Summer Skiing in the Alps

It may be the end of the traditional ski season, but that doesn't mean all resorts have closed their slopes for summer. There are plenty of glaciers with high altitudes, perfect for summer skiing. Here are some of the best Alpine resorts to ski in this summer:  

Tignes, France

The early birds get the best snow when it comes to summer skiing. So start your day with the fresh Alpine air on la Grande Motte slopes in Tignes. La grande motte offers:

• 20km of Pistes
• A high point of 3,465m
• Served by 12 ski lifts

The summer ski season in Tignes opens from June 27th to August 9th. Times are between 7.15am and 1pm. Traditional summer activities are available such as hiking and mountain-biking routes, great for taking in the Alpine scenery. There is an 18 hole golf course in Tignes, which is the highest golf course in Europe. With stunning views and a long course this is a great way to spend an afternoon.   

Saas Fee, Switzerland

With up to 20km of slopes suitable for all levels Saas-Fee offers ideal summer skiing and snowboarding conditions. The Allalin glacier is a popular destination throughout the summer. It is even used by Swiss and international ski teams to practice on. Reaching and altitude of 3,600m this glacier is accessed via cable car & funicular train. Saas fee even has exciting apres ski destinations, including a revolving restaurant and an Ice grotto at the top of the mountain.

Saas Fee's summer ski season opens from July 19th to October 31st. Opening times vary from 7-8am to 12-2pm. Apart from summer skiing, the Saas Valley offers summer activities for both old and young. There are 350km of hiking paths as well as mountain biking, tennis, mini-golf, pétanque, trekking on horseback and climbing.  

Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt has the largest and highest summer skiing area in Europe. During the summer you can still enjoy 25km of  pistes with eight ski lifts open. The impressive Klein Matterhorn cable car travels up the shear mountain face to the highest ski point of 3,820m.

The summer ski area only accounts for 10% of the winter ski area, but there are slopes to suit everyone's abilities. Whilst the majority are suitable for beginners to intermediates, good skiers can test themselves on a few uninterrupted kilometers of black moguls.