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“There’s plenty of snow on the pistes and plenty of good skiing,” is the resounding message from skiers, chalet owners, tour operators and resorts across the Alps, in response to headlines this week that entire mountains are closed due to lack of snow – sparking fears that half-term ski holidays could be ruined.
Our guide on where and when to go so you don’t miss your chance to ski this winter, plus the best last-minute trips
“It’s snowing like billy-o,” reported one happy Telegraph reader on holiday this week in La Plagne. And, having got off to a great start with big falls in December – interspersed, it has to be said, with plenty of blue days – more heavy snow and cold temperatures have set this winter up as a classic in the Alps. As our snow specialist Patrick Thorne says: “These are some of the best January conditions in years.”
The ski season in Europe has begun as resorts celebrate bumper snowfall and welcome thousands of visitors to the slopes.
Val Thorens, Ischgl and Verbier are among the first resorts to welcome skiers to the slopes this winter – our writers report from the pistes