Winter sports. Our best plans for day skiing in late January without breaking the bank

Last weekend provided skiers with ideal skiing and sunny conditions. For the last weekend of January, there is plenty of snow and the weather looks a bit gloomy depending on the elevations.

Skiing conditions are good in all massifs. Thus, for the Northern Alps, we find 30-50 cm at 1200 m, 50-80 cm at 1500 m, and 120-300 cm at peaks above 2500 m. 20-30 cm at 1000 m in the Jura and 40-70 cm above 1300 m.

Skiing is expensive…but

Before any white holiday in February, you can leave the vicinity of your home for day skiing. We’ve selected nearby resorts and ranked them based on the price of a day pass for adults. Stations offering passes for less than €30 are shown in blue on the map. Packs from €31 to €50 in orange and packs from €50 in burgundy.

In 2023, a one-day ski pass costs an average of 37 euros in the Alps. This is also the median value: 50% of the packages are cheaper and 50% more expensive. The highest price in Val Thorens is 72 euros per day.

The prices of ski passes shown on the interactive map (on the counter) are the prices reported by the resorts, which are responsible for their accuracy.

Prices may vary during the season. Contact the stations for more information.

Click on a skier for the price of a day pass

Skis are expensive, yes, but if you do a little research, you can find some good deals. All French resorts offer exciting promotions on holiday packages for vacationers. How about day skiing for local customers?

Good deals of the day, available online

First tip, you have to go skiing outside of school holidays and during the week, even if it’s not possible with the family. Or later in the season, in the spring, it’s often cheaper on the package side.

For regular skiers, there are a number of “loyalty” cards attached to membership, which then offer affordable daily rates. Among the subscriptions, the Passe Montagne card allows you to ski at a reduced price in more than 100 resorts. Same principle as Skiogrande, Map of the main areas of Maurienne, Ski Atout Prix, Ski à la Carte, Leisure and more… You can benefit from promotions, discounts…

Note that resorts almost always offer discounts on packages booked online.

If you want to pay less, plan ahead! The best day ski deals are only available through online shopping. Sometimes it is possible to take advantage of the box office in the low season, but often only from Monday to Friday and almost always outside of school holidays.

Skiing on Saturday

Saturday is often very interesting because there are less people on the slopes and the package is cheaper.

This is the case, for example, in large areas such as Sybelles (€25 instead of €50.20, every Saturday of the season for 136 pistes), 3 Vallées (€56.60 instead of €72). Half price on Saturdays (€22.50 instead of €45) all season in the entire ski area Espace Diamant (Val d’Arly-Mont Blanc). Saturdays are also cheaper in La Plagne, Les Arcs, Les Gets, Morzine…

Choose a “Ski All Inclusive” day

Another idea for cheaper skiing is to buy a transport+pass package, for example with Skimania from Lyon. This formula combining transport and ski lifts is also available with the coaches of the Isère department and its Skiligne offer (from €29), La Clusaz (from Annecy), Aillons-Margeriaz (Chambery and Aix – baths). )…

Finally, for less hassle, especially in terms of accommodation, opt for smaller resorts next to the most famous ones while still enjoying the same ski areas. They are often of lower height but are bound to domains. For example, Auris-en-Oisans instead of Alpe d’Huez.