Best Late Season Ski Resorts

For the best snow quality late in the season, you ideally want a ski resort with plenty of north-facing terrain above 2,500m. And with slopes stretching from 1,525m to 3,820m, Zermatt certainly delivers on this front. Linked with Italian resort Cervinia, you can skip from Switzerland to Italy and back again in a day whilst enjoying miles of long, cruising pistes - an intermediate's paradise.

Home to the highest cable car station in Europe, the resort has snow-sure slopes on Gornergrat and Rothorn until late April, but the Klein Matterhorn glacier area is open all year round. Don’t forget about the Zermatt Unplugged festival which this year runs from 11 - 15 April and includes some great acoustic acts - Passenger and Of Monsters and Men are just some of the performers you can expect to see.

STAY: Chalet McKinley - the perfect combination of sophistication and style close to the Sunnegga lift station with a sumptuous spa.

Snow is pretty much guaranteed in this charming Swiss resort where most of the slopes are situated between 2,500m and 3,500m altitude. What is more, they are almost entirely north-facing and a decent proportion are located on glaciers.

The slopes are best suited to beginners and intermediates with the nursery slopes being among the most snow-sure in the Alps. There is very little sun here earlier in the season so actually, March and April are great months to visit. With thirteen 4,000m peaks surrounding the village, the setting is spectacular and is best admired from the world’s highest revolving restaurant where you can enjoy unbelievable views from every angle.

STAY: Chalet Lycka - the perfect mix of tradition and modernity with panoramic views & family-friendly facilities including a cinema room and spa.

One of the safest bets for good snow cover late on in the season, Val d’Isere benefits from north-facing slopes and although the snow is usually reliable, has the largest artificial snowmaking facility in Europe. With about 60% of its 300km of pistes above 2,500m, as well as two glaciers, L’Espace Killy ski area is about as snow-sure as you can get when it comes to spring skiing.

In fact, there is year-round skiing on the Grande Motte glacier so the fun continues well into the summer months. The ski area is fantastic for all levels of skier and with a high point of 3,456m, you can enjoy some seriously long descents from top to bottom.

STAY: Chalet Abade - contemporary luxury with double-height windows, five bedrooms, ski-in/ski-out access and an outdoor hot tub.

If you’re not quite ready to put the skis and boards away until next winter then Chamonix is just a hop, skip and jump from Geneva. Usually offering good snow conditions well into May, the Grand Montets ski area above Argentiere has one of the highest average snowfall figures in the whole of the Alps. The highest lift at Grands Montets reaches a staggering 3,297m yet Chamonix is also home to Europe’s highest cable car, taking you to the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842m. From here you can tackle high-altitude glacier runs such as the famous off-piste descent Vallée Blanche which are often at their best in April ( although a mountain guide is strongly recommended).

In addition to the challenging slopes there are plenty of opportunities to let your hair down including the Unlimited Festival from 26 - 30 March.

STAY: Chalet Azurite - a spectacular chalet for large family groups with open-plan living & incredible views over the surrounding peaks.

The Arlberg region of Austria has an excellent snow record and in St. Anton, it is not only possible to ski hard late into the season but party hard too. Described as the ‘spiritual home of apres’, St. Anton has two infamous bars perfectly positioned on the slope back down to town. Austrian apres-ski at its best, expect table-top dancing aplenty from 3.30pm at both the Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh.

The village itself is situated at 1,305m but the highest lift reaches 2,811m. There are many north-facing slopes and the south-facing ones are supplemented by snow machines. The resort is best for intermediate and expert skiers but off-piste skiing is one of its major attractions too.

STAY: Fabiola Penthouse - a ski-in/ski-out apartment with two bunk rooms and three double bedrooms, plus shared wellness facilities.