Chalet ski holidays 2026-27, planned week by week
Christmas, New Year, February half-term and an early Easter: which weeks fill first in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz, who else is on holiday, and when to book each one.
For chalet ski holidays 2026-27, three weeks fill first: Christmas week from Saturday 19 December 2026, New Year week from Saturday 26 December, and the week of Saturday 13 to Saturday 20 February 2027, when half-term for many English councils overlaps with Geneva’s February holiday and two French school zones. Easter comes early, on Sunday 28 March 2027. Courchevel’s lifts are scheduled to run from 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027. If one of those weeks is fixed for your family, now is the time to ask.
This planner sets out every week of the season with the school calendars that land on it, the official opening and closing dates we could confirm, and a booking timeline written in mid-October 2026. It covers our four resorts and the decisions that come with a chalet week: which Saturday to arrive, what the chef covers, what to arrange before you travel. For the residences themselves, browse our collection of luxury ski chalets.
Two cautions before the dates. School holidays in England are set locally, and academies and free schools can set their own, so check with your children’s school before you commit. And the lift companies’ dates assume normal snow: an early opening or a late closing always depends on the weather.
The 2026-27 dates from official sources
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
Courchevel’s ski area is scheduled to open on Friday 4 December 2026 and close on Sunday 18 April 2027.
Source: skipasscourchevel.comVerbier’s 2026-27 season passes are valid from 5 December 2026 to 25 April 2027 on the Verbier and La Tzoumaz sector, and from 12 December 2026 to 18 April 2027 across the whole 4 Vallées.
Source: verbier4vallees.ch, winter passesZermatt’s winter season runs from 1 November 2026 to 2 May 2027; the Sunnegga/Rothorn and Gornergrat areas open on 28 November 2026 and close on 11 April and 18 April 2027 respectively.
Source: matterhornparadise.ch, ski passesFrench winter school holidays 2027: zone C (Paris, Créteil, Versailles, Toulouse, Montpellier) from 6 to 22 February, zone A (including Lyon, Grenoble and Bordeaux) from 13 February to 1 March, zone B (including Lille, Nantes and Nice) from 20 February to 8 March.
Source: education.gouv.fr, school calendarIn the Royal Borough of Greenwich, February half-term 2027 runs from Monday 15 to Friday 19 February; Croydon and Surrey use the same week.
Source: royalgreenwich.gov.uk, term datesAll 22 Welsh local authorities take spring half-term 2027 from Monday 8 to Friday 12 February, a week earlier than Greenwich, Croydon or Surrey.
Source: gov.wales, school term datesEvery week of winter 2026-27, and who shares it
Most chalet weeks run Saturday to Saturday, so the calendar below is set out that way. The middle column lists the school holidays that fall on each week, from the French ministry, English councils, the Welsh government and the canton of Geneva; the last column is how we read it when a client asks which week to choose.
| Week (Saturday to Saturday) | Who is on holiday | What it means for your chalet |
|---|---|---|
| 28 November to 19 December 2026 | No UK, French or Geneva school holidays. Zermatt’s Sunnegga and Gornergrat areas open on 28 November, Courchevel on 4 December, Verbier and La Tzoumaz on 5 December, the full 4 Vallées on 12 December. | The quiet opening weeks: good for couples, adult groups and corporate stays. Keep dates flexible if the first snow is late. |
| 19 to 26 December 2026: Christmas | French schools in all three zones break up on Saturday 19 December. Greenwich and Croydon schools from Monday 21 December, Geneva from Thursday 24 December. | Christmas Day is a Friday, so a Saturday 19 arrival gives you the whole run-up to it. One of the three weeks to secure first. |
| 26 December 2026 to 2 January 2027: New Year | All of the above. Boxing Day’s bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December in England and Wales; New Year’s Day is a Friday. | The most requested week of the winter. Arrival days and minimum stays matter most here, so we confirm each owner’s conditions in writing. |
| 2 January to 6 February 2027 | French schools return on Monday 4 January; Geneva’s holiday ends on Friday 8 January. | The calmest stretch of high winter, with the widest choice of chalets and arrival days. |
| 6 to 13 February 2027 | French zone C, first week. Wales and some English councils, such as York, from 8 to 12 February. | Busy with Parisian families and Welsh half-term. Book well ahead if your children follow either calendar. |
| 13 to 20 February 2027 | Zone C second week, zone A first week. Half-term in Greenwich, Croydon and Surrey and Geneva’s February holiday, all from 15 to 19 February. | The busiest week of the season: four calendars overlap. If this is your week, settle it before anything else. |
| 20 to 27 February 2027 | Zone A second week, zone B first week. | Still a French peak week, with fewer UK school calendars in play. |
| 27 February to 6 March 2027 | Zone B second week only. | The French peak eases and chalet choice widens again. |
| 6 to 27 March 2027 | No French, English or Geneva school holidays in the calendars we checked. | Longer, brighter days without school-holiday pressure: a strong choice for friends and couples. |
| 27 March to 3 April 2027: Easter | Good Friday 26 March, Easter Sunday 28 March, Easter Monday 29 March. Easter holidays in Greenwich and Croydon (26 March to 9 April), Surrey (from 25 March) and Geneva (26 March to 9 April). No French zone yet. | An early Easter, well inside every published season. A week for British and Geneva families rather than French ones. |
| 3 April to 3 May 2027 | French spring holidays: zone C 3 to 19 April, zone A 10 to 26 April, zone B 17 April to 3 May. | Check closing dates first: Sunnegga and Rothorn close on 11 April, Courchevel and Gornergrat on 18 April, Verbier and La Tzoumaz on 25 April; Zermatt’s season runs to 2 May. |
School dates from education.gouv.fr, gov.uk, gov.wales, ge.ch and the councils named; resort dates from the lift companies. Checked in October 2026. St. Moritz’s lift company had not published its 2026-27 dates when we checked.
