This season, do you have any plans to hit the slopes for a ski holiday in France? France has some of the best ski resorts globally, but I don’t think it’s a location that rests on its laurels. France is a region where novel resort developments open regularly. You’ll find everything from Europe’s top family ski resorts to smaller ski communities beneath Europe’s most dangerous black slopes.
Meanwhile, fresh investments at old favourites like La Rosière, Val d’Isère, La Plagne, and Val Thorens are helping the country maintain its position as one of the best ski and snowboard destinations in the world. Here are eleven excellent French ski resorts that should be on the minds of everyone planning future ski vacations.
When is the best time to go skiing in France?
March and April are ideal months to visit France for skiing because the days are longer and the slopes are calmer. During spring, the weather in the Alps begins to warm up, and the daylight hours lengthen, and you can spend more time on the slopes and wearing less clothing.
In which parts of France can you ski?
The Northern French Alps are home to France’s most well-known ski resorts and large mountain terrain. In the famed Les 3 Vallèes, (the three valleys) think Chamonix, Tignes, Val d’Isère, Meribel, Courchevel, and Val Thorens. Ski lift networks that are quick and efficient will whisk you around the resorts.
In France, where do the wealthy go skiing?
1850 Courchevel is the “Oligarchs’ Playground,” as it is nicknamed, has become the preferred French ski resort for European royalty and the wealthy elite.
What is France’s most popular ski resort?
Courchevel
Courchevel. Les Trois Vallées (Three Valleys) is a collection of interconnected ski resorts that form the world’s largest alpine ski domain, with Courchevel being the largest and most well-known of them.
France’s best ski resorts
Chamonix
Chamonix, nestled in the shadow of the Mont Blanc massif, is one of France’s most well-known ski resorts, noted for its excellent glacier skiing and diverse terrain – hardly unexpected given that it sits at 1,035m, much below the resort’s highest lift, which is at 3,842m.
Despite its unappealing appearance, this ski town – which has a population of 9,000 and is located immediately below the entrance to the Mont Blanc tunnel, resulting in a near-constant stream of lorries — offers some of Europe’s best skiing. Long descents are famed in Chamonix, which hosted the first winter Olympics in 1924, but the terrain is also immensely varied.
Avoriaz
Avoriaz is one of the best French resorts in the Portes du Soleil ski area, spanning the French-Swiss border. It is a vehicle-free ski resort perched at 1,800m. The ski resort is sustainable, stylish, and well-equipped. It is a terrific alternative for anyone wanting some of the best skiing in France in a setting where all the amenities – from restaurants to supermarkets – are all in one resort.
The red cedar wood tiles that cover many of the structures were chosen because they are identical to those used on Savoie buildings for centuries. Its eco-credentials place it among the most environmentally conscious ski resorts in France. By December 2021, Avoriaz expects to have earned the ‘Flocon Vert’ (Green Snowflake) designation, which is given to French ski resorts to acknowledge their sustainability efforts. These include an energy reduction plan and frequent clean-up days in the case of Avoriaz.
La Rosière
La Rosière is located on the outskirts of the magnificent Vanoise National Park. The San Bernardo ski area, which connects La Rosière with La Thuile (one of the top resorts in the Italian Alps) and is the only Franco-Italian ski region in the Northern Alps, attracts skiers and snowboarders of all skills.
La Rosière, one of the best French ski resorts for year-round good snow conditions, had come a long way since locals built the first ski lifts in the 1960s. The most recent flurry of construction took place in 2019 when £13 million was spent on a significant expansion, including five new red runs and several new ski lifts. As a result, one of the top ski regions in south-eastern France has emerged.
