Arolla, Switzerland
Also within 20 km of Evolène
- Evolène Ski resort · 0.2 km from Evolène
- La Forclaz Ski resort · 3.5 km from Evolène
- Zinal / Grimentz Ski resort · 10.5 km from Evolène
- Nax - Mont Noble Ski resort · 13.8 km from Evolène
- Saint-Luc - Chandolin Ski resort · 14.3 km from Evolène
- Vercorin Ski resort · 16.2 km from Evolène
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About Arolla
Village 1,950 m. Facts: verified.
A ski resort with its village at 1,950 m and its top at 2,880 m. It has 16 km of runs and 6 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap. The runs drop 898 m, from 2,880 m to 1,982 m. For beginners and families: 77% of the km of runs are green or blue. For experts: 2 km of black, expert and freeride runs. Within 5 km of the village: a ski school. It is usually in season from December to April. The snow is usually deepest in March, about 6.8 m at the top (2,880 m). For skiers the best months are usually January, February, March and December, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Evolène.
Arolla is a village in the municipality of Evolène in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is situated at the end of the Val d'Hérens, south of the cantonal capital, Sion.
From the Wikipedia article Arolla, shortened. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
The ski area
Runs from 1,982 m to 2,880 m: 898 m of vertical. 16 km of runs and 6 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap for Arolla.
| Easy (blue) | 12 km |
|---|---|
| Intermediate (red) | 2.1 km |
| Advanced (black) | 1.5 km |
| Drag lifts | 6 |
|---|
Measured along each mapped run, so it can differ from the resort's own figure. Ski area data © OpenSkiMap.org and OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
For families
77% of the km of runs are green or blue.
Within 5 km of the village:
- a ski school: Freeride Experience by Dédé Anzevui, 0.4 km
The Family filter counts these. Places from the Overture Maps Foundation, from Meta, Microsoft, Foursquare and AllThePlaces. Foursquare data © 2024 Foursquare Labs, Inc., Apache 2.0. Check opening times before you go.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 16 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Milan Malpensa International Airport (MXP), direct. About 7 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → MXP · Skyscanner from about £440 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 45 from the airport to Arolla.
Accommodation.
Stay in EvolèneAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Evolène (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Evolène 17 min by car · rooms from £105 a night · where Arolla stays
Places to stay in Evolène · Booking.com AdBreuil-Cervinia 27 min by car · rooms from £70 a night
Places to stay in Breuil-Cervinia · Booking.com AdZinal 29 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
Places to stay in Zinal · Booking.com AdValtournenche 30 min by car · rooms from £70 a night
Places to stay in Valtournenche · Booking.com AdZermatt 36 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
Places to stay in Zermatt · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire, lessons and lift passes.
Ski lessons in Evolène · GetYourGuideAdSki and board hire · SkisetAdLift passes · Resort website
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Arolla on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Lifts closed for the season. They usually open about 25 November.
Forecast
The score, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Fresh72 h | Depthtop, mid, base | Coldestat top | Windat top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | 1 cm | 0.3 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -1°C | wind, 10 knots |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | 1 cm | 0.3 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 1°C | wind, 10 knots |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | 6 cm | 0.3 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | 0°C | wind, 12 knots |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | 15 cm | 0.4 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -4°C | wind, 9 knots |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | 15 cm | 0.4 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -6°C | wind, 7 knots |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | 9 cm | 0.4 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -4°C | wind, 5 knots |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | 2 cm | 0.4 mmid 0.1 mbase 0.1 m | -7°C | wind, 10 knots |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | 2 cm | 0.4 mmid 0 mbase 0 m | -1°C | wind, 6 knots |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, poor | 2 cm | –mid –base – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to.
Snow by month
| Month | Base1,950 m | Mid2,415 m | Top2,880 m | Coldestat the top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul | none | 12.3 m | 5.0 m | 6°C |
| Aug | none | 12.3 m | 5.0 m | 6°C |
| Sep | none | 12.3 m | 5.0 m | 1°C |
| Oct | none | 12.3 m | 5.0 m | -3°C |
| Nov | 0.4 m | 12.6 m | 5.5 m | -9°C |
| Dec | 1.0 m | 12.9 m | 6.1 m | -13°C |
| Jan | 1.5 m | 13.1 m | 6.4 m | -15°C |
| Feb | 1.8 m | 13.2 m | 6.6 m | -12°C |
| Mar | 1.8 m | 13.3 m | 6.8 m | -11°C |
| Apr | 1.8 m | 13.3 m | 6.7 m | -5°C |
| May | 1.4 m | 13.2 m | 6.6 m | -3°C |
| Jun | 0.3 m | 12.4 m | 5.4 m | 4°C |
Typical snow on the ground in the village, halfway up and at the top: the middle value over 2016 to 2025, from ERA5-Land reanalysis at the grid cell nearest each height. Not a forecast, and not the groomed pistes: resorts make snow lower down.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to MXP, then 2h 45 by road. About 16h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Wed 21 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Thu 22 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Fri 23 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sat 24 OctLifts closed
Out of season.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to MXP, then 2h 45 by road. About 16h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,735–£3,040 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to MXP, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £440–£915 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Transfer | shared airport transfer, return | £70–£120 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £285–£475 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £340–£630 |
| Lift pass | 5 days | £355–£485 |
| Ski hire | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £210–£350 |
| Total | £1,735–£3,040 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Book the trip
Airport to resortAd
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Lift passes · Resort websiteLinks marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.