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For some skiers, the last run is simply the start of the evening. A sunny mountain terrace turns into live music or a DJ set, ski boots stay on far longer than intended and, before you know it, dinner plans have been pushed back. For others, the last run signifies a glass of fizz, a hot tub with a view, and a chilled one back at your accommodation. So what is après ski really?
What is après-ski?
Après-ski literally translates from French as “after-ski” - and it basically covers any type of socialising that you’ll do after you’ve called it a day on the slopes. Pronounced ap-ray, the term tends to be colloquially shortened to 'après', which is where you get expressions such as 'après-scene' from.
Après could be revelry at a mountain bar terrace, settling into a cosy tavern with a tankard of ale, or nursing a cocktail in a stylish hotel bar, the only rule of après ski is that you have fun with friends or family after a day’s skiing, hopefully with a picture-perfect mountain backdrop.
What is après-ski like?
The most common picture of après is loads of people out dancing on tables on a sunny terrace - possibly with live DJs or bands pumping out the tunes with a beautiful mountain backdrop - very much like French après institution, Folie Douce (see pic at the above!).
Once you’ve had some fun up in the slopeside bars, you’ll then ski back down to the town or village (or go via the lifts), where the night continues in the bars and clubs dotted around the resort centre.
But the après-ski experience isn't like that everywhere. It differs from country to country and resort to resort.
While an après-ski bar can be a rowdy slopes-side lodge with a huge terrace, there's also the option of a cosier pub-like establishment that puts on live music, an upmarket cocktail bar in the resort centre, your hotel bar, or even your chalet's living room if drinks on the sofa is more your style!
Which means your experience of après can be exactly what you want it to be - a chilled beer, a raucous party, sipping on cocktails, relaxing in a hot tub with a glass of bubbly, or... dinner, film, then bed.
Not all après venues are as rowdy as Folie Douce
How long does après-ski last?
Typical mountain après-ski starts from around 2pm to 3pm in the afternoon and ends around 5pm or 6pm depending on the evening light.
After this, it’s really up to you what to do. You can either make a beeline for the nearest bar, or venture a bit further into town and find something that you’re looking for - whether that’s a place with table football and darts, a bar rocking with live music, or a nice area to watch some live sports.
Many people stay in the bars until around 7pm and then head back to their accommodation for dinner. If you like the sound of partying until the early hours, most resorts will have a club that stays open right through until at least about 4am.
What should I drink at après-ski?
Again, this is entirely up to you. Most major places will have a lot of the big-name beers on tap, while many of the smaller bars you may stumble upon will probably have a nice selection of locally brewed beers for you to sample.
The vast majority of places will do spirits and mixers if that’s more your thing.
Every country also has its own unique shots and drinks. Fireball - a cinnamon-flavoured whisky-based liqueur - is big in France, while Austrians like their Sturms (a semi-fermented grape juice).
Check Iglu Ski’s comprehensive guide to après-ski drinks - there’s absolutely loads on there to be discovered.
What clothes to wear for après-ski
There are no rules on what you wear to après-ski. Up in the slopeside bars, almost everyone will be in their ski gear, since they’ve had no time to go down to change and come back up again.
This includes ski boots, which lots of people keep on, even while dancing. Alternatively, you could pack a pair of trainers in your rucksack to change into and put your ski boots under your table. Just keep an eye on them and don't forget them when you leave!
Some people opt for more eyecatching après-ski outfits than others, with retro outfits, jumpsuits and Moon Boots a common sight. Though if you’re at a classier venue, expect furs, designer shades and expensive knits.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the gear - very few people care what you’re wearing. The most important thing is to be warm - don’t forget that the mountains can get very cold as the sun starts to go down!
Can I do après-ski if I’m not a skier or a snowboarder?
Of course you can! All the bars and pubs in town are easily accessible for non-skiers and many of the mountain bars are served by lifts from the resort centre. so just grab yourself a pedestrian lift pass, jump in a carriage and make your way up to join the party.
Remember, there won’t be any concrete pavements to walk on, so wear shoes that’ll be able to grip in the snow.
The vast majority of après attendess will be just be wearing their ski gear
The Best Après-Ski Resorts in Europe
France and Austria vie for the title of best après-ski scene in Europe. But whichever country, and indeed whichever resort, you choose, you’re sure to find a lively mountain venue that delivers everything you could ask for, with distinct local differences that add to their charm.
For example, while French après is characterised by Europop, spectacular shows and sweet shots from skis, Austria’s own unique blend offers Jagerbombs, Oompah bands, and steins of beer. Italy and Switzerland tend to be quieter, but there’s still plenty of fun to be found.
That said some, when it comes to sheer scale and variety, some après ski scenes clearly outrank their peers. If partying is your priority, you could do worse than book a ski trip to one of these legendary resorts.
