Ski Resorts in Europe Start to Announce Opening Dates
7th September 2021
Last modified on September 13th, 2021
The glacier ones are the first to open this month and then into October. A handful of resorts open in November with the vast majority then starting in December. We also look at the entry requirements in these Covid-19 times. UPDATED
There are already a few resorts open in the Alps with a small amounts of skiing to be had on their glaciers – Zermatt and Saas-Fee in Switzerland, plus Hintertux in the Tirol in Austria.
Soelden in the Tirol has joined them and opened on 10th September.
The first set of alpine resorts to open for the coming season are in Austria.
Here are the expected times for glacier skiing in the Tirol to start:
– Hintertux Glacier: open all year round.
– Pitztal Glacier: 25th September 2021 – 8th May 2022.
– Stubai Glacier: mid-September 2021 – mid-June 2022.
– Kaunertal Glacier: 25th September 2021 – 12th June 2022.
– Sölden: 10th September – 8th May 2022.
The glacier area of Kaprun is due to open in mid-September, but no specific date has been released.
Here at PlanetSKI we are hoping to visit some of the glacier resorts in the Tirol in October.
We have started our season on the glaciers in the Tirol in the past:
And skied there well ahead of Xmas:
At PlanetSKI we will shortly be posting a series of articles about what next winter may look like and what is new for the season of 2021/22.
One thing we have certainly noticed is a reduction in the number of catered chalets on offer.
Covid rules and the impact of Brexit have combined with a general move away from the traditional chalet holiday.
“Many more groups and families are booking hotels now, as opposed to catered chalets,” said Richard Sinclair from the ski agent SNO.
Cortina, Italy. Image © PlanetSKI.
This is what we know so far on resort opening datess, and we thank Maison Sport for much of the research.
Please Note: Ski areas are subject to rapidly changing mountain weather conditions and other factors, which may affect the actual opening dates.
Early season skiing in the Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
AUSTRIA
Ischgl: 25th November – o1st May 2022
Kitzbuhel: 20th November 2021 – 24th April 2022
Lech: 03rd Dec 2021 – 24 April 2022
Mayrhofen: 4th December 2021 – 18th April 2022
Obergurgl: mid November (expected 18th November)
Saalbach-Hinterglemm: Late November – Mid April)
St. Anton: 03rd Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Seefeld: 04th December 2021 – 03rd April 2022
All travellers entering Austria need to show either a negative Covid test, proof of vaccination, or proof of past infection upon entry.
Read more about entry requirements here.
See this earlier PlanetSKI article:
FRANCE
Alpe d’Huez: 29th Nov 2021 – 23rd April 2022
Avoriaz: 10th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Chamonix: 5th Dec 2021 – 22nd April 2022
Courchevel: 04th Dec 2021 – 22nd April 2022
Flaine: 11th Nov 2021 – 18th April 2022
La Clusaz: 27th Nov 2021 – 24th April 2022
La Plagne: 18th Dec 2021 – 30th April 2022
La Rosiere: 11th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
La Tania: 04th Dec 2021 – 23rd April 2022
Le Grand Bornard: 04th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Les 2 Alpes: 27th Nov 2021 – 24th April 2022
Les Arcs: 11th Dec 2021 – 30th April 2022
Les Gets: 18th Dec 2021 – 10th April 2022
Les Houches: 04th Dec 2021 – 18th April 2022
Les Menuires: 04th Dec – Late April 2022
Megeve: 18th Dec 2021 – 18th April 2022
Meribel: 04th Dec 2021 – 08th May 2022
Morzine: 29th Nov 2021 – 23rd April 2022
Serre Chevalier: 04th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Tignes: 17th Oct 2021 – 02nd May 2022
Val d’Isere: 27th Nov 2022 – 01st May 2022
Val Thorens: 20th Nov 2021 – 08th May 2022
Here at PlanetSKI we plan to be in Val Thorens for its opening weekend.
