Schnepfenried
Le Schnepfenried is a French ski resort located in the massif des Vosges; in the vallée de Munster, in the commune of Sondernach. The ski area has 7 ski lifts and 21 alpine ski pistes.
Translated from the French Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), machine translation.
Seven criteria rated from 1 to 5 stars, in half-stars, from this page's sourced data. A rating is a rank among the 322 French resorts we cover — 5 stars means “among the best in France on this point”, not “perfect”. Nobody types these in.
- SnowCan you count on the snow?1.5 / 5
Top of the ski area: 1,253 m · Bottom of the pistes: 1,043 m · Days above 30 cm per winter, measured: 51 days · Days above 30 cm, December to March, model: 1%
- Ski areaIs there enough to ski all week?2.5 / 5
Km of pistes at the resort: 9 km · Km of pistes across the linked area: 9 km · Lifts: 8 · Balance between piste levels: 99%
- ValueIs the lift pass reasonable for what you get?3.5 / 5
Adult day pass: €25.5 · Day pass price per km of pistes: €2.83/km · Adult 6-day pass: €135
- Families and beginnersIs it right for children and beginners?2 / 5
Share of green and blue pistes: 41% · Magic carpets: 1 · Sledging runs: 0 · Special prices out of 4 (beginner, child, family, free age): 3 · Ice rink, pool, rail sledge…: 1
- AccessIs it easy to get to?3 / 5
Average drive time from 20 major cities: 6 hr 04 · Nearest railway station: 11 min · Station-to-resort shuttles per day: 0 · Nearest airport: 1 hr 11
- Atmosphere and après-skiIs there life in the evening and off the slopes?1.5 / 5
Bars and pubs: 0 · Nightclubs: 0 · Restaurants: 7 · Upcoming events: 0 · Collective tourist beds: 0 — index: what the map and the listings publish
- Luxury and comfortHow upmarket is the resort?1 / 5
5-star hotels: 0 · 4-star hotels: 0 · Spas and saunas: 0 · Jewellers, watchmakers, fashion boutiques: 0 · Adult day pass: €25.5 — index: what the map and the listings publish
“Atmosphere” and “Luxury” are indexes: they count what OpenStreetMap and the event listings publish within 2.5 km (bars, nightclubs, rated hotels, spas, upcoming events), not what you experience there. A zero means “nothing mapped”, not “nothing there”. Sources per criterion: snow (altitudes (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata), snow depth observed at the Météo-France station, ERA5-Land model) ; ski area (OpenStreetMap pistes and lifts, linked area (Wikidata)) ; value (the resort’s official price list) ; families and beginners (OpenStreetMap pistes, price list, ESF ski school, Famille Plus label, OpenStreetMap leisure) ; access (OSRM drive times from 20 cities, SNCF stations, GTFS shuttles, airports) ; atmosphere and après-ski (bars, nightclubs and restaurants within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap), upcoming events (OpenAgenda), collective tourist beds (INSEE)) ; luxury and comfort (rated hotels within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap) and by category across the commune (INSEE), spas and boutiques (OpenStreetMap), day pass price).
Open pistes and lifts will appear here during the season, as published by the resort. Out of season we show nothing rather than a misleading zero.
Right now at the MARKSTEIN CRETE station (1,184 m)
7-day forecast
Village 1,071 m · top 1,253 m
Forecast corrected for altitude; fresh snow = forecast total at the top; UV = peak of the day. Beyond 3 days, check the resort’s own report. Source:Open-Meteo.
Snow actually measured, winter by winter
31 complete winters measured, from 1989-1990 to 2025-2026 — on average 51 days a winter with at least 30 cm on the ground.
