Best Ski Resorts in Europe for Snow in December

December is when the ski season properly begins across the Alps. The top of the rankings is led by French high-altitude resorts in the Tarentaise and Mont Blanc valleys, with Tignes and Val Thorens leading at 133cm each and Val d'Isère close behind at 129cm.

The December rankings are significantly more mixed than November. Swiss resorts feature strongly with Flims Laax Falera at #5, Verbier at #6, Engelberg at #10, and Lech at #11. Austrian resorts including Saalbach and Obertauern appear in the top 15, reflecting good early season snowfall across a broad range of Alpine terrain.

December variability is higher than any other month. Base depths are not yet established and a warm early season spell can affect lower terrain significantly. Resorts above 1800m base elevation are most insulated from this risk. Val d'Isère, Tignes, and Val Thorens all sit above that threshold and consistently open with good natural snow cover.