Arolla

Arolla sits at the very end of the Val d’Hérens in the canton of Valais and feels more like a high-alpine base than a classic ski town with shopping and grand boulevards. The ski area is high, roughly between 6,560 and 9,840 feet, and its orientation usually provides good snow conditions well into the season.

The lift system itself is small-scale but efficient, with six lifts and a layout that makes it easy to find your favorite runs and lap them multiple times throughout the day. The terrain is mostly open and shaped by the alpine environment above the tree line, with a distinctly high-mountain feel rather than tree skiing.

What really stands out is everything around it. Arolla is a strong starting point for ski touring and longer backcountry trips, and it’s one of the classic starting points for the Haute Route toward Chamonix. If you want to ski off-piste, it’s therefore often more about touring and natural lines than quick side hits right next to the groomers—though of course you can find that too when conditions are right.