1. Val Thorens, France
360 Bar Val Thorens. Photo: Facebook (360BarValTho)
Val Thorens is one of the easiest recommendations when skiing and partying carry roughly equal weight.
The big draw is La Folie Douce, above resort, where DJs, musicians and performers turn the latter part of the ski day into a full-scale mountain party. It’s not a token bar beside a piste; it’s somewhere people actively plan their skiing around. Its position above town means everyone gets to do a short ski back down on wobbly legs. The venue pulls out all the stops seven days a week, and is not only one of the best après ski bars in Val Thorens, but in the whole Three Valleys.
But let's not forget Bar 360 (seen in the photo above), which is on the opposite side of the valley and offers its own flavour of mountain mayhem with a short ski back down to the resort.
In the town you’ll find more bars and clubs than we can mention where you can continue the festivities. Highlights include the Frog and Roast Beef, which is the highest pub in Europe and draws a UK crowd, and the dutch bar Cafe Snesko, which is the rowdiest and most fun bar on the strip. They set the ceiling and bar on fire later in the evening, but the best time to go is from 6pm to 8pm, when all the bar staff get involved with singing along to classic pop tunes and playing drinking games.
VT is also home to the largest nightclub in the Alps in Malaysia, which doesn’t even open until 11pm and shuts at 4am.
Check out our guide to Val Thorens's après-ski and nightlife for the full lowdown.
2. Les Deux Alpes, France
The après ski scene in Les Deux Alpes is served by 45 bars and 8 nightclubs. That’s almost as many as the entire Trois Vallées and more than Val d’Isére and Tignes combined. It's also home to Rise Festival - one of the biggest music festivals in the Alps.
On the slopes there is the Pano Bar, which gives the Folie Douce chain a run for its money, and is usually packed with a sea of revellers dancing to loud and heavy beats. After your Pano après session, you can ski down to the endless choice of bars at the foot of the slopes. Just a little warning, one of the last runs into the resort, Valentin, is a steep black. If it’s beyond your capabilities or you’re a bit worse for wear, make sure you take the blue, Jandri, or the green, Demoiselles, instead.
This direct Gondola access means injured or non-skiing friends can join you for lunch and après every day. At the foot of the slopes the Umbrella Bar is another good choice, so named for its giant brolly-shaped canopy, which can be closed or opened depending on the weather. Book a stay in one of Les Deux Alpes' apartments to be right in the heart of the après action.
3. St. Anton, Austria
Mooserwirt, St Anton
If someone asks us what classic Austrian après looks like, St Anton is one of the first places we think of.
St Anton lays claim to the best après resort in Austria, which means it's not just the Brits that flock to its raucous après bars, but the Dutch and Germans, too. Expect packed out venues, unhinged partying, and an atmosphere like no other.
The Krazy Kangaruh offers perhaps the best après-ski in Austria, and is a must if you’re in St Anton, while directly across the piste from the bar colloquially known as the KK, the Mooserwirt starts the party with ‘The Final Countdown’ at 3pm, and then cranks out loud and cheesy Austro/German pop, working the crowd into a table dancing frenzy.
Just witnessing the beer servers, who carry up to 30 full size drinks on double-stacked trays, is worth the trip. Those guys are seriously strong. We also highly recommend the Heustadl for live music on the slopes. It’s in a perfect suntrap just before you get to the KK on the left.
4. Verbier, Switzerland
Although Verbier hosts some of the best après-ski in Switzerland, the price of drinks can be eye-watering. So if you want to experience the marvels of Swiss skiing but keep a tab on how much you're spending at après, do as Seasonaires do and follow the happy hours around the village.
No visit to Verbier is complete without a session or two in the Pub Mont Fort, but the Farinet Bar is a favourite, with its sliding roof that opens to let the steam out when the party gets too hot. It’s truly an experience to remember when they open the roof, it’s snowing, and you’re dancing to a Swedish cover band who are encouraging you to down shots between songs.
5. Val d'Isere France
Val d'Isere is Iglu Ski’s most popular resort, and is a firm staff favourite. The skiing in the Espace Killy (linked with Tignes) offers more variety than any other in Europe. It has a very long season because it catches the storms as they hit the end of the Tarentaise Valley at the border with Italy. But what really sets it apart is the number of high quality bars up and down the mountain.
Val d’Isere is home to the original Folie Douce, which offers guaranteed après entertainment. It’s accessible via the La Daille gondola (super handy for returning to La Daille if you can’t face skiing!).
If you’re heading down the slopes, then Cocoricos is the place to go, with its live music under bright fairy lights. There are countless bars in town, such as the Petit Danois (après drink deals and 2 pool tables), The Morris Pub and The Underground (very French).
