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Whether you prefer belting out the classics from a tabletop, meeting the locals at the bar or lounging in a mountainside deckchair - nothing quite beats après after a fantastic day on the snow. Après ski is a short session of partying between finishing skiing in the afternoon and heading back to your accommodation for dinner, usually from around 3-6 pm.
From the posh parties of Switzerland to raucous Austrian stein swinging, we’ve picked out the finest ski resorts and bars that offer the best après ski this season. Après ski varies across the world and each resort is different. From table dancing in St Anton and Val d'Isere to sophisticated vibes in St. Moritz and Sölden to huge sun terraces in Val Thorens and Alpe d'Huez.
Top 10 ski resorts for après ski
St. Anton will go down in history for its epic apres bashes. We have two venues to thank for its world-dominance - the first, Krazy Kanguruh, is the spot many think rip-roaring après ski was born, while the Mooserwirt’s rumoured to dispense more beer per square metre than any other in the Motherland. Both venues are based on the slopes, opposite one another. If you make it out and down the slope, there are plenty of bars at the bottom waiting to catch you. Underground On The Piste (hidden away behind the Galtzig), Basecamp and the Picadilly Bar are top spots to refuel, with live music and line your stomach for the grand finale. Head to Scottys and Bar Cuba for happy hour deals.
Photo credit: MOOSERWIRT
A major contender for Britain’s favourite ski resort, this place draws in thousands of us every year, and about half come for the après alone. Top of the bill is the illustrious Le Rond Point, a.k.a The Ronnie, which is in full jug-smashing swing from 3pm every day. Nowhere else quite embodies the twin ideals of cold beer and crazy times like this world-famous Meribel staple – and the house’s special toffee vodka will see you dancing on the tables in your ski boots in double time. Folie Douce has outrageous entertainers, fancy-dress-clad revellers and showers of champers to the area, and the faint echo of the latest euro-house and techno until the lifts close. By the time you’ve made it back down the piste, head to Jack’s – the king of live music and a popular den for seasonaires. Drop into O’Sullivan’s for more serious après-antics (St Paddy’s is a blast here), The Doron Pub for a more relaxed apres sesh and La Taverne for the best happy hour deals.
Photo credit: Rond Point Meribel
The birthplace of the inestimable Folie Douce, where champagne showers and Kely Starlight’s weird, wonderful entertainment have been drawing crowds since the ’80s. On the raucous richtometer, this is closely followed by Dick’s Tea Bar where après ski morphs into a rammed dance floor with big-name DJs. Slide into Cocorico, located at the bottom of Solaise and the Face de Bellevarde, for live music and crazy antics from 2-8 pm every day. For boozing bargains, half-price beers and slashed-price cocktails pull merrymakers off the streets and into the steamy walls of Bananas. For late night dancing head to Doudoune Club, located under Cocorico. Le Petit Danois is a favourite for Brits and seasonaires.
Photo credit: La Folie Douce Val d'Isère
Trofana Alm has to be on every après-skiers bucket list; jam-packed and rocking with oompa and DJ tunes until 8pm. Stop by the rustic Kuhstall for another double shot of what’s Ischgl’s all about – big crowds, big beers and loud music. Schatzi Bar is famous for its lively apres and staff dressed in traditional Tyrolean outfits. Another member of the Ischgl dream team, the Pacha Club, takes over after dark, opening heavily guarded doors to fans of its sister club in Ibiza. Fire and Ice keeps the music going and jager bombs flowing all night long. For those who prefer the finer things in life, head to Champagnerhütte.
Photo credit: The Kuhstall
Scotland Yard, one of the top taverns here, is a clue to the strong British crowd who roll up in Mayrhofen each season. A former police station, the cellar where they once locked up the drunk and disorderly is now crammed with barrels of British brew to fuel them up. For good old fashioned Austrian cheer, Brück'n Stadl’s your place, with an Oktoberfest vibe and a dance floor that’s packed-out until the wee hours. At the end of the ski day grab a drink from Yeti Bar or Bergrast at the top of the Penken gondola. Competing for the top spot, the Ice Bar at Hotel Strass comes alive at 3pm with DJs, dancing, and a polar bear mascot (they even do kebabs and cheeseburgers to cure hunger pangs). But by far the coolest of the lot – and worth at least one pit stop - is the White Lounge’s Igloo Bar, an on-mountain drinking den crafted from snow and ice with spectacular views of the Zillertal. These venues are filled to the rafters for most of the season, but the festival weeks are another matter entirely. One of Europe’s biggest mountain festivals brings a serious buzz to the town, with Snowbombing featuring Stormzy, Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy in recent years. Try Harakiri Bar for a trendy Austrian bar/club.
