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Snow-Sure Ski Resorts
VAL THORENS, FRANCE: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Val Thorens is Europe’s highest ski resort village and part of the world’s largest ski area – The 3 Valleys (Les 3 Vallées). A modern purpose-built resort located high above the treeline and surrounded by glaciers, Val Thorens offers snow-sure doorstep skiing, but it can be bleak, windy and very cold.
HOCHSÖLDEN, AUSTRIA: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Hochsölden is a much smaller, quieter and higher ski resort than its big brother Solden, and can feel quite isolated on its sunny plateau far above the valley. But Hochsölden has everything you need, plus doorstep skiing via a red run and fast access to the snow-sure ski slopes on Solden’s glaciers.
CERVINIA, ITALY: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Cervinia is a high-altitude Italian ski resort beneath the Matterhorn which shares Europe’s highest ski area with the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt. Cervinia, sometimes called Breuil-Cervinia, is no beauty and lacks challenging ski slopes, but for easy cruising on long, snow-sure, scenic runs, it’s hard to beat.
GURGL, AUSTRIA: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Gurgl comprises Obergurgl and Hochgurgl: two high, cold, lift-linked mountain villages with snow-sure ski slopes. It offers “boutique skiing”, based on uncrowded pistes, no lift queues and smart hotels that are both family-owned and family-friendly. The ski area is quite small, but lift passes also cover nearby Sölden.
TIGNES, FRANCE: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Located high above the treeline in a snowy bowl beneath a glacier, Tignes 2100 exemplifies all that’s good and bad about French high-altitude, purpose-built ski resorts, with snow-sure doorstep skiing but little charm. Lower down, Tignes 1800 and Tignes-les-Brevières are more attractive but less convenient.
ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Beneath the Matterhorn, Zermatt shares the highest ski area in Europe with Cervinia. Renowned for its long red runs, steep ski routes, gourmet mountain restaurants and epic freeride, Zermatt has retained its character better than most luxury ski resorts, keeping its cog railways, narrow lanes and belle epoch hotels.
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Ski Resorts with BIG Ski Areas
MÉRIBEL, FRANCE: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Méribel is a nice-looking ski resort, full of chalets and British skiers, located near the centre of Les 3 Vallées – the world’s largest ski area. The local slopes suit beginners and intermediates, but the ski area is so vast that it has challenges for stronger skiers too, and everyone can enjoy the après-ski.
SELVA VAL GARDENA, ITALY: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Selva di Val Gardena is a ski resort in the Italian Dolomites that connects the Val Gardena ski area with the Sellaronda circuit. The resulting mega area has hundreds of groomed treelined ski slopes including some of the best red pistes in the Alps, as well as wonderful mountain restaurants and stunning scenery.
PEISEY-VALLANDRY, FRANCE: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Plan Peisey and Vallandry are two purpose-built ski resorts that lie between Les Arcs and La Plagne in the middle of the huge Paradiski ski area. The local slopes are mostly treelined and suit intermediates best, but stronger skiers can use Peisey-Vallandry as a central base for exploring all of Paradiski.
ZÜRS AM ARLBERG, AUSTRIA: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Zürs is a modern, high-altitude, luxury ski resort in the Lech-Zürs sector of Ski Arlberg. Zürs isn’t as attractive as Lech, but it’s higher, snowier, more compact, and better placed for exploring all of the vast Arlberg ski area, including its most challenging slopes above St Anton.
SAALBACH, AUSTRIA: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Saalbach is an attractive ski resort with a huge ski area, lots of lovely mountain restaurants and some of the best après-ski bars in the Alps. Its low-altitude ski area, Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, has excellent piste skiing in cold weather, but when temperatures rise, snow conditions deteriorate.
ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND: SKI RESORT REVIEW
Beneath the Matterhorn, Zermatt shares the highest ski area in Europe with Cervinia. Renowned for its long red runs, steep ski routes, gourmet mountain restaurants and epic freeride, Zermatt has retained its character better than most luxury ski resorts, keeping its cog railways, narrow lanes and belle epoch hotels.
Ski Resorts We Recommend
BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SKI HOLIDAYS
Christmas and New Year ski holidays in the Alps can be a magical time, provided you pick the right ski resorts. See the WhatSkiResort top 10 Ski Resorts
EUROPE’S HIGHEST SKI RESORTS AND SKI AREAS
Combined Altitude is the best way to compare the height of different ski resorts and their ski areas, reflecting how elevation affects your ski holiday.
BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS FOR CHILDREN LEARNING TO SKI
What makes a good ski resort for families with children learning to ski? We select the best 6 resorts in the Alps for families with children.
BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS FOR RED PISTE SKI SLOPES
The best ski resorts in the Alps for red pistes (aka ‘red runs’ or ‘red slopes’). What makes a good red run ski resort, and which are the best in Europe?
BEST EUROPEAN SKI RESORTS FOR SHORT BREAKS & SKI WEEKENDS
The best ski resorts in the Alps for ski weekends and short break ski holidays are close to major airports but have superb skiing too. See our top 6.
BEST SKI RESORTS FOR FEBRUARY HALF-TERM SKI HOLIDAYS
Can you find ski resorts in Europe for the February half-term ski holidays which are family-friendly, good value and not over-crowded?
How to Get to Ski Resorts
Information about nearest airports, airport transfers, train stations and more
Ski Resort News
Compensation for Dolomiti Superski pass buyers
Dolomiti Superski is paying €30 million in compensation to skiers who bought ski passes between 2022 and 2025. See further details and how to apply.
Sölden and Hochsölden’s new ski slopes and lifts
Sölden and Hochsölden extend piste network and upgrade lifts for 2025/26 ski season
Top French ski resorts to charge more than €400 for 6-day ski pass
French ski resorts with the largest and highest ski areas will charge more than €400 for a 6 day ski pass/ lift pass in 2025/26 season for the first time
New ski lifts in St Gervais & Le Fayet
St Gervais’ new gondolas connect the resort and Le Fayet train station with the Evasion Mont Blanc (EMB) ski area, which has over 400 km of ski slopes.
Les 2 Alpes Jandri Express lift now takes just 17 minutes to reach glacier ski slopes at 3200m
Upgraded Jandri Express ski lift in Les Deux Alpes gets skiers to 3200, in 17 mins
Argentiere’s Grand Montets Cable Car Replacement Pushed Back till 2026/27 season
Argentiere’s Grand Montets Cable Car Replacement Pushed Back till 2026/27 season Although work has started on the project, under the supervision of architect Renzo Piano,
See All Ski Resort News Articles
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