We have been in resort several times for its opening, the last time was November 2019:
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI.
PlanetSKI in Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI.
Fully vaccinated travellers can enter France freely, children under 12 do not need proof of vaccination.
If you are not vaccinated different regulations apply depending on where you are travelling from.
Read more about entry requirements here.
ITALY
Bardonecchia: 27th Nov 2021 – 18th April 2022
Bormio: 27th Nov 2021 – 18th April 2022
Cervinia: 28th Oct 2021 – 2nd May 2022
Cortina: 27th Nov 2021 – 18th April 2022
Corvara: 04th Dec 2021 – 10th April 2022
Courmayeur: 01st Dec 2021 – 13th April 2022
La Thuile: 04th Dec 2021 – 18th April 2022
Livigno: 24th Nov 2021 – 28th April 2022
Madonna di Campiglio: 27th Nov 2021 – 18th April 2022
Sauze d’Oulx: 10th Dec 2021 – 14th April 2022
Sestriere: 04th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Fully vaccinated travellers can enter Italy with proof of vaccine and negative antigen or PCR test taken at least 48-hours before entering the country, and they need to fill out a passenger locator form.
Read more about entry requirements here.
See this earlier PlanetSKI article:
SWITZERLAND
Andermatt: 30th Oct 2021 – 01st May 2022
Crans Montana: 13th Dec 2021 – 24th April 2022
Engelberg: 09th Oct 2021 – 22nd May 2022
Gstaad: 06th Nov 2021 – 01st May 2022
Laax: 30th Oct 2021 – 24th April 2022
Nendaz: 03rd Dec 2021 – 18th April 2022
Saas Fee: 03rd Oct 2021 – 20th April 2022
St. Moritz: 27th Nov 2021 – 03rd April 2022
Verbier: Nov 2021 – April 2022
Villars: 4th Dec 2021 – 27th April 2022
Zermatt: All Year Round Ski
Fully vaccinated travellers can enter Italy with proof of vaccine and negative antigen or PCR test taken at least 48 hours before entering the country.
Read more about entering requirements here.
In terms of returning to the UK, Austria and Switzerland are on the UK’s Green List with France and Italy on the Amber List.
Green List rules:
Travellers coming from green list countries do not need to quarantine when they come back to the UK – whether or not they have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine.
They still have to be tested before their return to the UK and book a test for day two after their return.
They also need to fill in a passenger location form.
The Green list ski countries: Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Innsbruck airport, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Of the other main ski nations Andorra, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden and the USA are currently on the Amber list.
Fully-vaccinated adults do not have to quarantine on their return from amber list countries, but they do have to have tests before returning and two days after they get back.
Those who have not had both vaccines have to isolate at home for 10 days, as well as having Covid tests.
Earlier on PlanetSKI we posted about the opening dates of the main ski resorts in the USA:
Idaho, USA. Image © PlanetSKI.
But the main question people want answering is not when the resorts are planning to open, but rather what next winter may look like.
“At this stage it really is too early to tell as we don’t know what the autumn may bring in terms of a rise in cases, the spread of any variants and hospitalisations,” said the PlanetSKI editor, James Cove.
“Most importantly there is then the reaction of the UK government and the governments of the skiing nations in terms of travel requirements and restrictions if the medical situation changes.”
“All we can really do at this stage is watch and wait, while keeping optimistic that there will be skiing and snowboarding this winter.”
James Cove. Image © PlanetSKI
The skiing experience will no doubt be different with each country having its own rules about mask wearing, prevention measures to stop any spread and whether Covid certificates will be needed to access bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Here at PlanetSKI we’ll keep you posted…
The dates we have given are correct to the best of our knowledge at time of posting, but the dates can change due to weather and other factors. If you are planning to visit the resorts then do double-check.
Credit:
Maison Sport carried out much of the research on the opening dates for the ski resorts. The company offers access to independent ski instructors across the mountains.
Follow this link for further details.
Image c/o Maison Sport
