Best ski resorts in France Italy and switzerland

Well, there are several parameters that can help you decide.

First, what's your budget? €, €€ or €€€? Because if € it's possible to go to a French city with cool ski areas not far away, easily reachable by public transport. But if €€€ then you might as well take an AirBnB in the heart of a Swiss ski resort.

Then, broadly speaking, what program would you like to see the most of? For example, the resorts you mention in Switzerland and France are great in terms of big mountain but shitty for parks and the freestyle community in general. Do you want to go out at night? Meet people? In Courchevel and Zermatt, you're more likely to be wearing €5,000 worth of clothes, and the average customer of these places is pretty old.

If you’re trying to go cheap stay away from Switzerland and France. Austria is the way to go if you’re price sensitive, lots of sick resorts that are less known but have cool terrain.

I’ve skied loads in France (based in uk) especially in 3 valleys let me know some more specifics of what you’re looking for and I’ll happily answer

sauze d’oix and santa catarina are sick italian resorts with mega terrain but like 4 people on the mountain

I live in Italy and probably the best for park ski is Livigno, with Mottolino or Carosello.
Another good one is Madonna di Campiglio (Ursus snowpark).

Best park in Italy is Seiser Alm, by far imo.
@snowpark_seiseralm

My price range is medium to high (depending on whatever that means). I’m not interested in Austria, I ski a tiny bit of park( mostly just for fun, so I don’t care much if the resort has a park scene), and I don’t do backcountry.


and again, I will not have a vehicle or be planning on driving so I want somewhere that u can either walk to the lifts ( I don’t mind walking a mile) , or somewhere that has good public transport to lifts (like buses and what not) .

im used to skiing Whistler, if that means anything. So I like big resorts with lots of trail options

In that case go to the three valleys, either courchevel or meribel as if you like pistes it’s the largest piste area in the world. It’s huge and has every type of piste you could imagine, there’s a small park in courchevel 1850 a few little features here and there and a decent sized park in meribel. If posted runs are your thing just go there.

Rock_InhabitantIf you’re trying to go cheap stay away from Switzerland and France. Austria is the way to go if you’re price sensitive, lots of sick resorts that are less known but have cool terrain.

Such as…?
Trying to figure out if it’s worth getting a season pass or just hopping around everyone weekend for something new.

unlawfulcarnalMy price range is medium to high

im used to skiing Whistler, if that means anything. So I like big resorts with lots of trail options

Go back to reddit ya poser

Go to innsbruck. I know you dont wanna go to Austria but its probably the best. Innsbruck is surrounded by a lot of ski resorts. You can take the train to the Lifts and have the option between 13 ski resorts and a long season with hintertux or stubai beeing close. Its also not that expemsive I think.

I live in the French Alps, my recommandations are:
France : La Plagne/Les Arcs
Switzerland : Engelberg
Austria : Sankt Anton
Italy : Courmayeur/ Via Lattea
Also there is plenty of sick option to go in the Alps in général. Snowpark are generaly poor but for big mountains its awesome when the snow is here ! For now we have an awesome start of the season everywhere in the Alps!

Might not apply to this case in particular, but I think some of the best options for cheapish euro season are

-Innsbruck with a FreizeitTicket
-Imst with a Tyrol Regio Card
-Anywhere in Tyrol with a Snowcard.
-Grenoble or anywhere on the way to Oisans. Get a Uglisse card at Université Grenoble for lifttickets between 10 and 30 euro at Chamrousse (fun afternoon laps), 7Laux (great terrain and access to backcountry), 2 Alpes (bigger, nice park and long season, and Alpe d'Huez (big and nice terrain).

Both options do apply in the whole travelling without a vehicle thing, as most if not all skiresorts have a bus or train that gets you there from the city, which is also a nicer place to be if you're literally only skiing and staying in an airbnb. I think that can get quite boring, especially in France.

Looks like it’s either going to be verbose or Courchevel

Next trip I want to do is St Moritz area and then go into Italy for Bormio and Santa Caterina.

Snow looks great RN and more is on the way but they are complete cocksuckers about opening to the public until mid December apparently the gaper ass race teams have the lifts to themselves most days.


Chamonix sucked outside of the Grand Montets lift that burned down a few years ago and hasn't been rebuilt. Also on the Ikon. Don't go there.

unlawfulcarnalLooks like it’s either going to be verbose or Courchevel

Courchevel is part of the 3 Vallées, and all the resorts in this area are well worth a visit. In terms of village atmosphere, I'd recommend Val Thorens, which is more youthful and party-oriented, rather than Courchevel, which is very bourgeois.

