Easter ski holidays, and the spring snow that lasts
Easter comes early in 2027. Here is which resorts hold their snow longest, what is still open each week after the long weekend, and how to make the most of a spring day on the mountain.
Easter ski holidays fall early in 2027: Easter Sunday is 28 March, and every lift company in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and around St. Moritz that has published its dates plans to be running over the long weekend. The snow question only becomes serious after Easter, when the first small sectors close on 4 April. For the most dependable spring skiing, go high: Zermatt runs until 2 May, Val Thorens and Diavolezza until 2 May, and Verbier’s own sector until 25 April.
Spring skiing is a different sport from February. The snow freezes overnight and softens as the sun climbs, so the best skiing runs from the first lift to early afternoon, and the rest of the day belongs to long lunches in the sun, the terrace and the chalet spa. This guide is about choosing the right resort and week for that, and running the days well. For the full opening and closing calendar of the winter, sector by sector, see our ski season dates for 2026-27.
Easter moves from year to year. In 2028 it falls on 16 April, almost three weeks later, and late Easters are when altitude matters most. If you are planning further ahead, the rule below still holds: the later the date, the higher the resort you need.
Easter and late-season skiing in figures
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
Good Friday falls on 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday on 29 March 2027, both bank holidays in England and Wales.
Source: GOV.UKFresh snow can reflect up to 80% of incident UV radiation, and skiers at high altitude can face extreme UV levels.
Source: World Health OrganizationLes 3 Vallées describes the last week of its season, from 10 to 18 April 2027, as a time to celebrate, and offers lower rates on late-April ski passes (fares on the official website).
Source: les3vallees.comAt 3,303 m, Corvatsch has the highest lift station in Graubünden, and its lift company says the slopes can be skied until the end of April.
Source: corvatsch-diavolezza.chZermatt Unplugged, the acoustic music festival at the foot of the Matterhorn, is announced for 6 to 10 April 2027.
Source: zermatt-unplugged.chIn the Saas Valley, next to Zermatt’s valley, the snow-assured ski areas lie between 1,500 and 3,600 m, with 150 km of pistes.
Source: saas-fee.chWhich resorts keep the best snow late?
Three things keep snow good into April: altitude, a glacier or very high lifts, and slopes that face away from the midday sun. Snowmaking helps the pistes but not the off-piste. The resorts below are the ones we would look at for a late Easter or any week after mid-April, with the last day the lift company has published for 2027.
Two of them sit next door to our resorts rather than in them. Val Thorens, the highest resort in the 3 Vallées, is linked on skis to Courchevel until 18 April, but after that date Courchevel’s lifts stop and reaching it means a road transfer round the valleys. Breuil-Cervinia, on the Italian side of the Matterhorn, is skied straight from Zermatt with an international pass: our guide to Cervinia from Zermatt explains how.
| Resort | Highest skiing | Last day in 2027 | Why it holds in spring | Where we would stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zermatt | 3,883 m, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise | 2 May (winter season) | Glacier skiing at the top; the season outlasts every other in our four resorts | Chalet Zeyr or Chalet Anelle, Zermatt |
| Breuil-Cervinia | 3,458 m, Plateau Rosa | 2 May | Glacier plateau shared with Zermatt; Valtournenche below closes on 25 April | A Zermatt chalet, skiing across the border |
| Val Thorens and Orelle | 3,200 m, Cime Caron | 2 May | Village at 2,300 m, the highest part of the 3 Vallées | A Courchevel chalet up to 18 April only |
| Diavolezza, near St. Moritz | About 3,000 m | 2 May | Glacier mountain; the long glacier run is ungroomed off-piste | Chalet Nore, St. Moritz |
| Corvatsch, near St. Moritz | 3,303 m | 25 April | Highest lift station in Graubünden | Chalet Nore, St. Moritz |
| Verbier and La Tzoumaz | 3,330 m, Mont-Fort | 25 April (season pass) | Highest point of the 4 Vallées; the wider network closes a week earlier | Chalet Ambre, Verbier |
| Courchevel | 3 Vallées runs reach 3,230 m | 18 April | Snowmaking on more than half of its 150 km of slopes | Chalet Erise, Courchevel |
| Saas-Fee | 3,600 m | Not published when we checked | Glacier resort in the next valley to Zermatt’s | A day out from Zermatt |
Dates from les3vallees.com, verbier4vallees.ch, matterhornparadise.ch, corvatsch-diavolezza.ch and cervinia.it, checked on 17 October 2026. Every closing assumes normal snow and can change.
