Snowsports lovers are in for a treat, as Wednesday's heavy snowfall and cold temperatures have allowed several Belgian ski resorts to open their doors.
While Belgium is hardly known for its mountainous terrain, it does offer a wide range of resorts for winter sports, especially in the south and the Eastern Cantons (German-speaking region).
The heavy snowfall on Wednesday – which caused disruption across the country – meant that resorts can once again welcome people onto their slopes.
The East Belgium Tourism Agency confirmed on Wednesday that three ski resorts have reopened; several others have also opened in the south of the country. Since then, many others have followed suit.
Club de Ski Alpin in Ovifat, Waimes, in December 2023. Credit: Belga / Bruno Fahy
Where to go, and how much does it cost
At Ovifat – the only East Canton ski resort where Alpine skiing is possible – all ski slopes are open, as is the sledging route. The slopes are covered by 20 to 30 cm of snow.
A membership card here costs €15 while the general admission for sledgers and visitors is €5 for adults and €3 for children under the age of 12. The lift pass costs €30 for adults and €25 for members and children. Renting Alpine skis and boots for the day costs €20 and sledges cost €10.
Fans of cross-country skiing can visit the Winter Sports Centre Losheimergraben in Büllingen where there is 25 cm of snow on the routes of the 5 km, 8 km and 12 km track. Ski rental and access to the slopes cost €12 per day.
Credit: Belga
At Mont Spinette in Malmedy, all tracks (for cross-country skiing and snowshoe route) are open and covered by 25 cm of snow. Access to cross-country skiing for a day costs €15 (€12/day for children), while snowshoes cost €10/day.
The Ski Club Weywertz in Bütchenbach has also reopened all five of its cross-country ski slopes, as well as the sledging route. These are all covered by 20 cm of snow and a day on the slopes costs just €10 here.
Skicentre Herzebosch in Bütgenbach was still closed on Wednesday but is open for business on Thursday. Here, winter sports lovers can have fun on three tracks for cross-country skiing (€12) and on the sledging route (free, but sledges can't be rented) at 635 metres.
Ski Baraque Michel, located in the heart of the High Fens, offers opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at 670 metres. All cross-country skiing slopes are opened and blanketed by 25 cm of snow.
Signal de Botrange, the highest point in Belgium located at the edge of the High Fens-Eiffel Nature Reserve, offers ski routes with the best snow in Belgium. Cross-country skiing costs €12 per day and €10 for half a day.
Credit: Belga
Skihut Mertens in Rocherath, the highest village in Belgium (650 m), is heaven on Earth for cross-country skiers with tracks through the meadows, fields and forest area (€11 per day, €8 for half a day).
Wintersports centre Losheimergraben at the former German-Belgian toll crossing offers cross-country ski runs of 5 km, 8 km and 12 km through forests, currently all covered by 25 cm of snow. The cost is €10 per day.
Outdoor centre Baraque de Fraiture in Luxembourg is one of Belgium's most renowned Alpine skiing destinations, located at one of the highest points in Belgium. Sledging and Alpine skiing are possible here on Wednesday, as the slopes are covered by 10 cm of snow. Here, it costs €30 per day to rent equipment and get a lift pass.
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Val de Wanne (Trois-Ponts) in Liège, at an altitude of 480 metres, is open on Wednesday for sledging. Mont des Brumes will not be open on Wednesday and has said it will remain closed for the rest of the winter ski season.
Those who would like to take it a little easier can explore the three snowshoe walking trails in Schönberg Aktiv in the tranquil countryside. Brand-new equipment can be rented on reservation for €10 per person.
