10 Best Ski Resorts in Europe, 2023/24

10 Best Ski Resorts in Europe, 2023/24

COURCHEVEL

Known for

Part of the largest lift-linked ski area in the world. Consisting of 3 Vallées, and another four unique luxury villages
Highlights

Access to sheer number of runs in 3 Vallées provides endless skiing
Efficient lift system even during holiday periods
Tobagganing and heli ski available
Courchevel 1850 is quite expensive
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 03 2022
Closing Date: Apr 23 2023
Closest airports

Chambéry Airport - 70 miles (1.5 hour drive)
Geneva Airport - 88 miles (2.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Courchevel

If you’re up for some exploring, there’s no better place to experience it all than at Courchevel. Courchevel consists of four villages and offers the most balanced selection of greens, blues, reds, and blacks in the 3 Valles ski area. If you’re willing to splurge, the village of Courchevel 1850 makes good sense. It is the largest of the four villages, complete with luxury accommodation, impressive fine dining and a wealth of other activities. Being part of the largest lift-linked ski area is another major drawcard here and there is certainly more than enough for weeks of fun.

1. ZERMATT

Known for

The iconic Matterhorn scenery as a backdrop to the massive ski area
Highlights

Perfect for all, from newbie kids to freeriders
Epic mountain scenery is unmissable
Luxurious selection of food and accomodation
Be prepared to pay a premium here
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Nov 18 2022
Closing Date: Apr 30 2023
Closest airports

Geneva Airport - 142 miles (2.5 hour drive)
Zurich Airport - 160 miles (3.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Zermatt

Zermatt is an iconic ski destination with slopes that serve something for everyone from beginners to freeriders; but that’s not the only reason why we love Zermatt. Sitting beneath the unmistakable Matterhorn, the scenery here is unmissable. Like many of the recommended resorts on this list, Zermatt's a special place with a bustling, historic centre and a thriving tourist economy year-round with no shortage of luxury stores and delicious dining options on and off the mountain. Everything here is expensive, from lift tickets and lodgings to dinner and drinks, but you definitely get what you pay for.

1. VAL D'ISÈRE

Known for

World class slopes for intermediates and experts, almost universally at high altitude
Highlights

Lively town center and great nightlife
Deserved reputation for reliable snow all season long
Fast lift system and modern facilities
Poor weather conditions means lifts are shut more frequently than other resorts
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 03 2022
Closing Date: May 06 2023
Closest airports

Chambéry Airport - 90 miles (2 hour drive)
Geneva Airport - 110 miles (3 hour drive)
Why Ski Val-d'Isere

With high altitude slopes and almost guaranteed snow, it’s no wonder why Val-d'Isere in the Espace Killy ski area is so popular. The resort has some great terrain for confident intermediates although some trails are more difficult than their color grading suggests. Overall, we prefer Val-d'Isere for its thriving valley town with a friendly, bustling vibe, at least by French standards, and huge numbers of chalets, hotels, and apartments. In our opinion, this is more of an atmospheric place to stay than neighboring Tignes, and you have the advantage of a few local tree runs.

View Val d'Isère Ski Packages

1. CHAMONIX MONT-BLANC
   

Known for

Famous mountain town with a lively apres scene and legendary off-piste
Highlights

Amidst the most dramatic scenery in the French Alps
Easy and inexpensive transfers from Geneva airport
Spectacular, jagged mountain terrain with genuinely testing black runs
Several ski areas, linked by bus and not by lifts, and very few easy runs
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 17 2022
Closing Date: May 01 2023
Closest airports

Geneva Airport - 63 miles (1.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Chamonix is a classic ski town, home to expert skiers. It's dark location in a gorge is a superb spot for deeps and steeps however it lacks relaxing intermediate runs, and even fewer beginner slopes. If you’re seeking long greens or gentle cruises, you might want to consider elsewhere, such as Zermatt. Furthermore, Chamonix is spread across several separate ski areas, linked only by buses and not by lifts so you’ll need to hop on a bus (or bring a car) to reach the other areas on the lift pass. Argentire, Le Tour and several other hamlets are quieter alternatives, but aren’t really any more convenient for getting around the different ski areas.

View Chamonix Mont-Blanc Ski Packages

1. CORTINA D'AMPEZZO
   

Known for

Sophisticated alpine town boasting exquisite piste skiing and gourmet on-mountain dining
Highlights

Linked to the enormous Dolomiti Superski area
Unbeatable views of the highest peaks in the Dolomites
Quality groomed black trails
It’s the expensive choice for an Italian ski trip
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Nov 26 2022
Closing Date: May 01 2023
Closest airports

Venice Marco Polo Airport - 91 miles (2 hour drive)
Why Ski Cortina d'Ampezzo

Soon to be hosting the Winter Olympics for the second time in 2026, Cortina d’Ampezzo is a sophisticated and expansive ski resort. With trails across three ski areas and spectacular views of mountains like Cinque Torri, Cortina d’Ampezzo is one of the best in Italy! Advanced skiers can take on the many groomed black trails here, and when you need to refuel you’ll want to try the gourmet dining options whilst taking in the views from the rustic restaurant terraces.. There are plenty of upscale lodging options in the village, or you can get the full winter experience by staying in one of the high-alpine cabins!

