Best resort early in season

[LCHF2018]

We are considering going for Xmas/NY - would prefer a European resort with a xmassy feel . We might join up with friends but our own family is husband (snowboarder prob happiest on red runs currently), 10 year old son (learned basic ski skills on indoor slope so wouldn't be a total beginner but would need ski school) and myself (haven't skiied for years and years but when Iast did was confident on blues so would need refresher or maybe start all over snowboarding). Which resorts would you recommend that are guaranteed almost) snow that early? Thanks all

I’m in cervinia (Italy) now. Apparently good conditions in December too. Brilliant for beginners and lots of good runs for boarders too. Plus you can head across to Switzerland too if you want. I’m really enjoying this holiday

To add…we a group of twelve and a mixture of abilities and mixture of skiers and boarders

We were in Obergurgl/Hochgurgl in early January when the rest of the Alps had rain. It was fantastic in terms of being snowsure (season opens end of November). However, despite being known as a beginner's paradise, I felt it was much more suited to novice/early intermediate as there are no greens at all. Also it doesn't have the villagey feel of some other alpine ski resorts so might not have the Christmassy appeal you're after.

I would definitely consider Sölden in your position - bigger village and bigger ski area. If the weather is rubbish like it was at the beginning of this season, you can get a free bus 20 mins up the mountain to Obergurgl and Hochgurgl.

Alternatively Scandinavia is pretty snowsure at that time of year but the days are also quite short so not sure you'd get as much skiing in as you would in the Alps.

You might also want to consider a resort like Avoriaz in the porte du soileil but that could be absolutely packed at Xmas, especially if the rest of the PDS is rubbish as it was this year.

We love Tignes/Val D'Isere and it's high which is useful for skiing at the end of the season at least. Zermatt too.

But I'd be reticent to book December skiing again if this year's conditions are likely to be repeated.

If it has to be Europe then I second Tignes-Val d’Isere. There are 2 summer ski areas so if you can ski there in August, there’ll always be skiing December even in a ‘bad snow’ year. But really the US or Canada is where it’s at early season!

Definitely Tignes, better for a beginner/kids than Val D’isere. We ski there for two weeks at the beginning of the season every year (late November) and we’ve always had decent snow.

Can be a little thin on the ground in places but by Xmas it’s always great (even this year).

Tignes also put a big effort into Xmas and NY events- loads for kids to do and lots of torch lit descents and Vin Chaud at the snow front organised by the resort. New year has a bit concerns/festival at the snow front and it’s amazing.

tignes or avoriaz

Just bear in mind the days are shorter and it can be really cold. We went to Austria high altitude week before Xmas and had good snow year before covid but it was so flipping cold. There was no sitting in sunshine outside a bar on the slopes at lunchtime and the chair lifts had Perspex bubble covers due to the cold. Plus it felt “dark” all the time, contrast to the week we are skiing now under blue sky and sunshine sitting outside at break times it’s lush.

Plus it felt “dark” all the time, contrast to the week we are skiing now under blue sky and sunshine sitting outside at break times it’s lush.

That sounds lovely, We're off to St Anton in Austria tomorrow, it's the first time we haven't skied at Easter so bracing ourselves for colder conditions. And I really hope the snow has improved, it wasn't looking good in the early season.

Zakopane

@dew141 im actually in the French alps this week not Austria this time. It hit 15c at lunchtime and although lovely I fear by the weekend the snow will be vanishing fast if it continues!

Yikes!

Eeeeesh. I bloody hope not as we're heading to Les Arcs at Easter. Please hold, please hold, please hold.

If it's any consolation, the snow is great here this week and my friends said the same for Les Arcs. So I think you have a fighting chance, particularly as it's high.

Zermatt, the villages in the Four Valleys (eg La Tzoumaz), Tignes, Courcheval - anywhere above 1600 really. We usually go at Christmas and have only once been short of snow (in 20ish years). But don’t always have snow on the ground at the accommodation. If you don’t mind that, it’s generally OK. We tend to pack walking boots too just in case it turns into a walking holiday.