Top 3 European Ski Resorts
The ski season is just around the corner, and with so many resorts to choose from, selecting the right one can be a difficult task. Here is some info on our top 3 ski resorts in Europe:
Val Thorens is located in the French alps at an altitude of 2300m and forms part of the three valleys, alongside Meribel and Courchevel, both fantastic resorts in their own right. The three resorts offer a combined 600km of skiing runs, making it one of the largest interconnected ski areas in the world and the perfect destination to visit again and again. As well as its skiing, Val Thorens offers a range of other activities including ice climbing, ice diving, ice skating, karting, tobogganing, paragliding and more. Val Thorens is famously renowned for its high quality après-ski, with a host of bars to choose from, including the iconic La Folie Douce. La Folie is perfectly positioned on a blue run into Val Thorens, attracting a young crowd with live music, it's the perfect place to après.
Zermatt is a hugely popular ski resort located in the Swiss Alps; it was awarded Best European Resort at the 2020 Ski Club Industry Awards. With a peak altitude of 3889 metres, it is the highest ski resort in Europe, allowing for skiing all year round. Zermatt is excellent for intermediate skiers with over 295 kilometres of blue and red runs and there is also plenty off-piste skiing for those who fancy it. There are a range of après ski bars to choose from with DJ's and live music, including Hennu Stall. We can recommend Chez Vrony, a mountain top restaurant with stunning views of Matterhorn, offering cocktails as well as gourmet Swiss food. Other attractions include the Matterhorn glacier ride, a nine-minute cable car journey taking visitors up to Matterhorn glacier paradise, the highest gondola in the Alps with a 360-degree viewing platform offering stunning panoramic views of Zermatt.
St Anton is part of Austria’s largest interconnected ski area, Ski Arlberg, consisting of over 300km of pisted slopes and 200km of off-piste skiing. It is known for challenging slopes, making it perfect for more experienced skiers. Also famed for its après-ski, St Anton most notably hosts the Krazy Kangaruh and the Mooserwirt, both offering great food and most alcoholic drinks known to man. St Anton has a pedestrianised village centre and offers many activities for when you are not on the slopes, such as ice skating, bowling, curling and a film at the cinema. The 4.3km illuminated toboggan run from Gampen to Nasserein is among the best in Europe and is a must for all visitors. We can also recommend the Vallugabahn, a gondola that takes passengers to the Valluga viewpoint at 2,811 metres high, with breath-taking views of the Austrian mountains.
