Saslong Mountain Val Gardena / Gröden: GEPA photos
Data for this story was sourced from an article in The Telegraph, written by Abigail Butcher.
Italy Makes Helmets Obligatory
Italy has turn out to be the primary nation on the planet to require ski helmets for everybody. Starting Nov. 1, 2025, each skier, snowboarder, and even tobogganer should put on a CE-certified helmet.
Police can problem an on-the-spot €200 effective or droop carry passes for as much as three days if a skier rides with out one. The Italian authorities launched the rule to chop down on critical accidents.
“We’re speaking this extensively,” stated Diego Clara, spokesman for Dolomiti Superski, which incorporates Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 2026 Winter Olympic host. “We consider 95 p.c of individuals already put on helmets when snowboarding.”
The rule expanded progressively—from kids underneath 14 in 2021, to underneath 18 in 2022, and now to all ages. Ski teacher Lizzie Russell of WOW Ski Excursions in Alta Badia stated, “Skiers want to make use of what’s inside their heads—their mind—to know why helmets matter.”
Legal responsibility Insurance coverage Required in Italy
Each skier and snowboarder in Italy should additionally carry public-liability insurance coverage. The legislation, lively since January 2022, ensures protection if a skier causes an accident.
Insurance coverage isn’t constructed into carry passes, so resorts urge guests to verify their coverage earlier than snowboarding. These with out proof of protection can face fines or lose carry privileges.
France Expands Its Smoking Ban
France’s new nationwide smoking ban took impact July 1, 2025, outlawing smoking in almost all out of doors public areas—together with sports activities venues. Ski resorts count on the rule to cowl lifts and pistes this winter.
Les Will get pioneered an identical ban in 2022 after volunteers collected 3,000 cigarette butts throughout a single cleanup. “The variety of butts we accumulate every season has dropped by two-thirds,” stated resort spokesman Cyril Tardieu. “Friends inform us they take pleasure in a cleaner mountain.”
The French carry affiliation, Domaines Skiables de France, is finalizing find out how to apply the legislation throughout resorts.
Alcohol and Drug Guidelines on the Slopes
Italy enforces a blood-alcohol restrict of 0.50 p.c, the identical as for driving, and maintains zero tolerance for medication on the slopes.
Different Alpine nations don’t set formal limits, however being intoxicated can nonetheless carry extreme penalties. In France, endangering others whereas drunk—by crashing or triggering an avalanche—can deliver a €15,000 effective or a 12 months in jail.
In Colorado, snowboarding or driving a carry whereas drunk can value $1,000, and most insurance coverage insurance policies deny protection for alcohol-related accidents wherever on the planet.
Different Resort Guidelines to Keep in mind
Italy bans consuming or ingesting on ski lifts or boarding zones and climbing slopes with snowshoes besides throughout emergencies.
In Austria’s Ischgl, carrying ski boots between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. violates native rules and may end up in a €2,000 effective.
These lesser-known guidelines present how severely Europe now treats mountain security and etiquette.
The New European Commonplace
From necessary helmets and legal responsibility insurance coverage in Italy to expanded smoking bans in France, Europe’s resorts are tightening rules forward of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The brand new message is obvious: be insured, be geared up, and be accountable.
Earlier than hitting the slopes this winter, be sure that your gear—and your paperwork—are so as. Ski good, ski protected, and revel in Europe’s mountains responsibly.
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