- 1-15 Dec16 cmInsufficient · 22 %
- 16-31 Dec24 cmInsufficient · 31 %
- 1-15 Jan29 cmInsufficient · 40 %
- 16-31 Jan39 cmVariable · 51 %
- 1-15 Feb45 cmVariable · 54 %
- 16-29 Feb50 cmVariable · 58 %
- 1-15 Mar43 cmInsufficient · 46 %
- 16-31 Mar25 cmInsufficient · 29 %
- 1-15 Apr9 cmInsufficient · 11 %
- Best winter of the series
- 2005-2006 — 136 days at 30 cm or more
- Worst winter of the series
- 1989-1990 — 1 day at 30 cm or more
Snowfall: no long enough record of fresh snow at this station. Rather than an estimate, we show nothing.
The ski area
Compare with another resort →17 pistes, by level — 9 km
- Skiable vertical
- 210 m (1,043 m → 1,253 m)
- Lifts
- 7 drag lifts, 1 magic carpet
- Snowpark
- 1 mapped zone — SnowPark (intermediate)
OpenStreetMap, surveyed on 18 September 2026. OpenStreetMap does not map individual features (kickers, rails): what is counted here are the named zones. - Cross-country skiing
- 5 km of nordic trails
- Piste aspect
- N 55% · E 34% · S 11% · W 0% (descent direction of 15 OSM pistes, terrain model)
Pistes and lifts surveyed on OpenStreetMap within 4 km of the resort — for a resort in a linked area, the figure may include neighbouring pistes.
Lift passes (2025-2026) detail →
| Adult pass | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 day | €25.50 |
| 6 days | €135 |
| Season | €415 |
| Child, 1 day | €22.50 |
| Beginner, 1 day | €18.50 |
| Free | Free under 5 years |
Read on the official price list, full price, excluding promotions. Official price list ↗
Official piste map
Open the piste map (image, 542 KB) ↗
Link to the resort’s own file — a piste map is a copyrighted artwork, we host no copy.
The ski area in figures
Measured on 9 September 2026Measured on OpenStreetMap (altitudes: IGN RGE ALTI), not taken from the brochure. The vertical above is that of one piste, not of the whole ski area. Population: INSEE municipal population via geo.api.gouv.fr.
Source: national register of mechanical lifts (STRMTG, CAIRN), fleet as of 1 January 2025 — lifts attributed to Schnepfenried only (“SCHNEPFENRIED”), magic carpets included.
Staying and hiring gear in Schnepfenried
We compare the partners that cover this resort. Some links earn us a commission — never at the expense of the price or of the data.
Stay & accommodation
Live webcams
All webcams (1) →Official players of the resort, live image.
Piste map
Open on OpenSnowMap ↗Pistes coloured by level, lifts as lines. The resort’s official map is the reference in season.
Base map © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA) · pistes © OpenSnowMap (CC-BY-SA) · data ©OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Getting to Schnepfenried
From Paris: 5 hr 40 (470 km) by road.
By road
- From Strasbourg: 1 hr 35 · 106 km
- From Nancy: 2 hr 10 · 147 km
- From Besançon: 2 hr 18 · 174 km
- From Dijon: 3 hr 04 · 256 km
- From Genève: 4 hr 13 · 339 km
From other major cities (15)
- From Lyon: 4 hr 41 · 415 km
- From Annecy: 4 hr 43 · 383 km
- From Chambéry: 5 hr 11 · 425 km
- From Grenoble: 5 hr 27 · 501 km
- From Saint-Étienne: 5 hr 29 · 474 km
- From Paris: 5 hr 40 · 470 km
- From Valence: 5 hr 46 · 514 km
- From Clermont-Ferrand: 6 hr 06 · 557 km
- From Montpellier: 7 hr 50 · 715 km
- From Marseille: 7 hr 55 · 725 km
- From Nice: 8 hr 49 · 735 km
- From Perpignan: 9 hr 11 · 863 km
- From Bordeaux: 9 hr 39 · 894 km
- From Toulouse: 9 hr 43 · 898 km
- From Pau: 11 hr 40 · 1090 km
Excluding traffic and winter conditions; passes closed in winter are avoided.
