Even though this year’s ski season hasn’t exactly been a banner year for European mountains, with higher temperatures and lack of snow, a recent study shows that when the powder does hit the slopes, some mountains across the continent fare better than others.
The study, from Neilson Active Holidays, highlighted the destinations that guarantee a snow-filled getaway by analysing monthly snowfall data across 55 of Europe’s well-known ski resorts and calculated an average monthly snowfall figure for each resort. And, according to the findings, resorts in France are the clear winners, as six French ski resorts make its top 10 destinations for snow in Europe list.
“The Val Thorens resort offers a huge (47.5 inches) of snow a month on average,” the team shared in its findings.
“The highest ski resort in Europe”
Located in the Tarentaise Valley of the French Alps, the mountain sits at more than 7,500 feet, making it the highest resort in Europe, according to UK ski magazine In the Snow. That high altitude provides the cooler temperatures needed for stellar snow, and, as In the Snow added, it also allows for a super long season. Typically, the mountain remains open to skiers and riders from November through May.
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Saalbach-Hinterglemm in Austria came in second thanks to its boasting 46.4 inches of average snowfall each month, followed by the French resort Tignes with just over 45 inches per month. Next was La Plagne with 43.5 inches, Flaine with 42.5 inches, La Rosière with 42.4 inches, and Val d’Isère with 40.4 inches rounding out the top 10.
The study didn’t stop at showcasing the snowiest spots either. It also highlighted the resorts best suited for varied ski abilities. For new skiers, the report pointed to the Italian resort Val Gardena as a perfect spot to learn as it had the “largest selection of green slopes, offering new skiers a total of 67 green runs, almost double that of the French resort Megève that placed second in the list.”
Those with a bit more experience, the research found, will want to head to Söll – SkiWelt in Austria, which ranked first in terms of the number of blue runs available across the resorts.
And finally, advanced skiers and riders should try Sauze d’Oulux in Italy, which the findings noted, has 40 black runs, “making it the best resort for expert skiers to head to.”
See all the findings in Neilson Active Holidays research on neilson.co.uk.
(Hero and feature image credit: Jan Hakan Dahlstrom/Getty Images)
This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
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