An unforgettable ski trip starts with excellent snow conditions. With weather patterns becoming more unpredictable, booking a snow-sure ski resort is a fool-proof way to avoid disappointment, especially when skiing before Christmas or towards the end of the ski season when snowfall isn’t typically as heavy.
The Alps are home to several incredibly snow-sure ski resorts. Tending to sit at higher altitudes, these wonderful resorts offer plenty of snow cover for all of your on and off-piste activities! Take advantage of the reliable snow conditions throughout the season for unrivalled skiing in a picture-perfect setting.
We have rounded up 10 of the most snow-sure ski resorts in Europe to help you pick out the perfect ski resort for your next trip. From the beautiful snow-capped peaks of Zermatt to the lively resort of Tignes, there is something for everyone!
Val Thorens, France
Val Thorens is the highest point of The Three Valleys, the world’s largest interconnected ski area! Sitting at an altitude of 2,300m, it is officially the ski resort with the highest village in Europe and one of the most snow-sure ski resorts in France, with incredibly reliable snow cover both in resort and on the slopes. Linked to the neighbouring ski resorts of Méribel and Courchevel, The Three Valleys ski area offers over 600km of terrain to explore and is home to six glaciers. Additionally, 90% of the runs in Val Thorens sit above 2,000m and the resort stays open until early May.
Book ski lessons in Val Thorens!
Tignes, France
Sitting in the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area at an altitude of 2,100m, Tignes is one of the best ski areas in the world for reliable snow and offers ideal conditions for skiers of all abilities. Tignes takes one of the top spots for snow reliability in the Alps with the majority of its slopes sitting above 2,100m! Its position near the Italian border creates a unique microclimate that means it gets snow not only from the north but also from the south-east. The Grande Motte glacier in Tignes sitting at a staggering height of 3,456m allows for excellent skiing almost all year round.
Val d’Isère, France
The neighbouring ski resort of Val d’Isère sits slightly lower than Tignes at an altitude of 1,850m. Val d’Isère also forms part of the snow-sure Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area which offers 300km of high-altitude skiable terrain and is often regarded as having the most reliable snow in the Alps. Val d’Isère also has its own glacier – the Pisaillas glacier, which reaches up to 3,300m in altitude and allows for summer skiing. Better suited for intermediate and advanced skiers, Val d’Isère offers some incredibly thrilling runs, such as La Face, that will be sure to get your heart racing.
Book ski lessons in Val d’Isère!
Cervinia, Italy
Cervinia is the most snow-sure ski resort in Italy and offers access to over 360km of ski runs including an extensive glacier terrain (shared with Zermatt). Despite its sunny westerly-facing slopes, the high-altitude terrain promises excellent snow cover throughout the season. The village sits at 2,050m and its highest slopes reach up to 3,450m, ensuring excellent snow cover and a long ski season running from November into May. Ski adrenaline junkies can delight in skiing the longest on-piste run in Europe from the top of Klein Matterhorn down 22km of piste to Valtournenche.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Sitting on the Swiss side of the Matterhorn and sharing its ski area with Cervinia, Zermatt is one of Switzerland’s most snow-sure ski resorts. With slopes reaching over 3,800m, the full ski area typically stays open until the last week of April, but you can ski the glacier all year long! Zermatt is home to the highest ski area in the Alps. At 3,883m, the Matterhorn Ski Paradise ski area boasts 360km of excellent skiable terrain that offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks! Read our Ultimate Guide to Zermatt to find out more about the resort!
Saas Fee, Switzerland
The charming, car-free village of Saas Fee is one of the most snow-sure resorts in Switzerland. Boasting one of the best skiable glaciers in Europe, Saas-Fee sits at 1,800m and skiable terrain reaches heights of up to 3,500m. With 100km of pisted slopes, Saas-Fee doesn’t have the largest ski area, but most of the runs sit between 2,500m and 3,500m, ensuring incredibly reliable snow cover. Scenic runs and excellent conditions make this snow-sure resort a top choice for a shorter ski trip or for beginner skiers who can make the most of the brilliant nursery slopes.
Avoriaz, France
Avoriaz village sits at 1,800m with the highest ski lift reaching 2,466m. The resort is situated on a sloping shelf high above the town of Morzine and is a gateway to the expansive Portes du Soleil ski area, which offers 600km of diverse, skiable terrain. With a seasonal snowfall average of nearly 8m, it is statistically the snowiest resort at the resort village level. The picturesque, car-free resort is one of the best ski resorts for families, offering lots of ski-in-ski-out style accommodation and incredible snow-sure skiing throughout the season.
Les Deux Alpes, France
Les Deux Alpes is a snowsports paradise, offering 200km of incredibly snow-sure skiable terrain. It has the largest and one of the highest skiable glaciers in Europe at 2,570m which is open for 9 months of the year. The village itself, sitting at 1,650m, is France’s second oldest ski resort behind Chamonix and retains its traditional alpine charm, made all the more magical by the generous dusting of snow throughout the season. The resort offers runs for skiers of all abilities and is home to the piste with the largest vertical descent in the world with a drop of 2,268m!
Book ski lessons in Les Deux Alpes!
Les Arcs, France
Les Arcs is made up of five villages, but Les Arc 1950 and Les Arc 2000 are the two highest, so head to these for reliable, snow-sure conditions. Due to their high altitude, both villages and their slopes are incredibly snow-sure. Their location on a sheltered north-easterly facing bowl bolsters their reliability for excellent snow conditions and makes the area one of the most snow-sure locations in the French Alps. Les Arcs’ glacier, Aiguille Rouge, offers skiing at 3,226m and most of the runs sit at an altitude above 2,000m!
Book ski lessons in Les Arcs 1950 and Les Arcs 2,000!
Sölden, Austria
Despite having fewer high-altitude resorts than its neighbouring countries, Austria has the most glacier ski resorts of any country in the world. Sölden, sitting at 1,377m, boasts two incredible glacier ski areas, Rettenbach and Tiefenbach, and is the only resort in Austria that has three skiable peaks above 3,000m. With all the slopes sitting between 1,350m and 3,340m, snow is extremely reliable. Hence, why the FIS Alpine World Cup Tour kicks off in Sölden at the end of October each year. Solden is also famous for being a filming location for James Bond’s Spectre!
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