When to go skiing in the Alps

How long the season lasts

Most Alpine ski areas open in early to mid December and close around mid to late April. Exact dates vary by resort and by year, and they depend on snow. A few high glacier areas open earlier in the autumn and stay open later into spring. Lower villages often close first, because their bottom runs lose snow as the days warm.

Resorts publish their planned opening and closing dates on their own websites, usually well before the season. Treat early December and late April as the edges: possible, but with less certainty.

Month by month

The table shows general patterns. Snow and crowds are broad descriptions for the Alps as a whole, and any single season can break them. Daylight is for the middle of each month at about 46 degrees north, rounded.

School holidays drive the crowds

The single biggest factor in price and queues is school holidays. The busiest periods are usually:

• Christmas and New Year. Demand is high across every Alpine country, even when early snow is thin.
• February. Many European countries give schools a winter break in February. Some, such as France and Germany, stagger the dates by region, so busy weeks spread across most of the month.
• Easter. The date moves each year. An early Easter brings spring crowds into March; a late one falls near the end of the season.

Holiday dates are published by each country's education authorities. Check them for the years you plan to travel, and check the holidays of nearby countries too, since many families drive across borders to ski.

Quieter weeks to look for

1. The weeks after New Year. Early and mid January is often among the quietest times. It is cold and the days are short, but the snow higher up is often good.
2. Gaps between holiday blocks. If school holidays in your target region end before the end of February, the following week can be calmer.
3. March outside Easter. Longer days, a deep snow base at altitude and fewer families. Lower slopes turn soft in the afternoon, so ski higher after lunch.
4. Midweek arrivals. Some stays and packages run Saturday to Saturday. Where you can arrive on a different day, travel and rooms may be easier to find.

Snow, weather and altitude

Snow reliability depends more on altitude and on which way the slopes face than on the calendar. North-facing slopes keep snow longer because they get less sun. Ski areas with a lot of terrain above about 2,000 m are less likely to suffer in a warm spell. Lower areas can be excellent after a big storm and poor a week later.

If you are booking early in the season or late in spring, look for a ski area with high terrain and good snowmaking, and avoid choosing purely on the height of the village. The resort guide explains how to read these figures.

Weather to expect

Midwinter can be very cold, especially on chairlifts and at the top stations, and wind makes it feel colder still. Spring can bring warm sun in the morning and slush by afternoon. Storms can close upper lifts on any day. Plan at least one flexible day for bad weather, and pack layers rather than one heavy coat. See mountain safety for cold and sun.

Timing questions