France Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026/27

> In a nutshell: France’s ski resorts open on a rolling schedule from late November to mid-December 2026. Tignes and Val Thorens lead the way on 21 November, followed by Val d’Isère, Les Deux Alpes and Montgenèvre on 28 November, then most of the rest of the Alps through early-to-mid December.

France is home to some of the highest, most snow-reliable resorts in the Alps, which is exactly why several of them open weeks before the rest of Europe. Val Thorens and Val d’Isère don’t just open quietly either: both throw a proper opening-weekend festival, with free equipment testing, live music, and the kind of first-weekend energy that’s worth building a trip around.

Below is when 21 of alpy.com’s confirmed partner resorts in France are opening for 2026/27, sorted by date, followed by a closer look at five of the most popular. Resort names link to that resort’s rental shops on alpy.com.

All dates sourced from each resort’s own official site or lift company, weather permitting. “Unconfirmed” rows are flagged where the resort hadn’t yet published a 2026/27 date at the time of writing.

Val Thorens — Opens 21 November 2026, “La Grande Première”

As Europe’s highest ski resort at 2,300m (skiing up to 3,230m on the Aiguille de Péclet glacier), Val Thorens is consistently one of the first major French resorts to open — confirmed for 21 November 2026, running through to 2 May 2027. The opening weekend, “La Grande Première,” runs 21–22 November with free 2026-model gear testing from over 50 brands including Atomic, Burton, Rossignol, and Salomon, a free breakfast on Place Caron, live DJ sets, a mini snowpark, UCPA lessons, raclette, fireworks, and a mountain-film screening.

Alpy Tip: Gear testing weekends get busy fast — book your own ski or snowboard rental online in advance so you’re not relying on trying to snag a demo pair on the day.

Val d’Isère — Opens 28 November 2026, “First Tracks”

Val d’Isère (1,850m, skiing up to around 3,450m via the Pissaillas glacier) opens its season on 28 November 2026, running through to 2 May 2027, and links with neighbouring Tignes (already open since 21 November) on the same day. The resort’s opening weekend, “First Tracks” (“Premières Traces”), runs 28–29 November with the Ski Force Winter Tour offering free ski, snowboard, and Ski-Mojo testing, a marching band and live DJ on the Front de Neige from 9am, a Saturday evening raffle, free hot drinks, and a concert at the Tourist Office square.

Alpy Tip: Val d’Isère’s Pissaillas glacier keeps skiing reliable even in a thin early snow year — a safer bet than lower-altitude resorts if you’re travelling right on opening weekend.

Alpe d’Huez — Expected Around 5 December 2026

Alpe d’Huez (1,860m, skiing up to 3,330m at Pic Blanc) typically opens all four of its linked villages — Alpe d’Huez, Auris, Oz-Vaujany, and Villard-Reculas — together as a single season kick-off, expected around 5 December 2026 through to late April. Rather than one branded opening party, the resort’s approach is a simultaneous opening across the whole linked domain, so wherever you’re based in the Alpe d’Huez area, lifts start running on the same day.

Alpy Tip: Because all four villages open together, it’s worth booking accommodation and rental gear in whichever village suits your budget — you’re not trading off against a later opening by choosing Auris or Villard-Reculas over Alpe d’Huez itself.

Chamonix — Grands Montets from 28 November, Full Valley by Mid-December

Chamonix (1,035m in the valley, skiing up to around 3,300m at Grands Montets) opens in stages. The Grands Montets sector is expected to offer partial service from around 28 November 2026, with the Brévent sector following around 12 December and the rest of the valley’s lift network fully running by around 19 December. Chamonix’s famously varied terrain — from beginner-friendly Les Houches to the legendary off-piste of the Vallée Blanche — means different sectors matter more depending on your ability level, so it’s worth checking which lifts are running before you commit to dates.

Alpy Tip: If you’re an intermediate or beginner skiing Chamonix early season, prioritise the Brévent or Les Houches sectors over Grands Montets — the terrain suits a wider range of abilities while the whole valley ramps up.

Morzine — Opens Around 19 December 2026

Morzine (around 1,000m) is one of the later openers on this list, with its own sector expected around 19 December 2026 through to early April. The linked Avoriaz sector, at higher altitude, typically opens earlier — around 11 December, sometimes with a partial pre-opening in late November if snow allows. If you want to ski the wider Portes du Soleil area before Morzine itself opens, basing yourself toward Avoriaz is the better bet.

Alpy Tip: Morzine’s lower altitude means its opening date is more snow-dependent than the other resorts on this list — if you’re planning an early trip, keep an eye on the resort’s own updates in the two weeks before you travel.

Why These Dates Aren’t Fixed

Every date above is provisional and explicitly weather-dependent, even on the resorts’ own official sites — a run of warm weather or thin early snowfall can push an opening back by days or, in a tough year, longer. Val Thorens, Tignes, and Val d’Isère’s high altitude and glacier access make their dates the most reliable on this list; Morzine, Samoëns, and La Clusaz are the most exposed to a late-opening year, and the latter two hadn’t published official 2026/27 dates at the time of writing at all. If your trip depends on a specific date, check the resort’s own site in the two weeks before you travel rather than relying on any single published date, including this one.

Booking Your Gear Before You Go

Opening weekend at Val Thorens or Val d’Isère draws a crowd specifically for the gear-testing events — which means rental counters get busy fast on top of the usual first-weekend rush. alpy.com’s partner shops across all the resorts above let you book your ski or snowboard rental online ahead of time, so your equipment is fitted and ready regardless of how busy the shop gets.

For more on what’s on throughout the rest of the season, see our guide to events in Val Thorens during the ski season, or check the Val Thorens ski pass and piste map before you go. If you’re still deciding between resorts, our roundup of the best ski resorts in France covers the wider picture beyond opening dates.

FAQ

Which French ski resort opens first for 2026/27? Tignes and Val Thorens, both confirmed for 21 November 2026 — the earliest openings among France’s major resorts, thanks to their altitude and glacier access.

Does Val Thorens have an opening-weekend event? Yes — “La Grande Première,” 21–22 November 2026, featuring free ski and snowboard testing from over 50 brands, live music, a mini snowpark, and fireworks.

What is Val d’Isère’s “First Tracks” weekend? Val d’Isère’s official opening-weekend event, held 28–29 November 2026, with free equipment testing, live music on the Front de Neige, and a concert at the Tourist Office square.

When does Alpe d’Huez open for 2026/27? Alpe d’Huez is expected to open around 5 December 2026, with all four linked villages — Alpe d’Huez, Auris, Oz-Vaujany, and Villard-Reculas — opening together.

When does Morzine’s ski season start? Morzine’s own sector is expected to open around 19 December 2026, though the linked Avoriaz sector typically opens earlier, around 11 December.

France’s resorts span nearly a month of opening dates — from Tignes and Val Thorens on 21 November to Megève and Morzine in mid-to-late December. If you want to be first on the mountain, the late-November openers with festivals are worth planning a trip around; if you’d rather wait for the full resort to be running, December gives you more of the mountain from day one.

Planning a trip to France this season? Compare partner shops and book your ski or snowboard rental now → Search resort options across Val Thorens, Val d’Isère, Alpe d’Huez, Chamonix, Morzine, and more. Save up to 65% compared to walk-in resort prices, with free cancellation until the day before. Over 12,000 customers have rated alpy.com 4.7 stars on Trustpilot.