Which ski resorts are most snow-sure at Christmas?

In our five-year study of 199 European resorts, 119 had at least 30 cm of natural snow in Christmas week every year from 2020 to 2024. The most reliable were high resorts and glaciers in Switzerland and Austria, led by Kaunertaler Gletscher, Zermatt - Breuil-Cervinia, Breuil-Cervinia Ski Paradise, Saint-Luc - Chandolin.

How high does a resort need to be for snow at Christmas?

Height matters most. 82% of resorts topping 2,500 m or more were snow-sure in all five Christmases, against 11% of resorts topping out under 1,500 m.

Is skiing at Christmas a risk in a low-snow year?

It depends on height. In the leanest Christmas of the five (2024), 71% of the resorts in our study still had at least 30 cm of natural snow; in the best (2021) it was 86%. Most large resorts also make snow on their main runs, so lower resorts can open with less natural snow than these figures suggest.

Where is snow-sure at Christmas? Five years of data from 199 European ski resorts

Name: Christmas-week snow depth at European ski resorts, 2020–2024
Creator: SkiPlnr
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

SkiPlnr research · Published 10 October 2026

Booking a ski trip for Christmas means betting on early snow. We checked natural snow depth in Christmas week (20–26 December) for each of the last five years at 199 of Europe's main ski areas. 119 (60%) had at least 30 cm every time. 15 never did.

82% vs 11%

Resorts topping 2,500 m+ that were snow-sure all five Christmases, against those topping out under 1,500 m.

23/23

Swiss resorts in the study with snow every Christmas, the best record of any country.

71%

Resorts with 30 cm+ in the leanest Christmas (2024), against 86% in the best (2021).

Height is what matters

Top of the ski area	Resorts	Snow-sure all 5 years
Under 1,500 m	18	11%
1,500–1,999 m	24	29%
2,000–2,499 m	74	57%
2,500 m and up	83	82%

By country

France: 38 of 62 resorts snow-sure every Christmas
Austria: 39 of 46 resorts snow-sure every Christmas
Italy: 16 of 39 resorts snow-sure every Christmas
Switzerland: 23 of 23 resorts snow-sure every Christmas
Sweden: 0 of 7 resorts snow-sure every Christmas
Spain: 0 of 6 resorts snow-sure every Christmas

The full ranking

Average natural snow depth in Christmas week, cm. Blue: 30 cm or more.

