Industry News
Welcome back to this year’s list of snowiest ski resorts in Europe. After last year’s success, SnowBrains is bringing back last year’s popular list of the seven snowiest ski resorts in the Alps.
After some serious snowfall leading into the Christmas holidays, the European Alps have not seen any significant snowfall over the festive period. There is, however, a storm brewing, promising to bring fresh snow from today, Thursday, January 2.
Here are the top 7 for week 1 of the 2024-25 season. Please note that snow depths are self reported by the resort and cannot be independently verified (although we have attempted to provide some caveats). Only resorts with snow-depth updates in the last 12 hours have been included.
#7 Lauchernalp/Lötschental, Switzerland
Lauchernalp/Lötschental in the Swiss canton Valais is a medium-sized resort near the Aletsch Glacier with 41 km (26 miles) of groomed runs. There is no road access to the village in winter, it is only reachable by tram way.
- Snowdepth at peak: 181 cm (71 inches)
- Runs open: 38/41km (24/26 miles)
- Lifts operating: 7/7
#6 Saas-Fee, Switzerland
In sixth place we have Switzerland’s Saas-Fee. The small sister to Zermatt is also a picturesque, car-free resort just across the valley. Fun fact: 40 years ago, Wham! filmed their hit song “Last Christmas” at Saas-Fee.
- Snowdepth at peak: 183 cm (72 inches)
- Runs open: 103/140km (64/88 miles)
- Lifts operating: 33/39
#5 Melchsee-Frutt, Switzerland — 190 cm
The Swiss ski resort Melchsee-Frutt is located 1.5 hours south of Zurich, just a mountain range across from Engelberg. The idyllic, family-friendly resort village is located at 1,920 meters (6,230 feet) elevation. The Melchsee-Frutt village can only be reached by tramway during the winter months. The summer access road is transformed into one of Switzerland’s longest sled-runs during the winter months.
- Snowdepth at peak: 190 cm (83 inches)
- Runs open: 30/36 km (19/23 miles)
- Lifts operating: 11/11
#4 Val Thorens/Les 3 Vallées
The world’s largest ski area, Les 3 Vallées, is reporting 210 cm at its most famous ski resort, Val Thorens. Val Thoresn is located in the Tarentaise Valley at an altitude of 2,300 meters (7,546 feet), making it the highest ski resort in Europe. The combined ski area offers a total of 600 km (373 miles) of groomed ski runs serviced by a total of 162 lifts. I would take the snowdepth with a grain of salt as Val Thorens has supposedly not lost any snowdepth during the very sunny holiday period.
- Snowdepth at peak: 210 cm (83 inches)
- Runs open: 75/86
- Lifts operating: 21/30
#3 Les Arcs Aiguille Rouge/Paradiski, France
Les Arcs, France, is connected with La Plagne and Peisy Vallandry and together forms the Paradiski ski area, the second largest interconnected ski area in the world. The ski area boasts 265 miles (425km) of groomed runs serviced by 53 lifts and cable cars, including a two-level cable car that fits 200 people. The highest snowdepth can typicaly be found at Aiguille Rouge and according to the website is currently at 220 cm, however, this is unchanged from last week and while every other resort lost 15-45 cm of snow during the sunny holiday period, Les Arcs has not changed its snowdepth, so I have some scepticism about the accuracy of the resort’s stated snowdepth.
- Snowdepth at peak: 220 cm (87 inches)
- Runs open: 107/121
- Lifts operating: 50/53
#2 Avoriaz/Portes du Soleil, France
The picturesque village of Avoriaz in France comes in at number 2 this week. The resort of Avoriaz gives access to the Porte de Soleil ski area which covers 600 km of slopes to across France and Switzerland. Avoriaz itself has 51 slopes services by 35 ski lifts.
- Snowdepth at peak: 225 cm cm (89 inches)
- Runs open: 49/51
- Lifts operating: 32/35
#1 Le Grand Massif, France
Le Grand Massif in France is located in the Haute-Savoie region and is one of France’s largest interconnected ski areas. The resort faces the famous Mont Blanc and boasts 151 ski runs for beginners and experts alike, serviced by 64 modern ski lifts. Le Grand Massif’s snowdepth has compacted 30 cm (12 inches) since the snowstorm week, so conditions are firm but good.
- Snowdepth at peak: 240 cm (94 inches)
- Runs open: 106/151
- Lifts operating: 55/64