1. ST ANTON
   

Known for

Powder and partying in the snowiest corner of the Alps in Ski Arlberg
Highlights

World-class off-piste
Masses of steep trails for advanced skiers
Very impressive snow record
Crowds and not much beginner terrain
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 02 2022
Closing Date: Apr 23 2023
Closest airports

Zurich Airport - 123 miles (2.5 hour drive)
St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport - 64 miles (1.5 hour drive)
Why Ski St Anton

The town of St Anton has some of the best apres ski and nightlife in Ski Arlberg whilst retaining plenty of genuine charm. All it took was a couple of gondolas to link the slopes of St Anton, Lech, Zürs, Warth and Schröcken, to propel Ski Arlberg to the top in terms of size. St Anton has an excellent lift system, reliable snow and its slopes are generally tougher than those in Lech so you can see why this resort is so popular. Keep in mind that accommodation can get expensive, especially if you head into Zürs.

1. VERBIER
   

Known for

Its status as a freeride mecca thanks to its intense terrain
Highlights

Stacks of off-piste to challenge the expert skiers
Attractive village and stunning views of the Mont Blanc massifs
Great apres ski and nightlife
Expensive food and lodging and can get crowded
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Nov 05 2022
Closing Date: Apr 23 2023
Closest airports

Geneva Airport - 100 miles (2 hour drive)
Why Ski Verbier

Being part of Switzerland's largest ski area, the 4 Valles, Verbier offers impressive mountain scenery and stacks of off-piste skiing for experts! Advanced and adventurous intermediate skiers will love Verbier for its insane terrain, however there isn't a great deal of easy terrain for beginners. Several resort bases vie for attention, but only Verbier is well-known to the English-speaking market. For that reason, crowds can be an issue and worse here than anywhere else in the 4 Valles. The town has a bustling feel with plenty of high-end accommodation and places to eat and drink. Being in Switzerland, you don’t have to have bottomless pockets, but it certainly helps.

1. LES ARCS
   

Known for

High altitiude village and interconnected with La Plagne to form an enormous ski area
Highlights

Tobogganing and waterslide available
Quicker lift system than La Plagne
Excellent blacks and off-piste routes for intermediates and advanced
May experience high season queues and crowded pistes and few green trails
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 10 2022
Closing Date: Apr 22 2023
Closest airports

Chambéry Airport - 85 miles (2 hour drive)
Geneva Airport - 105 miles (2.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Les Arcs

Of the two ski resorts which make up France’s third biggest domain, Paradiski, Les Arcs has a distinct advantage over La Plagne. It has a better designed and quicker lift system which allows you to spend more time on the slopes. While there are blues and reds to be found across the Paradiski ski area, steep runs and off-piste routes are quite the drawcard at Les Arcs. Meanwhile, there are hardly any green runs, so near-beginners might do better in La Plagne. Generally speaking, the lowest villages are prettier and quieter places to stay, while the higher outposts have some brutal architecture but quicker access to the slopes.

1. SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM
   

Known for

Attractive village with Europe’s flashiest lift system
Highlights

Austria’s second largest ski area (set to increase with a new lift link)
Slick lift system includes 20 gondolas and 20 high-speed chairlifts
Plenty of long slopes perfectly suited for intermediates
Not many black runs and some of the blue trails are more like reds
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 02 2022
Closing Date: Apr 10 2023
Closest airports

Salzburg Airport - 55 miles (1.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Saalbach Hinterglemm

With over 168 mi to explore in the Skicircus, there’s no better place to base yourself than at Saalbach or Hinterglemm. Both offer tons of long intermediate runs and occupy central positions in the impressive ski area: sizeable, real valley towns a couple of miles apart. Of these, Saalbach probably edges it for charm and nightlife. If you’re not the type to hit the après ski early, Hinterglemm is home to night skiing and a night park. Regardless, expect to party all afternoon and well into the night at the slopeside bars and in town at Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

1. AVORIAZ
   

Known for

Being one of France's snowiest resorts, great for families and friends
Highlights

Plenty of runs for beginners and intermediates
Wide range of ski-in/ ski-out accomodation
Endless winter activities from sledging, diving to overnight in an igloo
Low altitude resort base means it may rain instead of snow at times
22/23 Ski Season:

Opening Date: Dec 09 2022
Closing Date: Apr 23 2023
Closest airports

Geneva Airport - 60 miles (1.5 hour drive)
Why Ski Avoriaz

Sitting on the French side, Avoriaz offers easy access to Portes du Soleil, one of the world's largest ski areas and provides relaxed, cross-border cruising. The local slopes are linked directly into the main skiing circuit and often have the best conditions in the area. Avoriaz has one of the best snow records in the Alps, but also relatively low altitude elsewhere in the ski area which increases the risk of rain low down. Avoriaz offers varied, scenic skiing of all difficulty levels and its convenient location means access to several towns and villages such as Chatel and Morzine within Portes du Soleil.