Skiing in April 2027: what is still open, week by week
Because Easter is early, the long weekend itself is the easy part. The table follows the weeks after it, which is where families on a longer Easter break and anyone choosing a quiet late week need to look. Corviglia, the mountain most of St. Moritz skis from, is missing from the table: its lift company had no 2026-27 calendar online on 17 October 2026, and we will confirm it for clients once it is out.
- Easter weekend to mid-April: any of our four resorts works. This is the moment for Courchevel’s ski-in, ski-out chalets.
- The week after 18 April: Verbier and Zermatt. In Verbier, plan on the Verbier and La Tzoumaz sector rather than the whole 4 Vallées.
- The last week of April and early May: Zermatt, with Cervinia across the border on an international pass. After that, the glacier carries on in summer: see our guide to summer skiing in the Alps.
| Week | Closed by then | Still open | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter weekend, 26 to 29 March | Nothing in our resorts | Every published sector in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and the Engadin | Choose by the chalet and the group, not by the snow line |
| From Monday 5 April | Bruson, Lagalb and Furtschellas (closed 4 April) | The full 3 Vallées, 4 Vallées and Zermatt, Corvatsch, Diavolezza | Still a full-size week almost everywhere |
| From Monday 12 April | Sunnegga and Rothorn in Zermatt, and the Cristins lift (11 April) | Gornergrat and the glacier side of Zermatt, the 3 Vallées, the 4 Vallées, Corvatsch, Diavolezza | The last full week in Courchevel, which closes on Sunday 18 April |
| From Monday 19 April | Courchevel and most of the 3 Vallées, the wider 4 Vallées, Gornergrat (18 April) | Verbier and La Tzoumaz, Zermatt’s glacier side, Val Thorens, Corvatsch, Diavolezza, Cervinia | Verbier or Zermatt; a Courchevel chalet is no longer a ski base |
| From Monday 26 April | Verbier and La Tzoumaz, Corvatsch, Valtournenche (25 April) | Zermatt until 2 May; Val Thorens, Orelle, Diavolezza and Breuil-Cervinia until 2 May | Zermatt is the only one of our four resorts still skiing |
Read with the live lift status the week before you travel: a sector can close early in a thin spring or stay open longer in a generous one.
How to run a spring ski day
The difference between a great and a tiring day of spring skiing is mostly timing. Snow that is hard and fast at nine can be perfect at eleven and heavy by two. Follow the sun round the mountain and stop before the snow does.
- Take the first lift
Be at the lift for the opening. East-facing slopes catch the sun first and soften earliest, so they are the place to start once the overnight crust has eased.
- Follow the sun to the south faces
By late morning the south-facing runs turn to smooth, forgiving spring snow. This is the best skiing of the day for most intermediates, and the reason spring weeks suit mixed groups.
- Keep north faces for winter snow
North-facing slopes stay colder and hold drier snow for longer. In Zermatt and Verbier, the higher north faces are where you find something close to February conditions in April.
- Lunch on a sunny terrace
Spring is the season of long lunches outside at a mountain restaurant. Tables on the best terraces go quickly over Easter: our concierge books them with your week, along with ski passes delivered to the chalet.
- Stop early and use the chalet
When the snow turns heavy, head home. At Chalet Ambre, Verbier, the terrace has sun loungers, an outdoor dining table and a covered jacuzzi with mountain views; at Chalet Erise, Courchevel, a barrel sauna stands on the terrace.
- Treat spring off-piste with respect
Daytime warming makes wet-snow avalanches more likely as the day goes on. Read the avalanche bulletin for the region, finish off-piste runs early and go with a qualified mountain guide, whom we can arrange.
Quieter slopes at Easter: an honest view
No resort is empty over the Easter weekend: Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays in England and Wales, and many UK families travel then. What helps in 2027 is that the long weekend comes before the French spring school holidays start: the first French zone breaks up on 3 April, the last on 17 April. So the Easter weekend falls outside the French school holidays, which bring French families to the Alps through the rest of April.
Swiss resorts follow cantonal school calendars, which vary. The pattern we see, without promising numbers, is that the weeks after mid-April are the calmest on the slopes, with the trade-off of a smaller ski area. For a couple or a group of strong skiers, a late week in Zermatt is often the best of both: long days, few queues and the glacier still open. Our team in luxury chalets in Zermatt can tell you which weeks are filling first.
What to pack for late season skiing
Spring days can start below freezing and reach shirt-sleeve warmth by lunch, then turn cold again in a passing storm. Pack for range rather than for cold. For the full kit list by layer, see our guide on what to wear skiing.