February half-term: choosing the right week
February is where most plans come unstuck, because the same week means different things to different families. Greenwich, Croydon and Surrey take half-term from 15 to 19 February 2027; Wales and York take it a week earlier, from 8 to 12 February. Geneva’s schools break on the same days as Greenwich, and France staggers its three zones over four weeks. That stacks four calendars on the week of 13 to 20 February, which is why it is the week we advise securing first.
Our page on February half-term ski chalets for families covers childcare, ski school and bedrooms for children. Here, the question is simply which Saturday to arrive.
- Half-term 15 to 19 February (Greenwich, Croydon, Surrey and councils with the same dates): arrive Saturday 13 February, depart Saturday 20. Ask early: this is the week with the least choice.
- Half-term 8 to 12 February (Wales, York): your week is 6 to 13 February. It shares the slopes with Paris and the rest of zone C, but not with Greenwich, Croydon, Surrey or Geneva.
- Travelling with friends who live in France: zone C’s second week and zone A’s first week both fall on 13 to 20 February, so a shared Anglo-French week is easiest to arrange then, if you book early.
- No school constraint: skip 6 February to 6 March, or take 27 February to 6 March, when only zone B is still on holiday.
Christmas and New Year 2026: two different weeks
Christmas Day 2026 and New Year’s Day 2027 both fall on a Friday, so the natural chalet weeks are Saturday 19 to Saturday 26 December and Saturday 26 December to Saturday 2 January. Schools in Greenwich, Croydon and Surrey finish on Friday 18 December and French schools on Saturday 19, so a Saturday arrival works for families on either side of the Channel.
The choice is mostly about which evening you want at the chalet. Christmas week suits young children and grandparents: Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas lunch cooked by the chef, presents by the fire, a slower pace. New Year week is livelier, and groups often build it around the dinner on the 31st. Tell the chef early what the festive meal should be, so the ingredients are ordered in time.
If you would like both weeks, say so in your first message: a fortnight is far easier to secure before either week has been let on its own. For residences and festive planning, see our Christmas ski chalets.
Easter 2027 comes early
Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, with Good Friday on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March. That is early: every resort with published dates is still open, and Greenwich, Croydon and Geneva all start their Easter holidays on Good Friday. French schools are not on holiday that week, as zone C’s spring break only begins on 3 April. Expect spring conditions, with firm mornings and softer afternoons, and plan the skiing early and the lunches long.
Later in April, closing dates take over. Sunnegga and Rothorn in Zermatt close on 11 April; Courchevel, Gornergrat and the full 4 Vallées pass end on 18 April; the Verbier and La Tzoumaz sector runs to 25 April, and Zermatt’s season to 2 May. Our guide to ski season dates covers each resort’s opening and closing in more depth.
When to book your 2026-27 chalet week
Written in mid-October 2026, this timeline works back from the weeks that go first. It applies to ski chalets 2027 weeks in February and at Easter as much as to Christmas.
- Now: Christmas, New Year and 13 to 20 February
These are the weeks to settle first. Send us your dates, the number of adults and children and the resort you prefer, or simply the kind of week you want. We reply with what is free, including residences that are not published online.
- Next: the 6 to 13 February and Easter weeks
Zone C, Welsh half-term and the early Easter all have their own pressure. Deciding before the end of the year keeps the choice wide.
- January and March: more time, still worth planning
These weeks rarely need the same urgency, but the best-placed chalets still go. Deciding a month or two ahead leaves room to arrange everything else.
- Once the chalet is confirmed: travel
Book flights or trains, then the transfer to the resort. Our concierge arranges chauffeur transfers, ski passes, private instructors and childcare on request.
- Four to six weeks before arrival: the details
Final guest list and room plan, dietary needs for the chef, ski hire sizes and lesson times. Several of our chalets have ski passes delivered to the door.
- Last minute: still worth a message
Cancellations happen, and some residences are never listed. If your dates are close, WhatsApp is the quickest way to find out what is free.
