For a lot of people, après ski is as big a part of a ski holiday as the skiing itself. With this in mind, we continue our Ultimate Bucket List with a look at the best après ski bars in the Alps. So far we have brought you the Top 10 Michelin Star restaurants to visit in the Alps and the Top 5 Off Piste Experiences. Continuing our countdown from these blogs, this time we look at the best places to party after a busy day on the slopes.
There are hundreds of après ski bars across Europe to choose from. For this list, we have put a focus on the ones that offer the ultimate party experience. Dancing on tables, great (and sometimes awful) music keeping spirits high and a neverending supply of drinks. These are the factors that make for the quintessential après ski experience. Here’s our countdown of the 10 best après ski bars for the ultimate celebration…
Where better to start our list of top après ski bars in the Alps than with the world renowned La Folie Douce. For best après ski bars, La Folie Douce is the name that immediately jumps to mind for most, and for good reason. Most seasoned skiers will have not only heard the name Folie, but also experienced the amazing shows and DJ sets that the venue puts on.
The après ski bar/restaurant chain is now in 8 destinations across France, so why Val d’Isère specifically? Well, this is where it all began. It was the original La Folie Douce. The founder, Luc Reversade, wanted to create a place where good food and partying could meet.
The Val d’Isère location is in a prime position up the mountain. It sits at the top of the La Daille gondola for ease of access for non-skiers, as well as a safe route down for those who party a bit too hard! It’s also only a short ski to the Tommeuses chairlift, for anyone staying in Tignes wanting to catch the last lift home.
When the sun is shining, you’ll be hard-pressed to resist the siren call of the lively terrace, where singers, dancers and acrobats are always putting on a show. Not solely about après ski, La Folie Douce in Val d’Isère has no less than 5 restaurants. For more detail, check out entry number 4 on our 5 best places to eat in Val d’Isère for a mountain lunch. However, we all know the real highlight of La Folie Douce lies in spraying a Jeroboam of champagne from the VIP section over your fancy dress-clad friends.
For more information on the other locations, check out après ski at Folie Douce, with insight into each location and what makes them special.
After a busy day of skiing the Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee areas of the Zermatt pistes, it could be tempting to take the gondola down at the end of the day. But to do so would be to miss out on one of the best après bars in Zermatt. Down the red piste Blatten (number 50), between the Zermatt and Furi stations of the Klein Matterhorn Express, you will find the lively après bar of Hennu Stall.
If you get here early, it’s a great place to enjoy a casual beer or Aperol Spritz. From the bar and on the terrace, you’ll catch the last of the day’s sun. However, it is from around 4pm that the true après experience begins. The dance floor roof closes, disco lights come on, and shot-skis holding multiple Jägermeisters are in full flow. All this to the sound of remixed dance versions of classic Europop and 80s tunes. It’s an atmosphere as good as any après ski in the Alps. Fancy dress is not only welcome but encouraged.
A major positive once Hennu Stall has left you all partied out? The ski down is very short and mostly flat, with regular buses and electro taxis ready to take you back to your luxury chalet in Zermatt at the bottom.
The Rond Point, or Ronnie’s as it is often referred to, is one of the best après ski bars in the lively resort of Méribel. Located at the meeting point of the Foret, Rhodos and Doron pistes, it is conveniently positioned in the Rond Point enclave of Méribel on the main home run down to the centre of the resort.
The bar holds regular events and even hosts freestyle events on the piste outside. There is a snack bar downstairs and large bar inside and out. The bar has a large capacity, so attracts hundreds of thirsty, hungry and lively skiers and snowboarders looking to continue their day long after the ski lifts have closed.
Ronnie’s is the place to be, with live bands and DJ sets every day of the week, whatever the weather. A stay in one of our luxury ski chalets in Méribel would be incomplete without at least one aprés ski session at Rond Point, dancing on the tables in the light of the setting sun.
The Mooserwirt is perhaps St Anton’s most popular piste-side après ski bar. The bar serves great food and portions are on the generous side. There is as much going on inside as outside, so you’ll never feel as though you’re missing out. Provided you are there by 3:30pm, which is when the party starts each day. All the shutters inside the bar close and the light show begins the celebrations. Crowds start flocking in from the pistes and spilling out on to the terrace outside. Skiers can be seen in their boots dancing on tables to an array of music, mostly German party hits which always get the mood going.
The bar is huge, with a schnapps hut, a large terrace and a restaurant. It is the place to be seen in St Anton. Glühwein and schnapps are accompanied by Jägerbombs and steins of beer. It gives the feeling of a Munich beer hall during Oktoberfest, but on the ski slopes in Austria.
While making it onto our list of top après ski bars, it is by no means the only place in St Anton. St Anton has après ski to suit all tastes, and we recommend trying them all out to find your favourite.
Cocorico is the other big fish in the icy pond of Val d’Isère. Together with La Folie Douce, these two après bars dominate the après ski scene in Val d’Isère. Think big parties each afternoon where live bands mix with DJ’s to create a party atmosphere. Après ski at Cocorico has been likened to some of the craziest après bars in Austria; large beers and dancing on the tables are all on the agenda.
