although it always seems to be winter there. The mountains always had snow on them. You live in the Alps and there should be areas that are similar even if not so far north.

Do you have any screenshots you could put up? To me Skyrim should be harsh and bleak, demanding, challenging.

The snow looks fine with it. I've been near Bleak Barrows and the more vivid colour doesn't make the snow look weird.

The best is to try it out in game since the screenshots don't do it justice. You just have to unrar the archive in your Skyrim folder (not the data folder). If you keep track of the files it is easy to delete them to get rid of the mod if you don't like it.

It's definitely worth a try. I can't believe how good the game looks with these settings and the enb thingy.

EDIT: here is a picture of Whiterun by night in my game with this mod. Screenshot.

Blasted Pop-up blocker wouldn't let me get the screenshot had to disable it.

It does look great two questions.

Does it need the script extender or is it just textures?

Secibd question Any way to find out if they are putting it up on Steam?

It doesn't require the script extender; it's a post process thingy not a texture pack. It doesn't modify existing assets (just the way they look in game).

I don't get the "putting it up on Steam" comment. Personally I don't like Steam and I see it as a necessary evil. It doesn't bring anything to games for players who like me don't care about achievements, boasting about them on social networks or chatting while playing single player games.

Cara, have you run across a mod that fixes the world map? I really need a better one.

There are mods that add coloured icons and settings that remove clouds, I've never used them myself. Truth be told I haven't even played the game this week.

I have played quite a bit this week. Played while the ladies cleaned the floor. Not much else for me to do since readin is difficult. Keep discovering fascinating things but the I am not finding the Main quest that interesting. We need a mod "Main Quest be gone"

I think there is one already. But the problem is that with the Dragonborn thing it's hard to get rid of it altogether. However ignoring it is always a possibility.

IMO it's not worse than the main quest in Oblivion. I never cared much for the gates myself.

The gates got boring and once I had the Runeskulls mod I use the console cheat to close them except for the main gates. I loved Martain. Do you have this mod listed: Nicer Snowflakes by evercharmer You have four choices, Realistic, small, Magical and whimsey. I am using the realistic one.
Nicer snowflakes

Here is a video I made.
Nicer snowflakes