Snow depth France today: snow report per ski area
On 24 October 2026, the most snow in France is in Tignes - Val d'Isère: 13 cm. 14 of the 23 ski areas we track have at least 1 cm of snow, and fresh snow fell in 14 areas over the past 7 days (most in Le Grand Massif: +22 cm). Over the next 7 days the models expect the most snow in Le Grand Massif (4 cm).
Snow depth per ski area in France
Click a column to sort. The figures are refreshed every morning; the last two columns show the top altitude and the average highest snow depth over the winters 2020/21 to 2024/25.
| Tignes - Val d'IsèreFrankrijk | 13 cm | +10 cm | +15 cm | 2 cm | 3.024 m | 214 cm |
| Le Grand MassifFrankrijk | 10 cm | +16 cm | +22 cm | 4 cm | 2.319 m | 205 cm |
| Les Trois ValléesFrankrijk | 9 cm | +8 cm | +12 cm | 2 cm | 3.136 m | 181 cm |
| Grand MassifFrankrijk | 8 cm | +13 cm | +22 cm | 3 cm | 2.268 m | 178 cm |
| Les 3 ValléesFrankrijk | 5 cm | +5 cm | +7 cm | 2 cm | 3.069 m | 181 cm |
| Le Grand DomaineFrankrijk | 3 cm | +3 cm | +5 cm | – | 2.395 m | 157 cm |
| Les SybellesFrankrijk | 3 cm | +3 cm | +3 cm | 1 cm | 2.834 m | 175 cm |
| Portes du SoleilFrankrijk | 3 cm | +5 cm | +6 cm | 3 cm | 2.809 m | 123 cm |
| Galibier ThaborFrankrijk | 2 cm | +2 cm | +2 cm | 1 cm | 2.856 m | 174 cm |
| Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine SkiFrankrijk | 1 cm | +1 cm | +1 cm | 1 cm | 2.903 m | 162 cm |
| Franse AlpenFrankrijk | 1 cm | +2 cm | +4 cm | 2 cm | 3.323 m | 196 cm |
| Mont BlancFrankrijk | 1 cm | +3 cm | +3 cm | 1 cm | 3.796 m | 178 cm |
| Nationaal park Les EcrinsFrankrijk | 1 cm | +1 cm | +3 cm | – | – | 147 cm |
| Valmeinier-ValloireFrankrijk | 1 cm | +1 cm | +1 cm | 1 cm | 3.007 m | 174 cm |
| DévoluyFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.298 m | 57 cm |
| La Forêt BlancheFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.653 m | 5 cm |
| Le Massif du DévoluyFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | – | 57 cm |
| Les Deux AlpesFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 3.005 m | 153 cm |
| Les Portes du SoleilFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.403 m | 55 cm |
| OisansFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.987 m | 153 cm |
| ParadiskiFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.614 m | 171 cm |
| Serre Chevalier ValléeFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 2.581 m | 151 cm |
| Val CenisFrankrijk | 0 cm | – | – | – | 3.422 m | 160 cm |
Source: Open-Meteo weather model, model value at the centre of each ski area, updated 24 October 2026. Glaciers and upper pistes usually have more snow; machine-made snow is not included.
Snow on the map
Snow in France: what to expect
The French Alps have the highest ski villages in Europe: Val Thorens sits at 2,300 m, Tignes at 2,100 m, and Les Deux Alpes and Val d'Isère reach above 3,400 m. In a normal winter, snow depths in France are therefore often higher than in the lower Austrian and Italian valleys, especially in the 3 Vallées, Tignes-Val d'Isère and Paradiski.
Most snow-sure France areas in our data (average maximum depth, 5 winters): Tignes - Val d'Isère (214 cm), Le Grand Massif (205 cm), Franse Alpen (196 cm), Les Trois Vallées (181 cm), Les 3 Vallées (181 cm).
How to read the snow depth
Valley versus mountain. Ski resorts publish one depth for the valley station and one for the top station. Temperatures drop by roughly 0.6 °C per 100 metres of altitude, so at 2,500 m it is often still freezing when it rains in a valley at 1,000 m. That is why 20 cm in the valley can mean 80 cm or more on the mountain.
Natural versus machine-made snow. Almost every large resort in the Alps uses snow cannons on its main pistes. Machine-made snow is denser and lasts longer than fresh powder, so a piste with 40 cm of machine snow can be in better condition than one with 40 cm of natural snow. Weather models only count natural snow, which is why our figures are usually on the conservative side.
Snow reliability. One snowy day says little. What counts is how much snow an area builds up over a whole winter. That is why we also show the average highest snow depth over five winters: it shows which areas reliably have a good base, regardless of this week's weather. Areas with a top above 2,500 m and a glacier score best. See the most snow-sure ski areas.
Fresh snow and forecast. The 24-hour and 7-day columns show snow that has actually fallen, measured as the increase in snow cover. The forecast column is the expected snowfall over the next 7 days. Forecasts more than three days ahead are uncertain, so check again shortly before you leave.
Frequently asked questions about snow depth
Where is the most snow in France right now?
On 24 October 2026 the most snow lies in Tignes - Val d'Isère (13 cm), followed by Le Grand Massif (10 cm) and Les Trois Vallées (9 cm). The table is refreshed every morning.
What is the difference between valley and mountain snow depth?
Resorts report two figures: the depth at the valley station and at the mountain (top) station. Because it is colder higher up, there is often two to three times more snow on the mountain than in the valley. Our figure is a model value for the middle of the ski area, so the upper slopes and glaciers usually have more.
How much snow do you need to ski?
On groomed pistes on grass, around 30 to 50 cm of compacted snow is enough. On rocky terrain you need more. With 80 cm or more on the mountain, most pistes are open and off-piste becomes possible.
Does artificial snow count in the snow depth?
Resorts usually report a single depth for the pistes, which includes machine-made snow. Weather models such as Open-Meteo, which we use, only calculate natural snow. On a well-prepared piste there can therefore be more snow than our figure shows.
Which ski areas are the most snow-sure?
Based on five winters of historical data, the highest average maximum snow depth in France is found in Tignes - Val d'Isère (214 cm), Le Grand Massif (205 cm), Franse Alpen (196 cm). High altitude and glaciers are the best guarantee of snow.
When does the ski season start?
Glacier areas such as Hintertux, Sölden and Stubai open in autumn. Most large resorts open in late November or early December, depending on snowfall and snowmaking. From mid-December almost all resorts are open.
How often is this page updated?
Every morning at 06:30 (CET) we fetch the current snow depth, the snowfall of the past 24 hours and 7 days, and the 7-day forecast per ski area from Open-Meteo.