When to go skiing: holidays, crowds, snow and prices
The ski season month by month, the Belgian and Dutch school holidays to plan around, where snow is certain in December and April, and when to book.
There is no single best week to ski: the deepest snow, the lowest prices, the emptiest slopes and the week the school calendar gives you are rarely the same one. Here are the trade-offs, month by month.
The season month by month
October and November. Glaciers only. Sölden planned to open its glacier on 2 October 2026 and promptly postponed because of warm weather, which tells you everything about early-season skiing. The Kitzsteinhorn at Zell am See-Kaprun is planned from 10 October, Zermatt’s winter pass runs from 1 November, Val Thorens and Tignes open on 21 November and Livigno on 28 November.
December. Most Austrian resorts open in the last days of November or the first week of December: Saalbach on 27 November 2026, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Alpbachtal on 4 December. The first half of the month is quiet and cheap, but lower resorts can be thin until the first big dump. Then the kerstvakantie arrives and everything flips: full, festive and at peak price.
January. After New Year the Alps empty out. It is cold, the days short, and the snow base builds. For skiers without school-age children, the three weeks after the kerstvakantie are the best value of the winter.
February. The busiest and most expensive weeks of the year, because every country in north-west Europe takes a break at once. It is also, in most winters, when the snow is at its best.
March. The holidays end, the sun comes out, and afternoons turn to soft spring snow. Prices fall after the peak season in many resorts, from 13 March in Saalbach, Zell am See-Kaprun and Alpbachtal. Low-altitude resorts suffer by the end of the month; high ones are at their most pleasant.
April and May. Paasvakantie territory. Saalbach, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Alpbachtal close on 4 April 2027, so an April week means altitude: Val Thorens, Tignes, Sölden, Livigno and Ischgl all run to 2 May 2027, Zermatt to 3 May and the Kitzsteinhorn to 17 May.
School holidays in Belgium, the Netherlands and next door
The holidays decide the crowds; the dates change every year, so think in months.
- Belgium: herfstvakantie (late October or early November), kerstvakantie (late December into early January), krokusvakantie in Flanders in February, and paasvakantie in April. The French Community’s carnaval break is two weeks long and does not always coincide with the Flemish krokusvakantie, so the Belgian peak spreads over most of February.
- The Netherlands: kerstvakantie, then the voorjaarsvakantie in February or early March, staggered across the north, middle and south regions, and the meivakantie, too late for all but the glaciers.
- The neighbours: German Länder stagger their winter breaks through February, Bavaria included, and France spreads its zones from early February into March. From the start of February to the first days of March the Alps are busy somewhere, and the Belgian and Dutch weeks are the fullest of all.
If you can travel in the first half of December, in January, or in the second half of March, do.
Where the snow is certain early and late
Our snow reliability score, 1 to 5, reflects altitude, glacier access and snowmaking. For a December or April week, stick to the fives:
| Resort | Season 2026/2027 | Base to top | Snow score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sölden | 2 Oct – 2 May | 1,350 – 3,340 m | 5 |
| Zell am See-Kaprun | 10 Oct – 17 May | 760 – 3,029 m | 5 |
| Zermatt | 1 Nov – 3 May | 1,620 – 3,883 m | 5 |
| Val Thorens | 21 Nov – 2 May | 1,800 – 3,230 m | 5 |
| Tignes | 21 Nov – 2 May | 1,550 – 3,456 m | 5 |
| Livigno | 28 Nov – 2 May | 1,816 – 2,798 m | 5 |
Season dates are the lift companies’ planned dates, and early openings depend on the weather, as Sölden showed. Zell am See-Kaprun’s long season is the Kitzsteinhorn glacier; the Schmittenhöhe above the town opens in early December. Use the compare tool to line these up against lower, cheaper resorts.
Prices: peak weeks versus the rest
Lift passes follow the calendar. Saalbach and Zell am See-Kaprun charge 82 euros a day and 440 for six days in the peak season from 19 December to 12 March, and 74 and 396 either side. Livigno’s high season is the Christmas fortnight and from 30 January to 29 March, at 74.50 and 374.50; outside it prices start from 51.50 and 258.50. Sölden’s peak is the Christmas weeks and February at 86.50 a day, with the pre-season from 12 November at 81. Zermatt uses dynamic pricing, so its from-price of around 110 euros a day applies only to the quietest dates.
Accommodation moves even more than the pass: the same Tirolean apartment can cost twice as much in the krokusvakantie as in January, and that gap is where a family saves real money.
The Saturday changeover
Almost all French resorts rent Saturday to Saturday, and in the holiday weeks there is no negotiating. Austria and Italy are more flexible outside the peaks, and a Sunday-to-Sunday or midweek booking is worth asking for: you drive while the motorways are empty, and you ski your first day while everyone else is checking in. If it must be Saturday, leave Friday evening or before dawn.
When to book
For the krokusvakantie, carnaval or voorjaarsvakantie, book accommodation before the summer and ski school in early autumn. For the kerstvakantie, early autumn at the latest. For January and March a couple of months is often enough. Buy lift passes online a few weeks ahead: Sölden gives online discounts when you book five or more days in advance, and resorts with dynamic pricing reward early buyers. The resort quiz can help you choose the destination once the dates are fixed.
Frequently asked questions
When is the cheapest time to ski?
The first half of December, January after New Year and from mid-March onwards. Many resorts publish lower early and late season lift pass prices; Livigno drops from 74.50 to 51.50 euros a day outside its high-season weeks.
Which resorts are snow-sure in early December or April?
The glacier and high-altitude resorts: Sölden, the Kitzsteinhorn at Zell am See-Kaprun, Zermatt, Val Thorens and Tignes all open in October or November and ski into May. Livigno, with its village at 1,816 m, closes on 2 May 2027.
When should I book for the February half-term?
As early as you can, ideally before the summer. The krokusvakantie and the Dutch voorjaarsvakantie overlap with German and French holidays, so family accommodation sells out first and prices peak.