Winter in the Alps has several seasons, all of which have pros and cons. There is no best time to come ski-ing, it all depends on your priorities and preferences. Check out our guide below of what we believe the highs and lows of each time are.
WHITE WEEK
Avoriaz is super charged with energy, raring to go with free ski tests throughout the opening weekend of the new season. Accommodation prices are at their lowest and there are virtually no queues on the lifts and the slopes and restaurants uncrowded, so come on and join the pre-Christmas fun. Being early in the season, you may be wondering about the snow, but with Avoriaz being at 1800 meters you are pretty much guaranteed snow and the resort has impressive cannoning facilities.
CHRISTMAS
What could be more magical than arriving at your cozy warm chalet in a horse drawn sleigh to the sound of jingling bells? Kick off your Christmas with the fabulous free firework show on Christmas Eve. The young ones can meet Santa in the town centre, while warming your hands around a hot wine or cocoa. On the big day itself, leave the cooking to someone else and enjoy Christmas lunch at one of the many slope side restaurants or take advantage of our fully fitted modern kitchens to cook up your own traditional feast – the choice is yours!
NEW YEAR
What better way to welcome in the New Year than with friends and family at the top of a mountain? New Year is one of the best and most popular times to ski – and is certainly one of the most exciting. It is also one of the busiest and consequently expensive times of the year to ski, but the celebrations, excitement and the fact you can use set holiday time make up for it. Avoriaz puts on a terrific show with music, lights and fireworks and the restaurants all offer a variety of entertainment form gourmet gala dinners to traditional fondue and raclette.
JANUARY
Come January 2nd 2022, the holiday crowds depart and Avoriaz takes on a much calmer vibe. January is traditionally one of the quietest times of the season, but typically with great snow and amazing prices and very popular for group ski-ing and short breaks. The weather is typically cold, but often bright and sunny. With fewer crowds, there are generally no lift queues and it’s easy to find a table for lunch in your favourite slope-side restaurant. It’s a great time to take advantage of the smaller groups and cheaper prices at ski school and brush up on your technique.
FEBRUARY
Falling half-way between Christmas and Easter, February is an extremely popular time to ski. It’s peak season, as even if it’s not a UK school holiday, the majority of February is taken up with school holidays from other European countries, so expect the resort to be very busy and prices higher. Weather-wise, you can expect a deep snow base, some possible white-out storms as well as bluebird powder days. If visibility is reduced, Avoriaz has excellent tree-line ski-ing, so you will be able to escape any storms that come your way and with so many mountain restaurants you will never be far from a roaring fire and steaming hot drink.
HALF-TERM
Half-term is peak season when conditions are generally at their best, but the resort is also at its busiest and most expensive as isn’t just the British schools half-term – the main UK half-term always coincides with the French school holiday and often the other main European countries too.
Self-catering is an excellent choice for keeping costs down and with Avoriaz being a high-altitude slope side resort, it’s just as easy to pop home for lunch as eat out, which will mean big savings for a family.
EASTER
Whether Easter falls early or late in the annual calendar, this time of the year offers long and generally sunny ski days, perfect for families and those with little children as the weather is generally a lot more forgiving. With its multiple advantages of school holidays, quietish slopes, warmer weather and prices at approximately half that of half-term, Easter is when the smart people ski. With its high altitude at 1800 meters and one of the highest annual snowfalls in France, Avoriaz is blessed with one of the longest ski seasons, so even if Easter falls late in April, you are virtually guaranteed to have snow.
APRIL
Spring ski-ing is the buzz word for April, when the sun is climbing higher in the sky. April is the season of long days, t-shirts, sun cream and deck chairs. Avoriaz typically has a 3 meter+ base in April and while the days are generally sunny and warm, it’s not uncommon to get snowstorms passing through bringing fresh powder making not only the endless pistes but also the off-piste a dream. Despite European school holidays running for much of April, the resort is generally quiet, ski school numbers are smaller and the pistes uncrowded. Plus, the prices are great too.