The 2 biggest nightclubs are the legendary and original Dicks Tea Bar, which attracts a mainly UK crowd, and Doudoune, which draws French punters.
6. Tignes, France
Loop Bar, Tignes. Photo: Facebook (Loop Bar)
Fantastic skiing, great value accommodation, and now awesome après, Tignes announced itself as a real contender in the Alpine party scene with the opening of Tignes Cocorico in December 2018. It offers the same exciting open air après-ski vibes seen in Val d’Isere, but now in Val Claret.
Right next to the Grand Motte funicular, Tignes has really upped its game for easy access partying, and with cheaper accommodation than its neighbour Val d’Isere, it’s a more affordable option for exploring the Espace Killy.
Other great après bars are the Loop Bar in Tignes Le Lac (a great sun spot in the late season) and also Saloon Bar, The Marmot Arms (a favourite for good food and live music), and Jack’s Bar for ultimate cheesy music.
7. Alpe d’Huez, France
Folie Douce, Alpe d'Huez. Photo: Facebook (lafoliedouce.alpedhuez)
There are loads of bars in Alpe d'Huez, but no pub crawl would be complete without visiting O’Sharkeys, Smithy's, Sphere Bar and The Underground Bar. If you want to stay up until the sun rises there’s only one place to go: the Igloo Club, which dials up the craziness every hour until closing time at 6am.
For on-the-mountain après, it's got to be, La Folie Douce. The huge mountain terrace has plenty of space to dance around in your ski boots and boasts spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
Of all the Folie’s mentioned, the Alpe d’Huez venue stands out thanks to the blue run that takes you back into town, so you can party until the bar closes without panicking about making it back for last lifts or being stuck on the mountain. That said, the top of the run is quite steep and narrow, and even more challenging when it's clogged with drunk skiers at closing time. Take the gondola down if you don’t feel up to it.
8. Ischgl, Austria
Kuhstall, Ischgl. Photo: Facebook (kuhstall.ischgl)
Ischgl isn’t as cheap as other Austrian resorts, but it is still better value than some of the big resorts of France and Switzerland.
The Trofana Alm stakes a claim for the best après-ski bar in Europe. It encompasses everything you’d expect from that title- classic Tyrolean décor, cheesy German/Austrian songs and silly dances that involve the whole crowd.
As in St Anton, you can experience the gravity defying feat of immensely strong waiters carrying trays of beers and shots. The Schatzi Bar offers the added bonus of traditional bar top dancing girls and modern music.
Lastly, the Kuhstall is the best place to go for English tunes, and is usually filled to the brim with a young ski boot-clad crowd dancing to the latest hits.
9. Livigno, Italy
Kuhstall Pub, Livigno. Photo credit: Martin Zumr
Livigno is both a shopper's paradise and après-ski mecca, with around 150 bars, which dwarfs any other ski resort in the world. Livigno has belonged to numerous countries and empires over the centuries, and although now Italian, it has a distinctly Austrian vibe to it. You could try to visit all 150, but for starters, we’d recommend the Kuhstall, Mikey's Pub, Gulliver Pub, the Echo Pub, and for cocktails, Ypioca.
Right in the centre of the pedestrianised area of Livigno is the Baita Del Gheta, a bar that’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse: every customer gets their first drink on the house, every time they go. Unsurprisingly it is extremely popular and worth heading there early. It has great food and you’ll often find locals there with their families and pet dogs. And if that’s not a paw print of approval, we don’t know what is?
10. Mayrhofen, Austria
Bruck'n Stadl, Mayrhofen. Photo: Facebook (Bruck'n Stadl in Mayrhofen im Zillertal)
A triple threat of sublime pistes, peaks and parties, Mayrhofen provides the ultimate après-ski experience in the Zillertal ski area.
You’ll find a varied après-ski scene, with plenty of lively bars and pubs, as well as places for a quiet drink. If you’re looking for a more traditional Austrian party vibe, Bruck n Stadl is the place to go. Its reasonably priced drinks and Europop tunes makes for an unforgettable night out, with dancing until the early hours of the morning. It's also ideally located at the bottom of the Ahornbahn cable car, meaning you won’t have to ski back down to the village after one stein too many.
We’d also recommend the Ice Bar for Europop beats at the bottom of the Penken gondola, or the Scotland Yard Pub for a more Austrian-English ambience and more recognisable songs.
Find a great après ski resort through Iglu Ski
Ready to get stuck in at Val Thorens or cut loose in Livigno? We have dozens of deals available on apartments, chalets and hotels across the best après ski resorts in the Alps, with special offers for group bookings. Discover your perfect après ski holiday accommodation with Iglu Ski.