America has plenty of variety in ski mountains, towns, and resorts, but there’s something extra alluring about the wood-shingled chalets of Europe’s alpine villages and the ultra-deep powder and steaming onsens of Japan. Skiing outside of North America isn’t typically about scoring first tracks or making last chair. The best ski destinations abroad are about a mountain lifestyle rooted in leisurely on-piste lunches and post-ski aprés or wellness sessions.
Even a good burger or bowl of bison chili could stand to be swapped out on occasion for Switzerland’s fondue, Japan’s steaming bowls of noodles, or northern Italy’s eggy filled pastas. Each of these seven international ski resorts scattered across the continents promise all of the terrain and views—if not more—that you’ll find in the US, but a distinctive cultural experience for when it’s time for a change.
If you like: Freestyle meccas like Mammoth, California
Try: Laax, Switzerland
Ninety minutes from Zurich, Laax is spread over three villages—Laax, Flims, and Falera—and connects 139 miles of runs. Most are above treeline on wide-open faces that get both reliable snow and loads of sun. The area is widely known as one of the world’s top freestyle resorts, home to a supersize halfpipe (22 feet on both sides and over 650-feet long), plus a Freestyle Academy and some of Europe’s best snowparks.Laax has become a proving ground for snowboarders and a venue for one of the most important competitions in snowsports, the LAAX Open. Après spots like the lobby bar at Riders Hotel cater to the cool, young crowd with biodynamic wines, craft beers, and good cocktails. Where to Stay: Constructed from 500 tons of 40-million-year-old quartzite stone, the aptly named Rocksresort is an architectural sight worth seeing, with a prime slopeside location. It has minimalist-modern, apartments and rooms, and a choice of five bars to suit every style of après.
If you liked: The light, dry powder of Snowbird, Utah
Try: Hokkaido, Japan
Once you ski the bottomless powder of Hokkaido, in Japan’s northern island prefecture, it’s hard to see skiing anywhere in the US the same. The superlight snow in Niseko Village, one of the best ski resorts, holds mythical status amongst powderhounds. Guides at Platinum Pro can help you navigate Niseko’s four ski areas to uncover crowd-free powder fields (as well as the ideal bowl of ramen at the tucked away mountain cabin, Bo-yo-yo). The après scene here is refreshingly civilized: you won’t miss shotskis when you’re soaking in hot springs at Yukoro Onsen or sampling the extensive Japanese whiskey selection at the classy Bar Gyu+. Where to Stay: The nine-room lodge Kimaya by Odin, set in the heart of Hirafu village, puts a Zen-like touch on the classic Swiss-inspired chalet. Its spa has a choice of wooden (moku) or stone (ishi) soaking tubs.
If you like: Aspen’s glitz and glamour
Try: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
In 1956, Sophia Loren kicked off the Winter Olympic Games’ opening ceremonies in Cortina, and almost overnight this mountain town in Northern Italy became one of Europe’s more glamorous ski retreat. The types who come for the sport are drawn to the Dolomiti Superski area’s 750-plus miles of slopes, while boutique-lined, cobbled thoroughfare Corso Italia and on-mountain dining such as the terrace of el Camineto (with dishes like eggplant-filled tortellaci with burrata cream) lure the fashionable. This just means ski fanatics have the mountain to themselves, at least until Cortina welcomes the world again for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Where to Stay: In December of 2021, the historic Hotel Impero will be reborn as Hotel de Len, a sustainable boutique stay with 22 rooms crafted from fir and stone pine, a speakeasy, and spa overlooking the Olympic ski facilities.
If you like: The monster descents of Big Sky, Montana
Try: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
The birthplace of ski mountaineering, Chamonix’S endless off-piste routes, gnarly couloirs and steep faces make it a favorite of extreme skiers. Classic runs, like the Vallée Blanche, a 12-mile, 8,900-vertical-foot descent down an enormous glacier, should be experienced with a guide who can point out crevasses and other dangers. You can even ski it by moonlight with the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, the world’s oldest and largest guiding organization. With five different ski areas, it’s easy to find mellow, on-piste terrain to cruise when your legs need a rest, and the enchanting, pedestrian-friendly village offers both raucous (Chambre Neuf) and refined (ChaChaCha) hangouts. Where to Stay: Opened in the mid-19th century, the 40-room Hôtel Mont-Blanc Chamonix remains the area’s grandest stay. Request a suite where you can wake up to an uninterrupted view of Europe’s tallest mountain.
If you like: Crested Butte’s mountain town charm
Try: Saas Fee, Switzerland
Saas Fee is one of the prettiest ski resorts in Europe and a storybook ski village—car-free and sprinkled with centuries-old wooden chalets renovated with stylish, modern interiors. The ski area’s high-altitude, north-facing slopes are blessed with some of the most reliable snow conditions in the Alps. Miles of beginner-friendly groomers and intermediate glades, plus guided-only glacier adventures for experienced skiers, make this a great mountain for all. Here in Switzerland’s Valais canton, food and wine are highlights, particularly a communal meal at tiny fondue hut, Dü. Where to Stay: Fires, fur throws, family-friendly suites and a serious wine cellar that hosts weekly dinners are amongst the many reasons the 24-room Capra hotel is booked months in advance.
