Val Thorens has opened for the season. The French ski area the highest major resort in the Alps.

Many of the world’s major resorts in at least a dozen countries opened for the season this past weekend.

In Europe, several major alpine resorts opened their doors. Europe’s highest major resort Val Thorens is the second resort to open in France, joining Tignes which has been open for nearly two months already. In Austria, Obergurgl is opening and in Switzerland, Andermatt, Davos, Klosters, Flims and Laax join Engelberg, Zermatt, Verbier, Les Diablerets and Saas Fee which are already open. In Italy, Livigno is opening early and is running its lifts free of charge this week with no lift pass required.

The ski season has begun in Andorra with Grandvalira opening a fortnight early after heavy snowfall in the Pyrenees, and more resorts are opening in Finland, Norway and Sweden joining the 20 or so already open across Scandinavia.

Across the Atlantic, British Columbia’s Big White, Sun peaks and Whistler resorts have opened, joining Alberta’s Banff area resorts, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin and Nakiska. In the U.S. areas that have opened include Boreal in California and White Pass, which join Mt Baker in Washington State and suddenly hazy Breckenridge, Colorado.

In Asia, heavy snow in China at the start of this month has led to resorts around Beijing and in the northeast opening about a month ahead of their expected opening dates. The country’s best known resort of Yabuli opened beginner terrain last week, and Wanlong resort is also open.

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