Where to ski or sled in the region
Excited about the snow? Here are some places in the greater region where you can sled, ski and snowboard right now, plus others waiting for a bit more snowfall
Current snow levels at the ski centres in Vosges, are perfect for skiing and snowboarding © Photo credit: Shutterstock
If you’re waiting with your sled or toboggan at the ready, there are places in the greater region to try your hand at sledding or even a bit of alpine or cross-country skiing.
Whether you are a beginner or experienced, you’ll find a couple of places in Belgium, Germany and France which are perfect for a winter weekend.
You can rent equipment at most places, which also charge an entry fee, and if you want to check the snow conditions or which runs are open, we’ve included links.
Luxembourg
When there is sufficient snow, the northern town of Weiswampach has cross country skiing and sledding, with the possibility to rent skis and sleds from the school and sports centre. Rental costs €7 for a half day and €12 for the full day, with sizes 28 to 47 available. The ski runs range from 7 to 15km, and you can check their news ticker for details on whether they are open or not (or there is sufficient snow) before heading there (at the time of writing they were closed).
If Luxembourg’s northern areas get decent snowfall, people recommend the following areas for sledding:
Dellen
Eschweiler (Wiltz)
Folschette
Grevels
Groussbous
Hierheck
Hiederscheid
Hosingen
Hostert (Rambrouch)
Rindschleiden
Stolzembourg
Wahl
Belgium
The Ardennes provide the perfect setting for cross-country skiing.
Ovifat sometimes uses snow cannons © Photo credit: Gunther Elsen / Ski Club Ovifat
The Ardennes provide the perfect setting for cross-country skiing.
Ovifat ski resort is in the Haut Fagnes near Malmedy. It offers three runs, with the blue track of 600m and a gradient of 10-45%, the green track runs parallel but is easier, and then the challenging red track has a gradient from 10-80% and is 400m. The sledding track is 150m, but no monoskis or snowboards are allowed on any of the tracks. Skis and boots or toboggans cost €15 for the day and parking is €5. The sledding and green piste are currently open, but you can check here for snow levels and whether runs are open.
Beginners and experienced skiers can try alpine and cross country skiing at Baraque de Fraiture (the Station) near Vielsalm. Alpine ski rental is €12 per day, and there are three slopes of 350m, 700m and 1,000m, which are lit so you can ski in the darkness. Cross-country skiers can hire skis for €10 a day and head out on four trails of 3km, 7km, 14km or 21km. You can also try out the 200m sledding track (specially reserved for this activity so you won’t cross paths with any skiers). Snowboarders can practise simple downhill, snowboard cross, and slopestyle, with modules on the piste to jump over bumps. Renting a snowboard costs €20. Live Info gives you the state of the runs, but they are currently closed.
At Val de Wanne there are two ski pistes - 3km and 8km, a sledding slope and cross-country skiing. You can check out the snow conditions here.
Neu Perlé at Martelange
Martelange cross country ski tracks © Photo credit: LW Archive
The nearest Belgian ski slopes have 3,5,9 and 13km cross country skiing loops which start from the cottage. You can rent skis for half a day (they have 120 pairs) for €7 and access to the slopes costs €1,50. Some tracks are located in the forest, and it’s recommended that you schedule your return trip to arrive back by 15.30. There’s no information on whether the tracks are currently open, but you can contact them by telephone.
Other pistes – some open now
There are a number of places to ski, such as Skizentrum Herzebösch, Ski Manderfeld, Mont Spinette, Signal de Botrange, Ski Haus Ternell and winter sports centre Losheimergraben.
If there is snow and the conditions for skiing are good, you can check the depth of the snow, and the conditions of the trails here. The information is provided by the ski piste operators so it’s pretty reliable and up-to-date.
Currently all pistes at Signal de Botrange, winter sports centre Losheimergraben, and Ski Baraque Michel are open with a snow depth of 15-19cm.
Germany
Germany has had heavier snowfall than Luxembourg so you might be lucky at one of these slopes.
Erbeskopf
Overlooking the Hunsrück mountains, this resort on the highest mountain in this Rhineland-Palatinate range sometimes has snow machines to add to the natural snowfall. Erbeskopf is about an hour’s drive from Luxembourg. It also has a floodlight system to allow for night skiing up to 20.00 on Fridays. There’s also a bistro and bar.
Hunsrück is a popular destination but for now snow conditions are best for sledding © Photo credit: LW Archive
Overlooking the Hunsrück mountains, this resort on the highest mountain in this Rhineland-Palatinate range sometimes has snow machines to add to the natural snowfall. Erbeskopf is about an hour’s drive from Luxembourg. It also has a floodlight system to allow for night skiing up to 20.00 on Fridays. There’s also a bistro and bar.
Currently the snow conditions mean that the lift is not operating although it is possible to toboggan, and there are two runs and a family slope for this. You can check this web page for more information on skiing.
To ski, you must register first, although tickets (which cost €17) can be paid on site with cash and must be picked up by noon.
Eifel
There are seven ski resorts in the Eifel region with the nearest one at Schwarzer Mann and Wolfsschlucht at Prüm. The former has a blue (900m) and a red slope (700m) whist the latter has a blue slope (700m). You can find snow conditions for them here, and here.
France
Vosges is a popular skiing destination in the greater region, partly because its altitude guarantees heavier snowfall, and it is still close enough to Luxembourg to visit for a day or weekend. Of course there are plenty of places at further distances in France, Switzerland and Italy.
Domaine de Gérardmer has 21 pistes – 8 each of green and blue, three red and two black runs. Not all of them are currently open, but you can check which ones are here. The snow depth is currently (at the time of writing) 35-40cm and sledding and snowshoe circuits are also open. You can also hire electric snow bikes and quads. There are six high-speed chair lifts and 19 chairlifts and draglifts plus the winter playgrounds and tobogganing are free.
La Bresse Haute-Vosges has alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoe circuits and dog sledding and tobogganing. You can rent equipment from a number of suppliers on site, and book ski passes in advance. Webcams give you a perfect view of the snow, and you can check out the snow report here. You’ll find a map of the resorts and runs here.
If you don't fancy driving to the slopes, the CFL can take you to Stubaital in the Austrian Tyrol on an all-inclusive that includes meals, accommodation and ski passes.
