Skiing in April: 20 best late season destinations in Europe
So It’s April and you have spring skiing on the brain and day dreams of aprés in the sun with friends. It’s not to late to plan an adventure this spring.
Usually, by April, many people have shifted their attention to beach vacations, not swooshing down the slopes for spring skiing dressed in a t-shirt and getting a killer tan. For the die-hard skiers, skiing in April sounds like a dream! Many people don’t know that there is still a lot of snow in April in most Alps. This is the best time as there are snowstorms and the days are longer and warmer. Additionally, the ski resorts in April are less crowded, and the costs are relatively low.
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April skiing: insider secrets
But what’s the catch with skiing in April? Well, to enjoy a late ski holiday, you’ve got to know where to go. Unfortunately, not all ski resorts are perfect for a late ski holiday. Luckily for you, we’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of great resorts to consider. Don’t worry, be have your back!
Note that these resorts aren’t in any particular order. They each have something to offer, so we leave you to make the final decision based on the information we provide. So let’s dive in, what do you need to consider when considering a skiing trin the April or during the spring.
What to consider for a late season ski holiday in April
Altitude
A ski resort's height affects more than just the snow conditions on the slopes. As you know, the higher you go, the colder it becomes. This is all because of low air pressure at higher altitudes. It helps maintain cool temperatures and ensures the snow is around for a longer, especially for late-season skiing.
The ski resort you choose should have high slopes to somewhat guarantee snowy slopes even at the end of the season. Now, it’s important to note that while altitude plays an essential role in maintaining snowy slopes, latitude is just as significant.
Latitude
The ski resorts in lower latitudes experience high temperatures. As such, the snow melts faster. And with the changing climate, winters are getting shorter and shorter, leading to rising snow lines. On the bright side, many resorts have embraced snow-making technology, which helps to counteract this effect.
Good reputation for snow when skiing in April
Before you spend your time and money on any resort, you should research the resort’s reputation for snow. At the very least, the ski resort should be famous for having snow throughout the season due to altitude, latitude or technology embraced.
And with that, let’s now jump into short reviews of the best 20 ski resorts for a mind-blowing late ski holiday.
20 best places to ski in April in Europe
France
Tignes and Val d’Isere ski resorts
Tignes and Val d’Isere are the heart of the Espace Killy region. This region was named after Jean Claude Killy, a famous French skier who won 3 gold medals at the Winter Olympics of 1968. While you might not have known about the gold medallist who made history in this region, you surely must have heard of the connected ski resorts – they are by far the best and largest in France.
Tignes and Val d’Isere are connected by snowy slopes stretching for 300 km (170 km of natural slopes, 78 km of intermediate slopes and 52 km of difficult slopes). The slopes rise to 3,456 m. Although you don’t need to be an expert to cascade down these slopes, you must have great confidence and strong legs.
These two ski resorts are often bundled together but are different. The Val d’Isere stretches along the main street in the area, while the Tignes is basically a collection of resort villages. You'll need to take a bus to move from one resort to the next.
Val Thorens
At 2130 m, Val Thorens is the highest resort in France as well as the whole of Europe. This is a big deal since its high altitude guarantees skiers snow cover throughout the winter season from early November to late April (into May). This is more than we can say of other ski resorts in the area.
Courtesy of its high slopes, the ski resort offers a beautiful and spectacular panoramic view of the world below. Its terrain is perfect for both experts and beginners – the diverse pistes are a testament of this. It’s also worth noting that the resort is linked to the Courchevel, Maurienne, and Meribel valleys.
And if you would still want to keep in touch with your spiritual side, there’s a church in the village, which was built in 1991.
It is well known for its snow reliability and beautiful scenery, along with ample and sophisticated ski amenities. Val Thorens is only 122 km from Chambery and 200 km from Geneva Airport.
La Plagne and Les Arcs
The Les Arcs ski area has an elaborate modern lift system. The snow here is reliable and is complemented by snowmaking machines. From the Les Arcs slopes, Mont Blanc and La Rosiere look incredible. Les Arcs is connected to La Plagne through a cable car, which can be boarded at Plan Peisey. The express cable car traverses over 425km of piste.
Apres ski on the ski resort is relatively quiet, which makes it perfect for those with families and are looking for a mix of fun, peace, and tranquillity. There are several nightclubs in the region, including George’s wine bar. If your throat gets dry and you need to quench your thirst, the fun ice bar on the mountain will come in handy.
For those with children, there is a kid’s slope and a toboggan run with floodlights that enable children to ski until evening.