Photo credit: Mayrhofen.at (White Lounge pictured)
Regardless of whether you’re blue-blooded, a billionaire or one of us mere mortals; the vibe is infectiously hedonistic here. Farinet is always jam-packed for its live music acts, swanky soirees and exclusive VIP booths. Order one of their “oversized” jugs of beer (or a Tattinger Pornstar Martini) and you’ll soon be up on your feet and raising the roof - helped by the fact it opens mechanically, which is absolutely magic when it’s lightly snowing. On the mountain, try out Ice Cube, Le Mouton Noir Bar or 1936 Bar. At the end of the day, no visit to Verbier would be complete without a pit-stop at Pub Mont Fort, especially during happy hour – or wonderful Le Rouge, where a rosé on the terrace is nothing short of heavenly.
Photo credit: Farinet Apres Ski Bar
As student party capital of the French Alps, like any good undergraduate jamboree, après in VT begins as early as two in the afternoon and doesn’t give out ‘til sunrise. By the time you call it a day on the slopes, house and electro will be thumping from 360 Bar and Folie Douce, two on-mountain daylight clubs. Folie’s champagne showers always get more airtime than 360 - but 360’s revelry is just as raucous, and you get more beer for your buck. Later on, you’ll find seasonaires and locals tipping back pitchers of long island ice tea at Saloon bar, or enjoying beers at the highest pub in the Alps, the Frog and Roast Beef. As the clock strikes, drop everything and get over to Malaysia. The biggest and highest club in the Alps looks like an unassuming timber hut on the outside, but once downstairs, feel your jaw hit the floor as it sprawls out into three rooms, with 4 bars, headline DJ acts, live music and crowds who won’t be seen anywhere else.
Photo credit: La Folie Douce Val Thorens
Tax haven Andorra keeps drinks as cheap as can be – throw in a shedload of seasonaires who’ve spent their summers partying in Ibiza and you have Pas De La Casa. If it wasn’t for the snow, it would be easy to mistake this place for the Balearic’s, with Cala Bassa Beach Club’s med food, hammocks and summer soundtrack bringing beach vibes to the mountains. Back in town, kick things off at the Red Lion Pub, where a happy hour beer costs less than a bottle of mineral water elsewhere in Europe and chocolate bar-themed shots are on everyone’s lips. This should warm the blood for the double happy hour at Paddy’s Irish Bar… Next up is Milwaukee for your fill of sweet and smoky American BBQ on rib shack nights. Purchase a plateful and you’ll find yourself tangled up in a 90-minute all-you-can-drink session. For the tail-end of the evening, the club scene branches out in two distinct directions: either Underground Sports Bar & Grill, which closes earlier and mixes indie and rock, or Bilbord.
Photo credit: Underground Bar & Club
Settling for nothing less than absolute perfection; besides having endless slopes and stupidly good snow, Whistler’s also Canada’s après king. For apres in Whistler, there is only one place to go: Merlin's at Blackcomb. Dropping off the base of the main gondola you’re just a few steps away from Garibaldi Lift Company ‘GLC’, purveyor of a corking “Caesar” (a Canadian Bloody Mary…) and huge live music events. Stop by for their frequent, utterly crazy Smirnoff House Parties, or check out fantastically named local band She Stole My Beer. The alcohol-fuelled institutions in Canada are almost all based in grills, quite ingenious really, as it means dinner rolls seamlessly into drinks and dancing. Local legend, Dusty’s, hold some of the biggest bashes. At the opposite end of the scale, the regal Mallard Lounge at the Fairmont Chateau looks out on views of the Blackcomb Mountain that are almost dazzling enough to distract you from the liquid dessert menu; we still crave their salted caramel chocolate martinis.
