How long is the ski season in Europe? For anyone who loves skiing as much as I do, the answer to that question is always “not long enough”. But when we look more in-depth for an answer, it turns out it can wildly vary. Ski resorts and areas lower down will tend to have a shorter season length than high altitude ski resorts. Similarly, resorts central to the Alps will have longer snow coverage than those on the fringe of the mountains.
If you want to make the most of the winter, and maximise your time on snow, it would be useful to know the resorts with the longest seasons. The places that are best for both early season skiing and late spring ski holidays. For those wanting to hit the slopes as soon as the first flurries of snow appear, to those avid skiers still getting the runs in long after everyone else has started dreaming of their summer holidays, we have highlighted the ski resorts in the Alps with the longest seasons.
Of all the ski resorts in the Alps, Val Thorens boasts one of the longest seasons going. The season length in Val Thorens is around 5 and a half months, lasting from the second half of November through to the beginning of May. In fact, the resort has worked on this schedule for nearly every year in the last decade. The immediate ski area of Val Thorens-Orelle is open in this period, with 150km of slopes available. What’s more, 99% of these runs are at an altitude of over 2,000m. A lot of these cater toward intermediate skiers. However, with free beginner areas, great ski school options, and fantastic off-piste opportunities, there is ample skiing for all abilities. Additionally, Val Thorens forms part of the Three Valleys. The Three Valleys, the world’s largest interconnected ski area, provides 600km+ of slopes, operating from early December to mid-April.
The longest ski season in France isn’t the only accolade to the resort’s name. In terms of village altitude, Val Thorens claims the title of highest ski resort in Europe, sitting at 2,300m. As a result, it’s surrounded by 6 glaciers, with its highest point of Cime Caron (3,200m) being accessible even to non-skiers. The resort was first established in 1971. It is a town designed around both its high altitude and ski-in/ski-out accommodation, giving it wide appeal. Several green and blue runs snake through the village, with direct access to lots of hotels and apartment blocks, as well as some high-end Val Thorens luxury chalets.
To ensure you make the most of one of the longest seasons in the Alps, you must take advantage of all the experiences; the vibrant après-ski scene, nightlife, and abundance of non-skiing activities are irresistibly fun. Slopeside bars such as the illustrious Folie Douce and Bar 360 are noteworthy highlights, while ziplining and tobogganing make Val Thorens a fantastic choice for family ski holidays also. This is not a resort for slow openings and an easy winding down. The season is bookended by the weekends of La Grande Première and La Grande Dernière. These weekends of activities, events, and parties ensure that Val Thorens kicks off and culminates the season with a bang.
How long is the ski season in Zermatt? While a simple question at face value, the answer isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think. For many years, Zermatt offered skiing all year round. Although those days are becoming a thing of the past, Zermatt is still a resort that offers summer skiing on its Theodul Glacier, and its winter ski seasons are one of the longest amongst European resorts. Zermatt’s location assuredly grants a long season. The town sits at an altitude of 1,620m, surrounded by multiple striking peaks over 4,000m. Additionally, the ski area is the highest in Europe, with slopes as high as 3,899m.
The Matterhorn Ski Paradise offers 360km of pistes between the resorts of Zermatt, Switzerland and Cervinia, Italy. Around 200km of these pistes are located on the Swiss side. The entire ski area is open from early December to the end of April. The Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee areas of Zermatt tend to run an even longer season. This portion of Zermatt’s ski area opens a week or two before the rest of the slopes, and is the last to close at the end of the season. Additionally, there are 21km of slopes that are great for skiing in summer on the Theodul Glacier. These runs will open up again from as early as October, snow permitting. They predominantly consist of red runs, ideal for intermediates looking to find their ski legs at the start of the season. There is also a snow park up here for any keen freestyle specialists!
Zermatt has existed for centuries, once a traditional mountain village now developed into a ski resort. Tourism to the area exploded after the Matterhorn’s first ascent in 1865. In the interwar period, skiing was introduced, and Zermatt has never looked back. It’s now a car-free village that pairs traditionalism with glamorous luxury. From Zermatt’s ultimate luxury chalets to its range of gourmet and Michelin-starred restaurants, the resort attracts the most discerning clientele. While some places in Zermatt operate under seasonal openings, as a popular destination year-round, there’s still a lively atmosphere even at the start and end of the ski season. There are always bars and restaurants to see, as well as wonderful non-skiing activities like the magnificent Gornergrat Railway and the Matterhorn Museum. And if you’re visiting in April, you can enjoy the popular acoustic music festival Zermatt Unplugged.
