Which resorts would avoid Carnival / Fasching?

A snowHead

We're looking at skiing in Feb Half Term 2026 but it looks like it's the same week as Fasching which various posts have said is super busy in Austria.

It looks like Italy also has Carnival around the same time.

Does anyone know if there are any resorts in Italy or Austria where this wouldn't be a problem? Or should we try avoid both countries for skiing during that period?

Thanks!

A snowHead

@foxcote90, Carnival and Fasching are the same, catholic festivity. Fixed date, always 7 weeks before Easter. And it simply is a holiday across (catholic) Europe, so bound to be busy everywhere.
(on top of that the part of Italy where most ski resorts are, used to be Austrian until 1918, and are still very Austria-oriented.)

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@foxcote90, my experience is that whilst Fasching/Carnival week is indeed popular it doesnt overwhelm the ski areas in the way Paris holiday week seems to do in some French areas. That said if many countries' half term week falls at the same time as Fasching then it will be busy everywhere (this year was very spread out). Note there is no half term in Italy, Italians go skiing at weekends, weekdays often quiet unless in an area popular with non Italian tourists eg Sella Ronda area.

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@foxcote90, The driver is School holidays not the Religious holiday. Shrove Tuesday is 17 Feb 26 and it looks like that coincides with most UK school holidays, so I'd avoid France. Italy and Austria will be busier than other weeks in Feb, but having lived in both countries I would say that Austrian resorts cope better than Italian ones with peak season crowds.
Assuming you're fixed by kids to that week, I'd say your biggest factor will be flight costs, so I wouldn't worry too much about destination.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We were in flachau last week, which was fasching.very long queues for the lifts but after that they must have all gone to bars...the pistes were quieter than usual

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The Spanish/Andorran Pyrenees are busy Sat-Tue but they go back to school Wed, so the second half of the week is quieter. In theory. Maybe still uk or FR school trips.

Norway/Sweden are unlikely to follow the Catholic calendar. As are Orthodox, so Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia… and Turkey.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I've spent two Carnival Weeks in France since we live in Germany, and both were better than my previous experiences in Austria.

Once in Chamrousse, it was nearly perfect, and last week in Flaine, while crowded, it was still better than in Austria.
But i suppose it has to do with where , when and who (has Hafl Term)
The photo from Berangere Lift in Chamrousse was around 10.15 am....generally we didnt have to wait more than 3-4 min in Chamrousse while in Flaine was worst (all the photos are from 09.00 till 10.30 thats why i was almost alone ...)

https://alpinfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=893
https://alpinfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=2394

If I were to go to Austria, I’d definitely choose something in East Tyrol—but not Kals-Matrei.

The other resorts, like Zillertal and Kitzbühel etc, will definitely be overcrowded. I’d also avoid resorts where you have to take a gondola just to access the main ski area. Something like Saalbach, with multiple entry points, would be much better.

Another option could be 3 Zinnen in South Tyrol.

Furthermore we payed in Chamrousse and Flaine around 700 Euro for an Appartment near the slopes, which was in the above - average level for France (one kids room, one room with double bed for us , etc) not the usual mini Studio, and both times we were 100m from the ESF meething point.
For the same appartment in AUT in the Faschings Week i got offers with minimum 1.500 Euro for the week, and not near the ski school....

PS i ski in Alps since 2006, and never saw so many injuries and so many injuried people walking around the evening as this week in Flaine. I do not know if it has with the slhushy snow or it was too crowded Puzzled

After all it is free

I was in Val Di Sole last week. Thought I'd blown it when I discovered after booking it was Carnivale week but the main impact seemed to be Belgian school and family groups. Was a bit disappointed I missed the Sunday afternoon pasta party and parade in Male.

Aside from the weekend only seemed to be big lines at the first couple of uplifts of the day then use ski sense to avoid future queues. I suspect it would have been worst if I'd been determined to stay in Folgarida/Marilleva each day where the lift system does seem to have some structural inadequacies.

We were in SkiWelt last week and I wouldn't say it was particularly busy.

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Schladming was busy during the week of Fasching. Lots of day trip skiers and bus loads of kids. Some lift queues but a few minutes only. Less so away from the Planai mountain.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Thanks everyone for your advice!

We’ve narrowed down the options to the following locations - let me know if you would avoid any in particular for half term/carnival? I know some are quite small areas but we’re going with small children so probably won’t get more than a few hours skiing each day!

Montafon
Obertauren
Plose
Alpbachtal
Inneralpbach / Alpbachtal wildschönau
Serfaus-fiss-ladis
Spieljoch / Kaltenbach
Alpendorf
Grossarl

Would love to know anyone’s experience!

Thanks!

snow reports

@foxcote90, If you are going with small kids the Alpbachtal etc might be ideal, not so much for experienced adults (lovely location not so much skiing). Serfaus has a big focus on children but reports suggest it is expensive. Kaltenbach is another good option. Montafon as well. If you are looking at ski school this will be a busy week everywhere so best book early

This year the school holidays / high season weeks were spread over 5 weeks, the last week of which was Fasching. For 5 weeks it has been reasonably busy, but never ridiculous. Fasching week wasn't as busy as usual because not many areas had school holidays at that time. However, next year the school holiday weeks are more concentrated because Easter is earlier. It looks like the second two weeks of February will be super busy here - judging on which areas of Europe have holidays.

@foxcote90, If you have small children and you are trying to decide between Spieljoch and Kaltenbach - choose Spieljoch! In high season, the beginner pistes in Kaltenbach are particularly unpleasant because a lot of them are used to access other parts of the ski area by oblivious people going full speed!
The skiing for you at Spieljoch is not so interesting, but if the children are in ski school and they're happy to have lunch at the ski school then you would be able to ski for a few hours in Hochfügen and/or Hochzillertal.

You know it makes sense.

@foxcote90, Serfaus gets really busy for Karnival week. The Dutch descend en mass. It does have a great atmosphere that week though.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I’ve done val Cenis in France half term carnival week it was fine sometimes a queue for solert chair 10:30-12 then very quiet till around 2. And another busier spell 2-3 rarely queued more than 3-4 mins in the busy times and most lifts never had a queue the entire day

A snowHead

Also just did Feb half term in montafon sat was bad some really big queues to get up and also some of the chairs sun was a bit better then mid week was quieter it got busy again on the Friday with long weekenders. Some fast 8 seat chairs though so you could get through it 5 mins. Loads of lovely wide piste so apart from a few pinch points slopes didn’t ever feel crowded

Help!!

Which resorts would avoid Carnival / Fasching?

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