By admin 
After a tough and often snowless season stymied visitation in the western U.S., France has emerged as this past winter’s ski capital of the world, clocking more skier visits than any other country, according to an industry trade association.
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During the 2025-26 season, France tallied 56.1 million skier days, beating out Austria and the U.S., which saw 53.7 million and 53.1 million skier days, respectively. France hasn’t claimed the top spot since the 2014-15 season.
For the uninitiated, “skier days” or “skier visits” are industry metrics commonly used to gauge how popular skiing is any given winter. They account for each separate visit to the mountains, not the total number of skiers in a country, state, or province.
Domaines Skiables de France said in its winter review that several factors contributed to the leading season, which saw variable conditions depending on the mountain range and resort during the early winter.
“The Christmas holidays were in line with a good national average, with the Alps and the Pyrenees making full use of the snow cover in place, while the Massif Central, the Jura Mountains and the Vosges had to cope with a temporary mild spell,” the group said in a release.
January brought widespread snow, with national visitor numbers 3% above the previous winter and 9% above the average of the past four winters. In particular, the Vosges, the Jura Mountains and the Massif Central saw momentum, making up ground.
With more strength in the late season, winter wrapped up as France’s third busiest on record, Domaines Skiables de France said, adding that the outing confirmed “the strength of the enthusiasm for skiing and for the mountains.”
It was a marked contrast to the U.S., where warm western weather proved again that snow conditions and visitation numbers are inextricably linked.
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For many resorts, the winter started slow with delayed opening dates. Then, a record-breaking heat wave in March finished off the season in dramatic fashion, shuttering some resorts far earlier than usual. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, which is known for its June skiing, could only keep its lifts spinning until May 17 as the snowpack dwindled.
Nationwide, skier visits fell to the 32nd lowest position on record. According to data published by Statista in 2022, the U.S. typically logs the most ski visits in the world in front of Austria and France. The 2025-26 season was anything but typical, though.
Rob Katz, the chief executive of Vail Resorts, previously said in a June investor release that it was “one of the most challenging winters in history across the western U.S.,” even as the company’s “advance commitment model”—encouraging skiers to buy passes before winter starts—provided “considerable stability.”
At the time, though, the lackluster winter appeared to have created a buyers’ hangover for skiers, with an approximately 10% decline in 2026-27 Epic Pass sales compared to the year before. Vail Resorts plans to share more recent financial details next week.
Out East, there was a highlight for the U.S. The region saw great snow, buoying—but not completely salvaging—the overall result as the Northeast and the Southeast saw their second-best seasons of the past decade, .
“When conditions are favorable, we continue to see strong demand for skiing and snowboarding, which speaks to the enduring appeal of the sport,” said NSAA president and chief executive Michael Reitzell in a past release breaking down the 2025-26 season results.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 11:39 AM.