Many winter sports enthusiasts are drawn to the snow over the holidays to experience a white Christmas. But where is the best place to go? To answer this question, SnowTrex has now selected some of the ski resorts and their associated holiday resorts in the Alps that are considered particularly snow-sure over Christmas.
Overview of popular ski resorts over Christmas
Sölden ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 3,340 m
Kilometres of slopes: 144
The Ötztal valley with the ski resort of Sölden is always worth a visit for a snowy end to the year. With an average of up to 180 cm of snow at the mountain stations, the Sölden ski area is not only a well-known après-ski snow area with glacier slopes, but also a magnificent winter landscape with fantastic powder snow. Those who prefer a quieter atmosphere can retreat to the villages of Längenfeld and Umhausen, which are also well connected to the 144 kilometres of slopes.
Located at the end of the Ötztal valley, Sölden exudes a very special charm, especially during the Christmas season and in the evening hours.
Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel ski resort – Kaprun (Austria)
Highest point: 3,029 m
Kilometres of slopes: 61
Fusch, with its Fürstenquellen springs, is one of the most famous health resorts in the Salzburg region. If you want to spend a peaceful skiing holiday at Christmas, this is the place for you, along with the villages of Bruck and Kaprun, which are also connected to the Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel – Kaprun ski resort, as the ski resort with its 61 kilometres of slopes is particularly snow-sure.
Skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn – a real treat.
Großglockner-Heiligenblut ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,989 m
Kilometres of slopes: 55
The beautiful village of Heiligenblut is located at the foot of Austria’s highest mountain, the Großglockner. Rising 3,798 metres into the sky, the mountain provides an impressive backdrop for a fantastic skiing holiday at Christmas. The Großglockner-Heiligenblut ski resort, in turn, reaches up to 2,902 m, making it extremely snow-sure. A white Christmas is almost guaranteed here on 55 kilometres of slopes, which are also easily accessible from the villages of Döllach, Mörtschach and Winklern!
Davos Klosters Mountains ski resort (Switzerland)
Highest point: 2,844 m
Kilometres of slopes: 211
SnowTrex has lots of tips for ski resorts in Switzerland. But when it comes to guaranteed snow and slopes for the whole family, the Davos Klosters Mountains ski resort is at the top of our list of recommendations. With over 210 kilometres of slopes, the region offers everything a winter sports enthusiast could wish for, including a wide range of fun sports and leisure activities. Davos itself has an eventful history, charming little Christmas markets and, with the ‘Songbird Festival’, a musical highlight during Advent. A worthwhile destination for the festive season, just like neighbouring Klosters!
View over beautiful Davos.
Arlberg Ski Resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,811 m
Kilometres of slopes: 302
The Arlberg is arguably one of Austria’s most famous snow spots. After all, at peak times in winter there can be up to 150 cm of snow on the mountain, so it’s no wonder that it is one of the top freeride areas in the Alpine republic. 302 kilometres of slopes are continuously skiable in the Arlberg ski resort between the villages of St. Anton and Flirsch. St. Anton is the heart of the ski region on the Tyrolean side. Here, sophisticated holiday flair meets sporting diversity. A holiday resort with guaranteed snow for everyone.
Livigno ski resort (Italy)
Highest point: 2,798 m
Kilometres of slopes: 115
Its snow-sure location at an altitude of 1,816 m makes Livigno the ideal destination for a successful skiing holiday, even in December. Known as a duty-free shopping paradise, the ski resort is located on the sunny side of the Lombardy Alps and offers wonderfully wide slopes on both sides of the valley. The Livigno ski area comprises a total of 115 kilometres of slopes. After a long day of skiing, winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy la dolce vita in the evening in the cosy cafés, bars or wine bars of the village.
Galibier Thabor Ski Resort (France)
Highest point: 2,750 m
Kilometres of slopes: 160
The family-friendly Valmeinier is located between the Ecrins and Vanoise national parks. The municipality consists of the picturesque mountain village of Valmeinier 1500 with its traditional stone houses and the modern ski resort of Valmeinier 1800. The Galibier Thabor ski resort, which stretches between Valmeinier and Valloire, offers 160 kilometres of slopes. With snow depths of around 100 cm during the season, Valmeinier is a snow-sure destination for the holidays, where winter sports enthusiasts can spend a cosy Christmas in rustic bars and restaurants.
Valmeinier is an extremely popular ski destination for winter sports enthusiasts from all over Europe, especially during the Christmas season.
Gastein Ski Resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,686 m
Kilometres of slopes: 177
The Gastein Valley, with its ski resorts of Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein and the main town of Bad Gastein, is a very popular destination throughout the winter. With average snow depths of over one metre, you can expect abundant snow here even over the Christmas holidays. The Gastein ski resort comprises a total of 177 kilometres of slopes for everyone, accessed by 43 lifts. The quality of the Gastein ski region is underlined by the fact that it has also been awarded our SnowTrex Award.