Chamonix
Chamonix has been a preferred ski destination for many people worldwide since 1760. Yes, you heard that right. Chamonix went on the map centuries ago when a scientist won a prize for being the first to climb Mont Blanc (Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe). Since then, the resort has undergone some significant changes and transformations, which were kind enough to allow it to host the 1924 winter Olympics.
Given its facilities, mountain guides and ski instructors, this resort is perfect for intermediate and advanced skiers but also features nursery slopes which are perfect for kids and beginners. The scenery from the 20km off-piste run is to die for. However, only confident intermediates and experts can enjoy these off-piste runs.
Austria
St Anton
St. Anton is one of the best 5 resorts in Austria. It is one of the largest and most connected ski resorts. It takes pride in having snowy slopes stretching for 306 km and 200 km of challenging off-piste terrain for intermediates and experts. Moreover, it has an excellent and efficient lift system coupled with an attractive town below with stylish and charming restaurants, chalets and hotels.
At their high altitudes, the slopes are guaranteed snow for extended periods than most ski resorts. The highest lift rises to 2811 m above sea level. Speaking of lifts, the resort has a total of 88 ski lifts.
The resort attracts families and party animals alike. You are still guaranteed lots of fun when you are not on the slopes. You can get to St Anton through Innsbruck, 95 km away or through Friedrichshafen, which is only 130 km away. Zurich airport is also a great option, but it's 196 km away.
Obergurgl
Obergurgl is quite unique. It is the highest of all the Alps in eastern Austria at 3082 m. This altitude alone guarantees snow on its slopes and a long winter season lasting until early May. UK and Irish residents are known to have a particular fondness for this resort. The resort has light traffic and is perfect for intermediates and beginners.
However, experts can still enjoy the 14.3 km of challenging runs.
If you are out to have some bit of fun on the slopes, you’ll enjoy the apres scene on the slopes. It has a traditional feel to it. You can spend the afternoons dancing in some of the mountain restaurants.
The village below is charming, and the scenery from the slopes is breathtaking. It also has loads of amenities, making it family-friendly. You can get there through Innsbruck Airport, 96 km away, or Otz Station, which is only 40 km away.
Ischgl
For years, Ischgl has been the top Austrian destination for German skiers. However, in the recent past, it has also gained a strong following from British tourists, mainly due to quality pistes and music. The slopes stretch for 239 km and rise to 2872 m.
Ischgl is 45 km away from St. Anton. It currently boasts of an innovative lift system, smart hotels in place of the old villages that filled the valley below, spas, apres ski bars and restaurants on the slopes.
Aside from skiing, you’ll be treated to exciting live concerts. In the past, the mountain festivals have hosted celebrities like Tina Turner, Deep Purple, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Robbie Williams, The Killers, James Blunt and many more.
Back to the ski slopes, you’ll be pleased to note that the resort has snow canons and offers night skiing. In addition, it has loads of freestyle facilities, including a snow park with jumps, rails, and kickers. As icing on the cake, the snow park has two restaurants.
You can get to the resort through the Innsbruck Airport, which is only 100km away or through Zurich, 253 km away.
Hintertux
At such a high altitude (3250 m), you don’t have to wonder how they are able to remain open for a whole year. The high altitude guarantees the slopes of snow the entire year. And actually, it’s the only resort in Austria that opens 365 days a year (it’s one of two in the world).
This ski resort has everything a powderhound would have including cold temperatures, an extensive off-piste, reliable snowfall and easy access to neighbouring ski resorts such as the Zillertal and Mayrhofen ski resorts.
The ski resort is super convenient. The lifts are only 15 minutes away from the main village, and to cut down on time, you could book a room in one of the hotels at the bottom of the lifts.
The scenery from the slopes is impressive and quite magical. The slopes are designed to accommodate experts and beginner skiers alike. The expert skiers will feel more at home on the ski routes which stretch for 13 km. Hintertux is 25 m from Innsbruck. By road, it will only take you 90 minutes to get there.
Sölden
If you are a James Bond fan and have watched Sceptre, some of the slopes in Solden will look oddly familiar. This is only because some scenes in the movie were shot at this ski resort. How cool is that? You could be in your James Bond element on the slopes.
In addition to this, Solden opened up an exhibition space for the’ 007 Elements’ But is that all the slopes have to offer? Certainly not. The ski resort has quite elaborate runs that are perfect for intermediaries and beginners. Also, the view from the slopes is breathtaking. To help you take it all in, Solden set up viewing platforms strategically on the slopes.
