List: When do France’s ski resorts open this winter?

France’s ski stations begin to open at the end of this month, hoping for a good season of snow to boost bookings. 

While several of the best-known resorts including Chamonix Valley open before December, many will open on December 6 and December 13.

Chalmazel station in Loire will not open this year due to financial issues and fears over a lack of snow. 

Early snowfall in the Alps and the Pyrénées has so far followed typical winter patterns, bolstering hopes that snowfall is to reach usual levels this year. 

However, forecasts for a dry mid-November may impede levels before the crucial opening period. 

Below, we list the major opening dates for ski resorts across France.

In some cases the ski domain is listed to include various different stations in the domain. 

In cases where stations in the same domain open at different dates, we have listed when gradual and full openings are to take place.

• Les 3 Vallées (Savoie):

Val Thorens / Orelle – November 22 

Courchevel – December 5

full area – December 6

• Tignes-Val d’Isère (Savoie):

gradual (including the Grande Motte glacier) – November 22

full area for Tignes-Val d’Isère – November 29

• Chamonix Valley (Haute-Savoie):

gradual – November 21

full area – December 20

• Les Angles (Pyrénées-Orientales) – November 28

• Les 2 Alpes (Isère) – November 29

• Les Portes du Soleil, including Avoriaz and Châtel (Haute-Savoie):

gradual – November 29

full area – December 6

• N'PY (several stations across the Pyrénées) - December 5 and 6

• Flaine (Haute-Savoie) – December 6 

• Les Menuires (Savoie) – December 6

• Saint-Martin-de-Belleville (Savoie) – December 13

• Brides-les-Bains (Savoie) – December 13

• Alpe d’Huez (Isère) – December 6

• Peyragudes (Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées) – December 6

• Méribel (Savoie) – December 6

• Serre-Chevalier (Hautes-Alpes):

gradual (Chantemerle, Villeneuve, and Monêtier) – December 6

full area – December 13

• Megève – Évasion Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie):

gradual (inc Côte 2000 and Chamois-Caboche) – December 6 

full area – December 20

• Isola 2000 (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 6

• Auron (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 6

• La Mongie-Grand Tourmalet (Hautes-Pyrénées) – December 13

• Saint-Lary-Soulan (Hautes-Pyrénées) – December 5

• Gourette (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) – December 6

• Guzet (Ariège) – December 20

• Font-Romeu-Pyrénées 2000 (Pyrénées-Orientales) – December 5

• Ax 3 Domaines (Ariège) – December 6

• Les Houches (Haute-Savoie) – December 13

• Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry (Savoie) – December 13

• Arêches-Beaufort (Savoie):

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20

• La Rosière, Espace san Bernardo (Savoie) – December 13 

• Les Sybelles (Savoie) – December 13

• Grand Massif (Haute-Savoie): 

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20

• Paradiski (Savoie) – December 13 

• Luchon-Superbagnères (Haute-Garonne) – December 13

• La Foux d’Allos et Praloup (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) – December 13

• La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie):

gradual – December 6

full area – December 20 

• Grande Domaine (Savoie) – December 20

• Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise (Savoie) – December 13

• Galibier-Thabor (Savoie) 

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20 

• Ancelle, Superdévoluy, Joue du Loup (Hautes-Alpes) – December 13

• Orcières Merlette (Hautes-Alpes) – December 13

• Formiguères (Pyrénées-Orientales) – December 13

• Val Cenis (Savoie) – December 14

• Villard-de-Lans Corrençon (Isère) – tbc

• Ceux de Ceillac and Molines-en-Queyras (Hautes-Alpes) – December 20

• Turini Camp d'Argent (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 20

• Gréolières-L’Audibergue (Alpes-Maritimes) – tbc

• Albiez-Montrond (Savoie) – December 20 

• Valberg (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 20

• Beuil-les-Launes (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 27

• Espace Diamant (Savoie)

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20 

• Gresse-en-Vercors (Isère) – December 20

• La Bresse (Vosges) – December 20

• Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle (Vosges) – December 20

• Savoie Grand Revard (Savoie) – December 20

• La Norma-Valfréjus (Savoie) – December 20

• Val Louron (Hautes-Pyrénées) – December 20

• Lans-en-Vercors (Isère) – December 13

• Le Collet d'Allevard (Isère) – December 20

• Gavarnie/Gèdre (Hautes-Pyrénées) – December 20

• Roubion-les-Buisses (Alpes-Maritimes) – December 20

• Les 7 Laux (Isère) – December 20

• Plateau de Beille (Ariège) – December 20

• Sainte-Anne La Condamine (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) – December 20

• Praz-de-Lys-Sommand (Haute-Savoie): 

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20 

• Pelvoux-Vallouise (Hautes-Alpes) – December 20

• Valfréjus (Savoie) – December 20 

• Val d’Allos (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence): 

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20 

• Le Sauze (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence):

gradual – December 13

full area – December 20 

• Espace Cambre d'Aze (Pyrénées-Orientales):

gradual – December 5

full area – December 20

• Molines - Saint Véran / Abriès en Queyras (Hautes-Alpes) – December 20

• Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes (Hautes-Alpes) – December 20

• Le Chazelet (Hautes-Alpes) – December 20

• Crévoux, La Grave La Meije, Laye en Champsaur, Arvieux, Réallon, Saint-Michel-de-Chaillol, Valgaudemar, Ristolas, Serre Eyraud, Aiguilles (all in Hautes-Alpes) – tbc

• Pralognan-la-Vanoise (Savoie) – December 20

• Artouste (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) – December 20

• Val Pelens (Alpes-Maritimes) – tbc

• Gérardmer (Vosges) – December 27

• Le Lac Blanc (Vosges) – tbc