Cross-border skiing

One of the coolest things about skiing in the Alps (and other places in Europe) is the chance to slide across a national border. Here we take a look at the where you can do it.

The Matterhorn sits on the border between Cervinia, Italy and Zermatt, Switzerland.

You can get pretty close to the border with Canada while skiing in the US, but actually sliding past the DHS while giving them a cheery wave is (for now) out of the question. So if you have the urge to pack your passport and carve your way from country to country, Europe it is. This (non-exhaustive) list explores some of our favorite places to do it.

1. Zermatt, Switzerland to Cervinia, Italy

   The highest, and possibly best, trans-national ski day can be found on the high slopes beneath the Matterhorn - the 13,000-foot real life Toblerone mountain between Switzerland and Italy. It's also one of the best culture switches: start your day with an Italian espresso and ski over the border for a lunch of Swiss-German delicacies such as fondue and rösti. You will not only hear a different language on each side, the money will change (now made much easier with contactless payments - but your transactions will switch from euros to Swiss francs) and there is a noticeably different culture. Keep an eye on the time because these neighbor resorts are a looong and costly taxi ride apart should you miss the last lift.

2. Ischgl, Austria to Samnaun, Switzerland

   Newly added to the Ikon Pass roster, Ischgl allows US skiers to discover the charms of Austrian Ischgl, a fast-paced, fun-loving resort for keen skiers who like to have a good time at après too, and sleepier Swiss Samnaun. You can ski back and forward across the border at five points, taking advantage of an extensive ski area and different cuisine on each side.

3. Via Lattea, Italy/France

   Italy's Via Lattea has multiple valleys and resorts on one pass, giving a real feel of travel across the landscape. At its western extreme, between Claviere and Montgenèvre, it sticks its toe from Italy into France. If skiing across the border is important to you you need to pick your base carefully. From our preferred base, Sauze d'Oulx, in Italy, it is possible to ski to France, but not the most exciting day, with potentially a fair amount of poling/clipping out and walking along flat slopes. Luckily buses link the area too, so you can still get your French fix.

4. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany to Ehrwald, Austria

   This one's another slightly tenuous one because it doesn't strictly involve skiing across the border, but you do achieve it while in a tram, so we're going to count it. Well-known and skied by visitors from the US thanks to its large military base, Garmisch combines Bavarian cuteness with a sizeable ski area and Germany's highest mountain. You can either reach the top using a historic cogwheel train that departs Garmisch and climbs slowly up inside the peak, take a tram from Lake Eibsee - or for the cross-border experience, a tram from Ehrwald, Austria.

5. Chamonix, France to Courmayeur, Italy, (and the Swiss border)

   Chamonix sits where three Alpine countries meet. It's pretty easy, using the Mont Blanc Tunnel, to sneak across the border between Italy and France, either for heli-skiing above Courmayeur followed by lunch on the sunny side, or to take the Skyway Monte Bianco up to tackle the Vallée Blanche from the Italian side, finishing up in France. Another less official border crossing can happen accidentally if you ski the Le Tour sector of Chamonix. This part has excellent back-country options and abuts the Swiss border so you may find your phone pinging to let you know you have stepped over the border.

7. Riksgränsen, Sweden/Norway

   For our final pick, we leave the Alps entirely and head to the Arctic. Riksgränsen actually means national border in Swedish, and from the top of the mountain you have a couple of runs that snake over into Norway. The novelty of skiing in two Arctic countries aside, some of the real draws of coming here is the cold winter snow, well into April and May, the light-filled days (in May the sun is up until 10pm) and the chance to see the northern lights. If conditions are good you can even ski under the midnight sun. Back-country enthusiasts will want to know about one of heli-skiing's best kept secrets - the resort is the base for a great value operation with a huge area of untouched wilderness to explore.

Cross-border skiing adds a definite thrill to a ski day. Please make sure you check entry regulations and have the correct documentation for each country you plan to slide into - and don't get stuck on the wrong side of the border. For help planning how to tick off a few more ski countries in one trip, reach out - we love doing multiple destinations and have done so many times.

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