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Spring skiing has many advantages. The days are longer, the lifts are open later, and the warmer temperatures make being in the mountains easier and more pleasant—especially if you're on a family ski holiday with kids. The trade-off is that there's probably less chance of scoring champagne powder, of course. But unless freeriding is your main priority when booking a ski trip, powder-laden resorts are not the be all and end all.
Travelling later in the season means that rather than having to huddle by the fire in a mountain restaurant, you can sit out on a deckchair sunning yourself. Spring also tends to be the season of mountain music festivals, and depending on when Easter falls, it can be a great time to April ski deals and discounts on everything from flights, to transfers, to lift passes.
Why go skiing in the Spring?
As the days lengthen, the odds shorten on seeing blue skies. Sometimes, of course, bright sunshine and warmer temperatures mean icy runs in the morning and slush in the afternoon. But in high altitude resorts, such as Tignes and Val d’Isère, there's often excellent snow even late into the season.
As the climate crisis continues to wreak havoc with normal seasonal fluctuations, the heaviest snowfall in some parts of the Alps has been in April in recent years.
Spring is great for off-slope activities too. The later sunsets mean you can squeeze in something like a horse-drawn sleigh ride or snowmobile safari before it gets dark. And après ski is almost always better when its warm. Spring is the time when you get fun, end of season events, like pond-skims, fancy dress rallies, live music and slopeside parties.
It's more pleasant to learn when the weather is warmer, which makes spring an especially good time for families and beginners. The slopes are often quieter too.
What makes a ski resort good for Spring skiing?
For April ski holidays, altitude is usually a big plus. Higher resorts stay colder later in the year, which helps ensure decent snow coverage. You're best off picking a high-altitude resort, with a lot of skiable terrain above 2,000m.
If you want to take advantage of the springtime festival atmosphere, it's worth picking somewhere that's a decent size too—and checking their seasonal schedule for events and festivals.
Our experts have picked out 12 resorts from major skiing destinations here that we believe fit the bill. Of course, there are others. But this list of the best resorts for spring ski holidays is a good place to start.
Tignes-Val d'Isère, France
Tignes and Val d'Isère are separate resorts, but they're linked by lifts so we've listed them as one for the purposes of this list. Both are great for spring ski holidays, with the high-altitude ski area between them offering reliable snow-sure skiing well into April.
Tignes is a buzzing mini-metropolis in an otherwise uninhabited realm of snow and ice in the Haute Tarentaise valley. It's split into two main resort centres - Tignes-le-Lac and Val Claret, facing each other across a frozen lake. Perfect for intermediates, Tignes has big scenery and masses of space in the ski area.
The variety of terrain is extensive: from the exhilarating glacial heights of La Grande Motte, to the thigh-burning long cruises down to the tree line and valley floor at Les Brevieres. The resort boasts two sports and leisure centres, numerous spa facilities, a tenpin bowling arcade, plus there are various day-time and evening adventure-sports activities available.
Val d'Isère is a Mecca for expert skiers and snowboarders, yet also a popular mainstream resort; the wide range of terrain in its extensive ski area means it can successfully cater for all ability levels.
The village sits at a snow-sure altitude of 1,850m, making Val d'Isère a sound choice for a late-season ski trip. It's brimming with upmarket après-ski venues, chic boutiques, top-class hotels and deluxe chalets, while there's a dizzying array of adventure activities, including ice circuit driving, ice climbing, and paragliding.
Gurgl, Austria
Obergurgl and its lift-linked neighbour Hochgurgl used to be marketed as separate resorts, even though you could ski both villages on the same lift pass. Recently, however, they rebranded simply as Gurgl. Both are small, friendly, high-altitude snow sure destinations at the upper end of Austria's Ötztal Valley.
The area's biggest draw is the reliable snow conditions, particularly early and late in the season, as the village sits at 1,927m, and the lifts go up to above 3,000m.
