Have an adventure with alpine skiing in Europe

Though Canada is home to many exciting ski resorts in some of the best mountains in North America, it’s nice to get a change of scenery and experience some of Europe’s storied peaks. Places like the Les Trois Vallées ski area, the Dolomites, and the Swiss Alps ensure incredible skiing and snowboarding experiences on terrain that has been the training ground for champions for decades, along with après-ski festivities and sophisticated dining and shopping. From family-friendly runs to daring, jagged mountain faces, take a look at the top alpine skiing destinations in Europe and the continent’s best resorts to plan your winter ski trip.

Zermatt for family fun

Zermatt is an expansive ski area on the Matterhorn with stunning scenery and plenty to see and do. The varied terrain is suitable for beginners to experts, ensuring that large groups and families can have an enjoyable ski trip to the resort. Zermatt also has spectacular views that you can enjoy at the many restaurants and après-ski spots at the mountain’s historic village. You’ll also find luxury stores and fine-dining restaurants for a decadent experience.

Courchevel for thrilling ski experiences

Courchevel is a bucket-list ski destination that’s linked to one of the largest ski areas in the world. The 4 villages and ski areas make up the Les Trois Vallées ski area, a single-pass ski area in the Vanoise National Park with a diverse range of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert terrain. In the village, you’ll find fine-dining restaurants, luxury properties, après-ski spots, and other attractions. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Courchevel is popular for heli-skiing, cat-skiing, and tobogganing.

St. Anton for expert skiers

The charming alpine town of St. Anton is known for one thing – its skiing. The Ski Arlberg resort is located in St. Anton and boasts slopes on St. Anton, Zurs, Warth, Lech, and Schröcken for incredible skiable terrain. The lift system is extensive and takes you everywhere in the ski area, so you won’t waste any time reaching the slopes. Designed for advanced and expert skiers and riders, St. Anton features renowned off-piste skiing and steep, challenging trails that keep even the best on their toes.

Cortina D’Ampezzo for mountain thrills

Combining sophistication with adventure, Cortina D’Ampezzo has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and boasts some of the most varied and massive terrain in Italy. The resort has 3 ski areas on multiple mountain faces and plenty of black and double-black trails for thrill-seekers. If you want to stay, the resort has upscale lodging at the base and high-altitude lodging for more time on the mountain. For more challenges, take the trails to connect to the Dolomiti Superski area, a world-class resort in the Dolomite Alps nearby.

Verbier for off-piste skiing

Part of Switzerland’s largest ski terrain, Verbier has incredible scenery and plenty of off-piste skiing for expert-level skiers and snowboarders. The resort for the adventurous, Verbier brings the challenges with bowls and glades. Though there’s some terrain for beginners, the resort caters to thrill-seekers looking for new experiences. At the base of the mountain, you’ll find excellent après-ski venues and dining with views of the mountain and slopes.

Val d’Isère for luxurious resorts

Boasting consistent snow and high altitudes with varied terrain, Val d’Isère is the top choice for intermediate-to-advanced skiers and snowboarders. Located in the Espace Killy ski area of France, Val d’Isère has numerous marked trails with colour coding to ensure you have a fun and safe experience. At the base, you’ll find a lively valley town with excellent nightlife and sophisticated accommodation options. Overall, Val d’Isère has some of the most modern lifts and facilities as well.

Les Arcs for alpine activities

One of the incredible resorts in France’s Paradiski, Les Arcs offers a quick lift system and an abundance of diverse terrain that includes steep runs, off-piste routes, mellow beginner slopes, and challenging intermediate areas; making it perfect for friends, couples or families. In the ski villages, you’ll find après-ski and shopping, while the mid-mountain accommodation options have ski-in/ski-out properties for more time on the slopes. If you stay at the higher elevation, you have access to the interconnected trails that lead to La Plagne.

Chamonix Mont-Blanc for skiing with kids

Located in the quintessential ski town of Chamonix, Chamonix Mont-Blanc is a ski resort in a gorge with deep areas and steep trails for advanced and beginner skiers and snowboarders. While you’ll find a few mellow slopes for novices, the resort favours glades, treed trails, and other challenges on jagged mountain terrain that delight adventurous experts. If you want more, the resort has bus trips to its multiple ski areas and après-ski spots.