#	Resort	Top	Snow-sure	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
1	Kaunertaler GletscherAustria	3,107 m	5/5	200+	200+	200+	200+	200+
2	Zermatt - Breuil-Cervinia, Breuil-Cervinia Ski ParadiseSwitzerland	3,899 m	5/5	200+	200+	200+	200+	200+
3	Saint-Luc - ChandolinSwitzerland	3,000 m	5/5	114	95	89	160	124
4	Aletsch ArenaSwitzerland	2,869 m	5/5	98	91	87	177	124
5	Grindelwald - Wengen (Kleine Scheidegg - Männlichen)Switzerland	2,394 m	5/5	96	88	81	188	147
6	Saas FeeSwitzerland	3,556 m	5/5	105	93	80	128	89
7	SkiarenaSwitzerland	2,959 m	5/5	96	87	78	163	107
8	Hochoetz-KühtaiAustria	2,520 m	5/5	92	84	73	161	79
9	Stubaier GletscherAustria	3,212 m	5/5	110	90	80	159	70
10	SöldenAustria	3,340 m	5/5	93	86	73	156	70
11	Zinal / GrimentzSwitzerland	2,873 m	5/5	69	86	75	153	123
12	Silvretta Arena Ischgl/SamnaunAustria	2,872 m	5/5	75	84	69	197	93
13	Scuol Motta NalunsSwitzerland	2,792 m	5/5	99	82	70	163	68
14	Skipisten Titlis BergbahnenSwitzerland	3,040 m	5/5	68	91	67	162	130
15	ParsennSwitzerland	2,844 m	5/5	81	85	66	166	78
16	Serfaus Fiss LadisAustria	2,817 m	5/5	70	78	65	166	78
17	Kaprun - Kitzsteinhorn/MaiskogelAustria	3,024 m	5/5	86	88	64	143	65
18	Hintertuxer GletscherAustria	3,250 m	5/5	102	85	72	151	64
19	Nauders BergkastelAustria	2,750 m	5/5	74	76	64	158	71
20	Crans-MontanaSwitzerland	2,872 m	5/5	63	100	68	181	157
21	GaltürAustria	2,295 m	5/5	64	86	63	191	99
22	Meiringen - HaslibergSwitzerland	2,433 m	5/5	68	80	63	156	117
23	CourmayeurItaly	2,755 m	5/5	62	107	103	200+	164
24	Schöneben - Belpiano, SchönebenItaly	2,381 m	5/5	94	79	68	151	62
25	Adelboden - LenkSwitzerland	2,193 m	5/5	60	93	60	188	164
26	St. Anton/St. Christoph/StubenAustria	2,811 m	5/5	60	85	65	200+	103
27	ObersaxenSwitzerland	2,269 m	5/5	71	79	60	142	87
28	KapplAustria	2,690 m	5/5	59	80	67	199	95
29	SeeAustria	2,567 m	5/5	59	76	64	182	88
30	Zillertal ArenaAustria	2,500 m	5/5	72	73	59	131	60
31	4 Vallées – Verbier/La Tzoumaz/Nendaz/Veysonnaz/ThyonSwitzerland	3,330 m	5/5	58	90	84	179	141
32	Silvretta MontafonAustria	2,430 m	5/5	58	83	60	184	98
33	Le Grand MassifFrance	2,500 m	5/5	56	101	81	178	146
34	Brévent/Flégère (Chamonix)France	2,525 m	5/5	56	101	81	178	146
35	Obergurgl-HochgurglAustria	3,030 m	5/5	87	82	68	137	56
36	Mayrhofen HippachAustria	2,468 m	5/5	70	67	56	127	58
37	Hochzillertal-HochfügenAustria	2,374 m	5/5	70	67	56	127	58
38	MegèveFrance	2,353 m	5/5	55	96	80	181	147
39	Les ContaminesFrance	2,444 m	5/5	55	95	84	183	151
40	Kals-MatreiAustria	2,422 m	5/5	123	94	77	144	55
41	CorvigliaSwitzerland	3,021 m	5/5	123	83	77	138	55
42	LaaxSwitzerland	3,018 m	5/5	63	76	55	148	93
43	Zauchensee-FlachauwinklAustria	2,109 m	5/5	74	74	58	138	55
44	La Thuile skiItaly	2,608 m	5/5	54	99	96	187	147
45	Les SybellesFrance	2,620 m	5/5	54	88	73	122	122
46	Forêt Blanche : Vars/RisoulFrance	2,750 m	5/5	54	66	73	79	63
47	Espace Haute Maurienne VanoiseFrance	2,948 m	5/5	53	101	98	158	115
48	Les KarellisFrance	2,520 m	5/5	53	89	83	148	122
49	Alpe d'Huez Grand DomaineFrance	3,330 m	5/5	53	83	74	114	117
50	Les Trois ValléesFrance	3,230 m	5/5	52	100	79	148	121
51	Val Thorens - OrelleFrance	3,230 m	5/5	52	100	79	148	121
52	Les ArcsFrance	3,226 m	5/5	52	96	89	179	137
