Top Late-Season Ski Resorts in the Alps
With Easter weekend just around the corner, the ski season is sadly entering its final weeks. Don’t worry though, whether you’re looking for your first ski trip of the year or want to hit the slopes one last time before the season’s out, there are plenty of late-season ski resorts in the Alps. To help you choose which one to head to, here are a few of our favourites:
5 – Zermatt
If you want a spring skiing destination that is certain to have snow for your late-season ski trip, Zermatt could be for you. One of Switerzland‘s most famous resorts, Zermatt offers up to 360 kilometres of prepared pistes giving you plenty of space to ride. Easily accessed via Geneva Airport, Zurich Airport or Milan Airport, it’s a great choice for families, intermediates and experts and features extensive off-piste, incredible mountain restaurants and a vibrant car-free town. Home to the highest cable car station in Europe, the resort has snowsure slopes on Gornergrat and Rothorn until mid-April, but the area on the Theodul Glacier is open all year round.
4 – Les Arcs
With 70% of the ski resort located above 2000m, Les Arcs, France is perfect for a late-season ski trip. Offering varied slopes both on and off-piste and some incredible woodland runs, its great for ending the winter season on a high. Thanks to its altitude, natural snow coverage is guaranteed until the end of the season with the Paradiski skiing area and Les Arcs/ Peisey-Vallandry ski area closing on 25th April. Paradiski is also fitted with the latest in high-performance artificial snow systems enabling links to be maintained right until closing.
© Photo by James Preston (www.flickr.com/photos/jamespreston/3522012550/)
3 – Val d’Isere
One of the most popular resorts in the Alps, Val d’Isere offers high-quality snowsure slopes until 3rd May. Ideal for families and experts alike, the town is as good as the terrain. With the pistes of Val and Tignes naturally linked, you can spend more time on the slopes than on the lifts. Although snow in Val D’Isere is extremely reliable, snow cover is guaranteed thanks to La Snow Factory, the largest artificial snowmaking facility in Europe. If you find you need even more time, you can even usually ski during June and July on the Pissaillas glacier.
2 – Ischgl
Despite not having a glacier, Ischgl, Austria has one of the longest winter seasons in the Alps. Close to both Innsbruck Airport and Zurich Airport, the resort is known for its amazing snow quality and bold apres-ski. Offering 238km of pistes served by 45 lifts, the slopes are best suited to intermediates that enjoy covering a lot of ground. Closing on 3rd May, the resort’s famous closing party, Top of the Mountain concerts are not to be missed and have even attracted the likes of Elton John, Bon Jovi and Mariah Carey.
© Photo by Johannes Gruber (www.flickr.com/photos/hotel-eggerbraeu-imst/6169128642/)
1 – Val Thorens
The highest resort in Europe, Val Thorens, France is one of the best Alpine ski resorts for skiing in Spring. The highest resort in the sprawling 600-kilometre Three Valleys ski area, 99% of Val Thorens is situated above 2,000m guaranteeing snow until the end of the winter season on 3rd May. Featuring over 600km of runs, it’s the largest ski area in the world and benefits from the fastest lift systems in France. Suiting everyone from beginners to experts, Val Thorens remains the best place for one last run down the slopes.
We hope these suggestions have given you some inspiration for your late-season ski trip.
