We would argue the countdown to a ski holiday is far more exciting than Christmas, but what happens when you arrive at the slopes and there’s no snow?
There’s perhaps no other sport or pastime that draws attention to the world’s changing climate as much as skiing and snowboarding do, with resorts across the world, but especially in Europe, closing down their lifts and giving up the ghost as temperatures rise. With the pile of financial (and emotional) investment that comes with booking a ski holiday, you want to be sure when you arrive, there's a thick dusting of powder waiting for you to carve it up.
The best solution? Get elevated. The premise is simple: with increased altitude comes lower temperatures and fewer rain events, preserving snow. Plus, skiing at these dizzying heights locks in some pretty gnarly views, too.
From the lofty peaks of Val Thorens to the bone-chilling Hintertux Glacier, here are nine of the highest European ski resorts to book this winter that guarantee snow. Plus, our pick of the best hotels to kip in while you’re there.
Highest European ski resorts
Hintertux
Austria
If the chance to ski or snowboard 365 days a year gets your bindings flipping, then head to the Hintertux Glacier in Austria. Located in the Alps, Hintertux Glacier stays cool year-round because of its bone-8chilling 10,000 foot elevation and is a favourite among national ski teams and professional boards. Besides the slopes, including the highest World Cup half-pipe in Europe, Hintertux offers bucket-list views of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany, and the opportunity to chill out in Nature’s Ice Palace – a glacial crevasse filled with ice stalactites, crystallised ice formations, frozen waterfalls, and a glacial lake.
Where to stay
Hotel Alpin Spa Tuxerhof - rooms from £372 per night
Val Thorens
France
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With its tallest peak towering at 10,500 feet, making it Europe’s highest ski resort, you don’t get more snow-sure than a Val Thorens ski trip. Purpose-built in the 1970s in an avalanche-prone mountain bowl, this resort was seemingly a risky venture, but in the era of climate change, it is a gamble that has paid off. The resort has 87 miles of local pistes linked to the mammoth Three Valleys ski area, with plenty of high-altitude skiing nearby above Orelle, up the immense Pointe de la Masse and on the higher slopes of Méribel-Mottaret. With a historically younger clientele, the resort is certainly more après than napres and is the perfect place for some slopeside debauchery after spending a day on the powder.
Where to stay
Fahrenheit Seven - rooms from £156 per night
Cervinia
Italy
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When the space-age Alpina X cable car opened this summer, accessing the lofty heights of Italy’s most snow-sure slopes became even easier. Prior to its opening, the 11,319-foot Theodul Glacier was reachable only by T-bar. Now, beginners can try their luck on runs frequented by national ski teams, and access to the world’s longest piste run is a doddle. Around here, the looming Matterhorn is known as the Monte Cervino – note the only way locals distance themselves from their alpine neighbours. You’ll find hotels favour sharp lines over Heidi-esque adornments, and evening meals promise a taste of la dolce vita. Case in point? Try Le Vieux Grenier’s ravioli.
Where to stay
Bergman Hotel - rooms from £259 per night
Tignes
France
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Someone once told us that if there’s no snow in Tignes, we’re all in trouble. Heard. Even in bad years, the eye-watering 11,338-foot glacial heights of La Grande Motte keep punters happy from September through to May, but poor conditions are equally rare on the breezy Lognan run, the Les Boisses dash-down slopes, and in the powder fields below the Col de Ves’ lift. Let’s hope it stays that way. Beginners, be warned – there’s big mileage and big heights at play on the slopes. For those with the mettle to head off-map, tasty off-piste adventures await, too.
Where to stay
Le Taos - rooms from £3,356
Obergurgl
Austria
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There’s no getting away from the oompah bands and lederhosen sightings in Obergurgl and its neighbouring Tirol town, Hochgurgl – this high in the Alps, sausage, sauerkraut and Steffner-dressed skiers are the norm. That, coupled with a ski-in ski-out offering, solid snow conditions and a resort-wide kid-friendly attitude, makes the high-flying resort a firm favourite for European ski families, despite the (somewhat) limited piste selection. Just don’t read compact as easy: Gurgl’s 6,332-foot-plus elevation delivers an impressive off-piste provision, with peak-top gullies and steep gradients for experienced skiers.
Where to stay
Hotel Riml - rooms from £268 per night
Ischgl
Austria
Left pre-ski prep too late? Take your board to the all-action Austrian eyrie of Ischgl. Snow stays put in this 4,593-foot Austrian Tyrol resort from November to May. A word of warning, though: the après scene is loud, lairy and legendary (and, apparently, loved by Katy Perry). That, coupled with resort-wide festivals, a north-facing aspect that favours late risers, and 148 miles of piste catering to all abilities, makes it a mecca for hard-partying powder hounds. However, a growing off-piste scene is challenging those Jägermeister stereotypes, hitting up impressive, untouched terrain only a ski pole’s length away from the lifts.
Where to stay
Hotel Madlein - rooms from £147 per night
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Italy
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Interested in sharing a gondola with Mr. Clooney? You may be in luck. Like many other discerning skiers looking for a snow-sure spot with great pistes and a low-key vibe, Cortina d’Ampezzo is a regular spot for George. Sculpted into the valley of the Boite River and encircled by the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, Cortina d’Ampezzo has a rich sporting heritage, playing host to the Winter Olympics in 1956, which will return in 2026. Alongside challenging blacks, off-piste opportunities, and of course, some Olympic ski runs, there are plenty of beginner-friendly pistes in the 120 km of marked slopes to sink your poles into. Plus, Cortina is just a two-hour drive from Venice – so you can end your holiday in a gondola of an entirely different kind.
Where to stay
Hotel de Len – rooms from £215 per night
Avoriaz
France
Avoriaz, France
5,905 feet high in the Haute-Savoie region, with slopes reaching a sky-tickling 8,090 feet, this all-skiable 1960s town was the utopian dream of French Olympian Jean Vuarnet. His ambition? To preserve the area’s pristine beauty – an early example of sustainable ski culture. Today, biofuel-run groomers tend the corduroy, cars are banned and the distinctive, angular peaks of the town’s wooden buildings are purpose-built to retain heat. Not that concerns over limited white stuff is an issue. Avoriaz has the most snowfall of any French ski region, pushing a whopping 26 feet per season.
Where to stay
Hotel des Dromonts - rooms from £183 per night
St. Moritz
Switzerland
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If you want guaranteed immunity from snowless peaks with a hefty side of glitz and glam, then St. Moritz is your girl. Blessed with all the assets, she towers at 6,000 feet above sea level, flaunts 322 days of sunshine per year and is home to a throng of world-class hotels and restaurants. As the world’s oldest winter holiday resort, it doesn’t get more classic than a ski holiday here – and don’t just take our word for it; it’s a magnet for celebs and royalty alike. Cruise down runs on the Corviglia mountain, revel in the beautiful light of the high Engadin valley, and don’t forget to stop off at the Paradiso Mountain Club for bubbles – this might very well be your celebrity moment.
Where to stay
Krone Säumerei am Inn – rooms from £225 per night
