Is it any surprise that the New Year Ski Holidays are the most popular ski week on the calendar. The family duties complete, turkey and mince pies duly finished, the holidays still in full swing, now its time jet off for some fun, and sun on the slopes – notwithstanding a fair amount of partying off them, après-ski style as we see in the New Year.

Skiing New Year

If you haven’t been before, you are in for a treat. Visitors typically fall into two camps this week, the adult party crowd, made up of friends, couples, brothers and sisters, and the 2^nd group consisting of families with younger children, still here to party, but in a slightly lower key (typically).

Adult Groups

If you are the former (adult groups), well here goes! Firstly, don’t underestimate the level of celebrating that can and often does go on during this week. Having made the effort to come and see the New Year in, in style, few dip out when they arrive (however good the original intention in terms of limiting, to a point, the excess).

This said, in all but the hardened partying crowds, after the first nights excitement, things typically calm down a little (the body has of course its limits and burning the candle at both ends, exercise and fresh mountain air will slow most a little), noting calm it is relative to the first marker, well, until New Years Eve of course! With every bed booked out, bars, restaurants an nightclubs will be full, spirits high, the atmosphere electric – Chamonix for example attracts over 20,000 people in its town square on New Years Eve, all having filed out the bars, so this puts in perspective how many people are out and about! At the end of the ski day, après-ski kicks in before people retire to their catered ski chalets for dinner, with the truly energetic ones coming back out afterwards until the early hours of the morning.

Family and Friends Groups

For families the priorities are typically a little different, here still to party, but in more gentile way and enjoy the company of the groups, typically skiing during the day, an après-ski aperitif afterwards, and then enjoying a glass or three of wine in front of the roaring fire (New Years Eve aside), the snow outside making for a truly festive celebration. 

On the slopes in Europe there will be a large contingent of English speaking visitors so ski schools, to ensure the most suitable instructors are allocated, should be booked as earl as possible.  

Where To Ski New Year 

This depends on a number of factors and we would suggest your therefore discuss specific requirements with the Chalet Ski Holidays team but here is a general guide.

If you are looking for luxurious, four names stick out in our mind, Courchevel 1850, Val d’Isere, Verbier and Zermatt. Courchevel 1850 and Zermatt are probably the two most exclusive ski resorts, Zermatt also being traffic free, Val d’Isere and Verbier may not quite have the high brow tags of the aforementioned, but they nevertheless still have exclusivity and luxury in abundance, notwithstanding the fact that they also have a slightly livelier après-ski and party scene.   

New Year Courchevel

 For the New Year, Courchevel 1850 is of course the most sort after place to stay of all the Courchevel villages, and with its ski in ski out location, checkout the Shemshak Lodge.  400sqm of living space, your own indoor swimming pool, and the list goes on, sleeping 10 adults and 3 children, it is little surprise that this sup luxury ski chalet is sold out not only months, but years in advance.

Situated in the 3Vallees ski area, New Year ski holidays in Courchevel are not only a lively and atmospheric occasion, you also have access to the 600km of linked, high altitude skiing across this region, making it we think one of the best New Year ski vacations on offer.

 Val d’Isere New Year

Situated at 1,850m, and with access to some of the worlds best on and off piste skiing, all high altitude, notwithstanding a great apes-ski life that is probably only eclipsed by St Anton, is it any wonder Val d’Isere is a New Year favourite amongst our customers.

The choice in terms of stylish luxury chalets in Val d’Isere is excellent, but it still doesn’t stop many from selling out 12 months or more in advance. Two we will picket are Chalet Lhotse and Chalet Marco Polo, both situated next to each other and providing 5 star super luxury.

Chalet Lhotse and Chalet Marco Polo both hold central locations in Val d’Isere and are ideally situated to enjoy the apres-skis hedonistic nightlife that Va d’Isere enjoys over the New Year.  Chalet lhotse boasts 500sqm of living area and includes its own swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, and treatments rooms, sleeping up to 12 adults, and Chalet Marco Polo 1,000sqm of living area, a swimming pool, massage and treatments area, hot tub, Games Room and much more for 14 adults.

Verbier New Year

Situated at 1,550m, with high altitude glacier skiing on Mont Fort at 3,330m, Verbier New Year is a great choice as it blends great high altitude skiing across its 4Vallees, and a very lively apres-ski life that is situated right at the bottom of the slopes, culminating with over 10,000 revellers hitting the town centre on New Years Eve.

And if you are looking for a great ski chalet, checkout Chalet No. 14 with again 1,000sqm of living space, swimming pool, sauna, Cinema Room, and a great deal more, sleeping up to 26 guests.

St Anton and Chamonix New Year For The Biggest Party

But whilst the partying is big in all four of the above, St Anton and Chamonix probably eclipse all before in the luxury partying stakes, but with slightly less exclusivity in the preceding’s. Chamonix we have already mentioned, and here they have the largest party in the Alps in terms of numbers, but it doesn’t get number one because that undoubtedly has to go to St Anton.  The latter has the craziest, most vibrant, and most energetic crowd, with bars and nightclubs to match, and takes all before it. In fact few who go to St Anton get more than the equivalent of one nights sleeps the whole week!

St Anton New Year Party

The biggest and craziest apes-ski nightlife in the world, somehow during the New Year ski holidays it goes up another notch. Partying on and off the slopes, notwithstanding it has some of the worlds best skiing too, starts at 4pm, if not before, at the world famous Mooserwirt where the drinks flow, the cabaret entertains, and the limbs dance until they have to stop!

And if you are looking for a great luxury ski chalet, checkout the beautiful and luxurious Soline Chalet Apartmen that can accommodate 11 guests and enjoy a beautiful, modernised alpine decor with treatments room and sauna:

New Year Skiing Chamonix

Chamonix has the biggest and steepest mountains in the world, few go here just to apes-ski party at New Year as Chamonix is about high octane off and on the slopes, so prepare the muscles accordingly! The skiing here is some of the best in the world, but off it in this week it steps up too. Chamber Neuf is where it starts first, opposite the train station and there is also the Moo Bar opposite. La Terrace is also worth a visit. But on New Years Eve, hold onto your hats as 20,000 descend on the centre to see in the New Year:

And for the ultimate visit, choose from either the stunning Chalet Serena that sleeps unto 14 guests with its Spa Pool, sauna, steam room, cinema projection, and much more, or Chalet Amazon Creek that sleeps 10 and enjoys a luxury hot tub, steam hamman, swimming pol, fabulous service and of course a great deal more:

Elsewhere, Meribel is another great alternative with a typically young crowd as well as the awesome 3Vallees to ski in between. For a slightly less expensive New Year skiing vacation, a good crowd and the 600km plus of skiing in the Portes du Soleil, Morzine is a fair shout.

For families, Val d’isere and Meribel are also excellent for families with teenagers and ideally competent skiers or snowboarders. But if partying isn’t of prime importance, Les Arcs we think is great value, as is La Plagne which is particularly good for beginners and early intermediates in the group.

Not A Week To Leave It Late

With demand far exceeding supply, the New Year Ski Holidays book quickly and few chalet ski holidays remain in November, least of all December. This is therefore one week where the early bird really does get the worm and booking early, sometimes over a year in advance for the most sort after residences, is necessary.

Contact the Chalet Ski Holidays team today for the latest availability and for any support yo would like in selecting the best and most suitable ski resorts.