Best ski resorts in December 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 December: 45% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.

1
La Plagne
Savoie, France · 4,101ft – 10,663ft
100
match score
La Plagne in December: 45% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
45% beginner
Snow depth
40in average base
Rain days
1.4 in the month
Snow history 5 off-piste zones
2
Les Arcs
Savoie, France · 3,937ft – 10,584ft
85
match score
Les Arcs in December: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
43in average base
Rain days
1.9 in the month
Snow history 4 off-piste zones
3
Alpe d'Huez
Isère, France · 3,609ft – 10,925ft
82
match score
Alpe d'Huez in December: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
33in average base
Rain days
1.5 in the month
Snow history 3 off-piste zones
4
Zermatt
Valais, Switzerland · 5,315ft – 12,792ft
82
match score
Zermatt in December: 20% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
20% beginner
Snow cover
Never melts out at mid-mountain
Rain days
0.1 in the month
Snow history 2 off-piste zones
5
Val Gardena
South Tyrol, Italy · 4,055ft – 8,261ft
80
match score
Val Gardena in December: 35% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
35% beginner
Snow depth
16in average base
Rain days
0.2 in the month
Snow history
6
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Veneto, Italy · 4,016ft – 9,629ft
75
match score
Cortina d'Ampezzo in December: 30% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
30% beginner
Snow depth
25in average base
Rain days
0.4 in the month
Snow history
7
Tignes
Savoie, France · 5,085ft – 11,339ft
74
match score
Tignes in December: 25% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
25% beginner
Snow depth
44in average base
Rain days
0.6 in the month
Snow history 4 off-piste zones
8
Val d'Isère
Savoie, France · 6,070ft – 11,339ft
74
match score
Val d'Isère in December: 25% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
25% beginner
Snow depth
44in average base
Rain days
0.6 in the month
Snow history 7 off-piste zones
9
Les Deux Alpes
Isère, France · 4,265ft – 11,811ft
74
match score
Les Deux Alpes in December: 30% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
30% beginner
Snow depth
31in average base
Rain days
1.5 in the month
Snow history 4 off-piste zones
10
Whistler Blackcomb
British Columbia, Canada · 2,215ft – 7,493ft
72
match score
Whistler Blackcomb in December: 20% of the terrain is beginner-friendly.
Easy terrain
20% beginner
Snow depth
76in average base
Rain days
3 in the month
Snow history 3 off-piste zones

Other months and trip styles

First-timers in another month

November January February March April

A different kind of trip in December

Powder & backcountry 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 trail 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.