The number of kilometres to travel to a ski resort from the UK does not always reflect its accessibility. Especially the last part of the journey often involves mountain roads where, especially on Saturdays, it can be busy. After a long car journey, many people find it tiring to drive up another 20 hairpin bends to the final ski destination. In this blog, we have selected ski areas a short distance away or directly on the motorway.
The majority of skiers choose the car as their type of transport to and from ski resorts. You can set your own departure times, you can take anything with you and you can pause along the way whenever you want. Minor drawback: mountain roads. Driving in the mountains, especially in snow, is something many people dread. It is not a daily activity and with queasy passengers, it is no fun at all. The solution? Going on winter holidays at one of the ski resorts near the motorway. Simply turn off and reach your ski destination after only a few minutes. Ski resorts close to the motorway can be found in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Here are some tips.
When you take exit 66 to Flachau from the A10 motorway, you only need to drive 5 minutes and just under 3 km to the village. After just a short stretch through the valley, you are in the middle of this cozy winter sports village. The ski area near Flachau, part of the Salzburger Sports World, offers 120 km of slopes, and the other ski areas are also nearby and easily accessible.
Saint-Gervais is 7 km from the A40 motorway towards the Mont Blanc Tunnel. This atmospheric town at the foot of Mont Blanc has been a well-known spa town for over 100 years due to its healing springs. The ski area in the vicinity is called Evasion Mont-Blanc, which has over 400 km of slopes. Incidentally, the connection to the ski resort could be better. One lift goes into the ski area from the relatively low-lying Saint-Gervais les Bains, and you can ski back via a red piste. But once you are at the top of the ski area, you can go in any direction.
Looking for a ski resort near the motorway? SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental definitely belongs in this list. With 270 km of slopes, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental is one of Austria's largest ski areas. Actually, every skier or snowboarder feels at home here. There are lots of cosy mountain huts, good ski schools and fun ski tours such as the SkiWelt Tour and KitzSkiWelt Tour. In addition, the SkiWelt, with all kinds of fun slopes and extensive children's areas, is ideal for a winter sports holiday with children.
A ski resort close to the motorway in Italy? Bardonecchia is just 2.4 km from motorway exit 11. The ski area has over 100 km of slopes, divided between the two snow-sure ski areas of Jafferau and Colmion-Les Arnauds & Melezet. Bardonecchia has not yet been discovered by the big crowds, so it is never really crowded here even in high season.The ski area is incredibly versatile and offers something for everyone.
Flumserberg is a stone's throw off the A3 motorway. Directly on the Walensee and next to the motorway is Unterterzen with a beautiful Landal Park 'Resort Walensee' and its own gondola. The village of Flumserberg is just 11 km from the motorway, but to get there, you have to take some hairpin turns and drive up the mountain a bit. The ski area has some 70 km of slopes and is generally uncrowded.
You can already spot the gondola to Sonnenkopf from the S16 motorway from Bregenz's direction. Take the exit, and you are directly in the car park of the ski area, which has over 30 km of slopes. Compared to the other ski areas of Ski Arlberg, it is wonderfully quiet here, and the views are incredible. Dalaas and Wald are another two villages near the ski area, ideally situated to enjoy the surrounding nature.
Anyone who has ever driven over the Brenner Autobahn towards Italy has probably seen the lifts and slopes of the Bergeralm ski area near Steinach in Tyrol. The ski area is relatively small, with nearly 30 km of pistes but offers enough challenge and variety. The ski route below the gondola is quite steep and can be seen from the motorway.
The Tiroler Zugspitz Arena is not located directly on the motorway. Still, Berwang, Lermoos and Ehrwald are very easily accessible. The A7 motorway in Germany turns into the wide secondary road B179 towards the Fernpass. The villages are directly on this road. Please take note that the road can sometimes get congested towards the Fernpass. And although you get off the road before one of the busiest bottlenecks, the Lermooser Tunnel, this can still cause some delays. The region's six ski resorts together offer almost 140 km of slopes.
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.