The bar is located at the main snow front of Val d’Isère in the heart of the resort. It has easy access from pistes from both the Solaise and Bellevarde mountains that flank either side of it. Cocorico runs on several hours later than Folie Douce, making it a great bar to continue your après session; while its location at the bottom of the pistes makes it a fantastic place to come in all weathers.
A second location in Tignes can be found in the Val Claret area. Therefore, both popular resorts of the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area get to experience the fun of après at Coco’s.
Video: Cocorico Val d’Isère. Credit: Cocorico.
Located in the very heart of Verbier at Place Centrale, Farinet is Verbier’s premier establishment for après ski. Verbier après ski is renowned for being one of the best in the Alps, with countless places both on and off the mountain to visit. So receiving the honour of best après ski bar in Verbier is no small feat.
Be sure to arrive early to make the most of happy hour prices, running from 4pm to 6pm. From then on, a live band takes to the stage to get the party into full swing for the next three hours. With live bands every night of the season, Farinet après ski guarantees a good time any night of the week. An interesting highlight is the bar’s retractable roof, allowing you to make the most of Verbier’s sunny weather as the season draws on.
For those days when you never want the excitement to end, head into Farinet South. Farinet South is a chic bar that transforms into a nightclub from midnight. Each night of the week focuses on a different genre of music, assuring a nice variety to your revelry throughout the week. For even more variety, Farinet also features a stylish Lounge Bar, where DJs play throughout the season.
When staying at luxury chalets in St Anton, you are spoilt for choice in world-class après ski bars to visit. We couldn’t decide which après ski bar in St Anton was our favourite, and decided both of these establishments deserved a place on our bucket list. Krazy Kanguruh is in fact only a short distance across the slopes from its counterpart, Mooserwirt, located in a similar position beneath the Galzigbahn.
Claiming the title of St Anton’s oldest après ski bar, Krazy Kanguruh is owned by double world and Olympic champion slalom skier, Mario Matt. The vibes at this incredible bar are immaculate. From the spacious terrace that overlooks St Anton, you can expect drinks to be free-flowing, new friendships being made and a ‘krazy’ party atmosphere that continues to 8pm. Food is also available here until 6pm, but as the afternoon draws on, the focus becomes solely on celebration, with a resident DJ on hand to raise both the volume and ebullience.
Bar360 is easily one of the best après ski bars in the Three Valleys. An epic open terrace on the side of the slopes, this stellar après ski bar runs events throughout the season, attracting some of the biggest DJs in the world. It is also home to the long-running electronic music festival, Festi Val Tho, perfect for lovers of all things skiing and partying.
Bar360 has an unforgettable atmosphere, providing everything you could want from an afternoon of après ski. Enjoy a spot of lunch, relax in a deckchair in the sun, and then from 2pm, the party just increases in raucousness. If you love house music, you are unlikely to find any better après bars than this.
The bar is located above the resort at an altitude of 2,368m, just above the Moraine and Portette chairlift stations. An easy green run back to resort assures a straightforward journey home to your luxury chalets in Val Thorens. For those who party a bit too hard, there’s also a walking route back to the village.
Happy Hours Bar has established itself as the ultimate place for après ski in Morzine. Living up to its name, Happy Hours provides affordable drinks and positive vibes for your post-ski festivities. Weekly “We Are The Après” parties are when the bar truly comes alive. A resident DJ hosts a lively celebration, spreading great energy with a jubillant atmosphere.
Good times are sure to be had by all when visiting Happy Hours for après ski in Morzine. This is one of the reasons this bar is a favourite amongst seasonaires and locals. Be sure to test out one of the many signature cocktails on offer when here. And if you love them so much, they’re also sold by the bottle. A perfect gift for when you return home from your luxury ski holiday in Morzine.
Happy Hours is situated at the bottom of the Ardent cable car, with free buses running to take you back to your luxury chalets in Morzine. Homemade food is also served throughout the day, from 8am to 8pm. Although, après ski is always the main item on the menu.
Nobody does après ski like Austria. And nobody does pubs like the British. The Londoner in Kitzbühel combines the best of both. A quintessential English pub offering the pinnacle of après ski experiences. First established back in 1976 by Rik Gunnell, who once managed Rod Stewart, The Londoner has developed an legendary reputation as one of the best après ski bars in Austria.
The decor celebrates Great Britain in its entirety, with walls covered with various knick-knacks and adornments of British heritage. There is also a fantastic selection of beers available at the bar. The vibes fully embrace the Austrian après ski scene, however. The pub stays open well into the early hours of the morning, and you can expect live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
You will find The Londoner in a prime location in the centre of town. The pub is conveniently located less than 5 minutes from the bottom of the Hahnenkamm. It is also only 10 minutes from the base of the Kitzbüheler Horn.
Hopefully you have enjoyed our list of the best après ski bars in the Alps. If you can’t wait to try any out for yourself, then we can help with locating a place to stay on your next luxury ski holiday. To find your dream luxury chalet, or if you want any more information on any of the best après ski bars listed above, then feel free to call us on +44 1202 203653 or alternatively, send us an email.
Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd, established in 2005, is an online luxury ski holiday agent that specialises in finding clients the perfect luxury ski chalet in France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. We feature an extensive portfolio of luxury chalet accommodation and luxury ski hotels that are ideal for group and family luxury ski holidays.
