The Alps are a large mountain range in Europe. They stretch across eight countries. Switzerland has many high peaks, with Dufourspitze (4,634 m) as its highest. Austria has a large Alpine area, with Grossglockner (3,798 m) as the tallest. France holds the highest point in the Alps, Mont Blanc (4,809 m). Italy shares Mont Blanc and also has Gran Paradiso (4,061 m) as its highest mountain fully in Italy. Germany includes part of the northern Alps, with Zugspitze (2,962 m) as its highest. Slovenia lies at the eastern edge, with Triglav (2,864 m) as the top peak. Liechtenstein is small but Alpine, with Grauspitz (2,599 m). Monaco is near the Alps but has no peaks; it is an urban and coastal city-state located approximately 30 km southwest of the Alps, in the Mediterranean area.
Alps Ski Areas by country
Swiss Alps ski areas
Switzerland has many ski areas with well-known resorts. Corvatsch is the ski area for the resort Saint Moritz. Davos Klosters is the ski area where you find the resort Davos. Glacier 3000 is part of Les Diablerets. Gstaad Mountain Rides is the ski area for Gstaad. Laax Flims is the ski area near the resort Laax. The Matterhorn ski area includes the resort Zermatt. Portes du Soleil is a big ski area with resorts like Champéry, Morgins, Torgon, and Les Crosets. The resort Saas-Fee has its own ski area called Saas-Fee. Verbier is both the name of the resort and the ski area.
Austrian Alps ski areas
Austria also has many popular ski areas with well-known resorts. The Arlberg ski area includes the resorts Sankt Anton am Arlberg and Lech-Zürs am Arlberg. The Kitzbüheler Alpen ski area has the resort Kitzbühel. In the Ötztal valley, the resort Obergurgl is part of the ski area. Silvretta Arena Ischgl-Samnaun is the ski area for the resort Ischgl. The resort Sölden belongs to the Ski Welt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental area. The Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski area includes the resort Saalbach Hinterglemm. In the Zillertal Arena ski area, the main resorts are Zell am Ziller, Gerlos, Königsleiten, and Hochkrimml / Gerlosplatte.
French Alps ski areas
France has many large ski areas with several well-known resorts. The Aravis ski area includes the resort La Clusaz. In Espace Killy, you find the resorts Tignes and Val d’Isère. The Evasion Mont Blanc ski area includes Chamonix, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, and Megève. In the Grand Massif, the main resorts are Flaine and Samoëns. The Grandes Rousses ski area is where the resort Alpe d’Huez is located. Les 3 Vallées is one of the largest ski areas in the world and includes Val Thorens, Courchevel, Méribel, Orelle, Brides-les-Bains, and Les Menuires. The resort Les Angles has its own ski area with the same name. Les Deux Alpes is also both the name of the ski area and the resort. In Paradiski, you’ll find the resorts La Plagne and Les Arcs. The Portes du Soleil is a large cross-border ski area with French resorts like Les Gets, Avoriaz, Morzine, Châtel, Montriond, Abondance, and Saint-Jean-d’Aulps. Finally, Serre Chevalier is both the name of the ski area and its main resort.
Italian Alps ski areas
Italy has several famous ski areas in the Alps. The Adamello Ski area includes Ponte di Legno and Passo Tonale, and is near Madonna di Campiglio. The large Dolomiti Superski area includes many resorts, such as Val Gardena and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which are in the Dolomites, a part of the Italian Alps. The resort Livigno is in its own ski area, also called Livigno. The Matterhorn ski area on the Italian side includes the resort Cervinia, which links to Zermatt in Switzerland. The Via Lattea ski area includes Sestriere and other resorts close to the French border.
German Alps ski areas
Germany has a few well-known ski areas, mostly in the Bavarian Alps. The Zugspitze / Garmisch Classic ski area includes the resort Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which is also near Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. The Oberstdorf–Kleinwalsertal ski area includes the resort Oberstdorf, which connects with Kleinwalsertal in Austria. The Berchtesgadener Land / Jenner ski area is located near the resort Berchtesgaden, close to the Austrian border.
Slovenian Alps ski areas
Slovenia has a few ski areas, each with its own resort. Kranjska Gora is both the ski area and the resort, known for easy access and family skiing. Vogel is a ski area near Lake Bohinj, and the resort has the same name. Kanin-Sella Nevea is a cross-border ski area that connects Kanin in Slovenia with Sella Nevea in Italy. Krvavec is another ski area close to the capital, and the resort is also called Krvavec. These ski areas are smaller than those in the Alps but are popular for locals and visitors.
Liechtenstein Alps ski areas
Liechtenstein has one small but well-equipped ski area called Malbun, located in the Alps. The resort is also named Malbun and is the country’s only alpine ski resort.
How Were the Alps Mountains Formed
The formation of the Alps began about 100 to 65 million years ago, when the African tectonic plate started pushing into the Eurasian plate. This movement squeezed and folded deep sea rocks, slowly building up the mountains. Over time, this created high peaks like Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. The Earth’s crust became thicker, and this process is still happening today. It is caused by a type of tectonic plate movement called a convergent boundary.
Which Other Mountains Are in Europe?
Europe has several other mountain ranges besides the Alps. The Pyrenees sit between Spain and France. The Carpathians stretch through Central and Eastern Europe, mostly in Romania. The Apennines run down the middle of Italy. The Scandinavian Mountains are found in Norway and Sweden. The Dinaric Alps along the Adriatic coast pass through countries like Croatia and Bosnia. The Balkan Mountains are mainly in Bulgaria. The Ural Mountains are in Russia and form the border between Europe and Asia.