When it comes to French resorts with the longest seasons, Tignes and Val d’Isère are two neighbouring ski towns that can’t be ignored. Tignes and Val d’Isère combine to form a ski area of about 300km of slopes, with a season that has consistently run from the end of November to the start of May for the last 5 years. While the area has a reputation for expert and off-piste skiing, there’s also an abundance of intermediate and beginner slopes. First-time skiers will particularly enjoy it around the Solaise Beginner’s Area of Val d’Isère. Plus, the ski area reaches as high as 3,456m on the Grande Motte Glacier in Tignes. This ensures slopes for all abilities with good snow conditions, even at the beginning and end of the ski season.
The Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area also has its own microclimate in the Alps. The weather has blessed them with heavy dumps of snowfall in April or May for the last few consecutive seasons. Due to this microclimate and the villages high altitude positions, these are also two of the best resorts for early season skiing. Visitors can experience the magic of snow-covered villages while other resorts might still be awaiting their first snowfall.
Tignes covers multiple high-altitude ski resorts of differing attraction, from the peaceful and charming villages of Les Brévières (1,550m) and Les Boisses (1,800m), to the busier sprawl of Le Lavachet, Le Lac, and Val Claret (2,100m). These resorts and luxury chalets in Tignes often open up a week or so before Val d’Isère. You can expect a family-friendly itinerary of events and shows to kick off the ski season. The resort also puts on its own spectacular closing schedule. The 24/25 season saw the first-ever edition of the Tignes Unlimited Festival: 8 days of concerts and closing parties, ensuring an electrifying end of season right to the final day.
Val d’Isère (1,850m) is renowned for its authentic luxury, traditional atmosphere, and cosmopolitan appeal. The charming stone and wood buildings, spreading out from the hub of the old town, belie a world-class ski resort with lively après-ski, luxury boutiques and glamorous Val d’Isère chalets. Val d’Isère is the ideal place for keen skiers to start one of the longest seasons in the Alps with a weekend to test the newest gear. This test weekend sets you up perfectly for a successful winter, whichever resorts you migrate to next. Off the slopes, Val d’Isère has one of the most diverse ranges of unique and exciting activities, as seen in our Val d’Isère Resort Guide. In the middle of April, Val d’Isère features the Monoski World Championships before embarking on an itinerary of closing parties up to the end of the season.
Verbier, like Zermatt, is situated in the Valais region of Switzerland. The season length in Verbier typically runs from early December to late April. However, Verbier is unique in that it will often open up on weekends throughout the month of November. This is providing snowfall has been good, of course. These early season openings come with discounted lift passes, making Verbier a great choice for an early season weekend trip. The resort also allows access to the 4 Vallées ski area with 410km of pistes. The pinnacle of these slopes is off of Mont Fort (3,330m), the highest point of the ski area. That’s not to say you won’t also find plenty of runs for all abilities. The La Tzoumaz area has more family-friendly runs, while a variety of different slopes for intermediates are located all around the mountains.
Verbier sits on a sunny plateau at 1,500m. The resort is modern and luxurious, although the architecture is styled to maintain an authentic, traditional ski resort feel. Verbier’s chalets are some of the most luxurious in the Alps, each one positioned to maximise your views of the glorious mountain panoramas that the resort’s location provides. The chalets are often positioned higher up the mountain, away from Place Centrale, the lively resort centre. Here you will find stylish boutiques, Verbier’s fabled après ski bars, and a vibrant nightlife for the merrymakers.
Once Verbier does fully open, it does so in style. You can buy an opening session lift ticket for as little as 5 Swiss Francs. This lift ticket gives you access to both the ski area and a full programme of exciting events. But be warned, you may have to abandon your favourite ski outfit; the cheaper ticket is only available when you dress as St Nicholas! This means you’ll be spreading Christmas spirit with hundreds of Santa Claus’ whizzing about the mountain. You can expect equally excellent experiences throughout March and April. There are many reasons to go spring skiing, and Verbier is one of the best resorts for it. As with many of the other resorts with the longest ski seasons, Verbier closes out with a big celebration. The Ultime Session is full of festivities. The snow park at La Chaux hosts banked slalom competitions and pond skim events, ushering you from a wintry to summery mood.
Having covered the ski resorts in the Alps with the longest seasons, you might now be dreaming of your next winter holidays. To find out more about any of the resorts mentioned, or to secure a luxury chalet for your next ski holiday, we are on hand to help. Our expert team of Ski Specialists can assist you in finding the right property for your requirements. Simply give us a call on +44 (0)1202 203 653. Alternately, you can also send us an email.
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Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd, established in 2005, is an online luxury ski holiday agent that specialises in finding clients the perfect luxury ski chalet in France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. We feature an extensive portfolio of luxury chalet accommodation and luxury ski hotels that are ideal for group and family luxury ski holidays.
