From the soaring peaks surrounding Mont Blanc to the forest-covered slopes of Morzine, Chamonix and Serre Chevalier, France is home to some of the finest ski resorts in the world. Here, keen skiers and snowboarders can choose from a dazzling range of Alpine destinations, with diverse terrain suitable for all. Whether you’re a nervous learner or a seasoned professional, France offers the terrain to suit your needs.
Purpose-built functionality or traditional Alpine style?
There are essentially two kinds of ski resort in France; purpose-built resorts and traditional Alpine towns.
Purpose-built resorts sprang up in the 1970s and 1980s, to offer piste-side skiing in spectacular locations. Examples include Avoriaz, Flaine, Tignes, and Les Arcs 2000 – and what they lack in attractiveness, they make up for in piste access.
France’s traditional Alpine towns began life as pilgrimage settlements and farming hamlets, and evolved slowly down the centuries into world-class ski resorts. Some of the country’s prettiest Alpine resorts include Chamonix, Morzine, Megève, les Gets and Samoëns – but there are many more to choose from besides these.
Ski areas
Whilst there remain a few slow, old lifts dotted around the ski areas of France, each winter upgrades take place, and the old ‘ankle-biters’ are replaced with swift, modern chairlifts and gondolas.
Ski areas including the Three Valleys, the Espace Killy and Paradiski are home to diverse resorts like Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens, Tignes and les Arcs – which remain popular year on year for their amazing slopes, lively après ski, top-flight tuition and engaging childcare programmes.
Accommodation options
Whether you’re in the market for a cheap and cheerful self-catered apartment rental, a chocolate-box chalet for a New Year ski holiday to remember, or a half-board hotel for a last-minute escape to the Alps, you’ll have a wide range of choice to look at among the ski resorts of France.
Family-friendly resorts
France boasts some of the Alps’ most family-friendly ski resorts, where parents and kids can explore the slopes together in comfort. You’ll find catered ski chalet holidays with in-house childcare options available as add-ons, alongside a fine selection of independent nanny companies in a diverse range of resorts.
If you’re considering whisking the kids off the Alps, family-friendly resort recommendations we’d like to make include la Rosière, les Arcs, Alpe d’Huez, La Plagne, Courchevel, Val d’Isere and Méribel. These resorts all offer packages with in-house childcare programmes, leaving parents to relax in complete peace of mind.
Lively après ski and nightlife
If you’re hitting the Alps in search of amazing slopes, lively après and big nightlife, there’s a few standout ski resorts worthy of special mention. Val d’Isere, Meribel, Val Thorens and Alpe d’Huez are all home to a Folie Douce bar – with big tunes rolling out around the valleys from around 3pm each day. Nightclubs like Dicks Tea Bar and Le Malaysia keep the beers flowing until the small hours, and there’s a great range of lively bars to keep the thirst away. Just don’t miss out on first lifts the next morning!
Take a look below for our selection of chalets and hotels in France, and call us on 0203 0800 202 for more details.