Europe is not just home to headlining-grabbing ski playgrounds such as Chamonix-Mont-Blanc – it’s also home to off-the-radar areas such as Spain’s remote Val d’Aran, a high-altitude skiers’ paradise famous for its steep valleys and jagged couloirs, and France’s often-overlooked Pyrenees region, where ski trails weave between ancient farming villages.
As a former snowboard instructor who has tackled slopes across Europe – including in Sweden, Norway and some seriously remote ski areas in France, Italy and Switzerland – I can guarantee that the most accessible and popular ski areas are not always the best.
Travelers heading to resorts further afield will reap huge rewards, whether that means crowd-free trails or shorter lift lines and cheaper lift passes. Here are the remote resorts worth going out of your way for in Europe.
1. Narvik, Norway
Best for Arctic Circle skiing
Fancy skiing in the Arctic Circle? Head to the resort of Narvik, an alpine skiing hotspot in Norway’s sparsely populated north. Ski here and it’s likely you’ll see the northern lights while flying down the resort’s 16 ski runs, served by six lifts. Skiing here is a slightly different experience to skiing in France or Italy. In winter, the lack of daylight means the slopes are floodlit, and the ski area has fixed opening times – from 10am to 4pm on weekends and 3pm to 8pm on weekdays.
This means plenty of time for off-piste activities, including a ride on the Arctic Train, Norway’s northernmost train service, which whisks passengers from Narvik to Bjørnfjell near the border with Sweden. When it comes to accommodation, try Camp 291, where you can stay in sleek glass cabins perched on the mountainside.
2. Fjätervålen, Sweden
Best for sustainability
This beautiful Swedish ski resort, set 451km (280 miles) north of Stockholm, has 18 slopes and a 47km (29-mile) network of cross-country skiing trails. The ski area is located between 683m (2240ft) and 1003m (3290ft), but what it lacks in altitude, it makes up for with epic views.
Skiing in this remote corner of Sweden, you’ll enjoy gorgeous vistas of snow-dusted forests, and even have a chance of spotting the Aurora Borealis. Another reason to love this resort is its sustainability ethos – all the electricity used is renewable, there are numerous charging points for electric cars and LED lighting can be found throughout the resort.
3. Großglockner, Austria
Best for natural beauty
Austria’s most popular ski regions include North and South Tyrol, but for crowd-free skiing and breathtaking views, it’s hard to beat the East Tyrol region, separated from the rest of Austria by the Central Alps. It’s a ski area that feels wonderfully remote, with few major roads and just a handful of ski resorts.
Großglockner is one of Austria’s largest ski areas, with 43km (27 miles) of trails, 55km (34 miles) of cross-country tracks and a ski season that lasts from December until April. Here, après-ski isn’t about knocking back Jägerbombs in slopeside bars – it’s about exploring this wonderfully wild region on guided hikes through Hohe Tauern National Park, and stargazing and eagle-spotting sessions with local naturalists. It’s also a resort that offers fantastic value for money – children aged under six ski for free.
4. Baqueira-Beret, Spain
Best for off-piste skiing
Set in the Catalan Pyrenees, Baqueira-Beret is a resort that still feels wonderfully wild, although it’s admittedly more accessible than it once was. You’ll find it in Spain’s Val d’Aran, a Pyrenean valley that was once so cut off from the rest of the country that it developed its own language and culture.
A three-hour drive from Barcelona will deliver you to 169km (105 miles) of slopes that climb to 2500m (8202ft) above sea level. The ski region is divided into four distinct areas: Baqueira, Beret, Bonaigua and Baciver. Top trails include Escornacabres, a fantastic off-piste descent popular with adrenaline junkies. Fun fact: The name Escornacabres means “the place where goats die.”
5. Les Orres, France
Best resort in the Southern Alps
Les Orres, in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France, is proof that venturing away from the larger ski areas pays dividends. Perched at 5400m (17,717ft) above sea level, the resort is famous for its spectacular night skies and laidback way of life. The lack of light pollution makes it a great spot for stargazing.
Les Orres boasts 100km (62 miles) of slopes, served by 17 lifts, and the resort is known for being incredibly snow-sure due to its north-facing position, although the Southern Alps location brings plenty of sunshine. Come here in late March or April and you’ll likely see skiers taking to the slopes in T-shirts.
6. Aletsch Arena, Switzerland
Best for sunny slopes
Ski areas don’t get more stunning than Aletsch Arena – a network of snow-blanketed slopes close to Switzerland’s Aletsch Glacier, the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the Alps. There are 103km (64 miles) of slopes located between 1845m (6053ft) and 2896m (9501ft) above sea level, and most of the accommodation is ski-in, ski-out.
It’s also one of the sunniest places in Europe to ski, with 300 days of sunshine a year and a wide range of off-piste activities designed to showcase the surrounding landscapes. Try a visit to the pretty Maria Zum Schnee chapel, built in 1697 and now a listed building, or take a few laps of the ice rink you’ll find beneath the Bettmerhorn cable car.
7. Sella Nevea–Kanin, Italy and Slovenia
Best for spectacular backdrops
The Sella Nevea–Kanin ski area straddles the border between Italy and Slovenia and it’s known for being extremely snow-sure – the ski season typically runs from November to June, and there’s fantastic backcountry terrain waiting for those who love to venture off-piste.
The resort’s 29km (18 miles) of slopes are best suited to beginners and intermediate skiers, who can soak up gorgeous views while exploring the resort’s well-maintained slopes – on sunny days, you’ll enjoy views as far as the Gulf of Trieste.
This article was first published Nov 20, 2014 and updated Oct 3, 2024.
