The Best Après Ski Resorts in France and Austria

For many people booking a snow-filled ski trip to France or Austria, there are only two things on their mind; what will the snow be like, and where are the best après ski resorts? As the winter ski season 2019/2020 ticks through into February, eager skiers and snowboarders are making the most of the wonderful conditions. And in lively Alpine destinations across Europe, après ski is a time to reward yourself for a solid day’s work on the snow!

Here, we’ve cast the net across the peaks and valleys of France and Austria to bring you a collection of our favourite ski resorts to party in the Alps.

FRANCE

Alpe d’Huez

Alpe d’Huez balances family-friendliness with lively après ski to perfection, and ranks among our most popular resorts each winter. There’s a Folie Douce bar here, where pumping house music and live performances get the crowds going from the mid-afternoon sessions.

Other must-visit venues in sunny, snowy Alpe d’Huez include the Underground Bar and l’Igloo. If you’re looking to hit the bars hard, be sure to enjoy a drink in venues like Smithy’s and O’Sharkeys.

Alpe d'Huez offers one of the best apres ski scenes in the Alps

Val d’Isère

Val d’Isère has a big reputation for its après ski and nightlife, and there’s something for everybody here. Chic cocktail bars sit by rowdy seasonnaire-style bars, with late-night clubs keeping the party going for those with the stamina.

Venues worth special note include Cocorico – with live music most days from 3pm – and Val d’Isère’s Folie Douce bar is the original and still the best. With a lively and welcoming happy hour, bars like Le Petit Danois and the Morris are great places to go for a beer, and the much-loved Dicks Tea Bar remains popular for its packed roster of globally-recognised DJs. Later on, Doudoune nightclub is popular among seasonnaires and French visitors alike – with drinking and dancing all night long.

Val Thorens

Europe’s highest ski resort is also one of its liveliest, and VT is home to a wonderful range of bars and clubs. Highlights here include the piste-side Folie Douce bar – where toffee vodka flows, and pumping bass and smooth saxophone dominate the playlists. There’s also Bar 360, which also takes price of place by the slopes, and features a buzzing programme of live beats all winter long.

Other top bars here include the Saloon Bar, and Malaysia is VT’s famous (or infamous?) resort nightclub – the largest nightclub in the Alps, which entertains party-goers till the small hours. And no visit to Val Thorens is complete without a relaxing pint in the Frog and Rosbif, Europe’s highest pub.

Val Thorens is one of Europe's best resorts for apres ski

Also in France, Meribel is one of our favourite French ski resorts, and the charming Alpine town of Chamonix is packed full of wonderful bistros and bars.

AUSTRIA

Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen ranks among Austria’s liveliest resorts, and plays host each winter to the annual Snowbombing Festival – billed as ‘the world’s greatest show on snow’. Must-visit bars in vibrant Mayrhofen include the Scotland Yard Pub, the Ice Bar, and the one and only Bruck’n Stadl – with plenty of traditional Austrian charm. And for late-night partying you’ll find two great local nightclubs; the Schlüsselalm and Arena.

St Anton

Few resorts boast as formidable a reputation for foot-stomping après ski as St Anton, and it’s certainly an amazing resort to visit. Sessions in the world-famous Mooserwirt kick off with ‘the Final Countdown’ each day, and nearby Krazy Kanguruh (KK’s for short) is popular among the seasonnaire crowd.

Down in town, Scotty’s serves up a superb selection of drinks and cocktails, and Underground counts among the best après ski bars in St Anton. Open until the morning hours, bars like Post Keller and Kandahar are ideal for an all-nighter – but don’t expect to make first lifts the next day!

St Anton is home to the world-famous Mooserwirt bar

Ischgl

Ischgl’s après ski offerings centre around the inviting Trafana Alm, a traditional bar built in the classic Tyrolean style. Waiters weave through the heaving crowds bearing huge trays of steins aloft, while during après ski time the two floors are packed with party-loving revelers.

Also in Ischgl, top bars to check out include the Schatzi Bar and the very lively Kuhstall – which remains popular each winter season among the resort’s younger visitors. As the night ticks by, the Pacha Club is Ischgl’s late-night club, and offers a hedonistic flavour of Ibiza among the soaring peaks of the Austrian Alps.

Elsewhere in Austria, special mention must go to Solden. With its buzzing party mile near town centre, Solden is a haven of glacier skiing and epic après – but it’s not for the feint-hearted!

If all this talk of amazing resorts and lively après ski is making you thirsty, our ski holiday experts are on hand to help. You can reach us on 0203 0800 202, to share your group’s ski holiday requirements with a member of our team.