53	La PlagneFrance	3,250 m	5/5	52	92	85	167	131
54	Puy-Saint-VincentFrance	2,750 m	5/5	52	72	83	125	89
55	Tignes - Val d'IsèreFrance	3,456 m	5/5	51	105	93	167	125
56	La RosièreFrance	2,800 m	5/5	51	100	92	174	133
57	Galibier-ThaborFrance	2,738 m	5/5	51	90	80	145	115
58	Arosa LenzerheideSwitzerland	2,865 m	5/5	59	71	51	121	73
59	WildkogelAustria	2,125 m	5/5	59	63	51	118	57
60	Le Sauze 1400 / Le Super-Sauze 1700France	2,400 m	5/5	54	53	68	53	51
61	ValmorelFrance	2,550 m	5/5	50	91	69	139	123
62	Les 7 LauxFrance	2,400 m	5/5	50	85	61	95	105
63	FlumserbergSwitzerland	2,218 m	5/5	56	78	50	166	117
64	Les Deux AlpesFrance	3,600 m	5/5	49	76	71	104	108
65	Großarltal-DorfgasteinAustria	2,027 m	5/5	71	67	52	122	49
66	Les Portes du Mont-BlancFrance	2,353 m	5/5	48	89	65	139	120
67	Corvatsch-FurtschellasSwitzerland	3,303 m	5/5	102	83	70	124	48
68	Monterosa SkiItaly	3,023 m	5/5	48	68	61	85	63
69	Serre ChevalierFrance	2,800 m	5/5	47	74	76	119	82
70	Lech/ZürsAustria	2,811 m	5/5	47	73	55	167	96
71	Ski Gastein - Schlossalm/Angertal/StubnerkogelAustria	2,294 m	5/5	70	65	50	116	47
72	ObertauernAustria	2,313 m	5/5	50	66	47	129	56
73	Saint François LongchampFrance	2,516 m	5/5	46	89	58	116	110
74	BardonecchiaItaly	2,385 m	5/5	46	89	83	135	92
75	ChamrousseFrance	2,246 m	5/5	46	81	57	82	98
76	LivignoItaly	2,794 m	5/5	124	78	73	133	46
77	HochkönigAustria	1,890 m	5/5	46	69	49	121	65
78	Villars/Gryon/Les DiableretsSwitzerland	2,097 m	5/5	45	82	52	129	113
79	Schönried - Saanenmöser - Zweisimmen - St. StephanSwitzerland	2,002 m	5/5	49	82	45	129	122
80	Bormio SkiItaly	3,017 m	5/5	129	80	78	128	45
81	MontgenèvreFrance	2,648 m	5/5	44	73	68	105	72
82	Orcières MerletteFrance	2,725 m	5/5	44	53	70	101	79
83	Schmittenhöhe Zell am SeeAustria	1,963 m	5/5	54	64	44	105	50
84	FlachauAustria	1,977 m	5/5	50	65	44	120	53
85	Les OrresFrance	2,720 m	5/5	44	48	60	52	51
86	Pila skiItaly	2,723 m	5/5	43	81	74	126	91
87	ClaviereItaly	2,405 m	5/5	43	73	66	97	68
88	Le Grand-BornandFrance	2,027 m	5/5	42	81	48	96	90
89	Brandnertal – Brand/BürserbergAustria	1,971 m	5/5	46	65	42	125	88
90	Skicircus Saalbach-Hinterglemm Leogang FieberbrunnAustria	2,096 m	5/5	42	62	43	99	53
91	KitzSkiAustria	2,000 m	5/5	42	59	44	98	52
92	SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - BrixentalAustria	1,865 m	5/5	42	57	42	94	49
93	Pra-Loup 1600France	2,600 m	5/5	44	43	58	42	44
94	Arêches BeaufortFrance	2,319 m	5/5	41	84	49	107	99
95	Val CenisFrance	2,800 m	5/5	41	87	74	121	82
96	SuldenItaly	3,212 m	5/5	121	81	75	117	41
97	Espace DiamantFrance	2,048 m	5/5	41	80	48	99	92
98	Espace LibertéFrance	2,094 m	5/5	41	78	48	90	83
99	Champéry – Les Crosets – Champoussin – MorginsSwitzerland	2,249 m	5/5	41	78	48	90	83
100	AvoriazFrance	2,250 m	5/5	41	78	48	90	83
101	Schladming DachsteinAustria	2,005 m	5/5	41	69	49	138	63
102	Snow Space SalzburgAustria	1,977 m	5/5	49	64	41	111	50
103	Ski Juwel Alpbachtal-WildschönauAustria	2,026 m	5/5	42	55	41	92	47
104	SpeikbodenItaly	2,398 m	5/5	90	70	59	109	40
105	Klausberg SkiarenaItaly	2,510 m	5/5	90	70	59	109	40
106	Voss Resort FjellheisarNorway	947 m	5/5	81	83	39	127	125
107	Warth-SchröckenAustria	2,157 m	5/5	39	67	47	134	84
108	SestriereItaly	2,791 m	5/5	39	68	62	89	63
