Christmas is a magical time of the year regardless of where you’re spending it, but it can’t be denied that some places around the world add a little extra magic. In any resort you’ll find the village, restaurants and bars decorated with Christmas lights and the whole atmosphere will feel very festive, but these 4 resorts really go above and beyond. Whether you want to take your kids to meet Santa, or stroll through a town transformed into a Christmas market, one of these ski resorts is the perfect destination for a full Christmas experience after your lessons on the slopes.
Les gets
What better place to spend Christmas than where Santa Claus lives?! That’s right, from the moment you arrive at Les Gets the whole town will look like the North Pole. Les Gets is labelled as a “Famille Plus” resort, this means that all activities and events are adapted for children of all ages and families, which is no surprise considering how big they go on Christmas. In Les Gets you’ll be able to visit Father Christmas’s Kingdom inside the Enchanted Forest, throughout your walk you’ll meet elves, Santa’s reindeers, and Santa himself. The enchanted kingdom also offers workshops, shows, and fireworks exhibits for the whole family to enjoy, an experience kids will never forget.
During the whole period of Christmas there are plenty of activities around the resort too, both during the day and at night. In fact, on Christmas Eve you’ll be able to witness Santa take off to deliver presents all around the world as he takes part in a torchlit ski descent under a sky of fireworks. If you want your kids to have a magical Christmas, Les Gets will be the perfect place.
Val d’Isere
Val d’Isere really knows how to build up anticipation for Santa’s arrival. The entire month of December is filled with activities aimed at kids to make sure they live a magical Christmas. Where to start? Every day from December 20, you’ll be able to witness as a local ice sculpture elf works on various ice sculptures in the tourist office square getting them ready for Santa’s arrival. During the week, there are plenty of workshops to keep the kids busy if you want to get some alone skiing time for your lessons. They’ll be taken to the playgrounds on the slopes, the Lost Village, and to the elves’ cabin to create Christmas decorations and letters to Santa, and they’ll be able to partake in the children’s lantern-lit descent a day before Christmas.
On December 24, get ready for Santa’s arrival on the slopes. During the day you’ll be able to spot Santa skiing around and then stopping in town to say hello to everyone. Throughout the rest of the week there’ll still be plenty of activities for children to participate in, more workshops and play time in the different playgrounds, all scheduled in the afternoon, giving kids plenty of time to attend their skiing lessons in the morning. Another place where to experience Christmas at its fullest!
Val Gardena
Nestled in the Italian dolomites, Val Gardena transforms its town into the ultimate Christmas Market or as they like to call it “Mountain Christmas”. Every day of December all the way through to January 8 from 3pm to 7pm the whole town is taken over by hundreds of stalls with vendors offering something for everyone. From artisanally made toys for the kids, to hand-crafted tree ornaments to bring back as souvenirs, vin brule for the parents and plenty of spectacular decorations all through the town.
There is actually a 350m string of lights running all through town with little wooden cabin lifts hanging from it so you can follow its course around the whole town center. On top of all of this, you will also be able to attend the snow sculpture competition held in the town center! If you’re looking for a cozy small town atmosphere, then Val Gardena is your perfect Christmas spot.
Tignes
Not all ski resorts have an enchanted kingdom, but still most will have Santa visiting at one point or another. In Tignes Christmas is a little more low-key but rest assured your kids will still be able to spot Santa handing out Papillotes (a French chocolate typical to the season) around town. Obviously the whole town is decorated from head to toe, including shops and restaurants, and Christmas music will be playing throughout.
If you have teenagers or older kids, they’ll be happy to know that Christmas here is celebrated with a Christmas Après Ski. Starting out you’ll see the lantern descent followed by a Christmas parade with none other than Santa Claus as the main participant. On December 31, for new years there will be a rock and pop music party, free entry for everyone from 11pm until 1am with XXL firework. So if you’re looking for a bit more of a party, head over to Tignes.
Keep these resorts in mind anytime you’re thinking about where to spend your Christmas holidays and don’t worry because we have excellent instructors in all of them! You can take your ski or snowboard lessons during the mornings, and enjoy all the activities for you and your kids during the afternoon. Book an instructor now and live the magic of Christmas!
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