The ski season is now back underway in France
High-altitude resorts in Alps welcome their first skiers after spell of snow and sub-zero temperatures
The Savoie resorts of Tignes and Val Thorens (picured) celebrated the start of the ski season on November 22
Regesha Iryna / Shutterstock
France’s 2025 winter ski season has opened in earnest, with high-altitude resorts in the Alps welcoming their first skiers after an early spell of snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Tignes and Val Thorens, Savoie, were the first major stations to launch their season on November 22, taking advantage of conditions that operators say are among the most reliable early-season openings of recent years.
In Tignes, around 80% of the planned ski area was ready on opening weekend after substantial snowfall earlier in the week and a sustained cold snap of around -10C.
The remainder of the Tignes–Val d’Isère domain will open on November 29
Snowmaking and piste-preparation teams worked through the night to secure routes, install safety netting, and finalise grooming on the Grande Motte glacier sector.
Val Thorens reported more than 40cm of fresh snow on its lower slopes and welcomed several thousand visitors for its “Grande Première” weekend.
The wider 3 Vallées area is scheduled to follow suit from December 6.
Early openings
Chamonix’s Grands Montets area also opened limited terrain on November 22, and further early openings are expected as weather forecasts indicate more snowfall and continued low temperatures in the coming days.
The Combloux–Megève area, Avoriaz and other high-altitude stations have suggested they may advance their dates if conditions hold.
In Isère and the southern Alps, Les Deux-Alpes and several Hautes-Alpes resorts will begin operations from November 29 and December 6.
Early openings are also underway in the Pyrénées, with Les Angles set to follow before the second weekend of December.
Most remaining resorts across the Alps, Pyrénées and Vosges plan to open between December 6 and 20, depending on altitude and local conditions.
Good start to ski season
Tourism bodies in the Alps report an 8-point rise in December bookings compared with last year, a trend they attribute in part to early natural snow at altitude.
The cold start to this season, combined with a well-frozen base and early snowfall, is raising hopes that the snowpack will remain stable into December.
Across France, major domains are now entering a phased opening period that will continue into mid-December.