Photo credit: Mike Crane (Merlin's)
This is the world’s ski cocktail capital – they even dedicate a week to the tipples, the “Après Ski Cocktail Classic”, where the world’s best mixologists come to the mountains to do what they do best. For scenic sipping, order yours at Cloud 9, where the views over the Maroon Bells are unbeatable. There are some cool music venues, too - Belly Up (its sister venue in Cali’s one of the best live music spots in the USA) hosts big music events throughout the season. Don't forget Eric's Bar, The Caribou Club and Jimmy's.
Photo credit: Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro
Apres ski resorts are the places where the best parties in the mountains happen! If you're looking for the best ski resort night life and the best off slope facilities, then this list of the ten best apres ski resorts in the world is the place to start planning your wild ski holiday.
If you like to let your hair down after a day on the hill and there's a particular country you're interested in, read about its liveliest resorts in our Top Ten guides to the best après ski in France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and the USA.
Après-ski FAQ:
The best resorts for après-ski include St Anton in Austria, Meribel and Val d'Isere in France, Verbier in Switzerland and Whistler in Canada. All of these resorts have a huge selection of bars on and off the mountain. Our favourite apres bars include Folie Douce (Val d'Isere, Meribel, Val Thorens, Avoriaz, Les Arcs & Chamonix), Mooserwirt (St Anton), Brück'n Stadl (Mayrhofen) & Cocorico (Tignes & Val d'Isere).
Most resorts usually kick off après-ski mid-afternoon, around 3-4pm. Once you’ve spent a good part of the day on the slopes and start to feel in need of a refuel. The keenest skiers or boarders might stay out on the snow until last lifts, which is usually around 4 or 5pm, before moving onto their après-ski adventures. Popular bars, like Folie Douce and Mooserwirt get busy quickly so it is best to get there around 3pm or before to get a table. Après ski can last from 3-7pm.
Most of us go to après straight from the mountain in ski gear. If you accommodation is near the slopes, some prefer to drop off their ski equipment and quickly change into snow-friendly footwear, jeans and a jumper. If you want to dress to impress, go for whacky fairisle jumper, retro one piece or moonboots.
‘Après-ski’ is the social activities and entertainment that follow a day’s skiing. Sometimes it’s called ‘après’ for short. It might include drinking, eating, or dancing - in restaurants, bars or clubs.
‘a-pray-ski.’ Even though this is a French term, it’s used pretty universally in the skiing world, whatever language you’re speaking.
Anything social that you do on a ski holiday besides skiing. That could include bar crawls, a meal out, dancing to a DJ set, tobogganing, ice skating, curling, husky sledding, reindeer sleighrides or spa treatments.
Most places take cards but it’s always worth carrying a bit of cash to be on the safe side. Most resorts have ATMs, so no need to be carrying a wodge of notes around. If you’re spending on plastic, you might want to check foreign transaction and currency exchange fees with your card issuer.
Yes, many resorts offer afternoon lift passes if you just want to go up the mountain for après ski, including Val d'Isere, Meribel and St Anton. Ask us about this when you’re booking and we’d be happy to check for you.
Happy hour is when a bar/cafe/restaurant offers deals or discounts. Often it’s more than just an hour long, and takes place in the afternoon or early evening. You’ll probably see loads of signs and flyers promoting happy hour, as they want to draw in as many customers as possible.
Ischgl, St Anton and Val d'Isere are great stag and hen-do destinations where a lot of venues are used to hosting stag and hen groups. We recommend booking out a whole chalet so you don’t have to worry about noise levels or other guests after a big après session!
You’ll find a jolly good selection in most resorts as they’re used to visitors from all over. Some country specialities include:
- France - toffee vodka, vin chaud.
- Switzerland - kirsch, valais brandy.
- Austria - jägertee, grüner veltliner, weissbier, spezi.
- Italy - grappa, bombardino, Aperol spritz, birra, limoncello.
- Bulgaria - rakia, bulgarian wine, oblak.
- Andorra - Granizado, beer, vin chaud, Catalan wines, Cava.
- USA - craft beers, tuaca, margarita, wine.
- Canada - craft beers, hot apple cider, ice wine.
