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Latest in French Alps
Les 2 Alpes Extends Season Through July, But Is Summer Glacier Skiing Worth It?
Les 2 Alpes operates its glacier terrain until 5 July with discounted passes, positioning itself as a rare summer skiing option in the Alps. Whether the reduced terrain and conditions justify the trip depends largely on what you're after.
Val d'Isère Avalanche Deaths Raise Questions About Off-Piste Guiding During Red Alerts
Two British skiers died in a Val d'Isère avalanche whilst skiing off-piste with a guide during a rare red avalanche alert. French authorities have launched a manslaughter investigation into the incident that killed Stuart Leslie, 46, and Shaun Overy, 51.
Eurostar Snow Train Expands Service: A Critical Look at UK-Alps Ski Travel
Eurostar's expanded Snow train service for 2025-26 promises easier access to French Alps resorts. But what does this really mean for UK skiers and riders?
Unexpected July Snowfall in French Alps
A recent cold snap has brought snow to the French Alps in July, with snowfall recorded at altitudes above 2,300m. This unusual weather event has captured attention, though experts note it's not unprecedented for the region.
Summer Skiing Returns to Tignes' Grande Motte Glacier
Tignes reopens its Grande Motte glacier for summer skiing, joining other Alpine resorts offering high-altitude snow sports amidst warm weather challenges.
Tragic Loss: 18-Year-Old French Ski Champion Dies in Training Accident
Margot Simond, a promising young French ski champion, tragically lost her life during a training session in Val d'Isère. The skiing community mourns the loss of this talented athlete.
Val Thorens Avalanches: Ski Area Closure and Critical Injury
Multiple avalanches in Val Thorens, France, have led to the closure of the ski area and left one person critically injured. Local authorities have raised the avalanche risk to its maximum level.
Summer Skiing in French Alps: 2025 Plans Unveiled
Three French ski resorts have announced their summer skiing schedules for 2025, offering skiers and riders the chance to hit the slopes well after the traditional winter season ends.
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More from the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.