Winter skiing in the Alps usually starts in December, and the majority of resorts remain open until the last week in April. This leaves you around 150 days to take your ski weekend or short ski break...
When is the Best Time for a Ski Weekend?
Which of the 21 weekends in the four-month season is going to be best time for a ski weekend? We look at the six best times of the season to take a ski weekend:
- The start of the season
- Early-January
- Late-January
- Early-March
- Late-March to early-April
- Late April
The Start of the Season
Unless you live next to a glacier or have been in New Zealand all summer, you are going to be desperate for a ski as you wait for winter. And that makes the pre-Christmas period the perfect time for a ski weekend.
Complete ski areas may not have fully opened by this time, but the slopes will be quiet and the chances are it will be just you and a few other dedicated skiers putting down tracks in the early powder.
You'll also find that flights are much cheaper in that pre-Christmas period and you can get out to the mountains for as low as half the price of busier times of the year.
Early January
After the festive period there's a good chance that you will have dabbled with at least a few of the seven of the deadly sins. So what better way to regroup and detoxify than with a short escape to the snowy Alps?
The fresh air, exhilarating activities and refreshing scenery offers an excellent escape from Britain's collective New Year guilt and blues, as the snow starts to pile up and the slopes empty after a busy Christmas and New Year.
When everyone else is suffering on 'Manic Monday' you can rub it in as you share photos of you in the sunshine and snow!
Late-January
If you're thinking of a ski weekend in January, it's also worth considering the latter part the month. If you only have a few days, there's no place for wasting time in queues when you should be skiing your legs off.
By planning your trip in January, you are heading out at the quietest time of the winter and will avoid big lift lines, busy airports, and crowded restaurants.
Late-January trips also leave a few more weeks for the snow depth to build. It's likely to be colder than later in the season, but set that against fewer people to share the powder with.
Early March
The beginning of March and the emergence of spring coincides with the mass migration of skiers OUT of ski resorts now the half-term school holidays and vacances scholaires have finished.
For those that decide to venture to the resorts, you can expect temperatures cold enough to maintain snow quality accompanied by enough sun to warm the skin and give you a decent tan.
March reliably provides the sweet spot and perfect skiing combination of good snow and good weather. For a ski weekend, not a minute will be wasted from first lifts to final après-ski.
Late March to Early April
Two types of spring skiers head out at the end of the season for a ski weekend before the snow melts and the cows return to graze the pastures beneath the snow.
Number one is those that know it could be eight long months until they next clip into a pair of skis. These keen skiers will head to high resorts like Val d'Isere or Andermatt to get the best snow.
The other spring skiers will head out to experience a more relaxing form of end of season skiing. It's all about taking it easy: you can comfortably ski with fewer layers, and the warm weather encourages you to take a break to 'hydrate' on a sun terrace during the day.
Sun and snow is the perfect combination when introducing children and adults to the sport of skiing. And if you are the type of person that loves skiing, but also loves an excuse to stop early then early April is the month for you.
Find your perfect Ski Weekend
For advice on finding the right ski weekend for you, please contact the Ski Weekend team and we can help you pick the perfect resort and time to travel.
