The ski clock may be ticking, but there are still plenty of opportunities to get into the mountains before the ski areas close. And whether you’ve yet to book or are planning yet another flight to the snow, the truth is that late season can be the best time to go.
Both demand and prices fall in March, providing a magical moment of opportunity between the high-priced half-yearly holidays and the Easter holidays. And although Easter comes early in 2024 (March 31), there’s plenty of time to take advantage of quieter airports, shorter lift lines and mountain restaurants with tables to spare.
But even though you’re stuck with school holidays, there are also reasons to be cheerful. As spring approaches, the days get longer, the lifts open later, and the warmer temperatures make days in the mountains more enjoyable, especially for young children and beginners who are more sensitive to the cold.
And what about the snow? Things are also looking rosy in that direction. After several fallow weeks at the start of 2024 and into February, there has been heavy snowfall in the Alps recently, with Italian resorts reporting the heaviest snowfall of the year so far and even lower-altitude resorts in France seeing significant replenishment.
Ian McIlrath from Ski Solutions says: “Conditions in Austria are exceptional at this point in the season. In particular the Arlberg region which includes St. Anton.” Further north, Scandinavian resorts still offer some of the best conditions in Europe. Ski Safari’s Andy Hemingway notes: “Norway is in the middle of an incredible winter, powder days are plentiful and with fewer people on the slopes than other destinations, the snow goes unnoticed for longer.” And while winter got off to a slower start in some North American resorts, snow is now falling, with moderate to heavy snowfall forecast for the coming week.
So, when should you book and where should you go? The main strategy is to aim high, so if you hit a warm spell you still have a good chance of decent skiing. Here are 10 last-minute deals for snow-sure resorts so you can make the most of the last few weeks of the ski season.
Tignes, France
With lifts to above 3,400 metres, Tignes has a season that runs until May, followed by summer snow sports on the Grande Motte Glacier.
Book It: Peak Retreats (023 9283 9310; peakretreats.co.uk) offers stays at Le Lodge des Neiges residence, near the Boisses telecabine in Tignes 1800, with indoor pool and hot tubs, from £549, self-catering, based on five people sharing a two-bedroom apartment, including Le Shuttle crossing with a free upgrade to FlexiPlus. Departure March 16.
Mayrhofen, Austria
At a relatively low altitude of 630 metres, Mayrhofen can be bathed in warm spring sunshine, but there are still plenty of late-season skiing and snowboarding opportunities as the slopes rise to a snow-sure altitude of 2,500 metres.
Book It: Crystal Ski (020 3451 2821; crystalski.co.uk) offers self-catering stays at Eberharter Apartments, near the center of the resort and close to the ski bus stop, from £1,233, with the option to upgrade to half-board. Departure March 23.
Myrkdalen, Norway
One of the country’s snowiest resorts, open until April 30, Myrkdalen offers slopes best suited to beginners and intermediates, with off-piste skiing for more confident experts.
Book It: Ski Safari (01273 224060; skisafari.com) offers the four-star Myrkdalen Hotel, a ski-in/ski-out hotel close to the ski school and slopes, from £990, half board, based on two adults and two children under 12 years sharing a family room. Departure April 7.
Cervinia, Italy
Glacier skiing, a mountain station at 3,480 meters and a resort at 2,000 meters ensure that snow can cover the roofs of the luxury hotels and apartments until early May – Cervinia has it all at the end of the season.
Book It: Elegant Resorts (01244 897581; elegantresorts.co.uk) offers stays at the five-star Saint Hubertus Resort, with spa, pool and gourmet restaurant, from £2,530 based on a prestige room. Departure March 16.
Val Thorens, France
Not only the highest resort in the enormous, 600 km long Trois Vallées area, Val Thorens (at 2,300 meters) also has lifts in Europe that remain active until early May.
Book It: Erna Low (020 3011 1222; ernalow.co.uk) offers stays at the four-star self-catering Le Hameau du Kashmir, a ski-in/ski-out residence with two restaurants and a pool, from £564, on basis of four sharing a two bedroom apartment, including return Flexiplus LeShuttle crossing. Departure April 13.
Whistler, Canada
After a slow start, snow is falling on the connected mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb in western Canada’s Coast Mountain Range, a vast ski area of more than 8,000 hectares with slopes at all levels.
Book It: Frontier Ski (020 8776 8709; frontier-ski.co.uk) offers the Summit Boutique Hotel Whistler, in Whistler Village with pool and hot tubs, from £1,545, room only, on a luxury studio with kitchenette basis. Departure April 8.
Avoriaz, France
Avoriaz is the highest of the dozens of resorts that make up the Portes du Soleil area, and at 1,800 meters altitude and with slopes up to 2,225 metres, the purpose-built, car-free center is strong in ski-in/ski-out accommodations .
Book It: Sunweb (020 3170 8206; sunweb.co.uk) offers self-catering stays at Résidence L’Hermine, 100 meters from the slopes, from £818, based on two adults and two children sharing a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, including lift passes. Departure March 30.
Saint Anthony, Austria
Located in the Austrian ski resort of Arlberg, St Anton is one of Europe’s snowiest resorts, with fast connections to neighboring Lech and is particularly popular with experts.
Book It: Ski Solutions (020 7471 7700; skisolutions.com) offers the four-star Banyan Hotel, with modern interiors, pool and sauna, from £1,895. Departure March 16.
Breckenridge, USA
With a summit lift reaching a staggering 3,915 meters – the highest in North America – and a resort elevation of 3,000 metres, this Colorado resort, which spans five mountain peaks, has an upper snow base of 140cm, which bodes well for late season skiing.
Book It: Ski Independence (0131 243 8097; ski-i.com) offers stays at the Residence Inn by Marriott, near the Quicksilver chairlift, from £2,348 per room, on a studio accommodation basis only. Departure March 21.
Zermatt, Switzerland
It’s possible to ski all year round on the highest slopes of Zermatt’s Matterhorn Glacier at 3,883 metres, but the high season for this atmospheric resort usually runs until the end of April.
Book It: Inghams (01483 938047; inghams.co.uk) offers Aparthotel Naco, from £1,419, based on three people sharing a studio with kitchenette, balcony and use of an indoor pool, including train travel from St Pancras. Departure March 23.
Unless otherwise stated, prices are per person, based on two people, including breakfast, flights from London and transfers and are subject to availability