Europe has some of the best winter sports resorts. For decades, they host millions of tourists who want to ski, practice many other winter sports and enjoy the snow. They are resorts in France, Italy or Switzerland ideal for luxury holidays.
The winter ski resorts of Europe's Alps and Dolomites are legendary, not only for their superb skiing, but also for their alpine villages and celebrity-studded resort towns. In the mountains of Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria, you will find some of the best ski resorts in the world.
The best ski resorts in France, Italy, Switzerland
If you're looking for unique destinations to test your skiing skills, below are five of the best ski resorts in Europe.
Val Thorens, France
Val Thorens – France is one of the best ski resorts in Europe and one of the most voted tourist resorts in a ranking of europeanbestdestinations.com. This resort is celebrating 50 years since its foundation, being one of the youngest ski resorts in Europe. Val Thorens can boast a season of six months without a break.
Every winter, Val Thorens and the professional staff do their best to offer tourists magical experiences. A shared vision, "LIVE UNITED" that has been written for 50 years and has only one goal: to create unique, festive and sporting experiences. At 2300 meters above sea level, Val Thorens is committed to innovation and creating unique memories. You won't find "traditional" here, because Val Thorens has never been a traditional resort.
Val Thorens is one of the few European resorts located at the highest altitudes, and the ski area has over 600 kilometers of slopes. The resort has always been innovative and sought to develop new technologies that would improve the safety, comfort and well-being of its tourists.
To get to Val Thorens, it is recommended to fly to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport in Lyon, and then take the train or bus or rent a car.
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Courchevel, France
Courchevel is the largest and most famous of several interconnected ski resorts known as Les Trois Vallées (Three Valleys), which form the largest ski area in Europe. In addition to the 150 kilometers of alpine slopes that you can reach via Courchevel's 60 ski lifts, they are interconnected with a ski area of more than 600 kilometers of interconnected slopes, plus four glaciers. The entire area is spread over 10 peaks with altitudes of over 2.500 meters.
Annually, the snow reaches up to 4 meters thick, but modern equipment helps to maintain the slopes, and the entire ski area is always practicable. The area is recommended for adventurers, those who want to ski on unconventional routes, but also for families with children. There are numerous pistes dedicated to beginners.
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Zermatt, Switzerland
With skiable terrain at altitudes of up to 3.900 meters, the Swiss resort of Zermatt is at the highest altitude in the Alps. Having as background the emblematic landmark of Matterhorn, Zermatt and its neighboring slopes are at the top of most skiers' wish lists.
Zermatt is known for its long slopes, some of which end right in the village. The Matterhorn Glacier Ride, which opened for the 2019 season, is the tallest cable car in the world and carries 2.000 skiers per hour up the glacier. At an altitude of 3.883 meters, the glacier makes skiing possible all year round.
For less experienced skiers, Wolli's Park, at the top of the Sunnegga Funicular, offers gentler terrain with the same stunning views. The south face of the Matterhorn is in Italy, and experienced skiers can ski both countries in one day, skiing over Theodul Pass and descending the Italian trail system.
Zermatt, Switzerland can be reached by train or private car. The nearest airport is Zurich.
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Val d'Isere, France
Val-d'Isère is a commune in eastern France, located in the Savoie department, in the Rhône-Alpes region. It is an important mountain resort, which together with the neighboring commune of Tignes forms an important ski area with 131 slopes with a total length of 300 km.
Sharing a valley surrounded by peaks over 3.000 meters, Val d'Isère and Tignes offer 300 kilometers of slopes served by over 150 ski lifts. It includes the vast Espace Killy, named after Olympic gold medalist Jean-Claude Killy, a native of Val d'Isère.
The lowest elevation of the range is 1.550 meters and the highest is 3.450 meters, which helps keep the season open until May. You can usually ski on the Pisaillas glacier in June or July. The town itself is attractive, car-free and known for its good restaurants.
The nearest airports are Annecy and Chambery, 136 kilometers and 140 km respectively. About 180 kilometers away is Geneva.
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Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
High in the Italian Dolomites, the five ragged peaks of the Cinque Torri give Cortina D'Ampezzo a beautiful frame, as well as a superb ski area. After the 1956 Winter Olympics were held here, Cortina became the favorite resort of winter sports enthusiasts. Although it now has a much wider clientele, it still has the chic shops and elegant entertainment venues.
Cortina is far from alone in the Dolomites, where many resorts share one Dolomiti Superski Pass which provides access to the lifts and trails to all. This includes smaller, more intimate resorts such as Val Gardena, one of several ski towns in the adjacent valleys between the peaks known as the Gruppo del Sella.
Cable cars and ski lifts connect almost 400 kilometers of interconnected ski slopes,. The whole area was named UNESCO World Heritage.
Cortina d'Ampezzo can be reached by train or private car. The nearest airport is Treviso - Venice.
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