By train
Metzeral station
halt · then 11 min drive (9 km)
Nearest main station: Colmar, 41 min by road.
No direct bus line from the station to the resort appears in the open-data timetables (checked on 13 September 2026): ask the resort about a private shuttle or a taxi.
Shuttles and buses from the station: see the resort’s official website.
By plane
- Bâle-Mulhouse (BSL): 1 hr 11 by road · 80 km
- Strasbourg-Entzheim (SXB): 1 hr 28 by road · 95 km
Take me there
These links open the app with Schnepfenried as the destination. Your starting point is never sent by us — the app asks you for it, if you agree.
Charging an electric car
No freely accessible charge point is declared within 2 km of the resort (checked on 9 September 2026). Covered car parks in the resort may offer chargers reserved for their customers: those are not listed here.
Freely accessible charge points read from the French national EV charging database (data.gouv.fr ↗, operators’ own declarations), checked on 9 September 2026. Check availability before you leave: the database says what is installed, not what is free tonight.
Road conditions
From 1 November to 31 March, snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory in most mountain areas (French “Loi Montagne II”).
Driving times computed on the OpenStreetMap road network (OSRM), SNCF stations (open data), airports (Wikidata). Indicative, not a timetable: allow extra time in snow.
Off-piste & ski touring
The resorts for off-piste skiing →Named itineraries: Cross · Brimbelles · Border
Itineraries surveyed on OpenStreetMap within a 4 km radius (7 September 2026): “marked” means an itinerary exists on the map, not that it is open or safe on the day.
Ski touring routes described
Resorts for ski touring →12 ski touring routes documented within 10 km of Schnepfenried — up to 1,850 m of climb.
| Summit and route | Ski grade | Climb | Altitude | Aspect | From resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rothenbachkopf · Depuis le pont de Blanchemer par le Rainkopf | n/a · PD+ | 1,130 m | 836 → 1,316 m | n/a | 5 km |
| Rothenbachkopf · Depuis le col de Bramont par Ronde Tête et descente sur Steinwasen | n/a · E1 · AD- | 750 m | 956 → 1,316 m | n/a | 5 km |
| Kastelberg · Rainkopf, Kastelberg, Rothenbachkopf | n/a · PD+ | 1,850 m | 710 → 1,350 m | n/a | 5.1 km |
| Kastelberg · Depuis Mittlach par le Rainkopf et Blanchemer | n/a · PD+ | 1,600 m | 529 → 1,350 m | SE | 5.2 km |
| Rothenbachkopf · Boucle Rothenbachkopf - Rainkopf - Lac de Blanchemer | n/a · PD+ | 1,183 m | 565 → 1,316 m | n/a | 5.2 km |
| Kastelberg · Tricotage | n/a · E2 · AD | 1,000 m | 850 → 1,350 m | n/a | 5.2 km |
| Kastelberg · Boucle Kastelberg | n/a · PD- | 836 m | 514 → 1,350 m | SW | 5.2 km |
| Kastelberg · Breitzhouse-Koepfle en aller retour | n/a · PD | 550 m | 900 → 1,350 m | SE | 5.2 km |
| Hohneck · boucle par le lac de Fischboedle | 2.1 · E1 · PD- | 1,100 m | 794 → 1,363 m | n/a | 5.3 km |
| Rainkopf · Par le Vallon de la Thur | n/a · PD+ | 1,295 m | 571 → 1,305 m | SW | 5.5 km |
| Rainkopf · Depuis Mittlach par l'Altenweiher | n/a · PD+ | 1,130 m | 580 → 1,305 m | n/a | 5.5 km |
| Rainkopf · Depuis Mittlach, descente directe Leibelthal | n/a · PD- | 836 m | 580 → 1,305 m | E | 5.5 km |
Source: Camptocamp.org topo guide (CC BY-SA), routes starting within 10 km, read on 13 September 2026. Descriptions and photos are on Camptocamp; an empty cell is a field nobody has filled in. Camptocamp ski touring routes ↗
Beyond skiing at Schnepfenried
Toboggan runs
- Tuby Gliss · Sondernach · 0.1 km away
- Luge sur rail au Markstein · Linthal · 7.1 km away
