Where’s best to ski this Christmas or New Year? A question that’s been asked as many times as there are skiers on the slopes of the Three Valleys each day making use of those 600 kilometres of finely groomed pistes. Of course it’s a matter of some subjectivity as to where might be the best resort for families at Christmas, which resort offers excellent nightlife like they’re welcoming in the new millennium, and which resort guarantees the best snow conditions.

Snowfall varies year on year, with the snow gods sometimes blessing the Arlberg region of Austria whilst France flounders a little or visa versa, and Switzerland and France taking the crown for unprecedented snowfall levels as we saw two seasons ago over the New Year period. A little knowledge and experience can aid guests into making an educated guess as to where might be best for them for their Christmas or New Year ski holiday. Opting for a high or glacial resort can mean that regardless of snow conditions you will still be able to ski a true variety of pistes on your ski holiday.

Below you’ll find some of my personal favourites for which resorts offer some of the highlights of the Alps during the Christmas and New Year period, from the family-friendly slopes of La Plagne to the après ski loving and beautiful town of Val d’Isere with its almost certain guaranteed of excellent snow.

Best for families: La Plagne, France

Part of the Paradiski region of the French Alps, La Plagne connects to the equally extensive resort of Les Arcs and offers 425 kilometres of combined pistes, two glaciers helping with that guarantee of snow, and a wide range of runs suitable for all abilities. There’s something for everyone from toddlers strapping on skis for the first time to advanced skiers looking for moguls and challenging black pistes found on the Bellecôte glacier.

La Plagne has a range of superb ski schools such as New Generation and Oxygène who offer private and group tuition and are known for delivering high quality lessons that ensure both adults and children progress with ease.

In addition to great ski schools, a snow-sure altitude with skiing up to 3,250 metres and the majority of accommodation situated above 1,800 metres with easy green and blue home runs, there’s also family-focussed activities like tobogganing and luging, a warmth of festivities in the air, with santa sightings not uncommon, and a number of excellently located ski-in/ski-out properties. Spend Christmas in La Plagne at the Club Med La Plagne 2100, a piste-side property set at high altitude with London flights and transfers and all-inclusive catering, lift passes and ski lessons.

Best for nightlife and après ski: St. Anton, Austria

It might come as no surprise that St. Anton tops the list for après ski and nightlife, and if you do want to take an in-depth look at this then click here to read more. With numerous choices for guests who wish to go out, whether you want to listen to live music with a glühwein at the Basecamp bar or jump on the tables of Krazy Kangaruh, there’s plenty to entertain.

However it’s not just a boisterous afternoon and evening ambience that St. Anton should be known for. As part of the Arlberg ski area, Austria’s largest ski area it connects to Lech, Zurs and a number of other resorts. Whilst St. Anton doesn’t offer the highest altitude on this list (1,304m) it does have something of a microclimate, typically receiving some of the season’s best snowfall. With Warth and Schröcken, a small area near Lech, typically receiving the highest volume of snowfall of anywhere in the Alps through the season.

The après ski sometimes overshadows the fact that St. Anton is also a beautiful chocolate-box-esque resort with pedestrianised high street, picturesque domed church, welcoming locals and some great activities off the slopes such as those found at the Arlberg Well and ArlRock (leisure and spa centre and activity and climbing wall respectively). 

Celebrate New Year in style at the Chalet Tschöder in St. Anton with ski-in/ski-out access, hot-tub, spa, sauna, fitness suite and cinema room. Let us take care of your travel arrangements or opt to make your own way to this stunning luxury chalet.

Best for mixed ability groups: Val Thorens, France

Val Thorens can lay claim to one mightily impressive stat that helps draw many guests each year for an early or late season ski trip: it is the highest ski resort in the Alps, situated at 2,300 metres. This alone is a great reason to visit for Christmas or New Year, yet the appeal of Val Thorens is multi-faceted. Part of the Three Valleys ski area which is comprised of Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, St. Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires and Val Thorens, there are 600 kilometres of pistes to get to grips with and a large quantity of these lie above 2,000 metres with plenty of skiing typically from the start of December to the end of April.

 Naturally with such a large number of pistes on offer there’s something for everyone to enjoy and this is the beauty of Val Thorens itself. For beginners the magic carpets run right through the heart of resort so proud parents can sit and enjoy a café-au-lait on a terrace whilst their little ones snow plough past. Adult beginners might take a chairlift up the mountain on day two to discover some of the many greens, whilst advanced skiers can opt to speed down from Mont Vallon into the Méribel Valley for a mid-morning coffee stop and enjoy lunch in the glamorous Courchevel 1850.

If you want to experience the magic of Val Thorens with the ease of flights, transfers, full Three Valleys ski passes and ski lessons included, as well as all-inclusive food and drinks, then the ski-in/ski-out Club Med Val Thorens Sensations is an excellent choice.

Stay from the 22nd of December for 7 nights for £2,165pp based on two sharing or alternatively opt for New Year and stay from the 29th of December for £2,848pp.

Best for luxury: Verbier, Switzerland

Switzerland has always been treated with an air of luxury and exclusivity and its ski resorts are no different. Verbier perhaps has the highest concentration of luxury chalets of any resort in the Alps where guests might come expecting a Michelin star experienced chef, 24 hour chauffeur service, a complimentary bar and a chalet with a hot-tub, private swimming pool or expansive views of the 4 Vallées ski area.

The resort strikes the perfect balance between beautiful skiing across 410 kilometres of wonderfully groomed ski slopes, exclusive lunch spots such as Chez Dany, boutiques aplenty and lots on offer for skiers and non-skiers alike. Additionally there are a choice of excellent ski schools, a relatively short transfer time from Geneva and plenty of après ski spots such as the well-renowned Pub Montfort and Farinet bar.

With numerous ultra-luxurious chalets to choose from, it’s a hard choice, but the Chalet Milou is one of our Christmas highlights. With Perrier-Jouët and G.H.Mumm Cordon Rouge house champagnes, 24 hour chauffeur service and enchanting interiors, stay with friends or family in this chalet for 12.

Best place to see in the New Year: Val d’Isère

Little introduction is needed for what is commonly the most in-demand resort in the Alps. Val d’Isère is found in Tarentaise Valley of the French Alps at an impressive 1,800 metres altitude and somehow strikes the balance of all that you could wish for in a ski resort. Linked to Tignes, skiers have the whole of the Espace Killy ski area to enjoy with the vast majority of slopes set above 2,300 metres – nigh-on guaranteeing good snow conditions.

There’s the attractive main high street perfect for a lazy morning wander with a coffee stop before hitting the slopes, incredible lunch spots such as the Edelweiss in the Le Fornet area of Val d’Isère as well as the now infamous Coco Rico’s and La Folie Douce après ski bars. Come New Year’s Eve crowds will gather around the main lifts and centre of Val d’Isère to see in the New Year in style with an impressive fireworks display. Expect live music, plenty of Vin Chaud and rosé and an electric atmosphere that ensures that it might be hard to look past Val d’Isère for any future New Year’s ski holiday. 

Stay at the ski-in/ski-out Chalet Lafitenia with two outdoor hot-tubs, spa area with sauna and massage room, and TV room from the 29th of December for £4,445pp based on 12 sharing.