More Ski Resorts In The Alps Open For Summer
5th June 2020
Last modified on May 14th, 2021
Cervinia in Italy and Tignes in France are the latest resorts to fire up their lifts for summer. They join others open in Switzerland and Austria. It will though be a far from normal summer.
Monday, June 22nd
Cervinia Opens for Summer Skiing
If you are a regular reader of this blog you will have seen that Cervinia in the Aosta Valley in Italy opened for summer skiing over the weekend.
The glacier in Zermatt can now be accessed.
The lifts will remain open until Sunday 27th of September with a full range of summer activities on offer in the resort and the surrounding mountains.
Our good friend, Warren Smith, from the Warren Smith Ski Academy was there.
“Summer skiing is back with all links now open up on the Plateau Rosa Glacier above Cervinia and Zermatt,” said Warren.
“The snow conditions are some of the best I have seen at the start of the summer season.”
“There’s a huge amount of terrain open reaching as far as the Trockener Steg on the Zermatt side and Cime Bianche over the Italian border.”
The Academy is running summer courses at the end of July for 4 weeks.
Others were also out.
C’est parti! Così inizia una bella giornata!#IlCervinoTiAspetta #IoRestoInItalia #CervinoMountainParadise #CervinoSkiParadise#Valledaosta pic.twitter.com/TFoiCzSa0l
— CERVINO MOUNTAIN PARADISE (@CerviniaValt) June 20, 2020
Here at PlanetSKI we hope to be visiting the Aosta Valley in the second half of August and look forward to making some summer turns up on the glacier.
Tignes Up and Running
In France, PlanetSKI readers Alex Beuchert and Simon Perry took advantage of some decent weather to head up to the glacier above Tignes at the weekend to put in some turns.
The Grande Motte opened for skiing on Saturday and – snow permitting – will stay open until 2nd August.
Alex & Simon in Tignes, France, on Sunday
Tignes, France – photo Alex Beuchert
The lifts give access to 20km of pistes and cross country routes and start running shortly after 7am each day.
This year, however, there is no freestyle snowpark available on the glacier.
There are health measures in place.
Sanitising gel is available at the start and finish of the funicular and the cable car.
Wearing a mask is compulsory in lift queues and on the lifts for anyone over 11.
Alex Beuchert masked up at the lift station in Tignes, France
Sunday, June 21st
Tignes has opened this weekend for skiing and snowboarding on the Grande Motte glacier.
“There are great snow conditions at this stage,” said weathertoski.co.uk
Saturday, June 20th
Cervinia in the Aosta Valley is the latest ski area to open up for skiing and snowboarding.
On Saturday morning it fired up its lifts and skiing is now back on track reconnecting Italy with Zermatt in Switzerland.
C’est parti! Così inizia una bella giornata!#IlCervinoTiAspetta #IoRestoInItalia #CervinoMountainParadise #CervinoSkiParadise#Valledaosta pic.twitter.com/TFoiCzSa0l
— CERVINO MOUNTAIN PARADISE (@CerviniaValt) June 20, 2020
Friday, June 19th
The latest summer ski resort set to open is Cervinia in the Aosta Valley in Italy.
It’s linking lifts to the glacier in Zermatt start to roll on Saturday.
We’ll have a full report on conditions over the weekend, so do check back.
If you are one of the lucky ones who will be there, then have a great time.
The lifts will remain open until Sunday 27th of September with a full range of summer activities on offer in the resort and the surrounding mountains.
Wednesday, June 17th
As mid-summer approaches we can report that it is now snowing in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Snow has fallen in Tignes and Va d’Isere in the Espace Killy.
And there is some snow on the mountain tops in the French Pyrenees.
Here is the Pic du Midi.
Saturday, June 13th
Austria to Cut VAT for Food & Drink Sold Restaurants & Hotel to 5%
It should help boost summer tourism to the Alps.
The cut includes the culture sector and will last until the end of the year.
“We will implement a reduction of value-added tax in gastronomy (cafes, bars and restaurants), in culture sectors and in the area of publishing,” said Finance Minister.
Food and drink sold in hotels would also be included.
The government has already announced a VAT cut for non-alcoholic drinks in cafes, bars and restaurants to 10% from 20% as of July 1.
EU rules do not allow a VAT cut on alcoholic drinks and the Austrian government is lobbying Brussels to relax the regulations.
Friday 12th June
Passo Stelvio in Italy is firing up its lifts this weekend with Cervinia opening next weekend, June 20th.
The Austrian glacier resort of Kaunertal in the Tirol has been open for a few weeks and has just had 40cm of fresh snow.
Hintertux glacier, also in the Tirol, has opened for summer skiing.
One of PlanetSKI’s regular readers, the ski instructor Toby Fishel, was skiing there this week.