You can also consider other major French ski areas such as Paradiski (Les Arcs and La Plagne), Tignes-Val d'Isère, Les portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Les Gets, Chatel, ...).

For equivalent accommodation, you'll pay much less in France than in Switzerland, and the same goes for the cost of living in general.

Even if there has been heavy snowfall recently in the Alps, I'd advise you to aim only for high-altitude resorts (which is the case for most of those mentioned). You never know what winter will be like, and the driest seasons we've known have started with a good month of November.

b0pp095I live in Italy and probably the best for park ski is Livigno, with Mottolino or Carosello.
Another good one is Madonna di Campiglio (Ursus snowpark).

JoergaBest park in Italy is Seiser Alm, by far imo.
@snowpark_seiseralm

@b0pp095 @Joerga I know very little about Italian ski resorts. I'm going back to France for good, after a few years in Colorado, with an Ikon Pass in my pocket.

It gives me access to several days in the Dolomiti Superski resorts. Would you recommend the park in some of them? Anything worth crossing the Alps for?

@Kundera Seiser alm is on the Dolomiti, but unfortunately i never been there, i know it's a very good park with also big Jump. I go mostly in Valtellina/Stelvio.

unlawfulcarnalI’m planning on renting an air bnb for 2-3 months starting in December in France Italy or Switzerland.

If any of y’all have any recommendations. I will not have a vehicle so I’m looking live somewhere that’s close to lifts or has easy public transport to lifts.

im thinking about verbier zermatt chamoix Cortina d'Ampezzo or Courchevel



jw if any of y’all got any recommendations !!

Val thorens cuz of the big parties and you have to try ski down after getting hammered

unlawfulcarnalI’m planning on renting an air bnb for 2-3 months starting in December in France Italy or Switzerland.

If any of y’all have any recommendations. I will not have a vehicle so I’m looking live somewhere that’s close to lifts or has easy public transport to lifts.

im thinking about verbier zermatt chamoix Cortina d'Ampezzo or Courchevel



jw if any of y’all got any recommendations !!

Well, if you're going for skiing around resort runs which is what you say below, then 3V is defo the biggest place you will find anywhere. It is on another level over everything else. Any of the resort towns are ski in ski out, particularly in the main peak season Dec-Mar. Courchevel is very expensive as is Meribel. Les Menuires is much more reasonable and is actually one of the best situated towns to stay in as it is somewhat centred in the whole area as is Meribel. Val Tho is a great place to be as it is the highest of them all, and for me has the best skiing around if you can tolerate sleeping at 2400m. Particular highlights are the Orelle Valley and the Plein Sud area inc Goitschel. You will not be disappointed in any of them I suspect. If you go Courchevel try for 1850 as you say budget is no problem, 1650 is miles out of the way, 1550 can be tricky for access options and can lose ski in ski out much earlier in the season. You can find longer term bookings for places either on the resort website booking pages for example, lesmenuires.com or valthorns.com, those two offer the most easy options for resort centre bookings and once booked there will be no issues with your booking. I also have used Interhome.co.uk for bookings for long stays, you can get an apartment through them and stays of 4 weeks and over can be arranged with a 20% discount sometimes, so worth a look.

That said, I've also done Verbier, Saas Fee, and Zermatt in Switzerland and all are good, but not the same quality IMO as 3V for resort skiing, the lift system and linkage between sectors is also on another level in 3V. Only real downside of 3V is it can be very busy in French school hols, but the same can be said of anywhere in that respect.

The whole tram set ups of Europe aren't conducive to crowds. They should really add more chairlifts at some of these places.

Chamonix sucks

I recommend Les Arcs (The bows) / Val d'Isère (Vald is there)

Rich_DI’ve skied loads in France (based in uk) especially in 3 valleys let me know some more specifics of what you’re looking for and I’ll happily answer

KunderaCourchevel is part of the 3 Vallées, and all the resorts in this area are well worth a visit. In terms of village atmosphere, I'd recommend Val Thorens, which is more youthful and party-oriented, rather than Courchevel, which is very bourgeois.

You can also consider other major French ski areas such as Paradiski (Les Arcs and La Plagne), Tignes-Val d'Isère, Les portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Les Gets, Chatel, ...).

For equivalent accommodation, you'll pay much less in France than in Switzerland, and the same goes for the cost of living in general.

Even if there has been heavy snowfall recently in the Alps, I'd advise you to aim only for high-altitude resorts (which is the case for most of those mentioned). You never know what winter will be like, and the driest seasons we've known have started with a good month of November.