- Luge sur rail · Linthal · 7.2 km away
- Luge d'été · Soultzeren · 8.6 km away
Swimming pool
- Spa les sources de la Meurthe · Xonrupt-Longemer · 8.1 km away
- La Piscine : Espace bien-être & fitness · Munster · 9.4 km away
Spa and thermal baths
- Chalets de la Wormsa : Espace bien-être & spa · Metzeral · 2.6 km away
- Hôtel-Restaurant Perle des Vosges : Espace spa "Vue de l’eau !" · Muhlbach-sur-Munster · 5.1 km away
- Hôtel-Restaurant Verte Vallée : Espace bien-être & spa · Munster · 9.2 km away
- Spa de la Piscine · Munster · 9.4 km away
Paragliding
- Site de parapente · Sondernach · 0.7 km away
- Switch - Parapente · Lapoutroie · 6.8 km away
Museum
- Musée de la Schlitte et des Métiers du Bois · Muhlbach-sur-Munster · 5 km away
Cinema
- Espace Culturel Saint Grégoire : Cinéma et salle de spectacles · Munster · 7.5 km away
Source: DATAtourisme (open data), within 10 km of the resort; places in a large town of the valley are left out. Checked on 12 September 2026. Opening times and prices are the operator’s — check before you go.
Practical information
Days without skiing
- Alpine coaster · TUBY'GLISS
In case of accident
112 — the European emergency number, free of charge, triggers mountain rescue. On the pistes, the ski patrol number is printed on the piste map and at lift ticket offices. Piste rescue is charged: check your insurance or take the option sold with the lift pass.
Nearby resorts
Frequently asked questions
How high is Schnepfenried?
Schnepfenried sits at 1,071 m at village level, and its ski area rises to 1,253 m.
How many kilometres of pistes does Schnepfenried have?
Schnepfenried has 9 km of pistes served by 8 lifts (OpenStreetMap survey).
What is the longest piste in Schnepfenried?
The longest piste is Bronner rouge: 1 km (red run), for 192 m of vertical. Measured on the OpenStreetMap map, segments of the same name and level joined end to end, altitudes from the IGN RGE ALTI terrain model — a resort sometimes advertises a longer run by chaining several pistes.
How high do the lifts go in Schnepfenried?
The highest lift, Bellevue 1 (platter lift), tops out at 1,277 m. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How many lifts does Schnepfenried have, and what is their capacity?
The French national register of mechanical lifts records 7 installations at Schnepfenried (6 drag lifts, 1 magic carpet), for an authorised capacity of 6,400 people per hour, of which 1,480 for Ecureuil alone. The fleet spans 1963 to 2023, an average age of 33 years. This count covers the resort itself, magic carpets included, not the whole linked ski area — a resort brochure often announces a different number. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How much is a lift pass in Schnepfenried?
The adult day pass costs €25.50 and the 6-day pass €135 (2025-2026, read on the official price list).
How do I get to Schnepfenried?
By road, Schnepfenried is 1 hr 35 from Strasbourg (106 km), excluding traffic and winter conditions. By train, the nearest station is Metzeral, 11 min by road from the resort. No direct bus line from the station to the resort appears in the open-data timetables. The nearest airport is Bâle-Mulhouse, 1 hr 11 away.
How long is the drive from Paris to Schnepfenried?
5 hr 40 for 470 km from central Paris, excluding traffic and winter conditions. Computed on the real road network (OpenStreetMap): allow more on a school-holiday Saturday.
Is Schnepfenried good for beginners and families?
41% of the pistes are green or blue: a rather technical area.
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