Discover our favourite hidden gem ski resorts in the Alps
Whilst many of us enjoy the world-renowned resorts of Courchevel and Verbier, we also love exploring the hidden gem resorts of the mountains. With easy access to the surrounding slopes and the restaurants of their larger neighbours, these alternative resorts often have a more relaxed pace of life with their very own beautifully groomed slopes to explore.
Enjoy the slopes of Verbier whilst taking advantage of the lower prices of neighbouring village La Tzoumaz. Part of the 4 Valleys, La Tzoumaz is a beautiful village with a collection of luxury chalets complete with breathtaking views over the Rhone valley.
Perfect for families, this peaceful resort is full of fun activities with an ice skating rink, an indoor swimming pool and the longest toboggan run in Western Switzerland. Located on the north side of Verbier, La Tzoumaz-Savoleyres offers 55 km of pistes as well as the vast slopes of Verbier with a long season from December through to late April.
Providing over 600km of pistes, the Three Valleys is home to the world-famous resorts of Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens. If you’re looking for a quiet, family-friendly base in the Three Valleys, the hidden gem of St Martin de Belleville attracts families year after year due to its incredible accommodation at reasonable prices, as well as its alternative winter activities such as dog sledding and snowshoeing.
One of the best-connected resorts in the Three Valleys, from St Martin de Belleville you will find yourself in Meribel in less than 15 minutes by taking a gondola and a six-person chairlift across the ridge between the two resorts.
With its own airstrip and numerous Michelin-star restaurants to offer, it should come as no surprise that Courchevel is one of the most popular resorts in the Three Valleys attracting visitors from all over the world. Should you wish to experience another glamorous French ski resort, Megeve is France's answer to St Moritz. Having been conceived in the 1920s by the Rothschilds, this stunning village certainly does not disappoint when it comes to luxury.
One of the world’s most exclusive resorts with luxurious chalets in abundance, Megeve like Courchevel is filled with stylish boutiques and Michelin-star restaurants. With views of Mont Blanc on many ski runs, Megeve is also one of France’s most picturesque places to ski.
Whilst Zermatt is home to the Matterhorn, it is not the only resort where this majestic mountain sets an impressive backdrop on the slopes. With a high altitude and over 200km of piste skiing, the Matterhorn can also be spotted from the beautiful resort of Breuil Cervinia in Italy.
With a vast network of slopes, from Cervinia it is possible to ski over the border to Zermatt and enjoy the famous mountain restaurants before heading back to Italy to revel in a range of popular activities including ice skating and dog sledding.
For those looking to be away from the crowds yet still close to the lively resort of St Anton, Zurs is the answer for you. At just a 10-minute drive from the centre of St Anton, Zurs is a quaint village found 300m above the luxury ski resort of Lech.
The epitome of luxury, Zurs has a beautiful collection of luxury ski chalets which provide easy access to the 305km of pistes in the Arlberg ski area. Whilst Zurs does have a selection of low key bars, Mooserwirt and Krazy Kangeroo are just around the corner for a lively tipple or two.
The world-famous Ski Arlberg is the largest interlinked ski area in Austria with four cable cars constructed to link the Arlberg East resorts of St Anton and St Christoph with the Arlberg West resorts of Lech and Zurs. With a reputation as the cradle of Alpine skiing, the Arlberg ski region certainly offers more than enough ski terrain with 300 km of skiing to explore and an abundance of luxury ski chalets to choose from. Here are some of our favourites.
Our Newsletter
Sign up to for monthly updates: