Christmas really has come early in the Alps. We've had two weeks of pretty solid snowfall and though the sun has come out today, it's going to be a White Christmas tomorrow with most resorts in the Alps expecting up to 15cm of snow!
Only Alaska is set for more snow then the French Alps over the next five days, and with a mixture of snowfall, some clear days and super cold temperatures Christmas skiing is truly at its best this week.
France is having one of the best starts to a season in years, according to the Tavern in Meribel there is already more snow than the whole of the 2010/11 season. Alpe d'Huez is having the most incredible start to a season, regularly boasting more snow than anywhere else — with the resort usually boasting 300 days a year of sunshine the locals must be a little confused right now!
- Alpe d'Huez 82cm
- Avoriaz 56cm
- Chamonix 53cm
- Courchevel 52cm
- Flaine 58cm
- La Plagne 54cm
- La Rosiere 48cm
- La Tania 57cm
- Les Arcs 52cm
- Les Deux Alpes 75cm
- Les Gets 50cm
- Megeve 57cm
- Meribel 56cm
- Morzine 53cm
- Sainte Foy 45cm
- St. Martin 62cm
- Tignes 39cm
- Valmorel 63cm
- Val d'Isere 36cm
- Val Thorens 58cm
Switzerland's chocolate box charm will be looking even more stunning with this weeks snowfall — up to half a metre is forecast including snow on Christmas day. If that isn't good enough news for you, then how about this. Rob Sawyer, owner of the world famous Farinet après ski bar, has teamed up with Heston Blumenthal, Lawrence Dallaglio, Carl Fogerty and James Blunt to open an affordable mountain restaurant in Verbier. La Vache (the cow) is located at the top of the James Blunt chairlift — who'd have thought — and offers main courses from £10.
- Crans Montana 43cm
- Davos 24cm
- Flims Laax 33cm
- Grindelwald 20cm
- Kandersteg cm
- Klosters 23cm
- Les Diablerets 48cm
- Murren 22cm
- Nendaz 47cm
- Saas Fee 25cm
- St. Moritz 18cm
- Verbier 50cm
- Villars 46cm
- Wengen 18cm
- Zermatt 30cm
Austria is also set for a snow-filled Christmas. The sun may be out today, but tomorrow the snow returns and over the next five days the Tyrolean mountain villages will be looking even more stunning than usual.
- Alpbach 24cm
- Ellmau 26cm
- Hinterglemm 29cm
- Ischgl 27cm
- Kaprun 32cm
- Kitzbuhel 28cm
- Kuhtai 34cm
- Lech 24cm
- Maria Alm 29cm
- Mayrhofen 27cm
- Obergurgl 32cm
- Seefeld 28cm
- Solden 32cm
- Soll 25cm
- St. Anton 26cm
- Zell am See 27cm
- Zurs 24cm
Italy's family-friendly and great value skiing is also looking like a fantastic place to be this Christmas. Snow-topped trees, glistening white slopes and more powder on its way.
- Arabba 16cm
- Bardonecchia 37cm
- Cervinia 34cm
- Claviere 31cm
- Courmayeur 51cm
- La Thuile 48cm
- Livigno 19cm
- Passo Tonale 12cm
- Pila 36cm
- Pragelato 17cm
- Sansicario 27cm
- Sauze d'Oulx 23cm
- Selva 17cm
- Sestriere 23cm
Wherever you are skiing this Christmas, the conditions are looking great — especially for the time of year. For the New Years skiers out there, the nine day forecast show snow until the weekend and it appears the sun will bring us into 2013. Could this be the perfect Christmas and New Year in the Alps?
Merry Christmas from The Snowman
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