Forecast today: Light snow
making them more snowsure than many others in the French Alps. 120km of linked pistes fan out from the Col de Joly, including a long winding descent down to Belleville and a series of steep and challenging runs off the Aiguille Croche. There’s good scope for ski touring and off piste in the ski area too, with the potential for long powder runs if conditions allow. The lift system has seen improvements in recent years, but more fast chairs would help.
The village is fairly spread out, but has retained a good traditional charm.
Most of the accommodation is provided by small chalets or family-run hotels, but note that most are a decent walk, car drive or bus journey away from the two access gondolas. Off the slopes, there’s some good cross country skiing options in the valley, as well as winter walking trails. Getting here from Geneva is easy, with the drive taking a little over an hour.
Resort website: www.lescontamines.com
The Ski Club uses third party independent assessments and accreditation of ski resorts to determine a resort “environmentally sustainable” – more information can be found here.
As part of the French Flocon Vert (tr. Green Snowflake) scheme, Les Contamines has been awarded one snowflake out of a possible three, representing investment in resources to reduce its environmental impact. Flocon Vert is an independent scheme operated by Mountain Riders, which accredits resorts in France who have met twenty criteria based on environmental, social and economic sustainability.
| Thu 26 Mar | Fri 27 Mar | Sat 28 Mar | Sun 29 Mar | Mon 30 Mar | Tue 31 Mar | Wed 1 Apr | Thu 2 Apr | Fri 3 Apr | Sat 4 Apr | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Light snow |
![]() Light snow |
![]() Occasional snow | ![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Partly cloudy |
![]() Generally clear | ![]() Generally clear |
![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Occasional snow | ![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Broken clouds | ![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Light snow | ![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Rather cloudy | ![]() Partly cloudy |
![]() Generally clear |
![]() Mainly fair | ![]() Mainly fair |
![]() Generally clear |
![]() Generally clear | ![]() Clear skies |
![]() Clear skies |
![]() Clear skies | ![]() Clear skies |
![]() Mainly fair |
![]() Snow grains |
| Wind | |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Snow expected | 4.2 cm | 5.3 cm | 3.2 cm | 0.5 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.6 cm | 2 cm | 0.6 cm | 0.4 cm | 0 cm | 1.4 cm | 2.2 cm | 2.1 cm | 0.6 cm | 0.5 cm | 0.4 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.4 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.1 cm | 0.3 cm | 0.5 cm |
| Max temp | -11.4°c | -11.5°c | -11.8°c | -10.8°c | -10°c | -11°c | -4.8°c | -4.6°c | -6.4°c | -6.7°c | -6.2°c | -7.1°c | -5.6°c | -5.5°c | -6.2°c | -5.4°c | -5.2°c | -5.8°c | -1.8°c | -1.6°c | -4°c | -0.5°c | -0.4°c | -2.8°c | -0.4°c | -0.3°c | -3.2°c | 0.4°c | 0.8°c | -2.3°c |
| Min temp | -12.6°c | -11.9°c | -12.4°c | -13°c | -11°c | -12.1°c | -10°c | -6.4°c | -7°c | -8.2°c | -7.1°c | -8.8°c | -8.2°c | -6.2°c | -6.4°c | -7.7°c | -5.8°c | -6.8°c | -7.4°c | -4°c | -5.4°c | -5.7°c | -2.8°c | -5.2°c | -5.9°c | -3.2°c | -5.5°c | -5.6°c | -2.3°c | -4°c |
| Feels like temp | -18.9°c | -19.3°c | -17.4°c | -18.5°c | -15.5°c | -11°c | -10°c | -8.2°c | -6.4°c | -8.1°c | -6.7°c | -7.1°c | -8.2°c | -9.6°c | -10.1°c | -12°c | -10.4°c | -10.1°c | -7.4°c | -1.8°c | -4°c | -5.7°c | -0.5°c | -2.8°c | -5.9°c | -0.4°c | -3.2°c | -5.6°c | 0.3°c | -2.3°c |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Light snow |
![]() Light snow |
![]() Occasional snow |
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 4.2 cm | 5.3 cm | 3.2 cm |
| Max temp | -11.4°c | -11.5°c | -11.8°c |
| Min temp | -12.6°c | -11.9°c | -12.4°c |
| Feels like temp | -18.9°c | -19.3°c | -17.4°c |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Occasional snow |
![]() Partly cloudy |
![]() Generally clear |
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0.5 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | -10.8°c | -10°c | -11°c |
