Snowboarding in Europe

Snowboarding is now so popular, there are few winter resorts where you can’t take your board as well as your skis. Here’s our guide to the best snowboarding resorts in Europe, and how to drive to each one from the LeShuttle terminal in Calais.

Why snowboard in Europe?

Snowboarding has given snow sports a new lease of life and it is rare now for snowboarders not to feel like they are catered for well at most ski resorts. There are now hundreds of destinations for your snowboarding holiday and we want to give you a helping hand in deciding where you should go in Europe and why. The top snowboarding resorts featured here were chosen as prime destinations based on the facilities, terrain and vibe of the resort.

At a glance – the best snowboarding resorts in Europe

•    Tignes, France

•    Verbier, Switzerland

•    Laax, Switzerland

•    St. Anton, Austria

•    Livigno, Italy

Travel to your snowboarding resort with LeShuttle

Snowboard the stress-free way with LeShuttle

As more and more airlines have started to jump on the bandwagon of baggage fees, people have become hesitant to go on holidays that involve taking more than your toothbrush and a change of clothes. 

Snowboarding is by nature a bulky holiday – even if you don't have your own board and equipment, your suit and thermals can take up a lot of room too. With LeShuttle, there are no extra baggage fees – you simply pack as much of your snowboarding gear as you can into your car, and pay one ticket price for the vehicle and up to 9 passengers. 

What a great way to get to the slopes!

Best places to snowboard in Europe

Tignes, France – High-altitude snow and freestyle parks

One of the first resorts to open its arms to snowboarding, Tignes has been the snowboarding trendsetter in Europe and it's easy to see why. Conditions and the landscape seem to have been made especially for snowboarders, with loads of long off-piste runs that are a dream for freeriding. The pistes themselves have a good balance of blue, red and black runs meaning there is something for all abilities.

This is one of the few places where it is possible to board all year round, as it is 2,100m above sea level; when the lifts close from May to September the Grande Motte Glacier takes over and is open from June to September.

Tignes also has an awesome freestyle park, full of jumps for all levels, complete with music and a crazy atmosphere as people show off their freestyling moves. The partying often goes on late into the night as the après-ski life is buzzing all year round.

Driving to Tignes from Calais

Tignes is approximately a 10 hour drive from Calais and has 5 large designated parking areas dotted around the resort, with free shuttle buses running to and from the slopes.

Snowboard all year round at Tignes!

Verbier, Switzerland - Legendary freeride and vibrant village

A world-renowned resort, Verbier breezed its way into our list of must visit destinations. It's home to some of Europe’s biggest snowboarding events, such as the YETI Xtreme Verbier competition, held on the fearsome slopes of the Bec de Rosses mountain. 

For the freestylers and riders the terrain is fantastic; there is a huge amount of off-pistes with drops and tracks that you can try your hand at. For the beginners don't fear; with over 56 pistes Verbier has something for everyone. There is a balanced mix of blue and red runs, with a couple of blacks thrown in for good measure. There's also a freestyle park that includes three separate lines, kickers and rails. 

Don't panic if your French, Italian or German is not quite up to scratch – plenty of boarders come from all over the world to Verbier and English is the most spoken language. With clubs and bars in the double figures you'll quickly see that après-ski breaks down all linguistic barriers.

Driving to Verbier from Calais

Verbier is approximately a 9-hour drive from Calais and parking is available in lots around the resort. If you are staying in a hotel it is common for them to provide parking for guests, so be sure to ask.

Verbier hosts some of Europe’s biggest snowboarding events

Laax, Switzerland – Snowboarding mecca with parks and halfpipes

Welcome to the capital of snowboarding in Europe. Laax boasts the world’s largest halfpipe, and has a fantastic combination of slopes, off-pistes and parks that make it a haven for boarders. Laax and the neighbouring Flims resort stages numerous snowboarding competitions through the season, like the annual Laax Open.

The main park hosts ‘the Big Beast’, a colossal 200m long, 22m wide halfpipe with a 6.9m drop. It is an experience not to be missed by any budding freestyler. For the true beginners, who need something slightly smaller to start off with, there is a beginner's freestyle area next door where you can build up your confidence.

You can take your pick of off-piste sites, varying from the tree filled to any amount of drops. Be careful to learn the area before you go completely off-piste as snow slides can be triggered easily in some parts. If you are keen to hit the slopes, there are beautiful open stretches for you to run free on; these are great for beginners and pros alike.

Driving to Laax from Calais

Laax is approximately a 10 hour drive from Calais. The hotels and guest houses tend to provide free parking but check before you arrive – there are also large parking lots dotted around the resort that are available for use.

Half-pipe snowboarders will love Laax!

St. Anton, Austria - Famous for challenging terrain and après-ski

The World Snowboard Guide calls St. Anton ‘the best freeriders resort in Austria’, and for freeriders this Tyrolean resort is certainly something of a playground. 

Powder-hungry elite boarders will love the 180km of off-piste runs, full of steeps, trees and drop-offs. Get there early in the morning after a fresh dump of snow. Kapall and Valluga are the slopes for those in the know, but you can only reach the summit of Valluga with a guide. Gampen and Kapali are the best slopes for Intermediate-level freeriding.

There are freestyle terrain parks offering plenty of challenges. A St. Anton ski pass will also let you ride at St. Christoph and Stuben, and there is a bus service to the Lech and Zürs resorts. 

The après-ski in St. Anton is legendary – music bars like MooserWirt on the slopes are always packed out during the season. Things are a little more sedate down in the town, but expect to pay higher prices than normal for food, drinks and accommodation at this high end resort. 

Driving to St. Anton from Calais

St. Anton is around a 10-11 hour drive from Calais, via Reims, Basel and Zurich. 

Livigno, Italy – For world-class freestyle fun 

The cocktails in Livigno are duty-free!

Fast becoming a freestyle favourite, this once little known resort in the Italian Alps is now a snowboarding mecca. So much so that it will be hosting the snowboarding events at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in 2026. Snowboarders of all abilities will love Livigno, and with the resort having invested massively in its facilities ahead of one of the world’s greatest sporting events, winter holidays here will get even better! 

The Mottolino mountain in Livigno is home to some challenging off-piste freeriding areas, with blue, red and black pistes. The world-renowned freestyle terrain parks are also on the Mottolino, where the top pros often practice; the World Snowboard Guide has said that ‘Livigno has nailed the freestyle scene’. Intermediate and beginner boarders will find plenty for them across the valley at Carosello 3000, with wide cruising runs, kickers and rails. The beginner slopes for boarders do not have runs merging into them, so are excellent places to learn. 

Livigno also happens to be a duty-free resort, because of its remote location, so food and drink and all things après-ski are cheaper than similar resorts. 

Driving to Livigno from Calais

It takes around 11-12 hours to drive to Livigno from our Calais terminal. The only accessible route during winter is through the Munt la Schera tunnel, after taking the rail transporter from Chur.

Book your European snowboarding trip

Grab your gear – or get a discount on hiring equipment with Skimium – pack it in the car and book your 35-minute crossing with LeShuttle!