Valmorel snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Savoie, France · 1,400m to 2,550m

Over the last 10 seasons Valmorel, France has averaged 563cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 183cm, 10 powder days and 24 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 22 November to 17 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Valmorel

563 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
183 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
10
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
24
Bluebird days
sun after snow
36
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
176
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Valmorel, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan115 cm117 cm6mm6.2 h-3° / -12°2.55.01.3
Feb73 cm140 cm8mm7.3 h1° / -9°1.42.81.3
Mar94 cm148 cm11mm8.3 h2° / -8°1.74.12.3
Apr49 cm120 cm27mm10.1 h5° / -5°0.72.26.0
May35 cm53 cm95mm10.7 h9° / -1°0.02.016.5
Jun1 cm3 cm119mm12.6 h16° / 5°0.00.017.9
Jul0 cm0 cm91mm13.1 h18° / 7°0.00.014.1
Aug0 cm0 cm93mm11.7 h18° / 6°0.00.013.2
Sept7 cm0 cm89mm9.9 h13° / 2°0.20.112.0
Oct19 cm1 cm88mm8.0 h9° / -2°0.00.610.6
Nov75 cm22 cm37mm6.4 h2° / -8°1.13.65.2
Dec122 cm77 cm23mm5.6 h-1° / -10°2.64.03.4

Averages across the last 10 seasons. Powder, bluebird and rain columns are the average number of such days per month.

Season by season

SeasonSnowfallPeak depthPowder daysBluebird daysSkiable days
2025/26481 cm163 cm919109
2024/25462 cm153 cm1017172
2023/24623 cm173 cm929206
2022/23519 cm136 cm821173
2021/22498 cm157 cm1118163
2020/21558 cm165 cm526174
2019/20658 cm260 cm1429188
2018/19564 cm185 cm929189
2017/18best828 cm261 cm1731198
2016/17leanest439 cm176 cm818187
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 15cm of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 10cm of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 1mm of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 30cm of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 1975m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Valmorel compares

Measured against 40 other resorts across 18 countries, each analysed exactly the same way. The line down the middle of each bar is the median.

Snowfall per season
among the very best we track
563 cm
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
183 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
among the very best we track
10
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
24
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
about average
36
Drier than 47% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 1mm or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
well above average
176
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Valmorel

Typical stretch holding 30cm or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
22 November
Season ends
17 May
Days of cover
178 days

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Deepest base
March
148cm average depth
Most new snow
December
122cm and 2.6 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
5.0 bluebird days, 6.2h sun a day
Wettest month
May
16.5 rain days

Is Valmorel a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysa long season

On 10 years of record, Valmorel stands out for heavy snowfall, a deep, reliable base, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 1975m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Valmorel snow record in detail

How much snow does Valmorel get?

Valmorel averages 563cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is among the very best we track: more snow than 95% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 283cm.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2017/18 with 828cm, and the leanest was 2016/17 with 439cm — a difference of 389cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 481cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 122cm and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Valmorel?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Valmorel the snowpack peaks at an average of 183cm each season. That is well above average, deeper than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 148cm through the month and topping out around 173cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Valmorel get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Valmorel averages 10 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 95% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 2.6 on average.

How often does Valmorel get bluebird days?

Valmorel averages 24 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is among the very best we track, more than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

January is the best month for it, averaging 5.0 bluebird days and 6.2 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Valmorel?

At mid-mountain Valmorel sees an average of 36 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is about average: 53% of the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way see fewer wet days, against a median of 32.

May is the wettest month of the season, with 16.5 rain days and 95mm on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Valmorel, and when does the season end?

Valmorel typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 22 November through to 17 May, which works out at roughly 178 days of skiable cover in an average year. 176 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is well above average compared with the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in March; for the most new snow, December; for fresh snow with sunshine, January.

Comparisons use 40 resorts across 18 countries, each measured over 5 recent seasons at mid-mountain height. Glaciated locations, where the model never melts the snow out, are excluded. Figures for Valmorel are taken at 1975m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Valmorel month by month

What to expect in each month of the season, from the same ten-year record. Figures are averages for mid-mountain; a good or poor winter can move them a long way.

Valmorel in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Valmorel: the base averages 22cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 75cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -8°C, with 6.4 hours of sunshine a day and 3.6 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 5.2 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Valmorel in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 77cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 122cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 2.6 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -10°C, with 5.6 hours of sunshine a day and 4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Valmorel in January

Best all round

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 117cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 115cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 2.5 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -12°C, with 6.2 hours of sunshine a day and 5 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical January. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Valmorel.

Valmorel in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 140cm. It brings 73cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 1.4 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -9°C, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.8 bluebird days.

Valmorel in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Valmorel is at its deepest, averaging 148cm through the month and peaking around 173cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 94cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.7 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -8°C, with 8.3 hours of sunshine a day and 4.1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.3 on average at mid-mountain.

Valmorel in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 120cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 49cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are 5°C and lows -5°C, with 10.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

Valmorel in May

Late season

In May the base averages 53cm, past its March peak of 148cm and thinning. It brings 35cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 9°C and lows -1°C, with 10.7 hours of sunshine a day and 2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 16.5 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Valmorel compares with nearby resorts

Of Valmorel and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Valmorel ranks last for snowfall, with 563cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets more.

La Plagne has the most powder days (11 a season, against 10 here); Méribel builds the deepest base (219cm against 183cm); and La Plagne gets the most bluebird days (28 a season).

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 500m higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Valmorel and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Valmorel—1975m563cm183cm1024
Méribel11 km2026m580cm219cm924
Courchevel16 km1919m579cm216cm923
Val Thorens19 km2765m588cm213cm926
La Plagne22 km2250m642cm217cm1128

Distances are straight-line. Season averages, November to May, over the last ten winters.

More on Valmorel

Ski resorts near Valmorel

Distances are straight-line, not by road.