Les Sybelles ski resort (France)
Highest point: 2,620 m
Kilometres of slopes: 310
In Saint Sorlin, skiers can celebrate Christmas in a charming French mountain village. The village is characterised by traditional wooden houses and the village street is lined with small boutiques, cosy restaurants and bars. Saint Sorlin is also known for its cheese dairies. In the evening, winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy a traditional raclette or cheese fondue here. But as small as the village is, the range of slopes on offer is huge: like La Toussuire, Le Corbier, St. Colomban des Villards and St. Jean d’Arves, Saint Sorlin is directly connected to the huge Les Sybelles ski area with its incredible 310 kilometres of slopes.
SuperDévoluy & La Joue du Loup ski area (France)
Highest point: 2,500 m
Kilometres of slopes: 100
SuperDévoluy in the French Maritime Alps is an ideal family destination for the holidays. The SuperDévoluy & La Joue du Loup ski area offers an impressive 100 kilometres of slopes, and the lifts are conveniently close by. The slightly smaller La Joue du Loup, on the other hand, is a top destination for a romantic skiing holiday at Christmas. In this small village, you can enjoy the peace and quiet and explore the surrounding area on a snowshoe hike or a horse-drawn sleigh ride.
Silvretta Montafon ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,430 m
Kilometres of slopes: 113
The Montafon Alpine valley in Vorarlberg, Austria, stretches over 39 km and impresses winter holidaymakers above all with its small, traditional villages, which are ideal for a skiing holiday at Christmas. Gaschurn is one of these villages and offers beautiful natural surroundings at 979 m above sea level. The village lies at the foot of the Silvretta Montafon ski resort and, with its 113 kilometres of slopes, offers the ideal introduction to Christmas skiing fun. Other villages in the area include Feldkirch, Silbertal and St. Gallenkirch.
In the Gashurn ski resort, winter sports enthusiasts can also stop off at many beautiful mountain huts during the Christmas season.
Hochzillertal-Hochfügen-Spieljoch ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,378 m
Kilometres of slopes: 102
In the heart of the Zillertal valley, Fügen with its historic churches and chapels offers a particularly beautiful backdrop for a Christmas holiday. When everything here is covered in deep snow, a cosy Christmas atmosphere arises. It is no coincidence that the Christmas carol ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’ comes from Fügen. In addition to relatively high snow reliability, the Zillertal also scores with a large selection of slopes in several ski resorts and the Hintertux Glacier.
Of the total 530 kilometres of slopes that can be accessed with the ‘Zillertal Super Ski Pass’, 102 kilometres of downhill runs are already located in the Hochzillertal-Hochfügen-Spieljoch ski area. Ski holidays in the eight resorts of Aschau, Bruck am Ziller, Hochfügen, Kaltenbach, Münster, Schlitters, Strass and Uderns, which are directly connected to the ski area alongside Fügen, is rounded off by a wide range of leisure activities away from the slopes. In addition to toboggan runs, these include the Zillertal adventure spa, while free ski buses and the Zillertalbahn railway also connect all the ski areas in the valley.
Obertauern Ski Resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,313 m
Kilometres of slopes: 100
Obertauern also offers wonderful snow conditions at Christmas. The popular ski resort is located at an altitude of 1,600 m, right in the middle of the regular snowfall of the Radstädter Tauern mountains. During the season, the Obertauern ski resort has an average snow depth of 168 cm across its 100 kilometres of slopes and is considered one of the most snow-sure ski resorts in the Salzburg region. Slope safaris such as the ‘Tauernrunde’ and the ‘Super Seven’ or challenges such as the extremely steep ‘Gamsleiten 2’ slope make for an even more interesting day of skiing. Obertauern also rightly boasts a lively après-ski scene and its status as a family-friendly holiday resort. This makes the resort an absolute top tip for the holidays!
Chamrousse ski resort (France)
Highest point: 2,250 m
Kilometres of slopes: 90
With 90 kilometres of slopes up to an altitude of 2,250 m, Chamrousse is one of our most popular ski destinations in France and a snow-sure alternative in the French Belledonne. The Chamrousse ski resort above Grenoble offers a magnificent view of the city, and the large apartment complex right next to the lift entrance makes the start of the skiing day particularly comfortable. The short distances and cosy huts in the ski resort add to the Christmas atmosphere.
Ski slope in Chamrousse.
