Highest Ski Resorts in Europe: Best Places to Ski in Europe

Discover the best snow in Europe with the highest ski resorts. From the French Alps to Austria and Italy, discover the best ski resorts for all levels.
Highest Ski Resorts in Europe: Best Places to Ski in Europe

Immaculate white blankets of snow, theatrical craggy skylines and thrilling slopes. Discover the highest ski resorts in Europe for an unforgettable escape. Whether you spend your days carving through the fresh powder on the dizzying black runs or making the most of the gentler slopes at the best beginner and intermediate ski resorts, your tailor-made adventure awaits! 

The Highest Ski Resorts in France

Discover high altitudes in Val d'Isère-Tignes 

  • Station altitude: 1, 500 m 
  • Peak altitude: 3, 656 m 
  • Skiing domaine: collectively 300 km 
  • Nearby international airport: Geneva Airport
  • Nearby train station: Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice
  • Skiing season: December to early March 

 

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As one of the highest ski resorts in France, Val d’Isère and Tignes collective make up the renowned Espace Killy. With collectively 300 km of runs, there’s no need to worry about finding fresh powder in one of the highest ski resorts in Europe! In particular, the Grande Motte glacier offers the unbeatable combination of impeccable snow conditions and breathtaking views on your descent. 

Why we love it: With the largest artificial snow making plant in Europe and phenomenal skiing conditions, at one of the best luxury ski resorts in France, adventure is guaranteed at one of ski-in ski-out chalets in Val d'Isère

Yet this land of pine-valleys, lakes and icy cascades is not the preserve of the bravehearted alone! As well as the resort’s 12 black runs and off-piste areas, it also has some of the best beginner slopes among France’s high-altitude resorts such as the Magnard run. With its plethora of non-skiing activities, in fact, Val d’Isère is one of the best ski resorts for non-skiers

Consult our guide to Val d'Isère to discover everything you need to know about this emblematic resort

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Find immaculate slopes in Courchevel 1850 

  • Station altitude: 1, 850 m 
  • Peak altitude: 2,738 m
  • Skiing domaine: 600 km for the whole Courchevel resort
  • Nearby international airport: Geneva Airport
  • Nearby train station: Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice
  • Skiing season: December to April  

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Snow enthusiasts flock annually for Courchevel for its reliable snow as one of the highest altitude ski resorts in Europe. Courchevel 1850 is the highest of the four villages in Courchevel and the perfect backdrop for your adventures in the French Alps.

Thanks to its high altitude, its sloping mountain face is like a magnet for adrenaline seekers who enjoy slaloming through the awe-inspiring landscape at one of the highest altitude ski resorts in Europe.

Why we love it: For sporty families it's one of the best places for your family ski holidays in France. Your little ones can practise their first snow ploughs on the nursery slopes. Meanwhile the more experienced teenagers can make the most of the intermediate slopes, even perhaps daring to go off-piste on the Naturides, an ungroomed but still patrolled area.

Then gather the whole family together in one of our luxury family-friendly chalets in Courchevel, sipping on hot chocolates where the mountains of whipped cream on top mirrors the high altitude landscape

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Explore staggering heights in Chamonix 

  • Station altitude: 1, 035 m 
  • Peak altitude: 3, 842 m 
  • Skiing domaine: 120 km 
  • Nearby international airport: Geneva Airport
  • Nearby train station: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
  • Skiing season: Mid-December - April (although you might need to head further up the mountain later in the season for snow) 

 

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Wondering where to best enjoy the snow? Follow in the footsteps of pioneers and explorers who have long flocked to Chamonix for its majestic alpine peaks and fairytale villages. This capital of alpinism in the French Alps is one of the best ski resorts for those in search of high altitudes.

Why we love it: Although the resort itself sits at a moderate 1, 035 m, if you take the Aiguille du Midi cable car you will find yourself at an altitude of 3, 842 m. From there, show off your skiing prowess on the adrenaline-racing slopes, passing by pine-forests that become flashes of emerald green.

Yet it also it also caters for beginners and intermediates who don't want to be left out of the fun! Let us spill all the secrets to the best slopes, activities and spots in our dedicated guide to Chamonix

At the end of the day, novices and veterans alike like can gather at one of Chamonix's best restaurants to replenish energy stores before heading back to your luxury Chamonix chalet right on the slopes

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The Highest Ski Resorts in Switzerland

Ascend to high altitudes in Zermatt 

  • Station altitude: 1, 620 m 
  • Peak altitude: 3, 885 m 
  • Skiing domaine: 360 km 
  • Nearby international airport: Zurich Airport or Geneva Airport 
  • Nearby train station: Zermatt GGB railway station
  • Skiing season: Zermatt promises skiing all-year round yet many ski lifts are only running from December to late April 

 

 

Zermatt is one of the most luxurious ski resorts in Europe, with dizzying high-altitudes and alpine villages that look straight off the page of a fairytale. Completely car-free since the 1960s, let this enchanting Swiss Alps resort transport you to another world where the windows of log chalets glow against the velvet night sky and horse-drawn carriages trot past. 

