The best European resorts for a Christmas ski holiday

Val d’Isère, France

Good for: confident intermediates, advanced skiers and all the après animals out there.  

If you're looking for a white Christmas, then look no further than Val d'Isère. At 1,850m, with a glacier on its doorstep, it's about as much of a snow sure thing as you can get. So even if the season gets off to a slow start, there's still plenty of piste to ski by late December.

When it comes to the skiing there's a lot of it, with the Espace Killy ski pass giving you access to 300km of piste, allowing intermediates and advanced skiers to carve their way over to neighbouring Tignes. For beginners there's a nice nursery area at Solaise and plenty of blues up on the mountain. The only thing to be wary of is that a Val d’Isère blue can be a little steeper and busier than some of the other resorts, so maybe grab yourself a lesson if you're a little tentative on two planks.  

And then there's the après... if dancing on tables with an Aperol in hand is how you want to spend your Christmas ski holiday, then you're in luck because Val d’Isère’s après is the stuff of legend. You've got La Folie Douce at the top of the La Daille gondola blasting out tunes from mid-afternoon, then you can make your way down to Cocorico in the village for more of the same if your feet can handle it.

It's not all skiing and partying either. Unlike some of its purpose-built neighbours, Val is a proper village with cute chalets dressed in fairy lights and a Savoyard town centre, giving it that Christmassy feel.

If you’re planning a Christmas ski holiday to Val d’Isère, check out our hotels Hotel La Tovière, Hotel & Spa Le Savoie and Hotel Ducs de Savoie.

Soldeu & El Tarter, Andorra

Good for: beginners, families and intermediates building confidence  

Soldeu and El Tarter is the perfect resort for mixed-ability groups looking to go skiing at Christmas. Sitting side by side in the Andorran Pyrenees, it gives you access to over 200km of runs filled with cruisy blues, reds and the odd challenging black. It's more than enough terrain to keep everyone happy.  

Then there's the snow. It's not as snow sure as Val d’Isère but sitting at over 1,700m with snow cannons that cover around 65% of the piste there's more than enough coverage to get some skiing in.

Après in Soldeu and El Tarter comes in two flavours. In El Tarter, you can dance the afternoon away in your ski boots to DJs until your feet give out. And in Soldeu it's more about sitting in a pub, drink in hand, enjoying live music at places like Fat Albert's and The Villager.

Off the slopes, you’ll find festive markets and almost tax-free shopping, which never hurts at a time of year when there's usually been some serious damage to the credit card.  

Fancy a trip to Soldeu & El Tarter? Our Hotel Del Clos in El Tarter is 350m from the lifts, with Neilson-run childcare and ski school drop-off and pick-up for younger guests. For a cosier stay, Chalet Hotel Casale and Chalet Motxo are both in the heart of the village.

Les Menuires, France

Good for: families, beginners and anyone who wants the Three Valleys without the same price tag  

Christmas lights twinkling all over the village. Check. Fireworks to welcome Santa Claus on the slopes. Check. Access to the world's largest linked ski area. Check. Les Menuires is easily one of the best Christmas ski resorts. It sits at 1,850m and plugs you straight into the Three Valleys, giving you access to over 600km of piste and some of the best early season snow conditions in the French Alps.

It's also one of the best family ski resorts in Europe, with a pedestrianised centre, ski-in, ski-out accommodation and legendary 4km Roc'n Bob toboggan run for little ones to enjoy when they've had enough of being on skis. It’s no surprise it holds the French Famille Plus label

The downside of being such a family-friendly resort is that the après is a little more on the chilled side. So if you're looking to put the spirits into 'Christmas spirit' then you'll need to venture to the neighbouring resort of Val Thorens.

Our Hotel Le Menuire & Spa is 450m from the main hub, with a spa and leisure pool for après of the more relaxing kind.  

Sauze d’Oulx, Italy

Good for: intermediates, groups of friends and anyone after good-value après

It's not the most snow-sure of resorts, in a good year Sauze is one of the best resorts for Christmas skiing. The combination of a cute village, access to a massive ski area and affordable après that's lively means it has something for everyone.

