Easter Ski Resorts

Rarely a day goes by where it doesn’t snow in Zermatt - and that goes for the Easter weeks too. Claiming Europe’s highest pistes, spring’s far from the end of the season on the Theodul glacier, which stays snowy well into the summer. The village’s choc-box buildings look good enough to eat, and with the inspiration for Toblerone a constant backdrop (the mighty Matterhorn), just gazing around ramps up the appetite. So when thoughts stray to Easter treats, thank heavens you’re in Switzerland: The goodies at Chocolaterie Laderach blow the socks off Easter Eggs back home. Not that all feasts are sugar-related in the foodie capital of the Alps: Pootle along the Gourmetweg where a gourmet guide will show you where to find the top notch nosh - or spend all week in Michelin-starred After Seven where we’d gladly eat the bison at every sitting.

When a place is hailed as the biggest summer skiing destination in Europe, you know you're going to find pretty good conditions at Easter. A medley of the socking great Mont De Lans glacier (at a heady 3600m) and north-facing slopes keep the snow ship shape in the springtime. And unlike other resorts, the high stuff is fabulously forgiving - making L2A one of our favourites for late season beginner’s holidays. Not that you need to spend all week skiing - Pano at 2600m is a cracking spot to enjoy the views and sunshine with a cold beer. If you’ve brought the sprogs, there’s no end to what you can do off the slopes: See if Kuma & Co are still doing their husky night time adventures which they'll love far more than a mountain of chocolate eggs...

Solden’s stonking springtime ski conditions owe themselves to the Tiefenbach and Rettenbach glaciers. You’ve also got 3 accessible peaks that top out over 3000m, which pile up the snow and keep temperatures wonderfully low. As the weather warms and skies clear, there are some staggering views: Look out for the Dolomites from Schwarz Shneide, which stands the tallest at 3340m. There’s also a panoramic footbridge at the top of Tiefenbach Mountain (3250m) and a viewing platform on the Gaislachkogl (3048m). We love the mix of slopes up here, letting both beginners and experts enjoy the snow and sights. Sölden has a lot going on all season long, and Easter’s no exception. Check out the weekly Night Show at the Gaislachkogl middle station, where there’s usually a fabulous medley of music, fireworks and food.

Altitude - tick. Snowfall - tick. Glaciers - tickety tick: Val Thorens meets all manner of Easter Skiing needs. The resort itself sits at 2300m (no European resort sits higher), with a dazzling 99% of the local pistes above 2000m. The loftiest spots get something like 6m of snow cover by this time of year, with two skiable glaciers - Péclet and Thorens – hogging the best of it. And it all adds up to the surest snow in the mighty 3 Valleys. Clear skies open up glorious views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps and to celebrate Easter there's usually a fine spread of events: Eggs hidden around the resort for sprogs to hunt out and themed parties at the legendary Folie Douce (bunny onesies recommended). If you're craving a traditional roast dinner after all the fun and games, English Pub Frog and Roastbeef do a cracking Sunday lunch.

With two weeks off school and a handful of bank holidays, Easter’s a brilliant time to cross the pond for some North American action. By a country mile, Whistler has the most snow sure conditions on the continent. Easter’s more mid-season than late-season over here, with lifts staying open well into May, and some still chugging in the summertime on the mammoth Horstman glacier. If you’ve got little ‘uns in tow, look out for deals like free ski passes for under 12’s, which often crop in the springtime. Easter’s not your usual week in Whistler - they normally put on a huge egg hunt with face painting, bake sales and a BBQ. And there’s a gaggle of chocolate shops for an egg shaped treat - the bars at Whistlers Chocolate were rocketed to the International Space Station in 2012 (they’re out of this world…).

Saas Fee’s halo is made up of THIRTEEN 4000m+ peaks, keeping temperatures low and slopes snowy all the way into summer. So while other resorts will soon be shutting up shop for the season, this one’s only getting started. It’s all thanks to the Fee glacier, which sprawls between the Allalin and Dom Mountains. And with the top lift station at 3500m, you’ll only ski below 1800m on your way back to resort. There’s more on the agenda: Previous years have seen the resort put on the Nostalgic Races, where cable cars ferry retro looking skiers up to Hohsaas with prizes for the most original costumes (you can even hire wooden skis). Families will have oodles to do, with things like puppet shows and face painting. And if you haven’t had your fill of mountain views from the piste, make the most of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the Aqua Allalin Spa.

With the resort itself perched at 2100m, most of its ski area higher up and the Grande Motte Glacier at a rip-roaring 3400m, Tignes seems to have been made for late season skiing. You’re rarely confined to the top bits though: Its U shape bowl means slopes face every which way, so you can plan your ski day to feature the best spring conditions. You’ll be almost wishing the snow gets slushy in the afternoon with so many non-ski activities on the cards: Outdoors there's everything from the Bun-J (a mix of bungee jumping, ski jumping and zip-wiring) to the more child friendly bungee trampolining. Indoors, a cinema, sports and wellness centre await. You can often find special seasonal activities too, with past years seeing an Easter egg hunt in Val Claret, Le Lac and Brévières, and street performances running throughout.

The thing about Lech is that it gets oodles of snow, with something like 7m recorded by the end of March most seasons - giving it the surest conditions in the Arlberg. To ski the best of it, head up to Warth, where the north facing runs tend to hold onto the white stuff well in the springtime. When it comes to goggle tanning, there are some cracking outside bars - like Eisbar which throws awesome open-air parties when the sun’s out. The Easter bunny traditionally hops (or skis) around resort to give out sweet treats to the sprogs, while concerts are often put on to honour the season. And if you’re after a hearty Sunday lunch, go for proper Austrian nosh somewhere like Hûs Nr. 8 for the best dumplings you’ll ever eat.

Besides being the highest ski resort in Italy at 2050m, Cervinia has access to the highest slopes in Europe with the Matterhorn Paradise pass. The Plateau Rosa stands at a skyscraping 3883m, where snow depths have reached 3 metres by spring in recent years. In all, 360km of pistes are shared with Zermatt, which is well worth a stop off for some proper Swiss Easter chocolates. If you like a little Eastertime tradition, previous years have seen the parish church - Santa Maria Regina - hold concerts by the Vallee du Cervin choir. The best thing’s that despite its great heights, Cervinia manages to hold onto splendidly small prices: Restaurants, ski school and mountain guides tend to cost a lot less than they do over in Switzerland, letting you experience world-beating slopes on a peak week without blowing the budget.

They call Obergurgl the ‘Diamond of the Alps’ and it sure shines bright at Eastertime. This is one of our favourites for families and with a short transfer from Innsbruck airport, you really get to make the most of the school holidays. The perks continue - conditions on the slopes are some of the best around at this time of year (making Obergurgl a rare gem considering it doesn't have a glacier). Pistes reach dazzling top heights of 3055m on the Festkogl summit. And you don't need thighs of steel to enjoy the top bits, with the best conditions shared between blue and black runs. For a wee break on the legs and some all-important sunning, Hohe Mutt has a beautiful terrace that looks onto a whacking 21 surrounding peaks. The Easter bunny is usually out and about too: Previous years have seen him hiding colourful eggs around resort for the little ones to find.