There’s nothing like a festival to blow away the cobwebs, let your hair down and enjoy your favorite music.
But if the thought of waking up with a dry mouth in a hot, sweaty tent, going five days without a shower and using questionable sanitary facilities sends shivers down your spine, fear not – you can always try the Alps’ answer to Glastonbury.
The Snowboxx Festival, at the Avoriaz ski resort, celebrated its 10th year this year as more than 6,000 people (including some famous faces) descended on the picturesque town to stay up all night with their favorite acts and enjoy the stunning views from the track. during the day.
In 2016, when Snowboxx was in its infancy, I traveled to Avoriaz with some friends to party in the mountains, and eight years later I was lucky enough to be invited back.
What was once a fledgling event with a small stage and a lineup of up-and-coming artists (including a then-lesser-known Stormzy) is now a big party on the ski season calendar and a slick operation with plentiful facilities and a huge system. Sound.
FEMAIL was invited to the Snowboxx Festival, the most popular event in the Alps, where more than 6,000 people came this year to celebrate
This year, the party was bigger than ever and even attracted some celebrities.
Hollyoaks actress Ruby O’Donnell, Chloe Burrows, Millie Grace Court, Liam Reardon, Lucie Donlan and Luke Mabbot were spotted at Avoriaz at the end of March, and
After a leisurely flight from London Gatwick Airport to Geneva, I boarded a minibus transfer and was taken to the resort. A few hours later, I arrived in the mountains, where I checked into the luxurious 5-star L’Amara Apartments.
The impressive space consists of two floors, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a stunning view of the mountains from a private balcony.
While I was invited to the festival, the standard price for both a Snowboxx ticket and a hotel starts at an advance rate of £299 for the cheapest accommodation for a full week. The next advance ticket sale will be on July 30 at the Snowboxx website.
Meanwhile, a standard ticket to Glastonbury Festival this year was £360 and you have to bring your own tent.
After spending more time than I should have staring in awe at the sunset, I went to meet my guide for the next few days, Josh.
The festival celebrated its 10th year in 2024 and attendees enjoyed a week of live music, skiing and world-class aprés at La Folie Douce.
During the day, conditions were pretty much perfect and the slopes weren’t too busy.
He helped me organize my ski rental and before long, he took me and the rest of our group to try one of the resort’s best restaurants where we ate and drank until the early hours of the morning.
Another plus about Snowboxx: it’s not every night that there’s an act on the main stage, which means you can take the time to rest from skiing and partying and get ready for another great day.
However, after checking the time and realizing it was 1am, I decided to call it a night because I wanted to make the most of the slopes the next day.
And what a day it turned out to be. I went to the shop to buy provisions for breakfast (the apartments are self-contained) and headed out to the slopes, where the sun was already shining and the slopes were wonderfully quiet.
This year’s acts included Rudimental, Becky Hill, BBC Radio One’s Danny Howard and Gok Wan, who did a DJ set.
I skied for a few hours (scheduling a few pit stops for beer and chips, of course) before heading to the most popular venue in the Alps, La Folie Douce, for lunch.
With extremely generous portions and plenty of wine, it’s the perfect place to relax after a day of skiing, and the aprés parties are the best around.
While many ski resorts in the Alps have a beloved Folie Douce, the place in Avoriaz has a prime location at the foot of the slopes. This means that, if you wanted, you could go back to your apartment and drop off your skis before going to the party (and I must say, it’s a much more convenient way to do it afterwards).
Already fed and watered, I returned to my apartment to sleep and prepare for a night of live music and the last night of the festival.
The portion sizes at La Folie Douce were generous, to say the least – perfect for refueling after a day of skiing.
The headliner was Becky Hill and as she sang anthems like I Wish You Well and Afterglow, the crowd went wild.
While partying in the VIP section, I met famous facialist Rosie Osbourne, from London, who had been invited to Snowboxx to see her friend Krystal Roxx DJ at the event.
After chatting amongst ourselves for most of the night, I caught up with Rosie after we had both returned home (and recovered!) to get her take on her week in the Alps.
She said: ‘I had been invited to attend by a hugely talented friend of mine, who was DJing at different venues during the week.
“Of course, I was going to support her, which meant I didn’t really know what to expect…
‘First of all, being on top of a mountain in the Alps, surrounded by snow, wooden architecture and horse-drawn carts, that in itself was surreal. But having the opportunity to ski (aprés), dance in the snow, and meet so many incredible people from all walks of life was an experience I will always cherish in my memories.
‘The only worry I had all week was not making the mistake of getting a sunburn on my face.
‘Anyone who has experienced a festival first-hand understands how incredible they are, but the Snowboxx experience takes it to a whole new level. I’ll totally be back!’
Juan López, marketing director at Snowboxx, said: “Even after 10 years of doing this, it’s incredible to be able to bring several thousand people to the Alps and see them have the time of their lives.”
‘Each edition has surpassed the last and 2024 felt like the culmination of this decade-long process that led us to the formula for the perfect ski week.
‘What’s not to love about hitting the slopes during the day, skiing in the most vibrant après and singing your favorite songs before going out at night in a huge open-air stadium on the slopes? We can’t wait to do it again next year!’
It’s hard not to agree with Juan. Having visited Snowboxx in its second year, I had a point of reference when visiting again and was impressed by how well organized the event was on its 10th anniversary.
If acts like Rudimental, Becky Hill and BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard aren’t enough to get you on the plane to Geneva, then the Abba aprés party at La Folie Douce on the last full day of the festival is sure to twist your arm.
Under the hot sun, after a few wonderful days of snow, skiing and wine, we sang Abba hymns until our voices faded – the perfect way to end a fantastic trip.
- Snowboxx 2025 will take place in Avoriaz, France, from March 15 to 22. Advance tickets are available from July 30 on the Snowboxx website