Perched on a plateau at 1,500m on the northern end of Italy's Milky Way, it's not the highest of resorts but it has plenty of snowmaking (60% coverage) and 400km of piste to explore, making it a bit of an intermediate's paradise. With no gondola (just a chairlift up to the ski school) and more than half the Milky Way’s runs graded red, this isn’t the best place for beginners, despite the excellent ski schools.

The après in Sauze is some of the best in Italy. It's less dancing on tables in your ski boots (although you can do that if you want), and more lively bars with four-hour happy hours followed by a scramble to a nightclub. So, if your idea of the perfect Christmas is painting the town red on Christmas Eve before eating your body weight in roasties the next day in an attempt to recover, then you could do a lot worse than Sauze.

Christmas itself is very chic, very Italian. Think aperitivo, then long dinners in rustic restaurants next to roaring fires (Christmas jumper optional), before a little nightcap  

Fancy a trip to Sauze? Check out our Chalet Hotel Edelweiss, the perfect place to unwind over Christmas.

Mayrhofen, Austria

Good for: après lovers, large groups and confident intermediates.

Experience a true traditional Christmas in the beautiful village of Mayrhofen. The festive atmosphere here is peaceful and romantic. From the elegant decorations and nativity scenes to the Tyrolean Advent market with its chocolate-box wooden stalls selling spiced gingerbread, mulled wine and local handicrafts, it’s all about beautiful tasteful celebrations. The little ones will love meeting Saint Nicholas and dropping off their Christmas wish-lists to the angels who look after the cute Christkindl post office.  

Snow-wise, Mayrhofen boasts a massive snow sure area – which includes the epic Hintertux Glacier – and excellent snow-making facilities too.

Val di Fassa, Italy

Good for: Families and intermediates who love to rack up the miles.

Nestled beneath the towering peaks of the Dolomites, this stunning valley is home to some of the prettiest villages in Italy. Christmas in Val di Fassa is a tranquil, relaxed affair. You’ll find several quaint festive markets where you can pick up traditional wooden crafts, regional gourmet treats and gorgeous hand-made jewellery.  

Or head down to the shores of beautiful Carezza Lake, known locally as the ‘lake of the rainbow’, where a real winter wonderland springs up each year. Think ice sculptures, a life-size nativity scene, cosy wood burners and dozens of tiny huts selling their wares. Oh, and the Italians certainly know how to do Christmas feasting in style!  

A whopping 90% of Val di Fassa’s runs are covered by snowmaking facilities, and the vast Marmolada Glacier is within your Dolomites ski area pass so you’re sure to be blessed with the white stuff over your Christmas break.

Christmas is one of the busiest weeks of the ski season, so it pays to pick your resort carefully. Here are our top tips for picking the perfect resort.

• Altitude and snow record: Early-season snow can be patchy, so higher resorts, glacier access and good snowmaking are all essentials.
• Ski area size: A big linked area like the Three Valleys or Espace Killy spreads the festive crowds out, which means shorter lift queues and quieter pistes.
• Your group’s ability: Beginners and younger kids will be happiest with wide, gentle slopes and good ski schools, while confident skiers will want plenty of reds, blacks and off-piste.
• Après style: Some resorts are made for dancing in your ski boots and others for a quiet drink by the fire, so think about how you’ll want to spend your evenings.
• Festive atmosphere: Look out for Christmas markets, torchlit descents, fireworks and Father Christmas on the slopes if you want the full seasonal experience.
• Childcare and lessons: Christmas is a busy time for ski schools and kids’ clubs, so check availability and book early.
• Budget: Prices peak over the festive weeks, and resorts in Andorra and Italy often give you better value on lift passes, food and drink than the big-name French resorts. 

So, where will it be? Maybe you’re after a glacier and a table to dance on at La Folie Douce. Maybe it’s wide, gentle slopes for the kids in Andorra, or long Italian dinners by the fire in Sauze d’Oulx. Whichever you choose, you won’t go far wrong.

Think about who’s coming, how you’ll want to spend your evenings and how much snow you’d like under your skis. The rest is pretty easy: pack the thermals, tell Santa where to find you and get ready to ski (and sip vin chaud) in a proper winter wonderland.

Fancy making it happen? Take a look at our Christmas ski holidays and join us on the mountain. We’ll save you a seat at the Christmas table!