109	Sauze D'OulxItaly	2,679 m	5/5	39	68	62	89	63
110	Hauser KaiblingAustria	2,005 m	5/5	39	67	46	134	58
111	Skigebiet Garmisch-ClassicGermany	2,047 m	5/5	39	48	40	78	53
112	Les Gets-MorzineFrance	1,985 m	5/5	37	75	40	72	69
113	Skigebiet Damüls-Mellau-FaschinaAustria	2,050 m	5/5	35	63	35	102	65
114	Katschberg-AineckAustria	2,220 m	5/5	73	55	51	115	35
115	Ponte di Legno - Passo TonaleItaly	3,000 m	5/5	102	82	73	96	34
116	Levin hiihtokeskus, Levi Ski ResortFinland	530 m	5/5	32	46	42	59	45
117	Val d'Allos - La FouxFrance	2,600 m	5/5	44	40	55	32	35
118	Cortina d'AmpezzoItaly	2,736 m	5/5	125	77	74	72	30
119	La ClusazFrance	2,600 m	5/5	38	77	30	56	61
120	Drei Zinnen - Tre Cime, Drei Zinnen, Tre CimeItaly	2,221 m	4/5	120	71	68	80	28
121	La Chapelle d'AbondanceFrance	1,799 m	4/5	31	70	28	52	57
122	Großeck-SpeiereckAustria	2,338 m	4/5	66	51	45	103	28
123	Alta BadiaItaly	2,800 m	4/5	106	73	62	76	26
124	ArabbaItaly	2,533 m	4/5	112	74	66	68	26
125	Folgarida-MarillevaItaly	2,170 m	4/5	98	74	60	70	25
126	Campiglio Dolomiti di BrentaItaly	2,507 m	4/5	96	67	61	55	25
127	Ski CivettaItaly	2,078 m	4/5	113	51	69	43	24
128	Roc d'EnferFrance	1,800 m	4/5	31	67	24	42	43
129	Praz de Lys SommandFrance	1,960 m	4/5	31	67	24	42	43
130	Oppdal SkisenterNorway	1,330 m	4/5	43	77	23	84	95
131	Belvedere - Col Rodella - Passo PordoiItaly	2,421 m	4/5	105	61	59	55	22
132	Kronplatz - Plan de Corones, Kronplatz, Plan de CoronesItaly	2,273 m	4/5	93	49	51	66	20
133	Ski Area San Pellegrino - FalcadeItaly	2,513 m	4/5	98	40	58	33	19
134	Nassfeld, MokrineAustria	1,996 m	4/5	83	61	57	37	18
135	Val Gardena, Gröden, GherdëinaItaly	2,507 m	4/5	90	41	47	47	17
136	KreischbergAustria	2,118 m	4/5	48	44	36	73	16
137	Val di FassaItaly	2,438 m	4/5	97	43	52	39	16
138	Steinplatte Waidring-TirolAustria	1,853 m	4/5	15	56	37	94	53
139	Tauplitz / Bad MitterndorfAustria	1,964 m	4/5	13	67	47	133	63
140	Skigebiet Bad KleinkirchheimAustria	2,037 m	4/5	58	46	39	38	11
141	HinterstoderAustria	2,000 m	4/5	9	59	40	104	50
142	Thollon-les-MemisesFrance	1,873 m	3/5	28	66	22	41	45
143	San Martino di Castrozza - Passo RolleItaly	2,353 m	3/5	96	40	60	27	21
144	Passo RolleItaly	2,219 m	3/5	96	40	60	27	21
145	Latemar DolomitesItaly	2,423 m	3/5	93	35	56	21	19
146	ÅreSweden	1,274 m	3/5	27	35	18	56	44
147	AuronFrance	2,445 m	3/5	53	35	59	21	16
148	Paganella, Area sciistica Andalo Fai della PaganellaItaly	2,120 m	3/5	84	37	47	18	13
149	FormigalSpain	2,265 m	3/5	56	111	8	17	55
150	Porté-PuymorensFrance	2,475 m	3/5	38	84	6	13	37
151	Grand TourmaletFrance	2,464 m	3/5	41	86	4	12	43
152	Luz-ArdidenFrance	2,485 m	3/5	39	87	4	12	44
153	PeyragudesFrance	2,360 m	3/5	34	82	3	7	30
154	BorovetsBulgaria	2,543 m	3/5	8	37	2	45	55
155	Estació d'Esquí Baqueira-BeretSpain	2,605 m	3/5	30	77	2	7	34
156	Saint-LaryFrance	2,462 m	3/5	37	82	1	8	37
157	BydalsfjällenSweden	1,000 m	2/5	29	23	30	77	42
158	DévoluyFrance	2,500 m	2/5	22	50	19	28	34
159	Seiser Alm - Mont de Sëuc - Alpe di Siusi, Seiser Alm, Alpe di Siusi, Mont de SëucItaly	2,221 m	2/5	89	29	43	19	11
160	ManivaItaly	2,082 m	2/5	68	25	45	10	15
161	Hirmentaz - Les HabèresFrance	1,604 m	2/5	18	53	10	16	32
162	Isola 2000France	2,601 m	2/5	53	30	53	10	6
163	BukovelUkraine	1,368 m	2/5	6	68	11	37	24
