Years ago, the Alps were all about skiing and snowboarding. But nowadays, these stunning mountain destinations have embraced something much bigger: wellness tourism.
From thermal spas tucked away in Swiss valleys to yoga retreats in quaint French villages, Europe’s alpine resorts are now offering serious wellness experiences all year round.
If you’re looking to combine mountain air with serious relaxation, Oliver’s Travels is here to help. Not only do we offer beautiful mountain chalets and an expert concierge service, but we’ve also crunched the numbers to find out which European alpine resorts are genuinely the best for wellness breaks.
We looked at everything from Green Michelin star restaurants to spa facilities and yoga and Pilates teachers. Read on to discover which destinations came out on top!
Key Findings
- The French clearly know their wellness, with France dominating the rankings and sweeping the top four spots!
- Levi in Finland has the cleanest air in Europe, with this Nordic gem recording an incredible air quality score of just 1.49 on average.
- Switzerland brings the sunshine: Verbier clocked up 2,171 hours of sunshine annually, more than anywhere else in the study.
- France has spa infrastructure sorted. Chamonix leads with 26 spa facilities, while French resorts generally showed the best wellness amenities per destination.
Europe’s Top 5 Destinations For Alpine Wellness
1. Annecy, France
Taking the top spot is Annecy, the lakeside town in the French Alps that earned it the nickname ‘Venice of the Alps’. Annecy sits at an elevation of 448m, on the shores of Lake Annecy, and it’s the combination of lake and mountains that makes it a beautiful destination for wellness breaks.
Annecy scored highest across our metrics with 4 Green Michelin restaurants – more than any other resort we studied – plus 11 yoga teachers and 13 spa facilities. And with 2,063 sunshine hours annually, there’s plenty of opportunity for outdoor wellness activities year-round. You’ll find thermal baths taking advantage of natural hot springs, plus the unique opportunity to combine mountain hiking with lake activities.
Where to stay:
Chalet Chaleureux is a contemporary escape perched above Lake Annecy, where sweeping lake and mountain vistas steal the show. Surrounded by a vast garden, this chic chalet is designed for both summer retreats and winter getaways, offering elegance, comfort, and a touch of indulgence.
Inside, light floods the open-plan living and dining area through floor-to-ceiling windows, framing the gardens and beyond. Sliding doors open onto a shaded pergola for alfresco dining, while upstairs bedrooms make the most of the views. The top-floor suite is a highlight, complete with a lounge corner and a panoramic window that perfectly captures the lake.
Outdoors, the chalet’s gardens provide endless space for play and relaxation, with wide lawns, a trampoline, a children’s play area, and the pièce de résistance – a Nordic spa. Step beyond the grounds to join the cycling trail, wander to Doussard’s beach, or catch a ferry across the water to the charm of Annecy. With skiing at Semnoz and La Clusaz less than an hour away, Chalet Chaleureux offers the best of Lake Annecy in every season.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting luxury wellness with incredible sustainable food and unique lake-mountain experiences
2. Val d’Isère, France
Val d’Isère takes second position. The famous ski resort is becoming increasingly popular for summer wellness breaks, located at 1,850m in the Tarentaise Valley. Val d’Isère’s high altitude means genuinely clean mountain air, scoring 9.1 for its average air quality in our study.
Val d’Isère gets 2,002 sunshine hours annually, and the summer season brings hiking trails, mountain biking and outdoor yoga spots that you simply can’t get at sea level. What sets Val d’Isère apart is its wellness scene – including spas and healthy restaurants – which thrives well beyond ski season, unlike in many other resorts.
Where to stay:
Chalet Sanglier enjoys an elevated, tree-lined position just moments from the heart of Val d’Isère, offering privacy, style, and sweeping Alpine views. Blending traditional décor with state-of-the-art amenities, this chalet is a luxurious retreat designed for families and groups of friends looking to enjoy the very best of the mountains.
Wellness is at the heart of Chalet Sanglier, with a private indoor swimming pool, sauna, and the option to book spa services or childcare. The chalet is fully catered, including champagne, breakfasts, and expertly prepared dinners, while a chauffeured minibus ensures you’re on the slopes with ease. Whether paired with neighbouring Chalet Clo for larger groups or enjoyed on its own, Chalet Sanglier promises an unforgettable stay in Val d’Isère.
