Best Ski Resorts in Europe

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Kühtai near Innsbruck Austria, whilst small, is highly by Powderhounds in all aspects
Kühtai near Innsbruck Austria, whilst small, is highly by Powderhounds in all aspects
Pitztal Glacier Austria rates highly as one of the best ski resorts for powder hounds in Europe
Pitztal Glacier Austria rates highly as one of the best ski resorts for powder hounds in Europe
Sainte Foy France rates amongst the best ski resorts in Europe for powder seekers
Sainte Foy France rates amongst the best ski resorts in Europe for powder seekers
Skicircus Saalbach Austria is one of the best overall ski resorts in Europe
Skicircus Saalbach Austria is one of the best overall ski resorts in Europe
Monterosa ski resort Italy rates highly in both best overall & best for powder hounds in Europe
Monterosa ski resort Italy rates highly in both best overall & best for powder hounds in Europe
Les Arcs France is a highly rated ski resort in best overall in Europe category
Les Arcs France is a highly rated ski resort in best overall in Europe category
Murren Schilthorn in the Jungfrau ski region Switzerland rates highly for its expert off-piste terrain
Murren Schilthorn in the Jungfrau ski region Switzerland rates highly for its expert off-piste terrain
Chamonix France is a highly rated ski area in many categories
Chamonix France is a highly rated ski area in many categories
Andermatt Sedrun is a world class ski resort in Switzerland that provides much of what powder hounds are seeking
Andermatt Sedrun is a world class ski resort in Switzerland that provides much of what powder hounds are seeking
Avoriaz in the Portes du Soleil is a must visit ski region in France & Switzerland
Avoriaz in the Portes du Soleil is a must visit ski region in France & Switzerland
Tignes France expansive & diverse on & off-piste terrain ranks in the top ski resorts of Europe
Tignes France expansive & diverse on & off-piste terrain ranks in the top ski resorts of Europe
The glacier ski resorts of Austria, like Kaunertal provide the long seasons unique to the European Alps
The glacier ski resorts of Austria, like Kaunertal provide the long seasons unique to the European Alps
Skiing powder on the Austrian glaciers like at Pitztal is a European delight
Skiing powder on the Austrian glaciers like at Pitztal is a European delight
Modern lift infrastructure is the norm in European ski resorts like Les Arcs
Modern lift infrastructure is the norm in European ski resorts like Les Arcs
Europe
Europe's best ski resorts are often small & uncrowded like Sainte Foy in France
The Portes du Soleil in Switzerland & France has everything for everyone!
The Portes du Soleil in Switzerland & France has everything for everyone!
Après ski in Europe is the best & can be vibrant or relaxing like at Hinterglemm Austria
Après ski in Europe is the best & can be vibrant or relaxing like at Hinterglemm Austria
Lenzerheide in combination with Arosa is a highly rated Swiss ski resort
Lenzerheide in combination with Arosa is a highly rated Swiss ski resort
Sauze d
Sauze d'Oulx in the Via Lattea offers some of the best value skiing in the world
No best European ski resort list is complete without Zermatt in Switzerland
No best European ski resort list is complete without Zermatt in Switzerland

Best Ski Resorts in Europe

Powderhounds Awards: Best Ski Resorts in Europe

Where is the best skiing in Europe? The following awards for the best ski resorts in Europe are according to ratings provided by Powderhounds.com & are for resorts that have been reviewed by Powderhounds. Why have a Top 10 when there are so many amazing European ski areas? So, we have a Top 12 instead. At this stage, all the best resorts are in the Alps, with only a few exceptions. See if you can find them below! Also, the resort that rates so highly in many categories but cannot crack our top 12s is St Anton - well worth a look, as are soooo many more.

Top 12 European Ski Resorts - For Powder Hounds

Based on advanced terrain + snow quality & quantity + lack of people riding off-piste
Kuhtai Austria: Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe See Austria: 2nd Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Santa Caterina Italy: 3rd Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe
Pitztal Glacier Austria: 4th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Sainte Foy France: 5th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Kaunertal Glacier Austria: 6th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe
Bonneval sur Arc France: 7th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Lauchernalp Switzerland: 8th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Gargellen Austria: 9th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe
La Norma France: 10th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Muerren Schilthorn Switzerland: 11th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe Nauders Austria: 12th Best Powder Ski Resort in Europe

Top 12 Best European Ski Resorts - Overall

Based on infrastructure & services, terrain, snow & cost
3 Vallees France: #1 best overall rated ski resort in Europe Serfaus Fiss Ladis Austria: 2nd best overall rated ski resort in Europe Kitzbuhel Austria: 3rd best overall rated ski resort in Europe
Silvretta Montafon Austria: 4th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Alpe d'Huez: 5th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Les Arcs France: 6th best overall rated ski resort in Europe
Zermatt Switzerland: 7th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Skicircus Saalbach Austria: 8th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Gastein Austria: 9th best overall rated ski resort in Europe
Arosa-Lenzerheide Switzerland: 10th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Livigno Italy: 11th best overall rated ski resort in Europe Andermatt Sedrun Switzerland: 12th best overall rated ski resort in Europe

Other Awards for European Ski Resorts

Best Skiing in Europe - Overall Terrain

St Anton, Tignes, 3 Vallees, Les Arcs, Zermatt, Jungfrau, Arosa Lenzerheide, Serfaus Fiss Ladis

Best Overall On-Piste Terrain

Portes du Soleil, Kitzbϋhel, Tignes, Crans Montana, Kronplatz, 3 Vallees, Hochzillertal, Ischgl, Laax, Livigno

Best Beginner Terrain*

Livigno, Val Cenis, Alta Badia, Tonale, Aletsch Arena, Kronplatz, La Plagne, Grandvalira, Alpe d'Huez, Courchevel
*Note that there are 26 resorts that we have rated 5/5 for beginners. We have only mentioned the top 10 overall.