- Legal drinking age in French ski resorts: 18
- Legal drinking age in Swiss ski resorts: 16 for beer, cider and most wines, but 18 for stronger drinks.
- Legal drinking age in Austrian ski resorts: 18 for spirits, 16 for everything else.
- Legal drinking age in Italian ski resorts: 16
- Legal drinking age in Bulgarian ski resorts: 18
- Legal drinking age in Andorran ski resorts: 18
- Legal drinking age in USA ski resorts: 21
- Legal drinking age in Canadian ski resorts: 18 or 19 depending on the province.
(this was accurate when written)
- France: €5-10
- Switzerland: €6-10
- Austria: €4-8
- Italy: €4-7
- Bulgaria: around 2 Bulgarian Lev – super cheap!
- Andorra: €3-6
- USA: $5-10
- Canada: $7-10
(this was accurate when written)
Best après ski resorts & bars
| Resort | Country | Best après ski bars |
|---|---|---|
| Alpe d'Huez | France | Folie Douce, Underground, L’Igloo, O Bar, Smithy's Tavern, O'Sharkey's Bar, Yeti Bar, Le Taburle |
| Avoriaz | France | Folie Douce, JaJa Bar, La Tavaillon, Shooters, Le Yak, The Place, Le Globe Trotters Cafe, Le Chapka |
| Chamonix | France | Folie Douce, Les Vielles Luges, Chambre Neuf, Bar D'up, The Pub, Chamonix Social Club, L’Amnesia Club, Monkey |
| Courchevel | France | Copina, La Mangeoire, Les Caves, Le Tremplin, Funky Fox, Le Bubble, Pub Le Ski Lodge (La Tania), La Mangeoire |
| Les Arcs | France | Folie Douce, L’Arpette, Le Panoramic, Red Hot Saloon, BKM, Whistler's Dream, Le Belles Pintes, Jungle Cafe, Benji's |
| Les 2 Alpes | France | Pano Bar, Smithy's Tavern, Smokey Joes, Umbrella Bar, Avalanche |
| Meribel | France | Folie Douce, Le Rond Point, O’Sullivans, Jack’s Bar, The Doron Pub, La Taverne |
| Tignes | France | Loop Bar, Cocorico, The Marmot Arms, Couloir, Alpaca Cocktail Bar, Le Saloon |
| Val d'Isere | France | Folie Douce, Dicks Tea Bar, Cocorico, Le Petit Danois, Saloon |
| Val Thorens | France | Frog & Roast Beef, Folie Douce, Bar 360, Danish Saloon Bar, Malaysia |
| Ischgl | Austria | Trofana Alm, Nikos Hexenküche, Golden Eagle, PACHA |
| Mayrhofen | Austria | Brück'n Stadl, Scotland Yard Pub, White Lounge, Igloo bar, Harakiri, Yeti Bar |
| St Anton | Austria | Krazy Kanguruh, Mooserwirt, Taps, Underground On The Piste, Basecamp, Picadilly, Bar Cuba |
| Livigno | Italy | Stalet Bar, Kuhstall, Marco’s Pub, Daphne’s |
| Pas de la Casa | Andorra | Red Lion, Paddy’s Irish Bar, Milwaukee, Underground, Bilbord |
| Verbier | Switzerland | Pub Mont Fort, Farinet, Le Rouge, Farm Club, Ice Cube, 1936 |
| Zermatt | Switzerland | Hennu Stall, Papperla, Loft Club, Broken Bar Disco, Snowboat, Cuckoo Club, Vernissage |
| Whistler | Canada | Garibaldi Lift Company, Dusty’s, Merlin’s Bar & Grill, Mallard Lounge, Longhorn Saloon, Bearfoot Bistro, Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub |
| Aspen | USA | Aspen Tap, Zane's Tavern, Eric's Bar, Red Onion, Hops Culture, Jimmy's, Belly Up |
| Lake Tahoe | USA | DJ Cat, Hard Rock Hotel Casino, Tamarack, Stagecoach |
| Jackson Hole | USA | Silver Dollar Bar, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Stagecoach Bar |
| Breckenridge | USA | TBar, Apres, Cecilia’s Martini Bar |
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