Europe is well known for its ski resorts. It has some of the best amenities and powder… if you ski. Not every mountain has the best conditions, or is groomed, for snowboarding.
If you are a snowboarder and you are looking for the best experience in Europe, you’ve come to the right place. Here is the top 5 snowboarding destinations in Europe. You won’t be disappointed visiting any of these locations.
Verbier, Switzerland
First up on this list is Verbier, Switzerland. The Freeride World Tour visits here every year for its final run and there’s a reason. You will find some of the best terrain in the world here, from steep runs to open powder, you won’t be able to find a place much better.
Verbier offers a great freeriding experience and has pistes ranging from smaller ones meant for beginners to those mean ones meant for those braver snowboarders. A little on the expensive side, this might be someplace to put on your bucket list, but if you are a snowboarder, this is one place you should visit at least once.
St. Anton, Austria
If you want more than just a snowboarding experience, but also want a great time off the snow, then St. Anton should definitely be tops on your list of places to visit. The resort and accompanying village offer a great vacation destination experience.
You won’t find those great pistes like in Verbier but the tree runs will challenge your skill and give you an adrenaline rush that can’t be beat. The few pistes that you do find will be long and wide so be prepared for a challenge. However, most visitors to St. Anton are here for the off-terrain powder and the fun of lederhosen and beer in the village.
Chamonix, France
You won’t find much at either Verbier or St. Anton that Caters to beginners. If you are a snowboarder that needs to practice a bit before taking on the giants of the first two on this list, then Chamonix might be the first place you want to visit. If there isn’t much snow, it can be a challenge for beginners, but with fresh powder, beginners can challenge themselves with off-terrain runs, groomed trails, the half-pipe for freestyling, and more.
Chamonix is considered the “epicenter” of all things snow, including both skiing and snowboarding. If you can only visit one place in Europe to snowboard, this should be the number one place on your bucket list.
Avoriaz, France
This is such a great place to snowboard that unfortunately you may have to deal with crowds, especially if you visit at peak times. However, the snowboarding experience here is unsurpassed by others on this list and it is something you have to experience at least once. You will be able to enjoy a great freeriding experience, tree runs, a perfectly groomed halfpipe just waiting for you to challenge your skills, as well as pistes that test even the most skilled snowboarder.
Avoriaz was one of the first resorts in Europe to have sections of the mountain specifically reserved just for snowboarders and to make sure that all skill levels would be challenged by the terrain they offered. Because they have been doing this the longest, they have learned what snowboarders in Europe – or visiting Europe – want to see in a snowboarding resort vacation.
Laax, Switzerland
The best part about Laax, Switzerland is that their snowboard season is longer than others in Europe. This is another resort that caters to all skill levels, including beginners. There is plenty of available information if you are new to the sport and need to learn how to snowboard. You will find great terrain for freeriding as well as freestyling on the halfpipe.
The BRITS as well as the Burton European Open is held here as well as many other events. The Flims resort is close by so you can visit both resorts if you’d like to extend your vacation or enjoy a bit more diversity in your vacation experience. There is so much to enjoy at Laax that it is rare you would be able to enjoy it all in one trip so be sure to come back to truly appreciate all that it has to offer.
Get Packing!
Now that you have the best places to go for your next snowboarding vacation in Europe, it is time to book your flight, start packing your bags, and get ready to enjoy the best snowboarding holiday of your life.