“Well this morning first thing was unbelievable up on glacier 11th June and a fresh snow morning,” said Toby.
Les2Alpes in France opened last weekend, June 7th.
Skiing on the glacier is open to race teams first and then the public later in the month.
“The glacier is in excellent condition as are the bike tracks. Great day had by all,” said PlanetSKI reader, Alex Armand, from the resort.
She runs Tip Top Coaching.
“TipTop Ski Coaching will be enjoying the mountain bike trails this weekend and next whilst preparing to open to the public on 27th June for ski lessons.
“Lift passes are limited so if you want to ski with us get in contact ASAP and we can arrange everything for you.”
Here is what it looked like on Saturday, opening day.
Others were down the mountain on their bikes.
The resort opens for weekends only to begin with, 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21 June, then hopes to be non-stop from 27th June to 30th August.
All the shops, bars, restaurants and hotels are reopening, following the French government’s new rules.
Restaurants are allowed to extend their terraces.
There must be 1.5m between each table, on the terraces as well as inside.
Many restaurants are also offering takeaways and delivery services.
Hotels must keep rooms empty for around 24 hours between each client for a big clean.
Breakfast can be served in the rooms or in the hotel restaurants, as long as there is a space of 1.50m between each table.
So, what about the skiing up on the glacier?
It will be open to pros and clubs only until 27 th June and then to others after the authorities have tested their new systems.
The glacier is accessible from the resort by a cable-car, the Jandri Express.
Summer in Les2Alpes. Image © PlanetSKI.
It can fit up to 20 persons, but with the new measures, only 8 persons are able to get on.
Chairlifts have to keep empty seats – for example, only 2 people are allowed on a 4-seat chairlift.
It is compulsory to wear a mask in cable-cars as well as on all the lifts.
The glacier is in a good shape for the summer with an extra 50 cm of snow compared to last year.
The lifts are open for skiers, plus mountain bikers and hikers.
All the hiking, mountain biking and running trails are open, and most of the activities are available: golf, paragliding, archery, swimming pool in Venosc and the Buissonière lake.
All the activities have been adapted to the new hygiene measures.
For example, for tandem flights in paragliding, the instructor and the client must wear a mask and gloves.
The seat is deeply cleaned between each tandem flights.
Summer in Les2Alpes. Image © PlanetSKI.
Elsewhere in France Val d’Isère has opened the Pisaillas glacier on June 6th for summer skiing.
Six runs are open – three for the general public and three for clubs and racers.
There are race lanes and some ‘free’ skiing and it hopes to stay open until July 11th.
Snow removal from the road from Val d’Isère is continuing to allow access to the glacier.
There is a limit of 500 people per day in the first week, and then it is hoped to raise it to 600.
An online reservation and pre-sales system is in place.
Social distancing will be implemented and face coverings will be mandatory in the queues and on the lifts.
Hand gel is also be available.
The passes are open too, having been cleared of snow.
Resorts in Switzerland have opened too.
“Following the decision of the Federal Council on Wednesday 27 May, we are pleased to inform you that we will open the ski lifts (Châble – Ruinettes ) and the Verbier Bikepark on the weekend of 6 June.,” said a statement from the resort.
The lifts are open for weekends only and then continuous opening from the 4th July.
Last weekend 3 glacier ski resorts in Austria opened their ski lifts, summer skiing starts in Austria.
Zermatt has opened this weekend.
The weather though didn’t quite play ball.
“Oh joy of joys…the refuge at Testa Grigia is open after 3 months of COVID closure. It’s blowing a storm outside and the skiing is horrible as you can’t see 3 feet in front of you, but who cares?” said one of our regular readers, Edward Mannix from Matterhorn Chalets.
Coronavirus safety measures are in force for all open facilities in the resort.
A distance of 2m must be maintained from other people.
Hygiene regulations must also be observed.
Open or permitted from 6 June 2020:
– Mountain railways
– Cinemas
– Swimming Pools
– Camp sites
Events with up to 300 people can take places under strict rules and regulations.
At the moment it is for locals only as the borders remain closed but they will be eased.
Open from 15 June 2020:
- Borders with Germany, France and Austria
Open from 6 July 2020:
- Borders throughout the Schengen area
The Theodul glacier is shared by Zermatt in Switzerland and Cervinia in Italy but it remains unclear when skiing will be possible from the Italian resort.
Switzerland is due to open its borders on the 15th June, but it may put restrictions on people from Italy due to the high number of coronavirus cases.
La Stampa newspaper in Italy quotes a representative from the Regional Council: “The opening date of the summer skiing at the Plateau Rosà is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, but the common will is to open earlier due to the innumerable requests from enthusiasts and professionals.
“The Valle d’Aosta government is working politically with Switzerland to overcome the current limitation of borders.”
Here at PlanetSKI we will be updating this article so do check back…
