The best of the early-season Alpine skiing

If, like us, you love skiing, the season can’t roll around again soon enough. You can’t speed it up, and you can’t guarantee snow, but you can head out to some of the best early-season resorts in the Alps to boost your chances of getting on the slopes early. So how can you boost your chances of seeing some snow before Christmas.

Visit Tignes and Val d’Isere

Usually opening around the last week in November, Val d’Isere is a firm favourite amongst the early skiing crowd. The area tends to open up as much as possible, as early as possible, unlike other resorts which can wait until the crowds arrive after Christmas to open all of the slopes. If the weather isn’t on your side, Val d’Isere also offers one of the largest man-made snow systems in the world.

Nearby, from early autumn, Tignes glacier is open and available for skiing - probably one of the earliest openings in the Alps. By skiing before Christmas, dedicated skiers can avoid the crowds and enjoy quieter slopes. With the Espace Killy area offering over 300km of pistes, you’re almost guaranteed some action.

Aim high

With early season snow in short supply over recent years, the safest bet when you’re choosing a resort is to look for one that’s at a high altitude. It’s not rocket science to work out that the higher a mountain is, the colder it is and the more snow it’s likely to have!

Colliding weather

One of the things that makes the Tignes and Val d’Isere area so great for early season skiing is the weather systems that it falls into. With snow coming from two directions - the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it’s got double the chance of getting decent snowfall - at any time of the year. Other resorts in a similar situation could also have a good chance of early snow.

Buy a ski chalet or apartment

If you own a ski chalet in an area like Val d’Isere or Tignes, you’re less tied to booking holidays in advance. Instead, you can check out the forecast, and book flights to your holiday home when snow looks likely! This flexibility will allow you to enjoy the early snow, without the risk of being stuck in a chilly, but not snowy, resort. If you’re interested in buying a chalet or an apartment in an early-season ski area, please get in touch to find out more from our expert team of advisors.