⛷️ French ski resorts 2026-27: opening dates, snow and crowds week by week

Find the best time to ski in France in winter 2026-27, from 21 November to 1 May: which ski resorts are open, their typical snow cover, and how busy each mountain range is expected to be during the French school holidays and UK half-term. Choose a week (Saturday to Saturday).

🔄 These forecasts will be refined as the season gets closer: once the first snow falls and the resorts open, we will add actual snow depths and bookings.
Last updated: 8 November 2026.

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👥 Expected crowds (% of tourist beds occupied): Very high: 85% and above High: 70 to 84% Medium: 50 to 69% Quiet: under 50%
❄️ Typical snow (dot colour): Good Variable (depends on the winter) Poor No snow yet / no more snow 🔒 Resort closed / ⏳ not open yet

📅 French ski resort opening and closing dates 2026-27

Dates announced by the resorts for winter 2026-27. They are provisional: a resort may open earlier if there is plenty of snow, or later if there isn't. Sorted by mountain range, from the first openings to the last.

ResortOpeningClosingSki area altitude
Northern Alps
Tignes21 Nov 20262 May 20271550 – 3450 m
Val Thorens21 Nov 20262 May 20272300 – 3200 m
Chamonix28 Nov 20262 May 20271035 – 2765 m
Les 2 Alpes28 Nov 20262 May 20271300 – 3600 m
Val d'Isère28 Nov 20262 May 20271785 – 3300 m
Courchevel4 Dec 202618 Apr 20271300 – 2740 m
Alpe d'Huez5 Dec 202625 Apr 20271100 – 3300 m
Chamrousse5 Dec 202611 Apr 20271400 – 2250 m
Flaine5 Dec 202618 Apr 20271600 – 2500 m
Les Menuires5 Dec 202618 Apr 20271450 – 2850 m
Les Saisies5 Dec 202610 Apr 20271500 – 2000 m
Méribel5 Dec 202618 Apr 20271400 – 2950 m
Avoriaz11 Dec 202618 Apr 20271800 – 2460 m
Morzine11 Dec 202618 Apr 20271000 – 2460 m
Autrans-Méaudre12 Dec 20269 Mar 20271050 – 1700 m
La Clusaz12 Dec 202625 Apr 20271100 – 2400 m
La Plagne12 Dec 202624 Apr 20271250 – 3250 m
Les Arcs12 Dec 202624 Apr 20271200 – 3226 m
Les Gets12 Dec 202611 Apr 20271170 – 2000 m
Valloire12 Dec 202611 Apr 20271430 – 2600 m
Villard-de-Lans13 Dec 202629 Mar 20271050 – 2050 m
Aillons-Margériaz19 Dec 202629 Mar 20271000 – 1800 m
Le Collet d'Allevard19 Dec 202629 Mar 20271450 – 2100 m
Les 7 Laux19 Dec 202629 Mar 20271350 – 2400 m
Megève19 Dec 20264 Apr 20271110 – 2350 m
ND-de-Bellecombe19 Dec 20263 Apr 20271150 – 2050 m
Praz de Lys19 Dec 20264 Apr 20271200 – 2000 m
St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse19 Dec 20267 Mar 2027900 – 1800 m
Southern Alps
Auron5 Dec 202610 Apr 20271600 – 2450 m
Briançon5 Dec 202618 Apr 20271200 – 2800 m
Isola 20005 Dec 202618 Apr 20271800 – 2610 m
Risoul5 Dec 202611 Apr 20271850 – 2750 m
Serre Chevalier5 Dec 202618 Apr 20271200 – 2800 m
Vars5 Dec 202611 Apr 20271650 – 2750 m
Ancelle12 Dec 202621 Mar 20271350 – 1900 m
Pra-Loup12 Dec 20264 Apr 20271500 – 2600 m
Gréolièresaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1400 – 1800 m
Laye19 Dec 20267 Mar 20271240 – 1580 m
Montclararound 19 Dec (not published)not published1350 – 2500 m
St-Léger-les-Mélèzes19 Dec 202628 Mar 20271260 – 2000 m
Superdévoluyaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1500 – 2500 m
Valbergaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1600 – 2100 m
Pyrenees
Cauterets27 Nov 202618 Apr 20271730 – 2400 m
Font-Romeu4 Dec 202629 Mar 20271600 – 2200 m
Formiguères4 Dec 202628 Mar 20271700 – 2350 m
Superbagnères4 Dec 202629 Mar 20271440 – 2260 m
Ax 3 Domaines5 Dec 202628 Mar 20271400 – 2300 m
Gourette5 Dec 202629 Mar 20271350 – 2400 m
La Mongie5 Dec 202629 Mar 20271400 – 2500 m
Pierre St-Martin5 Dec 202629 Mar 20271500 – 2200 m
Saint-Lary5 Dec 20266 Apr 20271700 – 2500 m
Le Mourtis18 Dec 20267 Mar 20271350 – 1850 m
Artouste19 Dec 20267 Mar 20271400 – 2100 m
Guzet19 Dec 202621 Mar 20271100 – 2100 m
Hautacam19 Dec 20267 Mar 20271500 – 1800 m
Val Louron19 Dec 202621 Mar 20271450 – 2100 m
Jura Mountains
Les Rousses5 Dec 2026not published1100 – 1680 m
Monts Jura (Lélex)around 19 Dec (not published)not published900 – 1680 m
Mouthearound 19 Dec (not published)not published900 – 1200 m
Métabiefaround 19 Dec (not published)not published880 – 1430 m
Vosges
Ballon d'Alsacearound 19 Dec (not published)not published1000 – 1240 m
Gérardmeraround 19 Dec (not published)not published750 – 1150 m
La Bresse19 Dec 2026not published900 – 1350 m
La Schluchtaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1140 – 1240 m
Le Champ du Feuaround 19 Dec (not published)not published900 – 1100 m
Le Lac Blancaround 19 Dec (not published)not published900 – 1230 m
Le Marksteinaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1040 – 1260 m
Ventronaround 19 Dec (not published)not published850 – 1110 m
Massif Central
Super-Besse18 Dec 2026not published1350 – 1850 m
Chalmazelaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1130 – 1600 m
Le Lioran19 Dec 2026not published1160 – 1850 m
Le Mont-Dorearound 19 Dec (not published)not published1350 – 1850 m
Mont Lozèrearound 19 Dec (not published)not published1420 – 1680 m
Prat Peyrotaround 19 Dec (not published)not published1300 – 1560 m

