Best ski resorts in November for first-timers

Ranked on what actually fell, not on marketing copy. La Plagne comes out on top for learning to ski or board in November: 45% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.

1
La Plagne
Savoie, France · 1250m to 3250m
100
match score
La Plagne in November: 45% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
45% beginner
Snow depth
38cm average base
Rain days
2.6 in the month
Snow history 5 off-piste zones
2
Zermatt
Valais, Switzerland · 1620m to 3899m
87
match score
Zermatt in November: 20% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
20% beginner
Snow cover
Never melts out at mid-mountain
Rain days
0.6 in the month
Snow history 2 off-piste zones
3
Les Arcs
Savoie, France · 1200m to 3226m
83
match score
Les Arcs in November: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
41cm average base
Rain days
3.1 in the month
Snow history 4 off-piste zones
4
Alpe d'Huez
Isère, France · 1100m to 3330m
77
match score
Alpe d'Huez in November: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
28cm average base
Rain days
3.7 in the month
Snow history 3 off-piste zones
5
Val Gardena
South Tyrol, Italy · 1236m to 2518m
77
match score
Val Gardena in November: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
16cm average base
Rain days
2.7 in the month
Snow history
6
Val d'Isère
Savoie, France · 1850m to 3456m
75
match score
Val d'Isère in November: 25% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
25% beginner
Snow depth
48cm average base
Rain days
1.3 in the month
Snow history 7 off-piste zones
7
Tignes
Savoie, France · 1550m to 3456m
74
match score
Tignes in November: 25% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
25% beginner
Snow depth
45cm average base
Rain days
1.3 in the month
Snow history 4 off-piste zones
8
Hemavan
Västerbotten, Sweden · 500m to 1200m
71
match score
Hemavan in November: 30% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
30% beginner
Snow depth
34cm average base
Rain days
3.7 in the month
Snow history
9
Levi
Lapland, Finland · 531m to 531m
71
match score
Levi in November: 30% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
30% beginner
Snow depth
21cm average base
Rain days
2.5 in the month
Snow history
10
Ylläs
Lapland, Finland · 718m to 718m
71
match score
Ylläs in November: 30% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
30% beginner
Snow depth
21cm average base
Rain days
2.5 in the month
Snow history

Other months and trip styles

First-timers in another month

December January February March April

A different kind of trip in November

Off-piste & powder Family Après & nightlife Sunshine & bluebird Snow-sure

How this ranking is built

Share of beginner terrain, snow depth in your month, and low rain.

Snow figures come from the same ten-year ERA5 record shown on each resort's snow history page, measured at mid-mountain height. Terrain splits come from each resort's own piste breakdown. Scores are relative to the other resorts searched, not absolute quality marks.

We ranked 48 resorts with a full climate record, out of 253 on the site, against a benchmark of 40 resorts across 18 countries. A resort without a record is left out rather than guessed at. Search it yourself.