Is December Skiing For You?
December skiing is often considered a little risky, but it doesn’t have to be. If you choose the right time and place, you can have the skiing holiday of a lifetime. In this article, we’ll look at the best places to ski in December. Think of high-altitude ski resorts in the French Alps.
First, you’ll want to decide whether skiing in December appeals to you. Early in the month, the slopes and towns are less busy but the snow conditions can be more variable. As Christmas approaches, so do the amounts of people, but the festive atmosphere in the mountain villages is unique.
If you feel like hitting the slopes early in the season, you’ll have the best chance of a white holiday if you aim for a resort at over 1,800m of altitude, particularly where there are snow cannons.
We recommend our customers to head to the high Alps. Here, the resorts offer early-season skiing, hundreds of fantastic ski runs, and charming mountain villages.
Wondering where to go skiing in December? We have come up with a list of the best ski resorts in the Alps with early-season snow.
Bear in mind that you can easily reach nearby resorts by car or skiing, as many slopes are accessible from more than one valley.
Towns: La Folie Douce, Reberty, La Tania, Meribel
Snow runs: 339
Snow parks: 1
Km of pistes: 600km
Nearby resorts: Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Le Menuires
The Three Valleys is the largest ski resort in the world. It’s a paradise for both beginners and advanced skiers. There are few other winter activities to do here; however, the nightlife is fantastic. The area opens up to tourists by the end of November, so it’s a great early-season destination. For luxurious accommodation, have a look at our stunning chalets in The Three Valleys.
Town: La Plagne, Montchavin Les Coches, Plagne Montalbert, La Plagne Villages
Ski runs: 128
Snow parks: 4
Km of pistes: 425km
Nearby resorts: Les Arcs
Together with Les Arcs ski resort, La Plagne forms the “Paradiski” skiing area. La Plagne is a skiing paradise, suitable for beginner and intermediate skiers. Here, you can also go snow-shoeing or husky sledding. If you head to La Plagne, you’ll have to stay in one of our beautiful authentic chalets.
Towns: Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Les Arcs villages, Pesei-Vallandry, Villaroger, Peisey Nancroix
Ski runs: 123
Snow parks: 3
Km of pistes: 450km
Nearby resorts: La Plagne
The Les Arcs, situated near the Vanoise National Park, is a fantastic skiing area. It also offers a variety of winter activities, such as ski-joering. The resort is made up of four villages. For early season skiing, we’d recommend going to the higher ones: Les Arcs 1,950 and Les Arcs 2,000. For luxurious yet traditional accommodation, check out Chalet Eagle’s Nest in Peisey Nancroix.
Towns: Morzine, Avoriaz, Chatel, Les Gets, Morgins, Les Crosets, Champerey, Torgon, La Chapelle d’Abondance and Saint Jean D’Aulps
Ski runs: 300
Snow parks: 10
Km of pistes: 650km
Nearby resorts: Les Gets
Morzine is an easily reachable town with an international airport. While the village is at 1,000m of altitude, the skiing resort of Portes du Soleil runs up to 2,300m. Here, the nightlife is excellent and you can even try your hand at ice climbing and snow-shoeing. If you’re looking for a cozy, modern place to stay, you have to take a look at Chalet Chelmer in Morzine.
Town: Montvalezan
Ski runs: 77
Snow parks: 4
Km of pistes: 150km
Nearby resorts: La Thuile (Espace San Barnardo) and Les Eucherts
La Rosiere is located in the heart of the Haute-Tarentaise, near Mont Blanc, and features quaint villages and untouched forests. The skiing is great year-round. There is also a range of fun activities to try, like heli-skiing and snow kiting. Need a place to stay? Look no further than our two chalets in La Rosiere.
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