Europe – Page 2 – Onto the Slopes

Austria and France are both incredibly popular places to ski in Europe, but which is the best place to go? I'll be directly comparing these two places head to head so you can decide if you should go to either France or Austria for your next ski season. Austria vs France for Skiing France and Austria both have plenty of resorts for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers/ snowboarders. French ski resorts are generally larger but have a shorter ski season compared to the resorts in Austria. Austrian ski villages are usually more picturesque and day lift tickers are slightly cheaper. Comparing Resorts In Austria and France there are over 400 ski resorts to choose from. Both France and Austria have resorts which cater for all ability levels. Here is a list of some of the most popular resorts in both countries. Popular Ski Resorts in Austria: St. Anton Kitzbühel Sölden Mayrhofen Soll Obergurgl-Hochgurgl Popular Ski Resorts in France: Val d’Isere Val Thorens Courchevel Morzine Chamonix Meribel Here's a table with the slope stats for some of the most popular ski resorts in France and Austria. In France, beginner slopes are classified as green whereas in Austria there are no green runs so less experienced skiers will start on the blue runs. Check out this article to learn more about the slope grading systems in different countries. LocationSlopesSki LiftsGreen RunsBlue RunsRed RunsBlack RunsObergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria110 km25N/A21117Morzine, France120 km49329289Mayrhofen, Austria142 km44N/A24338Courchevel, France150 km581935348Val Thorens, France150 km301129308Meribel, France150 km45825247Chamonix, France170 km176303110Kitzbühel, Austria188 km57N/A292712Soll, Austria279 km91N/A76839Val d’Isere, France300 km4320674026St. Anton, Austria302 km88N/A347030Comparison of popular ski resorts in France and Austria Ischgl, Austria Weather, Ski Season Length and Snow Quality The ski season in France typically runs from December through to April whereas the season in Austria usually runs from November through to April. Both countries offer great snow conditions for the majority of the season, however Austria tends to offer better snow later in the season compared to France. There is some variation between resorts in the same country though. Resorts with mountains which are at higher altitudes and more slopes facing away from the sun tend to have longer ski seasons. Ski ResortSki Season Length (2021/22)Ski Season Start Date 2021/22Ski Season Start Date 2021/22Morzine, France114 days18th Dec10th AprChamonix, France122 days18th Dec18th AprMayrhofen, Austria136 days4th Dec18th AprCourchevel, France140 days4th Dec22nd AprMeribel, France140 days4th Dec22nd AprSt. Anton, Austria149 days27th Nov24th AprVal Thorens, France154 days20th Nov22nd AprVal d’Isere, France156 days27th Nov1st MayObergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria158 days17th Nov23rd AprIschgl, Austria158 days25th Nov1st MaySolden, Austria163 days20th Nov1st MayTignes, France165 days27th Nov8th MayKitzbühel, Austria177 days30th Oct24th AprSki season dates and lengths of popular resorts in France and Austria Average TemperatureSt.Anton, AustriaKitzbühel, AustriaVal d’Irere,FranceVal Thorens, FranceNov-4.5°C (24°F)-0.5°C (31°F)-6°C (21°F)-4°C (24.5°F)Dec-9.5°C (14.5°F)-5°C (23°F)-10°C (14°F)-8°C (17.5°F)Jan-10.5°C (13°F)-6.5°C (20.5°F)-11°C (12°F)-9°C (15.5°F)Feb-9°C (16°F)-5°C (23°F)-10.5°C (13°F)-8°C (17°F)Mar4.5°C (23.5°F)-1°C (30°F)-7°C (19°F)-4.5°C (24°F)Apr-1°C (30°F)2.5°C (37°F)-3.5°C (26°F)-1°C (30°F)Average temperature by month of popular ski resorts in Austria and France Food and Dining The food in Austrian and French ski resorts is usually high quality and there's plenty of choice on offer. Here are some popular dishes you'll find in Austrian and French ski resorts: Austria: brettljause, goulash, apfelstrüdel and wiener schnitzel France: tartiflette, crepes, bourguignon, raclette The price of food and drink is slightly higher in Austria compared to France for most items except some fast food venues and beer tend to be slightly cheaper. Restaurant prices are usually pretty similar. Food/ DrinkAverage Cost AustriaAverage Cost France3 Course Meal for One30€30€McDonald’s Meal8€9€Coca Cola/ Pepsi2.65€2.60€Bottle of Water2.20€1.75€Coffee3.25€2.90€Beer (Imported)4€5€Price of food and drink in Austria vs France Accommodation In French ski resorts you'll find plenty of self-catering apartments and some hotels but in Austria most of the accommodation on offer is in a hotel. One of the complaints of French ski resorts is that they don't tend to look as pretty as Austrian ski resorts as there are a lot of high-rise apartments. Austrian resorts have a reputation for being cosy and authentic and feel a bit nicer to spend time in, in my opinion. Avoriaz ski resort, France Après Ski and Villages As I mentioned in the section above, Austrian resort villages tend to be more picturesque in comparison to French resort villages. French ski resorts are usually larger but not quite as charming and rustic compared to Austrian resorts. Both countries have great resorts for nightlife with plenty of bars and restaurants available, although Austria is usually a bit cheaper for drinks. The best resorts for nightlife in France are Val d’Isere, Tignes and Val Thorens whilst St. Anton, Ischgl, and Mayrhofen stand out in Austria. Location and Travelling Austrian ski resorts are usually a bit more accessible compared to French ski resorts so the airport transfer time is generally shorter. The majority of French resorts are located most closely to Geneva International Airport and have a transfer time between 1.5 and 3 hours. In Austria, Innsbruck and Salzburg are the closest international airports to most ski resorts and transfer times are usually between 1 and 1.5 hours. Ski ResortNearest Major AirportDrive TimePortes du Soleil, FranceGeneva1 hour 30 minutesVal Thorens, FranceGeneva2 hours 30 minutesVal d’Isere, FranceGeneva3 hoursSt. Anton, AustriaInnsbruck1 hourKitzbühel, AustriaSalzburg1 hour 20 minutesMayrhofen, AustriaInnsbruck1 hour Ticket Prices The price of ski lift tickets in Austria is slightly cheaper on average compared to France but it does vary between resorts. On average, adult day lift passes are approximately 60€ in France and in Austria they are 55€. Check out the table below for the most recent (at the time of writing) ski season day lift ticket prices in popular French and Austrian resorts. Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change. Please check the resorts individually to confirm current prices. The rates below are for online bookings, prices are much higher if tickets are purchased at the desk. ResortPeak Season Day Lift Ticket Price (Adult)Morzine, France44€Soll, Austria49€St. Anton, Austria53€Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria 53€Meribel, France56€Sölden, Austria 56€Val Thorens, France59€Portes du Soleil, France59€Kitzbühel, Austria 60€Val d’Isere and Tignes, France63€Courchevel, France66€ Which is the Best Country for Skiing? Austria and France are both great countries to ski in, and this question often causes a lot of debate as there isn't really a "best place to ski", it just depends who you ask. Personally, I prefer Austria as it is more picturesque , the villages feel more authentic and rustic and the transfer times are usually shorter compared to most French resorts. However, France does still offer an amazing skiing experience and the resorts are usually bigger and great for those who want to spend more time on the slopes. Still not sure which European country to go skiing in next? Check out these other articles:Austria vs Switzerland for SkiingFrance vs Switzerland for Skiing