❓ Frequently asked questions

Which French ski resorts open first in 2026?

Val Thorens and Tignes open first, on Saturday 21 November 2026. Cauterets follows on 27 November, then Val d'Isère, Les 2 Alpes and Chamonix on 28 November. Most large resorts open on 4 and 5 December: Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, Alpe d'Huez, Serre Chevalier, Font-Romeu, Saint-Lary… Almost every resort is open by 19 December, when the Christmas holidays begin.

Which French ski resorts stay open until May 2027?

Five resorts plan to close on Sunday 2 May 2027: Val Thorens, Tignes, Val d'Isère, Les 2 Alpes and Chamonix. Alpe d'Huez closes on 25 April, La Plagne and Les Arcs on 24 April. Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, Flaine and Serre Chevalier close on 18 April. In the Pyrenees, most resorts close in late March or early April.

Does February half-term 2027 clash with the French school holidays?

Yes. UK half-term (15 – 19 February 2027) falls in the week of 13 – 20 February, when French zones C (Paris) and A (Lyon, Grenoble, Bordeaux) are both on holiday. It is one of the two busiest February weeks in the Northern Alps, with about 90% of tourist beds occupied, and the following week (20 – 27 February) is just as busy. If you can choose your dates, the week of 6 – 13 February is a little quieter (about 82%), and January is much quieter (about 70%).

What is the busiest week of the ski season in France?

In the Northern Alps, it is New Year's week (26 December – 2 January), with about 94% of tourist beds occupied, followed by the two weeks from 13 to 27 February (about 90%). In the Southern Alps, the peak is the week of 20 to 27 February, in the Pyrenees the week of 13 to 20 February, in the Vosges the week of 20 to 27 February. These peaks follow the French school holidays, which are staggered by zone.

Is Easter a good time to ski in France in 2027?

Easter is early in 2027 (Sunday 28 March), so almost all resorts in the Alps are still open over the UK Easter holidays (about 27 March – 9 April) and snow is usually still good at altitude. The Northern Alps are about 60% full that week, much quieter than in February. Most Pyrenean resorts close in late March or early April, so choose the Alps for an Easter trip. For mid- to late April, pick a high resort: Val Thorens, Tignes, Val d'Isère, Les 2 Alpes and Chamonix stay open until 2 May.

When should you go skiing in France to avoid the crowds?

Outside French school holidays: from early January to early February, occupancy in the Northern Alps drops to about 70%, and from early March to Easter to about 60%. January weeks usually still have good snow in high-altitude resorts. In late April there are very few people, but only a handful of very high resorts are still open.

Where can you ski in France at Christmas with good snow?

For Christmas week (19 – 26 December), resorts with high ski areas usually have good natural snow: Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel, Courchevel, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d'Isère, Alpe d'Huez, Les 2 Alpes, Avoriaz, Flaine, Serre Chevalier, Briançon, Vars and Risoul. In the lower mountains (Jura, Vosges, Massif Central) and in the Pyrenees, Christmas snow varies a lot from one winter to the next.