Perfect for: Active wellness enthusiasts who want to combine mountain adventures with quality spa treatments
3. Tignes, France
Third place goes to Tignes, which sits right next to Val d’Isère and shares the same impressive annual air quality and sunshine hours. At 2,100m above sea level, Tignes is one of the highest resort towns in Europe, which means the mountain air benefits are copious. There’s something about soaking in thermal pools at over 2,000m that you can’t get elsewhere!
Tignes also benefits from being more compact than some of the larger French resorts, so everything is walkable and you’re never far from wellness facilities. Its purpose-built nature means the wellness infrastructure is modern and well-planned, unlike some older mountain towns where facilities are scattered.
Where to stay:
Apartment Crystal is a chic alpine penthouse where contemporary luxury meets mountain charm. Perfect for families or groups of friends, it’s all about cosy nights by the fire, sweeping panoramic views, and après-ski in style.
When you’re not out on the slopes, unwind on the rooftop terrace with its private jacuzzi or soak up the views from the elegant open-plan living space. This is alpine living at its finest – sophisticated, relaxed, and made for unforgettable mountain moments.
Perfect for: Couples seeking a peaceful, high-altitude wellness retreat with stunning mountain views
4. La Plagne, Franc
Fourth place goes to La Plagne, a large purpose-built resort that’s spread across multiple villages at different altitudes. The resort has good air quality and gets 2,002 sunshine hours annually, the same as the other top French resorts.
It does boast more yoga teachers than a lot of its French counterparts too, so you’re usually not far from a class. La Plagne’s cable car system means you can easily get to high-altitude spots for hiking or outdoor activities in the morning and return to lower villages for spa treatments in the afternoon.
Perfect for: Families and groups wanting varied wellness experiences with easy access to facilities across different mountain levels
5. Verbier, Switzerland
Rounding out the top five is Verbier, the only Swiss resort to make our top rankings. Verbier earned its place mainly thanks to having more sunshine hours than anywhere else we studied – 2,171 annually, which is significantly more than even the sunny French resorts. Located at 1,500m in the Valais Alps, its combination of reliable sunshine, excellent spa facilities, and high-altitude hiking opportunities makes Verbier a solid choice for wellness breaks.
Perfect for: Luxury wellness travellers seeking premium mountain spa experiences with guaranteed sunshine and Swiss-quality service
Europe’s Other Great Destinations For Alpine Wellness
St. Anton am Arlberg
St. Anton am Arlberg is better known for its challenging ski slopes, but this Austrian resort has also built up great wellness credentials. The town sits at 1,304m in the Arlberg region and benefits from excellent Alpine air quality year-round. St. Anton has invested heavily in spa facilities over recent years, with several establishments offering serious wellness programs that go beyond basic spa treatments. With Oliver’s Travels’ luxury villas, you can experience the very best of this iconic resort – complete with all the thoughtful amenities you need for an unforgettable stay.
Where to stay:
Apartment Elfe at Chalet Fabiola is a penthouse sanctuary where Alpine splendour meets modern sophistication. With its soaring ceilings, exposed beams, and natural stone finishes, the space radiates warmth and elegance, while expansive patios frame breathtaking mountain views. Inside, a seamless open-plan design brings together kitchen, dining, and lounge areas, centred around a crackling fireplace for the perfect après-ski retreat. Add in spa facilities, concierge service, and thoughtful touches throughout, and you have a haven that blends luxury, comfort, and the charm of St. Anton in one unforgettable stay.
Perfect for: Wellness enthusiasts who prefer authentic mountain towns with traditional Austrian spa culture
The Dolomites
The Dolomites is a new and exciting addition to our collection. This region in northern Italy offers some of Europe’s most dramatic mountain scenery for wellness breaks. Towns like Cortina d’Ampezzo, Val Gardena, and Alta Badia sit in beautiful valleys, and wellness culture here is distinctly Italian – think thermal springs, natural wellness treatments, and that relaxed approach to life that Italians do so well!
Perfect for: Wellness travellers seeking dramatic mountain scenery with Italian hospitality and unique traditional treatments
Methodology
To determine the best alpine wellness resorts in Europe, we first collated a list of the best-rated and most popular alpine resorts across the continent and then analysed each on the following factors:
- Number of Green Michelin Guide restaurants
- Average sunshine hours
- Average air quality
- Number of ‘Green Michelin star’ restaurants
- Number of spas
- Number of yoga teachers
We used a variety of credible sources to find data for each of the above categories and then ranked the alpine resorts based on this data.
Resorts where a full dataset was not available were omitted from the index and only the top 45 resorts were included in the final list. The full dataset and source list are available upon request.
