France

Getting to France is very easy with lots ski resorts near Geneva and ski resorts near Chambery, the main airports for skiing holidays. It’s also very handy for driving if you want there’s plenty of you going.  If you’re planning a short ski trip then check out our guides for resorts near French ski airports.  If you do go make sure you embrace the French cuisine and sample all the cheeses and great meats on offer!

Ski resorts across Tirol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg on high avalanche alert. Low temperatures are expected over the weekend and the high winds at over 170kph are making ski lifts too dangerous.

Herbert Kaufmann from a lift company in Dornbirn, Voarlberg said: “We have around twenty people stuck in the restaurant at the top of the mountain still as we are unable to put the lifts back into action. But at least the chef is stuck too and he can make food.”

With emergency services on high alert the avalanche risk in Tirol is already on the second highest risk level 4 and is expected to rise over the next 24 hours possibly to the highest risk level 5.
Austria has also seen some avalanche deaths over the past few days with a group of four ski guides from Vorarlberg, Austria, buried beneath a mound of snow.

Many roads have been blocked and passes are completely impassable in popular ski areas such as Lech, Zurs and Warth. In addition, hundreds of British Ski holiday makers are stranded in Zermatt after an avalanche with train lines being dug out in Val d’Isere.

If you are concerned about Avalanches or bad weather you are urged to visit the local ski areas tourist board website for more details.

Some of the most expensive resorts reside in Switzerland with Gstaad, Zermatt and St Mortiz the dearest. The most expensive French ski resort was Courchevel with St Anton for Austria.

Among the other cheaper resorts, Andorra perfoms well and is let down in its overall score by its lift pass compared to Bulgaria.

The cheapest hotel and meal is in Bansko, the cheapest ski hire was found in Pas de la Casa, cheapest ski pass in Mt Etna in Italy. If you’re fond of a beer then Ordino Arcalis in Andorra comes in at first place but stay away from Tignes at over £5!

See the full report here

Based on last year’s temperatures the majority of ski resorts were open. France is the most popular ski resort destination in Europe with around 400,000 skiers travelling there each year. Austria is seeing similar problems with Klosters struggling for snow as well as Davos and St Moritz opening up a few runs.

The Alps includes over 300 ski resorts and 1 in 3 skiers travel to France each year looking for snow but resorts have been hoping for snow after a warm start to the season.

In particular the Val d’Isere World Cup alpine race has been cancelled due to lack of snow which experts say has been the driest autumn in the Alps for almost 150 years. Key resorts such as St Anton and Skiwelt in Austria have delayed opening until December 15th.

The Met Office  say around 40cm of new snow will fall over the next nine days in parts of France and Switzerland, which will dramatically transform the overall snow cover across the Alps. Bulgaria and Scotland are yet to open their resorts.

A spokesman said for the Ski Club of Great Britain said : “Snow is forecast for this weekend and next week. The heaviest snowfall is expected to fall at the western European resorts, but resorts in the east should receive fresh snow too.

“Around 40cm of new snow could fall over the next nine days in parts of France and Switzerland. The fresh snow should dramatically improve the overall snow cover across the Alps.

“Even without the fresh snow, many European resorts are hoping to open for the winter season this coming weekend thanks to the great efforts of grooming and snow making teams.”

See lift pass prices here

Ski resorts within 1.5 hours of Berne Airport

Ski resorts within 2 hours of Berne Airport