The ski area can be accessed using gondolas and ski buses. Last but not least, the ski resort is alive in the sense that it’s apres ski has a strong heartbeat. It’s kept pumping by countless pubs, bars, and clubs that play loud music till dawn. Apres ski is taken to the mountain slopes through restaurants. For those into extra activities off the slopes, the leisure centre is a gem. It is packed with water slides, pools, a gym, sauna, and a bowling rink.
Kaprun
Kaprun ski area is divided into 3; Maiskogel, Lechnerberg, and Kitzsteinhorn. Together, these areas provide a great ski experience.
Beginner tows are available at Lechnerberg. It is perfect for families and beginners. On the other hand, Maiskogel is respected for its family-friendly ski facilities at 960 m above the town. Kitzserinhorn is an epic ski resort, It rises to an altitude of 3029 m. This high elevation guarantees snow for most of the year.
Kaprun is not as impressive in relation to size. However, it more than makes up for its size with its picturesque church and scenery. Overall, the town is laid back and quiet. The closest airports are Salzburg and Innsbruck which are 109 km and 142 km away respectively. You can catch direct flights into Austria from anywhere in the world.
Switzerland
Verbier
Verbier is one of the 4 Vallees ski domain. Given the fact that the slopes stand at a maximum of 3,330 m, they keep snow for long.
Additionally, the scenery from the slopes is to die for. From the slopes, you can see as far as Mont Blanc. Complementing the snow-sure slopes, the ski resort has snowmaking technology, which makes it safe to book late in the season.
If you are the kind that lives for freeride and off-piste skiing and snowboarding, then you will fall in love with Verbier. Though the runs are designed to accommodate easy, intermediate and expert skiers, there are more intermediate ski runs than easy and expert runs.
It’s also worth noting that Verbier is interlinked with 4 Vallees ski areas, which can be accessed through lift passes.
Since Verbier is one of the largest ski resorts in Switzerland, it’s frequented by many skiers. As such, the 67 lifts come in handy in serving the intense traffic during peak seasons.
You can get to Verbier through Geneva International Airport, which is about 170 km away. This translates to a 2-hour drive.
Zermatt
Zermatt is yet another great resort in Switzerland. It is what many beginners and expert skiers, as well as snowboarders, crave for. You can ski on the Zermatt slopes all year long. The terrain is vast, and there are lots of elaborate runs, especially for the intermediate skiers. Most expert skiers fall in love with it because of the 38km ski routes it features, and the 53 ski lifts which serve the vast area.
It’s true that many ski resorts have a great view from the slopes. However, Zermatt’s view is one of a kind. The view of the mini-town below is exquisite. And though the village is more of a town, it has done a great job in preserving the ‘old town’ culture, and the traditional European charm tourists seem to love.
For the night owls, Zermatt’s nightlife is alive and vibrant. It will keep you engaged and entertained all night long.
You can get to Zermatt through Geneva or Zurich airports which are 2.5 hours and 3.5 hours away.
Saas-Fee
This is a beautiful ski resort in Switzerland with a traditional village that oozes beauty. The ski area is split into 3; Saas Almageli, Saas Grund and Saas Fee.
Saas Fee has a large area, perfect for beginners although intermediate snowboarders and skiers can have a blast as well on the pistes marked red. Experts have more fun on the ski routes.
Aside from skiing, you can enjoy other activities, including tobogganing, parapenting, snowshoeing and walking on cleared paths.
Saas-Fee created has an elaborate leisure centre with a 25m pool, a water slide, a kid’s pool, hot tub, saunas, a gym, and steam rooms. There is also an ice rink, and fun rollercoaster rides.
You can get to this ski resort through Sion, Geneva, and Zurich airports. Sion is only 75minutes away, Geneva 2 hours 45 minutes and Zurich 4 hours away.
Andermatt
Andermatt is an off-piste and powder mecca for serious skiers and freeriders. With the cold storms that hit the resort from all sides, Andermatt is one of the best freeriding destinations in the world. However, it also attracts intermediate skiers and families.
You can easily access the resort through Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn or its lift. Bear in mind that Andermatt has managed to preserve the traditional Swiss Alpine culture in the village despite the new and innovative additions to the ski resort.
Sweden
Riksgränsen
You may probably wonder how this ski resort could be open till June and still have snow. Well, here’s a fun fact – it’s only 250 km from the Arctic Circle. Its proximity to the North Pole affords it snow sure slopes way into spring despite it not being as high as other ski resorts we’ve come across.
Aside from its late snow ski holiday, its other selling points include 24-hour daylight, again, owing to its proximity to the North Pole.
With 24 hour daylight, you can ski all day and all night long. The sun will still be shining, and you might not even know it’s midnight!
Additionally, you can enjoy affordable heliskiing and ski touring on the resort.