- Layers you can strip: a thin base layer, a light mid layer and a waterproof shell rather than one heavy jacket. A small backpack carries what you take off.
- Two pairs of gloves: light gloves for the afternoon, warmer ones for early lifts and high glaciers.
- Eye protection: goggles with a lens for bright sun plus one for flat light, and sunglasses for lunch. Snow reflects most of the UV that reaches it.
- Sun care: high-protection sun cream and lip balm, reapplied at lunch. Altitude and snow together make spring sun stronger than it feels.
- For the afternoons: swimwear for the chalet pool or hot tub, and trainers or walking shoes for the village, which is often clear of snow by April.
Chalets for Easter ski holidays in high resorts
Chalets near the lifts that ski longest into spring, each with an outdoor space or spa for the afternoons; every one has been visited by our team.
Spring chalets side by side
Guests, bedrooms and wellness, for an Easter or late-April week.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet ZeyrZermatt | 12 | 6 | 7 | 565 m² | Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi, Gym, Elevator |
| Chalet AnelleZermatt | 12 | 6 | 6 | 692 m² | Nordic Bath, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet AmbreVerbier | 10 | 6 | 7 | 700 m² | Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet EriseCourchevel | 12 | 6 | 7 | 600 m² | Ski-in / Ski-out, Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Sauna |
| Chalet NoreSt. Moritz | 15 | 6 | 7 | 467 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
Booking a spring week with us
Late-season weeks need a little more judgement than February ones. This is what we do for them.
We match the chalet to the lifts still running
From Chalet Zeyr, Zermatt, Sunnegga is a two-minute walk and Gornergrat about six; after they close, the Matterhorn Express gondola is reached by electric taxi. We plan your week around the sectors open on your dates.
Long weekends as well as full weeks
Good Friday to Easter Monday makes a natural four-night stay. We ask each residence about shorter Easter stays rather than assuming Saturday to Saturday.
A last check before you travel
In the week before arrival we look at the lift status and the snow with our contacts in the resort, and tell you honestly if a sector you were counting on has closed.
Residences not published online
Some chalets are available without being listed. For a late Easter in a high resort, ask Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad what else is free.
Easter ski holidays questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamCan you still ski at Easter?
Yes, and in 2027 easily. Easter Sunday is 28 March, and every lift company in Courchevel, Verbier, Zermatt and around St. Moritz that has published its dates plans to be open then. The first small sectors close on 4 April, Courchevel on 18 April, and the high resorts carry on: Verbier’s sector to 25 April, Val Thorens and Diavolezza to 2 May, Zermatt to 2 May.
Where is the most snow-sure place to ski at Easter?
Somewhere with a glacier or very high lifts. Zermatt reaches 3,883 m and has the longest season of our four resorts, with Cervinia on the same high ground across the border. Val Thorens, Diavolezza and Saas-Fee are also strong. A late Easter, as in 2028 when it falls on 16 April, is when that altitude really counts.
Can you ski in Verbier in April?
Yes. The 2026-27 season pass for Verbier and La Tzoumaz is valid until 25 April 2027, while the pass for the whole 4 Vallées runs until 18 April. In practice that means the full network for the first half of April, then Verbier’s own sector, which rises to Mont-Fort at 3,330 m, for the final week.
Can you ski in St Moritz in April?
Yes, on the higher mountains. Corvatsch runs until 25 April 2027 and Diavolezza until 2 May, while Lagalb and Furtschellas close on 4 April. For Corviglia, the big ski area above the town, no 2026-27 dates were online at our October 2026 check, so ask us before fixing a late-April week.
Is Easter good for a family ski holiday?
Very good, especially in an early-Easter year like 2027, when the whole ski area is open and the snow is still wintry up high. Softer spring snow is kind to children and to adults improving, and the afternoons free up time for the pool or a walk. Choose a chalet near the lifts so younger skiers can stop early without a long journey.
What is the best time of day to ski in spring?
From the first lift until early afternoon. Start on east-facing slopes as they soften, move to south faces in late morning, and keep north faces for drier snow. By mid-afternoon most sunny slopes turn heavy, and off-piste becomes riskier as the day warms, so it is the time to stop.
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Tell us your week, we find the snow and the chalet
Send Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your dates, even approximate ones, and who is coming. We check which lifts will still be running, suggest the chalet that suits that moment of spring, including residences not published online, and organise ski passes, instructors and terrace lunches. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com; we usually reply within the day. Prices on request.