European Ski Vacations

Skiing in Europe is dramatic. The Alps are like the best of western Rocky Mountain ski areas on top of New England's finest mountains. The Alps are huge, dramatic peaks like the Matterhorn in Zermatt and Mont Blanc at Chamonix are the canvas for long vertical and extraordinary scenery. Many European resorts, like Verbier and Les 4 Vallees, easily offer two to four times more terrain than any mega North American ski resorts like Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, Alta/Snowbird, Whistler/Blackcomb and Vail. Ski resorts in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany often connect ski villages with their extensive lift systems and provide numerous ski resorts on a regional interchangeable lift ticket.

For example France's Val D’isere has over 90 lifts that interconnect for 186 miles of prepared skiing. Les Trois Valles offers 200 lifts and over 375 miles of trails. The Austrian Arlberg region features 84 ski lifts and over 300 miles of skiing on groomed trails plus thousands of acres of open bowl above treeline skiing.

For Europeans, skiing is a lifestyle, an all day affair with long lunches at mountainside chalets, après ski (obviously invented here) with Gluhwein - a hot spiced cider, or a beer on a sunny terrace, spa treatments and fine dining at on mountains hotels at the end of your ski day. 

Taking your family to the Alps for a ski trip is a big adventure. You will encounter big mountain skiing with awesome scenery, skiing long runs over 4,000-feet of vertical and riding futuristic ski lifts.

The Alps are also famed for the charming and historic alpine villages that cling to the hillsides and are tucked in the valleys. Kids skate and sled while parents enjoy après ski Kirsch at an slopeside umbrella bar. Snow covered chalets serve classic fondue and raclette. European ski resorts have lodging that ranges from condominiums, two to five star ski hotels, chalets, and bed and breakfasts. There are so many magical snowy hideaways and top ski resorts in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany to plan your family ski vacation in the Alps.

See our recent reviews of Switzerland's top ski resorts in including Adelboden Lenk, Aletsch Arena, Saas Fee, Verbier, and Zermatt.

Austria's Tirol is another favorite for family skiing in the Alps, see our ski reviews of the Arlberg region of St Anton and Lech Zurs, and the Otztal valley ski resorts of Solden and Obergurgl Hochgurgl and our Austrian ski photos.