You can get to Riksgransen through Narvik, which is only 50 minutes away or through Kiruna, which is 2 hours away.
Riksgransen is connected to Sweden and Norway by rail and road.910
Åre
Are ski resort is more than a century old. It is proud of its off-piste guiding, dog sledging, apres ski and a fun nightlife. The highest run of the ski resort is 1270m high (this is more than a kilometre above the town).
The beauty of this ski resort is that it caters for the different levels of skiers. In 2007 it hosted the biennial World Championships. Several tunnels were built for the spectators in preparation for this championship. However, since then, the tunnels have been converted into pistes.
Beginners and intermediates can cascade down these pistes to explore more romantic and cosier trails. When you are not skiing, you can spend your time in the sauna.
Norway
Narvik
Narvik is in Lofoten, Norway. It is surrounded by the open sea on three sides and has a new gondola on the biggest vertical. This gondola helped it host the 1991 Downhill World Cup. Given its small size, the resort is served by only 4 lifts.
But despite its size, Narvik has different ski slopes that accommodate all levels of skiers from newbies to experts. However, experts only have 2km of slopes to enjoy while intermediate skiers have 10 km. And with the Scandinavian climate, snow is almost guaranteed on the slopes.
If you are planning for a family ski holiday and don’t want an area that is crowded, you will fall in love with Narvik. There is also a ski school where your kids can learn the basics of skiing if this is their first time gliding on the snow.
Geilo
Geilo is one of the oldest ski resorts in Norway. It speaks volumes and sets the trend in the Norway ski industry. It is most appealing to beginners and families – individuals who are looking to have a wholesome skiing experience.
The ski resort is located in a broad valley between Oslo and Bergen, on the edge of Hardangervidda – Norway’s largest national park- which makes the scenery spectacular.
Geilo features two ski areas; Geiloloa and Slaatta. These two are connected using a ski bus. For the ski newbies, the gentle nursery slopes are the perfect place to learn the basics. Additionally, you can choose to enrol in a ski school with English speaking instructors.
The red ski trails are perfect for intermediates, while the experienced skiers can have a blast on the black-marked trails.
If you don’t want to spend all your time on the slopes, you can spend time taking snowshoe walks, tobogganing, ice fishing, go on horse-drawn sleigh rides or dog sledge safaris.
The ski resort is one big adventure. Take advantage of what it has to offer and have a blast.
Finland
Ruka
Let’s start with some fun facts about the Ruka ski resort. First, it’s one of the top 10 resorts in Finland, and second, it’s a family-friendly ski resort. It is close to Kuusamo, which makes it even cooler.
The World Freestyle Ski championship awards were held here in 2005. Apart from skiing, Ruka has additional facilities, including snowmobiling, dog sledging, and a tropical pool. It also has a snowmaking machine, and the ski area has floodlights, which make skiing in the dark possible.
It’s worth noting that Ruka sponsors the Finnish Snowboard Tea. As such, most international and local freestyle teams train with them. The young crowd at the Ruka ski resort is quite friendly and lively. They keep the resort alive throughout the season by inviting top DJs and live bands to perform and throw it down.
Italy
Cervinia
Cervinia is located at the foot of Matterhorn. It has excellent dining and skiing experiences at affordable prices.
Before the ski resort was built, the Cervinia village was for mountaineers.
The ski resort has a beautiful landscape coupled with stunning views. The high altitude guarantees steady snow throughout the winter season.
We should point out that Cervinia is interconnected with Zermatt ski resort in Switzerland. If you’d like to test how much pain and strain your legs can take, then the intermediate and expert ski slopes are perfect for you.
Any of these ski resorts will be fun for you and your family. However, be sure to make the decision as a whole. This way, everyone will feel included and has a say on the ski holiday.
FAQs
What are the benefits of skiing in April?
Skiing in April presents a unique mix of advantages. You can enjoy longer, warmer days on the slopes, fewer crowds, and often lower costs compared to the peak season. Plus, the après-ski scenes at many resorts are vibrant with spring festivities.
Is late-season skiing (in April) less crowded?
Yes, late-season skiing often comes with the benefit of fewer crowds. This, coupled with potentially warmer weather and lower costs, can make it an attractive option for your ski trip.
Wrapping up
That’s it that’s all folks. Now you should be all clued up on why skiing in April is the perfect vacay option for the Spring. Who would have thought, spending mornings slashing through the slushy snow, throwing down (either landing on your butt or on your skis) in the snow park then passing the afternoons on the slopes in the sun with a cold beer in hand. Doesn’t that sound dreamy? Tell us what you get by tagging us on Instagram #DopeSnow. Until next time!
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