164	Jasna Low TatrasSlovakia	2,024 m	2/5	5	34	29	55	12
165	CerlerSpain	2,619 m	2/5	31	82	4	4	22
166	Domaine skiable ValbergFrance	2,100 m	2/5	36	21	36	12	4
167	Villard de Lans - CorrençonFrance	2,055 m	2/5	12	53	2	5	36
168	Kolašin 1600 ski resort, Колашин 1600 ски резортMontenegro	2,029 m	2/5	4	52	0	5	45
169	GolijskaSerbia	1,809 m	2/5	3	58	0	4	47
170	HundfjälletSweden	832 m	1/5	25	18	28	49	18
171	TandådalenSweden	857 m	1/5	25	18	28	49	18
172	HögfjälletSweden	882 m	1/5	24	17	28	49	17
173	SälenSweden	882 m	1/5	24	17	28	49	17
174	LindvallenSweden	863 m	1/5	23	16	28	48	17
175	Pal-ArinsalAndorra	2,541 m	1/5	24	71	4	7	21
176	GrandValiraAndorra	2,624 m	1/5	29	74	3	8	27
177	Boí TaüllSpain	2,748 m	1/5	23	68	3	4	15
178	Riserva BiancaItaly	2,051 m	1/5	35	6	27	2	3
179	Alpe CimbraItaly	1,811 m	1/5	51	10	10	1	7
180	Font-Romeu Pyrénées 2000, Font-RomeuFrance	2,213 m	1/5	10	52	1	3	14
181	Ax 3 DomainesFrance	2,343 m	1/5	14	54	0	3	23
182	KopaonikSerbia	1,974 m	1/5	2	43	0	3	26
183	Jahorina olimpijski centar, Olympic Center Jahorina, Јахорина олимпијски центарBosnia and Herzegovina	1,887 m	1/5	3	42	0	2	27
184	EntracqueItaly	1,202 m	1/5	31	3	26	0	2
185	ChabanonFrance	2,028 m	0/5	17	28	16	10	9
186	Skiresort Černá Hora-PecCzech Republic	1,280 m	0/5	1	10	13	27	7
187	Skiareál KlínovecCzech Republic	1,241 m	0/5	1	5	4	13	4
188	Le LioranFrance	1,855 m	0/5	3	15	0	0	10
189	Font d'Urle Chaud ClapierFrance	1,541 m	0/5	2	16	0	0	15
190	Le Grand SancyFrance	1,850 m	0/5	2	2	0	0	5
191	La MolinaSpain	2,537 m	0/5	1	2	0	0	2
192	Roccaraso - RivisondoliItaly	2,129 m	0/5	1	2	0	0	17
193	Grand BallonFrance	1,307 m	0/5	1	2	1	0	4
194	Le MarksteinFrance	1,261 m	0/5	1	5	1	0	6
195	Area Sciistica Piane di MocognoItaly	1,605 m	0/5	2	1	0	0	17
196	Cimone, Area sciistica Monte CimoneItaly	1,861 m	0/5	2	1	0	0	17
197	Skiliftkarussell WinterbergGermany	813 m	0/5	0	1	1	0	2
198	GérardmerFrance	1,138 m	0/5	1	3	1	0	6
199	Estación de Esquí y Montaña de Sierra NevadaSpain	3,301 m	0/5	0	0	0	0	0

How we did it

For each resort we took the daily snow depth for 20–26 December in each year from 2020 to 2024 from Open-Meteo's historical weather archive (ERA5 reanalysis, Copernicus Climate Change Service) at the resort's mapped location, and averaged the week. A Christmas counts as snow-sure when that week averaged at least 30 cm of natural snow. Resorts are ranked by snow-sure Christmases, then by their thinnest Christmas. The figures are modelled for the area at roughly 9 km resolution, not the resort's own snow reports, and they leave out artificial snow, which most big resorts use to open on time. Treat them as a guide to how reliable natural snow is, not a guarantee.

We covered European resorts with at least 40 km of pistes and removed duplicate and misfiled records. North America and Japan are left out: the model badly understates their snow (it gives Niseko well under half its usual Christmas base), so a cross-continent ranking would mislead.

Weather data: Open-Meteo, based on ERA5 from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, CC BY 4.0. You are welcome to use these findings with a link to this page.

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