Are you looking for the best spring skiing resorts? We love spring skiing when warmer spells of weather and more sunshine arrive in the mountains. You can strip off the extra layers you were wearing during January and enjoy a drink on a sun terrace in the latter part of the ski season. Spring skiing has its ups and downs. Yes, the snow is starting to turn slushy nearer the bottom of the mountain but there are plenty of ski resorts that maintain great snow. With plenty of bluebird days, a spring skiing holiday can offer the best of both worlds. Our experts have scoured the Alps and put together a list of springtime resorts that should be on your skiing bucket list. Here’s our pick of the best ski resorts for spring skiing in Europe.
Val d’Isère, France
Val d’Isère is one of the best places to go skiing in spring. The ski resort is situated at 1,850m and reaches a mammoth elevation of almost 3,500m. It is considered one of the most snow-sure regions in the Alps, perfect for skiing later in the season. The ski resort neighbours Tignes and is part of the Espace Killy ski area. Val d’Isère is known for its wild party scene, with one of the most popular Folie Douce après bars a short ski away.
Stay At:
Hotel Christiania is an exceptional five-star, family-run hotel. It is situated in an excellent location close to the main lifts, nursery slopes and ski school meeting point.
Tignes, France
Tignes is a fantastic ski-in ski-out purpose-built ski resort. The area neighbours Val d’Isère and is found at a healthy 2,100m, ensuring world-class skiing and snow-sure conditions. The resort is split into three areas, Val Claret, Tignes 1800, Le Lac, and Le Lavachet. Like its neighbour, Tignes is known for its lively atmosphere and buzzy après scene. There are 300km of ski terrain ready to explore, including high-altitude runs on the Grande Motte Glacier and the iconic Aiguille du Midi.
Stay At:
Hotel Diamond Rock is located at the foot of the ski slopes in Tignes Valley. The five-star hotel is no more than a 200m walk from the Palafour lift, giving guests access to the L’Espace Killy ski area in no time.
Obergurgl, Austria
Obergurgl is a family-friendly ski resort in a well-linked snow-sure area of Austria. The resort is one of the country’s highest and sits at 1,930m reaching an elevation of 3,080m. There’s some fantastic skiing to be had in Obergurgl and with it being just 90 minutes from Innsbruck, it’s a great choice for a weekend too. The traditional village has many non-skiing activities to discover in the afternoon or evenings. Plus, there’s a great array of restaurants and bars to keep the whole group entertained.
Stay At:
Hotel Bergwelt is a member of the ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the World’. It is known for its great food, wine, panoramic views of the valley and it’s superb wellness centre.
Hochgurgl, Austria
Hochgurgl is a satellite village of popular Obergurgl, surrounded by glaciers and jagged mountain peaks. The quaint and friendly village has a vast range of uncrowded pistes and lifts, making it easy to get onto the slopes at any time of the day. The area has numerous weekly activities keeping the area vibrant and exciting during the week and after skiing.
Stay At:
Hotel Riml is a ski-in ski-out hotel close to the centre of the ski resort. The hotel is adults-only making it ideal for couples and groups without children.
Val Thorens, France
One of the best places to ski in the late season, Val Thorens is the highest resort in Europe at 2,300m. It’s also one of the three powerhouses, as well as Méribel and Courchevel, that make up the largest ski area in the world, the Three Valleys. The slopes range from an incredible 600m to 3,250m offering an enormous 2,650m vertical drop. Val Thorens is a lively ski resort with an array of restaurants and bars. If that’s not enough, you can ski to other nearby ski resorts including Méribel and Courchevel for lunch or an afternoon aperitif in the spring sunshine. Val Thorens has proven a favourite with skiers for reliable spring skiing.
Stay At:
Hotel Altapura is a magnificent five-star hotel set back from the buzzy centre of Val Thorens. Enjoy direct ski-in ski-out access from the boot room and explore the Three Valleys with ease.
Flaine, France
Flaine ski resort is one of the best places to ski in the late season. This hidden gem is one that most people wouldn’t contemplate for spring skiing. Don’t be fooled by its modest 1,600m resort height and 2,500m maximum skiing height. This ski resort is arguably one of the most snow-sure resorts on this list and in the whole of the Haute-Savoie region. Not only does the resort have incredible high natural snowfall records due to its ideal location and proximity to other mountains but it is also set within a bowl of wind-shielding north-facing slopes. This means that the average 15m of snowfall that Flaine receives on its higher slopes is preserved almost perfectly all the way through the season, so you can still look forward to great powder runs even skiing in the latter part of the season.