| Min temp | -13°c | -11°c | -12.1°c |
| Feels like temp | -18.5°c | -15.5°c | -11°c |
| Thu 26 Mar | Fri 27 Mar | Sat 28 Mar | Sun 29 Mar | Mon 30 Mar | Tue 31 Mar | Wed 1 Apr | Thu 2 Apr | Fri 3 Apr | Sat 4 Apr | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | Light snow |
Light snow |
Occasional snow | Occasional snow |
Broken clouds |
Mainly fair | Mainly fair |
Light rain/snow |
Occasional snow | Snow grains |
Light rain/snow |
Rather cloudy | Rain and snow |
Occasional rain |
Light rain/snow | Light rain/snow |
Light drizzle |
Rather cloudy | Partly cloudy |
Generally clear |
Generally clear | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Generally clear | Clear skies |
Generally clear |
Mainly fair | Generally clear |
Mainly fair |
Some drizzle |
| Wind | |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Snow expected | 3.6 cm | 1.8 cm | 2.7 cm | 0.2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.5 cm | 0.2 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0.2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 0.9°c | 1.5°c | -1.6°c | 2°c | 2.8°c | -1.2°c | 6.4°c | 7.1°c | 2.9°c | 5.3°c | 6°c | 2.5°c | 5.9°c | 6.5°c | 3.3°c | 6.6°c | 7.2°c | 3.6°c | 10°c | 10.7°c | 5.5°c | 11.7°c | 12.2°c | 6.8°c | 12°c | 12.7°c | 6.8°c | 13.1°c | 13.8°c | 8°c |
| Min temp | -3.2°c | -1.6°c | -3.5°c | -4.6°c | -1.2°c | -5.8°c | -5.3°c | 2.9°c | 1°c | -0.8°c | 2.5°c | -1.2°c | -1.6°c | 3.3°c | 1.9°c | 0.2°c | 3.6°c | 0.6°c | -0.5°c | 5.5°c | 2°c | 1.2°c | 6.8°c | 2.6°c | 1.4°c | 6.8°c | 3.2°c | 2.3°c | 8°c | 4.6°c |
| Feels like temp | -6.7°c | -2.4°c | -4.6°c | -4.6°c | -1.3°c | -1.2°c | -5.3°c | 4.3°c | 2.6°c | -0.5°c | 3°c | 2.3°c | -1.6°c | 4°c | 3°c | 0.2°c | 4.3°c | 3.3°c | -0.5°c | 8.5°c | 5.1°c | 1.1°c | 10.4°c | 6.3°c | 1.2°c | 10.5°c | 6.2°c | 2.1°c | 11.7°c | 7.4°c |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | |
|
|
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 3.6 cm | 1.8 cm | 2.7 cm |
| Max temp | 0.9°c | 1.5°c | -1.6°c |
| Min temp | -3.2°c | -1.6°c | -3.5°c |
| Feels like temp | -6.7°c | -2.4°c | -4.6°c |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | |
|
|
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0.2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 2°c | 2.8°c | -1.2°c |
| Min temp | -4.6°c | -1.2°c | -5.8°c |
| Feels like temp | -4.6°c | -1.3°c | -1.2°c |
| Snowfall | Last Snowfall | 25/03/2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Next 3 days | 20.8 cm | |
| Depths | Upper piste depth | 195 cm |
| Lower piste depth | 15 cm | |
| Snow conditions | Snow quality | Powder snow |
| Lifts | Lifts open | 8 out of 24 |
| Resort opening date | Sat 13 Dec 2025 | |
| Resort closing date | Sun 12 Apr 2026 |
Updated 24/03
What must be the first Nordstau event of the year hits the Alps over the course of this week, bringing a return to winter conditions across much of the Northern French Alps. The freezing line will decline through the middle of this week, dropping close to sea level overnight Thursday into Friday.
At the same time, northerly unsettled conditions working their way in across Central and Eastern Europe brings snowfall to many areas north of the Briancon-Gap line. Over higher ground this could see as much as a foot-and-a-half through Wednesday evening and into Thursday; as the freezing line declines over this period, snow will work its way down to lower elevations, but the best conditions will remain above 2,000m.
A brief pause in the snowfall over Saturday still sees cloudy conditions dominating; a few more flurries move in over higher ground on Sunday, as the freezing line recovers to around 2,000m. The long term forecast then calls for sun and fine, dry and bright conditions to dominate as high pressure returns to the area.
Supreme Ski School offers lessons for all ages and ability levels, including private ski and snowboard lessons, children’s ski school and adult group lessons. With more than 200,000 hours of teaching experience, you can rest assured that you’ll be in expert hands on the slopes.
Ski Club members save 5% on lessons with Supreme Ski School.
10% discount across New Generation bookings for all Ski Club Members