Wildkogel Arena ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 2,150 m
Kilometres of slopes: 75
Among the insider tips for Christmas destinations are quiet, romantic places such as the tranquil Wald im Pinzgau. The ski village in the Hohe Tauern National Park offers romantic leisure activities with the Kristallbad spa, including a wellness area and excursion destinations such as the Krimmer waterfalls. The particularly attractive Wildkogel Arena ski resort, with its 75 kilometres of slopes, can be easily reached from Wald by ski bus. Winter sports enthusiasts can also easily reach the surrounding ski resorts from Neukirchen am Großvenediger.
Damüls-Mellau ski area (Austria)
Highest point: 2,050 m
Kilometres of slopes: 69
The Damüls-Mellau ski area is definitely an insider tip when it comes to guaranteed snow. The ski resort of Damüls is located at 1,431 m and is considered the snowiest place in Austria. In some winters, snow depths of up to 9 metres have been measured here. Many slopes near the neighbouring municipality of Mellau are set in a landscape straight out of a winter fairy tale. With 69 kilometres of slopes, the ski resort is just the right size for varied skiing fun over the holidays.
SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental ski resort (Austria)
Highest point: 1,869 m
Kilometres of slopes: 270
Christmas on a sunny plateau in the middle of a snow-covered winter wonderland – this is exactly what you can experience in the cosy Tyrolean village of Brixen im Thale. From here and 15 other locations – Bad Häring, Ebbs, Ellmau, Erl, Going, Hopfgarten, Itter, Kelchsau, Kirchbichl, Kufstein, Niederndorf, Scheffau, Söll, Westendorf and Wörgl – winter sports enthusiasts can reach the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental ski area with a total of 270 kilometres of slopes. A guarantee for a relaxing and sporty Christmas!
What a view of the lifts and the surrounding area in the Wilder Kaiser-Brixental ski resort!
Berchtesgaden Region Ski Resort (Germany)
Highest point: 1,800 m
Kilometres of slopes: 44
The Berchtesgaden Region Ski Resort comprises six smaller ski resorts spread across the picturesque winter landscape of the Alpine foothills, offering a total of 44 kilometres of slopes. The most challenging ski resort is Jenner. However, it is not only the large ski resort that offers great skiing fun; the family mountains Götschen, Hochschwarzeck, Rossfeld and Obersalzberg also offer pure skiing pleasure with up to 50 cm of snow during the season. Those who want to combine their holiday with a good dose of winter sports will find themselves in good hands in Bad Reichenhall, Berchtesgaden, Ramsau and Schönau am Königssee, set against the famous picture-postcard panorama of Watzmann and Königssee.
Postcard motif in the Berchtesgadener Land region with the Watzmann mountain in the background.
New Year’s Eve is also an excellent time for skiing. SnowTrex has tips for a skiing holiday over New Year’s Eve.
FAQs about skiing at Christmas
Which ski resorts offer guaranteed snow over Christmas?
Spending Christmas with the family in the mountains is very popular. Accordingly, the high season in the Alpine ski resorts also begins before the holidays. The slopes in Austria are particularly snow-sure in the ski resorts of Arlberg, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental, Gastein, Sölden, Silvretta Montafon, Hochzillertal-Hochfügen-Spieljoch, Obertauern, Wildkogel-Arena, Damüls-Mellau, Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel – Kaprun and Großglockner-Heiligenblut are particularly reliable for snow. French ski resorts such as Les Sybelles, Galibier Thabor, SuperDévoluy & La Joue du Loup and Chamrousse are also very popular at Christmas. Other alternatives include the ski resorts in the Berchtesgaden region in Germany, Livigno in Italy and Davos Klosters Mountains in Switzerland.
What should you bear in mind when booking accommodation in a ski resort over Christmas?
Almost all countries have school holidays over the Christmas period, so accommodation in ski resorts is in high demand at the start of the peak season. Winter sports enthusiasts should therefore book a holiday apartment or hotel as early as possible. When choosing accommodation, it is also important to ensure that it is suitable in terms of facilities and size for the travel group, is in the desired location in the ski resort and is also easily accessible. All this can of course be found at SnowTrex, the largest provider of winter sports holidays in Germany. On our website, winter sports enthusiasts can book not only their accommodation but also their ski passes for the Christmas holidays, relying on the reviews of thousands of satisfied customers.
What equipment is recommended for skiing at Christmas?
Classic piste equipment is also recommended for skiing at Christmas. This naturally includes ski clothing, consisting of thermal underwear, an insulated ski jacket, ski trousers and ski gloves. Protective equipment for the slopes includes high-quality ski goggles, which should fit the shape of your ski helmet, and a back protector for all winter sports enthusiasts who want to be on the safe side. The ‘hardware’ for the slopes does not necessarily have to be purchased, but can also be rented at the ski resort. This includes comfortable, well-fitting ski boots and, of course, skis or a snowboard, which should be adapted to the individual’s ability in terms of size and riding characteristics.