Stay At:
Hotel Alhéna is a fantastic luxury ski hotel with ski-in ski-out access. Take advantage of the excellent wellness facilities after a busy day on the mountain.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt ski resort is one of the best places to ski in spring. Whilst not the highest of ski resorts, at a moderate 1,620m has the highest skiing in Europe. With slopes ranging up to 3,899m it has some of the most snow-sure slopes in the Alps. Zermatt itself is a beautiful, lively resort filled to the brim with Alpine traditions. It has fantastic chalets and great restaurants that sit right in view of the iconic Matterhorn. Zermatt shares its 362km of skiing, a lot of which is above 3,000m, with its neighbours Breuil-Cervinia and Valtournenche in what is known as the Matterhorn Ski Paradise area.
Stay At:
Hotel Alex is a cosy, traditional, family-run hotel in Zermatt. Experience culinary excellence in one of the two restaurants, or sample the decadent wines in the Bodega Bacchus wine cellar.
Ischgl, Austria
Although frequently overlooked by British skiers, Ischgl is one of the best late season ski resorts, and typically stays open until early May. Many of the slopes are over 1,800m and face north-west, guaranteeing better snow for longer. Get in right at the end of the season to experience the huge outdoor rock concert used to mark the occasion. Superstars such as Elton John and The Killers have rocked out here during previous years. The ski resort is well known for its dynamic Austrian après ski scene, with plenty of ice-bars and nightclubs. The 1950s-style Allegra Bar serves drinks until 1am and has become quite the local hotspot in recent seasons.
Stay At:
The Hotel Jagerhof is a pretty, family-run hotel situated next to the Dorftunnel, allowing guests to access the Fimbahan lift and town centre with ease.
St. Anton, Austria
St. Anton is one of the best late season ski resorts, perfect for skiing in spring. This famous Austrian ski resort is known for its foot-stomping après scene and impressive snow record. A combination of north facing slopes and a top up from snow machines makes St. Anton one of the best places to ski in spring. The ski resort regularly welcomes skiers all the way through the spring, with the promise of off-piste territory to explore across the vast 305km of terrain.
State-of-the-art lifts link the local area with Lech and Zürs across the Arlberg ski area. There is plenty of choice if you are on the hunt for the freshest powder. St. Anton pulls out all the stops with its famous choice of slopeside après bars. Enjoy a beer at the MooserWirt or Krazy Kanguruh as the sun goes down. Tuck into hearty plates of local delicacies at one of the many traditional eateries in the town.
Stay At:
Valluga Hotel is a cosy and contemporary hotel in a peaceful area of St. Anton Village. The friendly and welcoming hotel is the perfect stay for those wanting a relaxing ski holiday.
Verbier, Switzerland
The glamorous, sun-kissed resort of Verbier is one of the best places to go skiing in spring if you are looking to hit the slopes in style. Stay at one of the ski resort’s luxurious, boutique chalets or hotels that feature the likes of Sir Richard Branson’s own ski chalet, The Lodge. With the high-altitude peaks boasting some of the best back country terrain in the world, and a wide choice of marked off-piste itinerary runs.
Stay At:
The Lodge is owned by Sir Richard Branson and is a spectacular five-star chalet in an exclusive part of Verbier. Experience true luxury, superb service and fantastic facilities during your stay.
Mayrhofen, Austria
Mayrhofen ski resort is one of the best places to go skiing in the latter part of the ski season. The ski resort has a relatively low altitude in the town at 630m, and high-altitude slopes that reach up to 3,250m. This means you can benefit from epic late-season powder days on the 204km of pistes, with top-ups from the extensive snow canons promising 100% snow cover. When the day draws to a close, head back down to the town to enjoy a well-earned beer or two in the sunshine.
Stay At:
Hotel Kramerwirt is a picturesque 17th century inn set just 500m from the nearest lifts. The hotel is a great choice for families and has a friendly atmosphere, perfect for a quieter ski holiday.
Alpe d’Huez, France
If you are looking for the best spring skiing resorts then Alpe d’Huez may well be the answer. This high-altitude ski resort has peaks that reach up to 3,330m. The glacial terrain guarantees powder days late on into the season. The ski resort offers stunning wide open views across the Southern Alps. The ski resort has glorious sunshine that makes for the perfect setting in which to enjoy an evening apéritif.
Stay At:
This hotel is great for a family-friendly all-inclusive holiday package. Have everything taken care of for you when visting Club Med Alpe d’Huez.
Are you interested in a spring skiing holiday? Call our ski experts on 020 7471 7700 to find out more about the best ski resorts for spring skiing in Europe.
