Summer in a Ski Resort
For a lot of people, ski resorts are places that only exist in winter. But the mountains we know and love for five months of the year are permanent homes to residents all year round, as well as an awesome summer holiday destination.
As the end of the winter season approaches and the snow starts to melt, little do ski-holiday makers know that a couple of months later the resort transforms into a sea of green and wildflowers, with cows grazing under the lifts and heaps of activities all over the mountain.
At Supreme, winter will always be our favourite season, but the fun doesn’t stop there. So, what goes on in a ski resort in summer?
Hiking
One of the biggest attractions to the mountains in the summer is the endless hiking trails. The walking paths that are covered by snow for half the year reveal themselves in the early summer months, and you can even go on treks lasting several days staying in mountain refuges along the way. You’ll rarely spot a mountain top that you can’t reach, and many resorts open a few lifts which makes the initial climb that much easier!
Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is huge across the resorts in the summer. Morzine is one of the most popular resorts for biking with over 650km of trails and the link to the Portes du Soleil network making it even bigger. In busy resorts the queues of skiers at the bottom of the lifts are replaced with queues of bikers and there are plenty of competitions and bike festivals across the Alps.
Via Ferrata/Climbing
Have you ever seen rows of strange metal railings randomly protruding out of the side of the rock whilst on a ski holiday? These make up the Via Ferrata which literally means ‘iron path’ and is a less technical alternative to rock climbing. Popular all over the world, there are over 200 routes in France alone varying in difficulty. Free climbing is also extremely popular but takes a lot more courage and skill!
Fishing
You may not even realise how many lakes are dotted across resorts as they’re frozen solid and covered in snow when you visit in winter. Once they’ve thawed they are a beautiful place to enjoy throughout the summer months. Higher up where the water is too cold to take a dip, they are perfect for fishing. You will usually have to buy a fishing licence but it’s worth it when you catch something for the barbecue!
Fêtes
The fun doesn’t just happen out on the mountain.
Resorts are famous for their summer fêtes which happen in the town centre and have often been running for decades. A classic fête means local food, cheap alcohol, traditional music and all the locals dancing in the street until the early hours. Hundreds of fêtes happen all over the Alps every summer including the popular traditional Savoyard Fête de la Madelon in Courchevel le Praz and the Fêtes des Bucherons (wood chopping festival) in La Tania.
Summer skiing
Yes, the skiing doesn’t stop in May! There are a few resorts that open up their glacier for skiing through the summer months. These include Tignes and Les 2 Alpes which generally open for summer skiing from the end of June through to the end of August depending on the snow conditions.
Ski jumping world cup
You don’t even need snow for this one. Every August, the Tremplin du Praz (ski jump) in Courchevel hosts the Ski Jumping World Cup with contestants coming from all over the world. The materials used means there’s no need for snow and it creates a great atmosphere every year with space for thousands of spectators.
So as you can see, there is plenty keeping the mountain alive between winter seasons. And this isn’t even all of it! Why not try visiting your favourite ski resort in summer and see for yourself.
We may not be around in summer, but we’ll be here enjoying every winter. For information or lesson enquiries contact us at info@supremeski.com or phone +44 (0)203 744 1655.
