Where to Ski And Snowboard - More snow at last ...

More snow at last ...

31st January 2011, by Chris Gill

Formigal on Monday 31 January

Winter has returned to parts of the Alps and Pyrenees over the past few days. While eastern regions have generally received the best of the new snowfalls, resorts in western Italy and the Pyrenees have also had a welcome refresh to their slopes. And a few isolated areas in France can at last claim new snow too – though not a lot.

It seems that Spain’s Formigal is off to a better start to 2011 than many big Alpine resorts. The resort notched up a metre or so of snow last week, with slope conditions in very good shape at the moment – and good off-piste powder. In fact, other resorts on both sides of the Pyrenees have welcomed new snow to refresh the slopes.

Snow also fell across Italy’s Piedmont and Aosta regions, where Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx and Bardonecchia have seen the best of it. Sauze can claim almost 50cm. And it was still snowing on Monday, although fog has also been a problem in the region. In the Aosta Valley, La Thuile also 20-30cm.

Things have quietened down in Austria following last weeks snowfall, but conditions are reported much improved. Resorts around Innsbruck are enjoying good, grippy pistes and lovely sunshine – Kuhtai and Axamer Lizum have been popular choices with the locals flocking to the slopes this weekend.

In France, there has been a tiny amount down south. Risoul, Isola and parts of the Maurienne have caught a few centimetres to refresh the pistes.

Check out our Snow overview and forecast for further updates. And don’t forget our weather widgets on the resort pages (supplied by Snow-Forecast).