When are the French school holidays in winter 2027?

Christmas: from Saturday 19 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027, for all of France. Winter holidays: zone C (Paris, Toulouse, Montpellier) from 6 to 22 February 2027, zone A (Lyon, Grenoble, Bordeaux) from 13 February to 1 March, zone B (Marseille, Nice, Lille, Strasbourg) from 20 February to 8 March. Spring holidays: zone C from 3 to 19 April, zone A from 10 to 26 April, zone B from 17 April to 3 May. French families fill the ski resorts during the Christmas and February holidays.

Method: natural snow depth recorded every day over the winters 2015-16 to 2025-26 (Open-Meteo, ERA5-Land data), compared with each resort's usual maximum. “Good”: good snow cover even in a poor winter. “Variable”: usually good, but poor in about one winter in four. “Poor”: usually little snow. Artificial snow is not taken into account. Low and mid-altitude resorts: the actual depth also counts; below about 25 cm on average, the week is rated “Poor”. The data are calculated on a grid of about 9 km, so two resorts very close to each other can get the same result. Jura, Vosges and Massif Central: mid-mountain resorts where natural snow varies a lot from one winter to the next; results there are less precise than in the Alps and the Pyrenees. In these three ranges, the data underestimate mid-mountain snow, so from 19 December to mid-March resorts are rated at least “Variable”. Pyrenees: the 9 km grid places the top of the slopes lower than in reality; from 19 December to mid-March, resorts there are also rated at least “Variable”. Resorts with slopes reaching 2,700 m or more (Val Thorens, Tignes, Val d'Isère, Les 2 Alpes…): their snow is compared with their own, very high maximum, which underrated them early in the season; from 19 December to the end of April they are rated “Good”. Chamonix: the top of Grands Montets (3,275 m) will not be served by lifts before December 2027, so the resort is counted with slopes up to 2,765 m and, as most of its ski area is lower, it is not automatically rated “Good” from 19 December. Avoriaz and Flaine (lowest slopes at 1,600 m or more): the 9 km grid underestimates the snow at these resorts, among the snowiest in the Northern Alps; they are rated “Good” from 19 December. In every range, during the period when snow is usually deepest (late January to mid-April in the Northern Alps, until early April in the Southern Alps, mid-January to mid-February in the Pyrenees, January elsewhere), no resort is rated below “Variable”.

Crowds: expected occupancy of tourist accommodation for each mountain range, based on the reports and forecasts published every winter by G2A Consulting for ANMSM (the French association of mountain resort mayors) and Atout France, adapted to the 2026-27 holiday calendar. A winter with little snow can lower these rates by 5 to 10 points. By resort: the range's rate is adjusted for expected snow (+5 to −15 points), ski area size (large resort +4, small −4) and the altitude of the top of the slopes (±1 point per 250 m compared with the range average, at most ±4); the average of the resorts, weighted by their number of beds, stays equal to the range's rate. These adjustments are our own estimates. Start of the season: before its announced 2026-27 opening date (provisional dates), a resort is shown as “Not open yet”. Without a published date (small resorts in the Jura, Vosges, Massif Central and Southern Alps), opening is assumed on 19 December, when the Christmas holidays start. End of the season: after its announced 2026-27 closing date (provisional dates; for a few Pyrenean resorts, last winter's dates), a resort is shown as “Closed”; a resort without a known date is considered closed when it has no more snow. A closed resort keeps a rate (spring holidaymakers, residences), much lower (−25 points), and the resorts still open get more, the average staying that of the range. Festive season: the average rate of the period is split between Christmas week (about 8 points lower) and New Year's week (8 points higher), as in the national forecasts for 2024 and 2025. Vosges: G2A publishes nothing for this range; the figures come from the La Bresse Hautes Vosges tourist office (week-by-week occupancy for the February holidays 2024 and 2025). Outside February, Vosges rates are estimates: very low outside school holidays, close to the Jura at Christmas. Massif Central: figures from the Massif du Sancy tourist office surveys of accommodation providers (Super-Besse, Le Mont-Dore), winters 2017 to 2026; February 2027 follows February 2024, which had the same calendar, slightly lowered as in the last two winters. March: estimate. Foreign holidays: official 2026-27 calendars for the United Kingdom (most English schools), Belgium and the Netherlands; French-speaking Switzerland: cantonal calendars (Geneva, Vaud, Fribourg, Valais, Neuchâtel, Jura). Germany is not shown, as its dates vary by state. Jura: during Swiss holidays, the rate is raised by 3 to 7 points; Swiss visitors mostly come for the day, so they fill the slopes more than the accommodation. The forecasts will be updated with the mid-December and early February forecasts.