After the bad news of the "up to 20 days" lockdown in Austria from Monday, two of the countries that had been among the other major ski nations not top open for the season last winter, have got their 21-22 seasons underway.
Tignes had already opened in France last month but the 'winter season proper' has begun this weekend with Val Thorens opening for their season as planned, along with Montgenevre (pictured above earlier this week) and, first in the Pyrenees, Porte Puymorens, due to good early snow conditions.
In Germany, where infection rates have now climbed as high as the UK, the highest lifts in the country on the Zugspitze glacier have opened.
Both countries kept all lifts closed from November to April last season.
Elsewhere more ski centres have opened in Italy, the other major Alpine nation where all lifts were closed from November to April last season. There are now nine resorts open there with the latest to open, Madonna di Campiglio, reporting tickets sold out for this opening weekend.