As a family resort, many of the hotels offer kids activities and are close to the ski school and lifts. Obergurgl has some challenging freeride slopes, as well as some great pistes for every level of skier.
PontediLegno-Tonale, Italy
The high altitude resort of Pontedilegno-Tonale, which sits on the border between the Italian regions of Lombardy and Trentino, has lifts that run from 1,155m all the way up to 3,000m, giving it a long season that stretches into early May.
The resort is made up of two villages—the historic town of Ponte di Legno, down in the valley, and the more modern village of Passo Tonale, which sits on a pass at 1,800m. While it's easy to get between the two via lift, we'd recommend staying up on the pass for late season skiing, as it offers quicker access to the highest terrain.
Pontedilegno-Tonale is ideal for mixed ability groups, thanks to its layout—the south facing, sunnier slopes are mostly cruisey blues, making them ideal for beginners and intermediates. While the north facing slopes, underpinned by the Presena Glacier are steeper, with lifts that offer access to some of the best off-piste skiing anywhere in Italy.
Both villages are fairly small and quiet, making them great for family ski holidays. But there's enough of an après ski scene to appeal to party lovers too—including what is quite literally the coolest concert venue in the Alps, an ice cave built into the glacier. A range of groups, playing everything from grunge covers to classical music, put on shows throughout the season, with many of them using the "house instruments" which include cellos, violins, electric guitars and even a drum kit made of ice.
Take a look at some great late season offers from Pontedilegno-Tonale here: pontedilegnotonale.com
Cervinia, Italy
This famous Italian resort is at its best when the skies are blue and the sun shines, as the high mountain views are magnificent. It sits in a high-altitude basin under the gaze of the Matterhorn, and is linked with the Swiss resort of Zermatt (see below). Together, they share the highest pisted ski domain in Europe, offering 360km of pistes.
Despite its height, Cervinia is actually a good choice for beginners and intermediates. The ski area mostly consists of easy to mid-range blue and very light red runs, and grooming here is superb.
The town is welcoming with plenty of bars and restaurants. There's plenty to do away from the slopes, too - have a go at the many activities on offer, such as ice karting, or tandem paragliding. You can also have a dip in the local pool or visit the highest ice grotto in Europe over on the Swiss side of the mountains.
Sölden, Austria
With some of Austria’s highest pistes, and bags of intermediate terrain, Sölden won’t disappoint on any level, on or off the pistes. Freeride lovers - including those venturing off-piste for the first time - will find perfect powder runs and more than 70km of lift-accessible off-piste terrain. It's only 90km from Innsbruck, so is highly accessible even for weekends.
A regular on the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit, Sölden hosts world class ski events throughout the season, yet the 144km of pistes, and uplift capacity of 68,000 people/hour, soon eats up all the crowds. And with its glacier skiing, it remains open into May.
It's a great party resort and attracts a lively crowd. Off the slopes, the James Bond Experience at the top of the Gaislachkogel lift (a film location for the Spectre movie) is well worth visiting.
Banff, Canada
Nestled in the spectacular Canadian Rockies, Banff is one of the best ski resorts in Canada. The authentic mountain town offers fantastic Canadian hospitality with over 130 bars, restaurants and coffee shops, loads of interesting shops if you're in the mood for some retail therapy, and also hosts great events throughout the season.
For skiing and snowboarding, Banff has three distinct resorts, all covered by the SkiBig3 lift pass. These are Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise. Each brings something different to the table, from gentle beginner slopes to unbeatable off-piste powder.
Getting around is also easy with a free bus service included with your ski pass. Other snowy activities include snowshoeing, dogsledding, winter hiking in the magical landscapes of Banff National Park or nearby Jasper National Park, and, of course, relaxing in one of Banff's famous hot springs.
Livigno, Italy
Known as 'Little Tibet', Livigno is a high-altitude, remote ski resort in Italy's Lombardy region, in a duty-free enclave close to the Swiss border. Generally promoted as an ideal destination for beginners, Livigno is also a good choice for intermediate skiers and snowboarders, particularly for those on a budget, as the duty-free status keeps prices relatively cheap.
