Skiing in summer? It's possible! There's no need to go to the other side of the world if you want to hit the slopes. If you start your day early, you can summer ski in several ski resorts in the Alps in June, July, August and September. A handful of glacier ski resorts are open for summer skiing. In this article, we'll give you an overview of all opened ski areas in Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy.
Most ski resorts close after Easter, but a handful remains open even after that. In some high-altitude ski resorts, it is still possible to ski in May, while summer skiing is possible on some glaciers. On the Hintertux Glacier and the Theodul Glacier above Zermatt, skiing is possible all year round. The Stilfser Joch ski resort is only open in the summer because of the high snowfall in winter. If you want a different kind of summer holiday, try summer skiing on a glacier. Here's where you can go!
Located at the end of the Zillertal valley, the Hintertux Glacier is the only ski resort in Austria where you can hit the slopes 365 days a year. Winter, spring, summer and autumn! Around 60 km of slopes are open in winter, while in summer, depending on snow conditions, you can ski on about 20 km of slopes. Moreover, there is an extensive fun park for freestylers. The pistes reach an altitude of 3,250 metres.
The ski area on Stilfser Joch, or Passo dello Stelvio in Italian, is only open in summer. In winter, it's simply inaccessible due to heavy snowfall. The glacier ski area opens its lifts and slopes in late May/early June when the pass is cleared. Summer skiing is possible here on some 10 km of slopes that are mainly blue in colour.
Zermatt's summer ski area Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is the largest in the Alps, with 21 km of slopes. Like on the Hintertux Glacier, you can enjoy skiing here all year round. The runs are super wide and long. While skiing, you can enjoy spectacular views of the iconic Matterhorn. The glacier is popular with various ski teams that come to train in the summer. By the way, you can also hit the slopes from the Italian ski resort of Breuil-Cervinia.
Summer skiing in France? It's possible! You can visit Les Deux Alpes for summer skiing and the après-ski! During the summer, the ski area on the glacier is open daily between 08.00 and 12.30 from the end of May to mid-August. The summer ski area covers about 90 hectares and lies on altitudes between 3,200 and 3,600 metres. Besides excellent blue runs, there is also an 18-hectare fun park. Professionals also come to train here every summer.
Saas-Fee is open almost all year round except for a few months. From mid-July, you can hop on the lift towards the Mittelallalin glacier ski area as early as 7 am to enjoy the best piste conditions. Once you arrive at 3,500 metres, you can first have a drink at the highest revolving restaurant or visit the ice cave before hitting the slopes. Summer skiing in Saas-Fee can be enjoyed on some 20 km of slopes. There is also an extensive fun park.
Tignes and Val d'Isère together form a ski area with over 300 km of slopes in the winter months, but in summer, each has its own summer ski area. From Tignes you can ski on the Grande Motte and from Val d'Isère on the Glacier du Pisailles. The summer ski area on the Grande Motte boasts around 20 km of slopes. Before booking your summer skiing in Tignes, check the snow conditions for the upcoming summer season.
Summer skiing in Europe is not only possible in the Alps. There are other options. Like Norway, for example:
Skiing in summer is very different from skiing in winter, so here are some practical tips to consider:
I grew up in Slovenia, close to the Julian Alps. Early on, my parents put me on skis and skates, and the winter sports enthusiasm hasn't left me since. I also enjoy cross-country skiing and have been a keen snowboarder for the past 20 years.
