Val Thorens
France
Europe's highest ski resort at 2,300m, and the closest thing to a guarantee that you will be skiing on Christmas Day.
Village 2,300m · top 3,230m
84
/ 100
Very snow-sure
The Most Snow-Sure Ski Resorts at Christmas
Christmas falls at the very start of the Alpine season. In a good year everything is open; in a thin one the difference between resorts is stark, and it is mostly a question of where the terrain sits.
Our Christmas Snow Score rates each resort on village altitude, the height of the lift-served terrain, snowmaking and glacier access. It is a measure of how reliable a resort tends to be, not a forecast — and no resort, however high, can promise snow on a given week.
The ranking
Ordered by Christmas Snow Score.
Cervinia
Italy
At 2,050m with glacier lifts and a link into Zermatt, the most snow-sure resort in Italy.
Village 2,050m · top 3,500m
81
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Zermatt
Switzerland
The Matterhorn, year-round glacier skiing, and a car-free village that is among the loveliest in the Alps.
Village 1,608m · top 3,883m
74
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Val d'Isère
France
The rare resort that has both a real village and 3,456m of glacier-backed terrain above it.
Village 1,849m · top 3,456m · 300km of piste
73
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Saas-Fee
Switzerland
A car-free village at 1,800m ringed by thirteen four-thousand-metre peaks, with glacier skiing above it.
Village 1,798m · top 3,457m
71
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Tignes
France
Glacier skiing on the Grande Motte and the same Espace Killy terrain as Val d'Isère, for less money.
Village 1,810m · top 3,456m · 300km of piste
71
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Alpe d'Huez
France
Three hundred sunny days a year, 3,330m of altitude, and the longest black run in the world.
Village 1,860m · top 3,330m
70
/ 100
Very snow-sure
Les Arcs
France
Four villages at four altitudes, linked by cable car to La Plagne as the huge Paradiski area.
Village 1,600m · top 3,250m
59
/ 100
Usually reliable
Les Menuires
France
Les Menuires is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,850m · top 2,850m
59
/ 100
Usually reliable
Verbier
Switzerland
Serious off-piste, a sunny south-facing balcony, and the liveliest nights in Switzerland.
Village 1,490m · top 3,329m
57
/ 100
Usually reliable
Montgenèvre
France
Montgenèvre is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,789m · top 2,789m
55
/ 100
Usually reliable
Avoriaz
France
Car-free, ski-in/ski-out from almost every door, and the best resort in France for young families.
Village 1,800m · top 2,466m · 130km of piste
48
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Valloire
France
Valloire is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,430m · top 3,000m
47
/ 100
Weather-dependent
La Plagne
France
Eleven villages, enormous intermediate terrain, and consistently one of the best-value big French resorts.
Village 1,250m · top 3,250m
46
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Méribel
France
The prettiest of the Three Valleys resorts and the one that suits families best.
Village 1,450m · top 2,952m
46
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Flaine
France
Flaine is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,600m · top 2,561m
43
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Lech
Austria
Quietly the most exclusive village in the Alps, and among the snowiest places in Austria.
Village 1,444m · top 2,811m
43
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Madonna di Campiglio
Italy
Madonna di Campiglio is a Italian ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,553m · top 2,600m
42
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Corvara and Colfosco
Italy
Corvara and Colfosco is a Italian ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,568m · top 2,550m
41
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Italy
The most beautiful setting in the Alps, and an elegant Italian town that happens to have skiing.
Village 1,224m · top 2,930m
38
/ 100
Weather-dependent
St Anton am Arlberg
Austria
The spiritual home of Alpine skiing, with the toughest terrain and the liveliest après in Austria.
Village 1,304m · top 2,811m
38
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Courchevel
France
The most luxurious address in the Alps, with the grooming, the restaurants and the prices to match.
Village 1,300m · top 2,738m
36
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Serre Chevalier
France
Serre Chevalier is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,200m · top 2,800m
34
/ 100
Weather-dependent
La Villa
Italy
La Villa is a Italian ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,315m · top 2,550m
32
/ 100
Weather-dependent
San Cassiano
Italy
San Cassiano is a Italian ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,315m · top 2,550m
32
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Les Carroz
France
Les Carroz is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 1,140m · top 2,500m
24
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Morzine
France
A working Savoyard market town with real life in it — and the lowest altitude in our French selection.
Village 1,000m · top 2,466m
18
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Samoëns
France
Samoëns is a French ski resort where our partner Skiworld runs chalets. We have not finished researching it: there is no Christmas Snow Score here yet because its altitude figures are unverified, and the description below will grow.
Village 710m · top 2,500m
12
/ 100
Weather-dependent
Not yet ranked
We cover these resorts but have not finished verifying the data this ranking uses, so they are left out rather than given a number we cannot stand behind.
The Christmas Snow Score compares resorts on altitude, terrain, snowmaking and past December openings. It describes how reliable a resort tends to be, not what the snow will do this year — Alpine conditions vary every season and nobody can guarantee them.