The French Alps and the French Pyrenees have both seen some good snowfalls as the Easter holiday period gets underway. Despite often warm spring temperatures, it’s looking a lot snowier in April than it did in December ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The biggest reported snowfalls of the past 48 hours have actually been down in the French Pyrenees where most areas have reported another 20-30cm of fresh snow, although Cauterets (pictured top) says it has had 50cm of new snow. It currently has one of the world’s best bases at 190-270cm of snow cover.
In the French Alps Tignes (pictured below) reports 30cm, Val d’Isere 25cm, Val Thorens 20cm and Chamonix 15cm. Many other centres have had 5-15cm.
There was also snow in other parts on the Alps with Ischgl in Austria reporting 25cm of new snow, Zermatt 20cm.
Most leading resorts in France and Europe are open for at least another fortnight until after the Easter weekend and most higher centres have 1.5-2.5m of snow still on upper slopes. Some higher centres will stay open in to May but the first of the low altitude resorts including the huge Skiwelt area in Austria have begun closing down at the end of their 2016-17 ski seasons.