Catered ski chalets 2026: what the chef covers
For catered chalet ski holidays 2026-27, compare the meal plans before you compare the bedrooms. Catered means different things from one house to the next, and the difference matters most on a festive week. Here is how it reads in six of the chalets below, taken from their descriptions. If you are weighing the two formulas, our guide to catered versus self-catered chalets sets out the trade-offs.
| Chalet | Meals by the chef | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Chalet Valmont, Courchevel | Breakfast, afternoon tea, and lunch or dinner each day | Food and drink charged separately; a butler serves at mealtimes |
| Chalet Erise, Courchevel | Breakfast, afternoon tea and half-board | A house manager and a server assist the chef |
| Chalet Auron, Verbier | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner six nights a week | Food and drink charged at cost; butler, hosts and chauffeur on hand |
| Chalet Ambre, Verbier | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner six nights a week | Food and drink charged separately; a chalet manager and a host run the household |
| Chalet Anelle, Zermatt | Breakfast, afternoon tea and half-board | Ingredients charged separately; a separate professional kitchen for the chef |
| Chalet Azelia, St. Moritz | Breakfast and afternoon tea daily, dinner with canapés five evenings a week | The team includes a chalet manager, hosts, a spa manager and housekeeping |
Chalet Nore in St. Moritz is let self-catered with daily housekeeping; a private chef can be arranged on request.
Chalets for winter 2026-27
One or two chalets in each of our four resorts, all visited by our team; ask us which are free for your week.
The chalets side by side
Guests, bedrooms and wellness at a glance, before you choose your week.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet ValmontCourchevel | 14 | 6 | 7 | 717 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet EriseCourchevel | 12 | 6 | 7 | 600 m² | Ski-in / Ski-out, Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Sauna |
| Chalet AuronVerbier | 14 | 7 | 8 | 1,150 m² | Indoor Pool, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet AmbreVerbier | 10 | 6 | 7 | 700 m² | Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet AnelleZermatt | 12 | 6 | 6 | 692 m² | Nordic Bath, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet AzeliaSt. Moritz | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
Planning the season with our team
What we do differently when the dates are the hardest part.
Dates checked at the source
School calendars and lift dates come from ministries, councils and lift companies, and we check the resort’s dates again before confirming your week.
Owners’ conditions in writing
Arrival day, length of stay, what the chef covers and what is charged at cost: set out in writing before you commit, festive weeks above all.
Residences that are not online
Some chalets are let without ever being published. When a peak week looks full, ask: one of them may be free.
One advisor throughout
Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad follows your booking from first message to departure, with transfers, ski passes, instructors and childcare arranged by our concierge on request.
Planning your 2026-27 ski chalet: questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamWhen does Courchevel ski season start?
For winter 2026-27, Courchevel’s ski area is scheduled to open on Friday 4 December 2026 and close on Sunday 18 April 2027, according to the resort’s official ski pass site. That puts the opening a fortnight before Christmas week and the closing three weeks after Easter. Early-season skiing depends on snowfall, so if you plan a week before 19 December, keep some flexibility or ask us about conditions nearer the time.
When does Verbier ski season end?
Verbier’s 2026-27 season passes for the Verbier and La Tzoumaz sector are valid until 25 April 2027, while the pass for the whole 4 Vallées ends on 18 April 2027. A chalet week in Verbier in the second half of April is therefore possible, on a smaller part of the ski area. Final dates always depend on snow, so confirm them with us before you book an April week.
When is February half-term 2027?
It depends on where your children are at school. Greenwich, Croydon and Surrey take Monday 15 to Friday 19 February 2027; all Welsh councils and York take Monday 8 to Friday 12 February. Academies and free schools can set their own dates, so check with the school. For a Saturday to Saturday chalet week, that means arriving on 13 or 6 February respectively.
What does catered chalet mean?
A catered chalet comes with a chef and staff who cook for you during the stay. The detail varies: some serve breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner six nights a week, others half-board or lunch or dinner every day, and food and drink may be included or charged at cost. Ask for the meal plan of your week in writing, as we provide for every residence.
How do I book a catered ski chalet without flights?
Book the chalet on its own and travel as you prefer: your own flights, a private jet, the train or the car. We rent the residence rather than a package, and our concierge can add transfers from the airport or station, ski passes and instructors on request. It suits families who use their own airline or rail arrangements, or who combine the ski week with another trip.
When should I book ski chalets for 2027?
For February half-term and Easter 2027, the earlier the better: the week of 13 to 20 February is the busiest of the season because English, Geneva and two French school calendars overlap. For January and March weeks, a month or two ahead usually leaves a good choice. If you are reading this late, still ask: cancellations happen and some chalets are never listed online.
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Tell us your week, we find the chalet
Send Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your preferred week, the resort if you have one in mind and the number of adults and children. We usually reply within the day, on WhatsApp at +33 7 80 98 05 43 or by email at contact@lutetia-group.com. Prices on request, with each owner’s conditions confirmed in writing.