Why we love it: With its gothic sharp peaks and altitudes that reach 3,887 m, the Matterhorn is an emblem of timeless charm as one of the highest ski resorts in the Alps. Despite its aversion to cars, it wholeheartedly embraces technology when it comes to skiing, making this one of the best luxury ski resorts for advanced skiers and families heading to the Swiss Alps. Letting you access the resort’s 360 km of runs, the state-of-the-art lifts are worth the ride for the views just as much as for the adrenaline-racing descents

Choose this luxury ski resort in Switzerland and stay in one of our Zermatt luxury rentals on the slopes

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The Highest Ski rESORTS IN iTALY

Ski down pristine slopes in Cervinia 

  • Station altitude: 2, 050m 
  • Peak altitude: 3, 883m 
  • Skiing domaine: 150 km 
  • Nearby international airport: Turin Airport or Milan Malpensa. Geneva also welcomes many international skiers but connections are more complex. 
  • Nearby train station: Châtillon/Saint-Vincent
  • Skiing season: October to May, with summer skiing taking place from late June to early September.

 

 

Connected to Zermatt, Cervinia is not just the highest ski resort in the Italian Alps but part of Europe’s highest ski resort. The resort lies at an altitude of 2,050 m yet those seeking vertigo-inducing altitudes can reach up to 3,883 m. At such high altitudes, even the summer season doesn’t bring an end to the snow fun, with the Plateau Rosa glacier open even during these warmer months

Why we love it: Spend your days carving through fresh powder on Matterhorn’s snow-sure slopes, where the sound of laughter and crunching snow mixes in the frosty air. If you’re after long slopes where a river of white seems to run with no end in sight, then explore the ‘Ventina’ for 20km of adventure at one of the best luxury ski resorts in Italy

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The Highest ski resorts in austria 

Embrace high-altitude luxury in Lech 

  • Station altitude: 1, 450 m 
  • Peak altitude: 2, 811 m 
  • Skiing domaine: 300 km
  • Nearby international airport: Innsbruck Airport and Zurich Airport 
  • Nearby train station: St Anton am Arlberg or Langen am Arlberg
  • Skiing season: December to March 

 

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An integral part of the Arlberg ski domain, one of the best ski resorts in Austria, Lech offers unparalleled skiing conditions in the majestic Austrian Alps. It creates its own brand of opulent charm, staying true to its Alpine heritage while earning its reputation as one of the best luxury ski resorts in Europe

Why we love it: The top choice for nobility and the jet-set, Lech is one of the best luxury ski resorts in Austria. The terrain is best-suited to intermediates, mainly consisting of blue and red runs. Yet, thrill-seekers can also find black runs and off-piste areas peppered throughout the resort. After a day exploring the glistening slopes, walk through the old-world village past the quaint snow-dusted log chalets in one of the highest Alps ski resorts. 

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Discover some of the best luxury ski resorts in Europe for a high-altitude escape in some of Europe’s tallest mountains. Glide down the glistening powder paths, past the snow-dusted pine forests and head home one of our chocolate-box luxury chalets in the Alps. 

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Where is the best place to go skiing as a family for snow?

Val d'Isère and Tignes are some of the best places luxury family ski resorts in Europe at high-altitudes. Draped in a while blanket, the slopes vary in difficulty, with enough nursery slopes and black-runs to satisfy toddlers and teens alike! 

Whether you are searching for a tranquil retreat or want to celebrate the festive season with the whole family, let us find the perfect luxury chalet for you. 

What is the highest ski resort in France?

Sitting at 2, 300 metres, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in France and makes up the Three Valleys ski area alongside Courchevel and Méribel

In Tignes, although the resort sits lower, its highest altitude reaches a dizzying 3, 656 metres. Connected to Val d'Isère, make the most of its 300 km of slopes and impeccable snow conditions.  

What are the highest ski resorts in Europe?

After Val Thorens, Europe's highest ski resort, Tignes and Val d'Isère are top contenders for the tittle of highest ski resorts in Europe, sitting at 1, 500 m but reaching up to 3, 400 m altitudes

Zermatt is not just one of the highest ski resorts in Switzerland but is one of the highest ski resorts in Europe, with the Matterhorn's craggy summits reaching altitudes of 3, 883 m

In one of our luxury chalets, wake up to the sight of the sun cresting over the gothic mountain peaks and don your skis to explore the snow-clad slopes.  With impeccable conditions throughout the season, let the ski lifts take you high up towards your next adventure

 

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Best places to ski at Christmas: celebrating on the slopes

From Chamonix to Courchevel, follow us to discover the best ski resorts at Christmas. Uncover our selection of the best places to ski for a white Christmas.

New Year Family Ski Holidays: Celebrate the New Year on the Slopes

Start the year in style with your New Year family ski holiday: discover our best tips to make your New Year's Eve on the slopes unforgettable