The majority of the 115km of pistes are mid-range reds, with a couple of short black runs providing a slightly more testing workout for progressing intermediates; the pick of the runs are the long descents from the Carosello sector down to the base area at San Rocco.
Among skiers and snowboarders who love freestyle, the area is known as the home of the legendary Mottolino Snowpark—one of the largest in Europe, where pro athletes are often spotted training. The resort is set to host the freestyle and snowboarding events when the Winter Olympics come to Cortina in 2026.
Livigno is renowned for having a lively après ski scene, and there are plenty of off-slope activities on offer—including an ice skating rink in the San Rocco quarter, snowmobiling, or driving / skidding around an ice-circuit in cars, go-karts, or on quad bikes.
Sestriere, Italy
The highest resort in the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski area, which straddles the Italian-French border, and stretches across 400km of lift-linked pistes, Sestriere, Italy, was one of the world's very first purpose-designed ski resorts. Reliably snow-sure, it's a strong all-round choice for beginners and keen intermediates.
The resort boasts an open-air ice rink, heated outdoor swimming pools and a well-equipped fitness club, plus indoor tennis & squash courts at a big municipal multi-sports centre.
Modern and trendy, the village does a fair selection of shops and cafés, and several nice restaurants. There are also a handful of pleasant bars and the resort gets especially lively at weekends, with the Tabata nightclub a highlight of any party-lover's stay.
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
Known as 'The Pearl of The Alps', Saas-Fee is a high-altitude, year-round mountain resort set in a crown of 13 soaring 4,000m peaks, in the Mischabel range of Switzerland's Valais Alps. The slopes are snow-sure and the car-free village is attractive; its facilities are modern, its restaurants are good, and its après ski is lively; Saas Fee is definitely a Alpine jewel.
Families will appreciate the friendly atmosphere as well as the fantastic, large beginners’ area in the village centre. There is plenty of entertainment to keep you occupied off the slopes, from the Aqua Allalin pool and spa complex to the Feeblitz bobsleigh/rollercoaster. Après ski ranges from the sophisticated to the downright fun.
Val Thorens, France
With dependable snow conditions, Val Thorens is not only the highest village in France's famous Three Valleys ski area, it's also the highest ski resort in Europe. With some 99 percent of its slopes at over 2,000m, it's pretty much all doorstep skiing, while for down-time, the resort's leisure centre has a spa, swimming pool, a gym and fitness suite, squash courts, multi-sports hall plus a children's fun-park area.
Other activities include snowmobiling, mountain biking on snow and an epic 6km toboggan run from the top of the Peclet gondola. Everything you need for a spring ski holiday.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Nestled at the foot of the Matterhorn, just across the border from Cervinia, Zermatt is one of the best ski resorts in Switzerland, if not the world. The skiing here is on a grand scale and Zermatt attracts a high percentage of advanced skiers, but much of its terrain is ideal for adventurous intermediates and even non-skiers can reach the magnificent viewpoints and superb mountain restaurants.
Cars are banned from Zermatt's streets, with only electric carts permitted, and the village retains much of its traditional charm and human scale. The quaint, narrow lanes in the oldest quarters are lined with age-old buildings, while the central quarter has an almost urban buzz about it, filled with designer boutiques and elegant cafés.
Obertauern, Austria
Much like Gurgl, Obertauern which sits at 1,740m in the Salzburg region, doesn’t have a glacier but does have one of the best snow records in Austria, with 147km of pistes rising up to 2,350m. The long season reaches into May, making this an assured destination for a late ski holiday and an ideal place to hop over to for a well-deserved short break.
OIbertauern offers high altitude, queue-free skiing with traditional fun Austrian après and plenty of ski-in/ski-out accommodation. Shrouded by the spectacular peaks of the RadstädterTauern, the ski circus is suitable for all levels and great for mixed ability groups. What more could you want?
