Our blog:
Where to ski in the Alps in June
by Fraser Wilkin, Updated: 1 June 2023
June is probably the quietest month for skiing in the Alps, with only a handful of glacier-based options available. Climate change is leading them to dwindle each year, especially in Austria, which has gone from offering up to six lift-served areas just a few years ago, to two to three in recent years, and only one this year (2023).
Opening dates are also now highly variable year on year, with some resorts contracting the opening period in summer, or in some cases bringing their summer ski season forward by a week or several weeks.
This June (2023), despite a dry winter overall, snow conditions in the Alps are actually quite reasonable thanks to a cooler and wetter than average spring.
However, it would appear that many areas that have previously been operational in June, or at least part of June, have taken a commercial decision not to bother this year, regardless of their snow situation. These include Stubai, Kitzsteinhorn, Mölltal and Engelberg.
Here's a full list of where is open for summer skiing in the Alps this June, and when...
France
Val d’Isère plans to open on 10 June until 7 July 2023. The glacier here is served by just two lifts and is by far the smallest of France’s three summer ski options. Up to seven pistes may be open, but only three of these are open to the public with the remaining four reserved for race training.
Nearby Tignes offers a bigger ski area and is scheduled to open from 17 June to 23 July 2023. You can expect up to 20km of pistes between 2724 and 3456m, though this vertical drop may decrease as the summer season progresses.
Les 2 Alpes, France’s highest and most varied summer ski area has brought its season forward, opening on 2 May and running through until 30 June 2023. In previous years it has opened from late June to late August. The glacier here offers 9 runs between 3200 and 3568m.
Les 2 Alpes has the largest lift-served glacier in Europe - Photo: Les 2 Alpes/Vincent Lozzi
Switzerland
Surprisingly, perhaps, Zermatt is the only resort in Switzerland offering any skiing in June these days. Weather-permitting, its extensive glacier endeavours to open 365 days a year and offers the most, highest lift-served skiing in the Alps, with a top height of 3899m!
In previous years, Switzerland's Engelberg had sometimes offered skiing into the first couple of weeks of June, with a handful of easy runs on its relatively small glacier.
Zermatt is the only Swiss resort to consistently offer any skiing in June these days. Weather-permitting its glacier opens 365 days a year.
Looking for hotels in Zermatt? Click here
Italy
Options in Italy are limited in June, with only the (underrated) glacier at Passo Stelvio (near Bormio) offering skiing throughout the entire month. The operation here runs through from 1 June until 5 November 2023. It is not open in the winter. Conditions permitting, you can expect it to have 20km of pistes open between 2758m and 3450m, though the extent and vertical normally reduce as the summer season progresses.
The only other option this year, Cervinia, is scheduled to re-open for the summer season on 24 June 2023. It will then continue to operate until 10 September 2023. Note that most of Cervinia's summer ski area is on the Swiss side (shared with Zermatt).
Cervinia opens its summer ski area (shared with Zermatt) on 24 June 2023 - Photo: Cervino SpA
Austria
Austria used to offer the greatest number of skiing options in the Alps in June, but this year (2023) the only ski area open is the glacier above Hintertux. This is widely regarded as offering the most varied and challenging summer ski terrain in the Alps and is open 365 days a year.
Hintertux is the only Austrian ski area to open in June this year (2023) but does offer the most varied and challenging summer skiing terrain in the Alps.
Looking for hotels in Hintertux? Click here
In previous years, Austria's other skiing options in June have included the Kitzsteinhorn glacier near Kaprun (which generally remained open until late July), the Stubai glacier near Innsbruck (which normally offered a good selection of runs throughout the month), the Mölltal glacier and the more limited Dachstein glacier.
None of these will be open for skiing in 2023 until autumn.
The Kitzsteinhorn glacier normally opens for summer skiing in June and July, but this year (2023) has taken the decision to delay opening until autumn - Photo: facebook.com/kitzsteinhorn
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