Brother_truckerWell, if you're going for skiing around resort runs which is what you say below, then 3V is defo the biggest place you will find anywhere. It is on another level over everything else. Any of the resort towns are ski in ski out, particularly in the main peak season Dec-Mar. Courchevel is very expensive as is Meribel. Les Menuires is much more reasonable and is actually one of the best situated towns to stay in as it is somewhat centred in the whole area as is Meribel. Val Tho is a great place to be as it is the highest of them all, and for me has the best skiing around if you can tolerate sleeping at 2400m. Particular highlights are the Orelle Valley and the Plein Sud area inc Goitschel. You will not be disappointed in any of them I suspect. If you go Courchevel try for 1850 as you say budget is no problem, 1650 is miles out of the way, 1550 can be tricky for access options and can lose ski in ski out much earlier in the season. You can find longer term bookings for places either on the resort website booking pages for example, lesmenuires.com or valthorns.com, those two offer the most easy options for resort centre bookings and once booked there will be no issues with your booking. I also have used Interhome.co.uk for bookings for long stays, you can get an apartment through them and stays of 4 weeks and over can be arranged with a 20% discount sometimes, so worth a look.

That said, I've also done Verbier, Saas Fee, and Zermatt in Switzerland and all are good, but not the same quality IMO as 3V for resort skiing, the lift system and linkage between sectors is also on another level in 3V. Only real downside of 3V is it can be very busy in French school hols, but the same can be said of anywhere in that respect.

FrenchibreChamonix sucks

I recommend Les Arcs (The bows) / Val d'Isère (Vald is there)

Do y’all know any site other than Airbnb that I can find a place at Courchevel for 2-3 months?

Also how much should I be expecting to pay for a 1 bedroom condo or a studio for a month?

I rented an apartment in courchevel for the season before for 6500 notes uk. But that was in 2000s. Look for seasonal accommodation and you'll find a website or two. You may be able to make a part season booking there if you're lucky. I would think for the time you're going to be there in Feb you'll get no change out of at least 1500 euros a week at the least in 1850 i would think 1650 may be a little cheaper. January may be half that rate. Courchevel website may have some accommodation as well. But from memory their website is nowhere near as well setup for making bookings as the other 2 resorts I sent you in my previous message for 3v. Seriously have a look at val thorens and les menuires websites. They've got lots of options and it's a far better location among the valleys than courchevel anyway. Imo better restaurants skiing nightlife and value certainly in val tho, menuires maybe less so for everything other than it being right in the middle of the best of the skiing. I've done multiple seasons in various resort centres there you'll have a blast which ever you go to. But really i recommend VT, it's going to give you way more options for accommodation and it is just better all round than courchevel. Unless you're trying to meet a Russian Cougar 🤣🤣🤣

Cheapest option for raw ski touring in beautiful landscapes is Bonneval-Sur-Arc

FrenchibreCheapest option for raw ski touring in beautiful landscapes is Bonneval-Sur-Arc

You can see that area from the Glacier area of Val D'Isere at the top of Le Fornet end. Loos pretty decent in terms of altitude although it is a very limited ski area for a long stay I would say. For sure if you're a park lover then it doesn't really matter if there is a great park. But I would think Bonneval doesn't really cater for that market.

unlawfulcarnalI’m planning on renting an air bnb for 2-3 months starting in December in France Italy or Switzerland.

If any of y’all have any recommendations. I will not have a vehicle so I’m looking live somewhere that’s close to lifts or has easy public transport to lifts.

im thinking about verbier zermatt chamoix Cortina d'Ampezzo or Courchevel



jw if any of y’all got any recommendations !!

So another option is Tignes/Val D'Isere. Both of these resorts are connected and area wise it is not far behind 3V for size. I would say again though it is not as good for piste skiing as 3V, but it is great also. You will find both resorts (Tignes/Val D'Isere) have good websites for booking accommodation up and are completely reliable in that dept. Val D'Isere is certainly among the prettier resorts in the French Alps, particularly if you are in the centre of town anywhere near the Church, or over at the Le Front end of resort. Social scene is great in both towns. Tignes is probably better for ski in ski out accommodation, but I really liked Val, particularly the Le Fornet end of resort on a powder day. There is also a fair bit of tree skiing to be had down that end of resort, which is rare in European Alps as a lot of the skiing is above the tree line.

Something I thought of after the fact is, are you flexible about when you arrive and leave? Generally speaking the European Alps are better from Feb-April. So you will find the snowpack is filling in through Dec. You also tend to get the best skiing end Feb start of March, and the weather in `France can be great for weeks on end during that time. If you're flexible I would recommend coming later arriving start of Feb and doing Feb to mid April. Most likely you would save a fair bit on accommodation as well as you're not going to be trying to get something over Christmas. You may also find it difficult to get a place over that time continuously for the 2 months.