Best Intermediate On-Piste Terrain*

3 Vallees, Ski Circus Saalbach, Les Arcs, Zermatt, Gastein, Lenzerheide, Hochzillertal, Kitzbϋhel, Livigno, St Anton
*Note that there are 40 resorts that we have rated 5/5 for intermediates - Europe is an intermediate skiers’ paradise. We have only mentioned the top 10 overall.

Best Advanced On-Piste Terrain

Serfaus Fiss Ladis, Alpe d'Huez, Arabba Marmolada, Grands-Montets, Cortina, Murren Schilthorn, Serfaus Fiss Ladis

Best Expert & Extreme Terrain

La Grave, St Anton, Murren Schilthorn, Andermatt, Chamonix, Verbier, Engelberg, Alpe d'Huez, Val d'Isere

Best Off-piste & Freeride Terrain*

Skicircus Saalbach, Kuhtai, Val d'Isere, Monterosa, Zermatt, Grands-Montets, Murren Schilthorn, Meribel, Andermatt Sedrun, Courmayeur
*Note that there are 26 resorts that we have rated 5/5 for off-piste terrain. We have only mentioned the top 10 overall.

Best Tree Skiing

Serre Chevalier, Sauze d’Oulx, Val Cenis, La Norma, Monterosa

Best Snow/Powder

Kuhtai, Pitztal Glacier, Sainte Foy, Lauchernalp, Val Thorens, Kaunertal Glacier, Andermatt Sedrun, Davos Klosters, Livigno, La Thuile

Best Lift Infrastructure*

SkiCircus Saalbach, Les Arcs, Gastein, Arosa-Lenzerheide, Hochzillertal, Kitzbuehel, St Anton, 3-Vallees (Val Thorens & Meribel), Avoriaz, Obertauern
*Note there are 30 resorts that we have rated 5/5 for lifts - no surprise as the infrastructure in Europe is generally exceptional. We have only mentioned the top 10 overall.

Best Ski Resorts Accessible by Train

Kronplatz, Aletsch Arena, Andermatt-Sedrun, Davos Klosters, Les Arcs, St Moritz, Verbier, Zermatt, Gstaad, Jungfrau, Champéry - Les Crosets, St Anton

Best Skiing in Europe for Families

3 Vallees, Livigno, Val Cenis, Tonale, Aletsch Arena, Alta Badia, Kronplatz, La Plagne, Grandvalira, Serre Chevalier

Best Small Ski Resorts

Brigels, Sainte Foy, Bonneval-sur-Arc, La Norma, Diedamskopf, Santa Caterina, Pralognan la Vanoise, See, Gargellen

Best Summer Skiing in Europe

Hintertux Glacier, Zermatt, Saas Fee, Les 2 Alpes

Best Après & Nightlife

Kitzbϋhel, St Anton, Mayrhofen, SkiCircus Saalbach, Chamonix, Ischgl, Saas Fee,

Best Restaurants Overall (Day/Night)

Chamonix, Dolomites, Courmayeur, Saalbach, St Anton, Zermatt, Kitzbϋhel, Zürs, St Moritz, Courchevel, Les 2 Alpes

Best Value for Money Overall

Kuhtai, Monterosa, Via Lattea, La Thuile, Madesimo, Axamer Lizum, Brigels, Bonneval sur Arc, Ordino Arcalis, Gudauri

Best Value Lift Pass

Via Lattea, Portes du Soleil, Ski Arlberg (Lech, St Anton, Warth Schröcken & Zürs), Ski ALPIN (Skicircus Saalbach, Zell am See, Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn)

To see how the Europe ski resorts rate against each other, check out our European Ski Resort Ratings page.

Best Europe Ski Resorts - Readers' Reviews

These awards for the "best ski resorts in Europe" are based on the public reviews on Powderhounds.com. Come and have your say on the top Europe ski resorts by reviewing and rating a ski area. Navigate to the Europe ski resort you want to review and click on the "add review" link in the left-hand-column. Put your vote in!

NB only Europe ski resorts with a minimum of 4 reviews were considered in the awards. Where there are equal scores, the resort with more reviews is selected as the best. 1 The top overall Europe ski resort is based on an average of the other above factors. 2 The best Europe powder skiing is the average of the scores for snow, uncrowded and off-piste.

Submit Ski Resort Reviews - Have Your Say

Have your say on the best ski resorts in Europe by adding your own review. Navigate to your favourite European ski resort & click on the "ADD REVIEW' button to submit your review, ratings & photos.

Powderhounds would love to hear your good, bad & ugly ski resort reviews!

Got any questions about skiing in Europe, contact us here.
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