A Guide to Skiing in the French Alps
The French Alps are renowned for breathtaking landscapes featuring towering peaks, picturesque valleys, and plentiful outdoor activities, making them a premier destination for skiing, hiking, and exploring the natural beauty of France.
Why choose the French Alps?
France (and specifically the French Alps) is a premier destination for skiers and snowboarders. Why? Because it has extremely reliable snow conditions, high altitude skiing, very large ski areas and ski villages or resorts that have been developed to accommodate all budgets.
And that’s not to mention the incredible views, spending a glorious week’s holiday surrounded by white peaks. It’s true that once you’ve skied the French Alps, you’ll be a little spoilt for skiing anywhere else.
You’ll find all sorts of extra activities like ice skating, husky sledding, pony rides, hot air ballooning, bowling, swimming and spas in French ski resorts, and the ski passes are good value compared to skiing in other countries like the USA, Australia or Switzerland.
If your perception of French restaurants is that they’re fancy, then you’d be right, and in the top French ski resorts you’ll certainly find Michelin star dining (think Courchevel or Megeve). But alongside this you’ll also find hearty, mountain comfort food, oozing with melted cheese – tasty, wholesome grub. (At less distasteful prices!)
Plus: the Austrians may have a reputation for knowing how to party but “après-ski” is a French word, originally! (It means ‘after skiing’).
Where to go skiing in the Alps?
Some of the most famous ski areas in the world are in the French Alps, and they’re famous because they’re exceptionally good!
Well-established ski resorts like Courchevel, Meribel, Val d’Isere, La Plagne, Les Arcs and Les Gets and Morzine all have a good infrastructure set up for holidaymakers, with efficient lift systems, groomed runs with a choice of levels, mountain restaurants, ski hire shops to lend equipment and ski schools to help skiers and snowboarders to improve their technique. These high-altitude French ski resorts are all in the Northern Alps.
There is also skiing to be had in the Southern French Alps. Les 2 Alpes, Alpe d’Huez and Serre Chevalier are the best known ski resorts here.
Three Valleys
The Three Valleys or “Les Trois Vallées”, in French, is THE largest ski area on the planet, with 600km of runs. For strong intermediate and advanced skiers, it’s heaven on earth! There’s a huge choice of places to go, so you won’t be skiing the same runs over and over again. But don’t let the size put you off if you prefer to stick to the easier slopes – again there’s so much choice that you can explore lots of different places without just repeating the same pistes. From La Tania for instance, you can experience the whole Three Valleys ski area on blues.
Courchevel
The legendary ski destination of Courchevel keeps its snow in tip top condition through its natural situation (north-facing slopes), and also through investment in snowmaking to ensure any lower/well-used tracks stay snowy all season. This means you can ski from top to bottom between early December and late April.
Courchevel is also credited with inventing piste grooming, ie. smoothing the slopes overnight to make them easier to ski. The resort maintains this reputation, working hard to ensure the ski area is as gloriously groomed as possible for true ‘hero skiing’ when you carve down in the morning!
All this makes it attractive for all levels of skier, from beginner (with its large choice of special learners’ areas and easy slopes), to intermediates and advanced skiers and snowboarders.
Off the slopes, there are plenty of activities to keep all ages entertained, with a huge swimming centre, indoor wakesurfing, ice skating, climbing walls, husky sledding, a cinema showing films in English, and a bowling alley. It’s easy to get around with free buses that take you to each little village
Looking for good value Courchevel accommodation? Try picturesque Le Praz or friendly La Tania.
Méribel
Picturesque Méribel is touted as “the heart of the Three Valleys” as it lies between Val Thorens and Courchevel. It’s very easy to get between all three valleys. With a 3 Valleys ski pass you can drop in and out of Méribel as much as you please.
If you choose a Méribel only lift pass, you can explore from Mont Vallon to Mottaret and Méribel Village, also taking in the Face world championships run! Méribel is family friendly and there are some nice ‘fun’ runs for children to explore.
In Méribel there’s also the added bonus of not one, but two legendary après-ski spots on the way back down into the village! La Folie Douce and the Rond Point aka The Ronnie are both hot spots for dancing in ski boots.
The resort’s Olympic Centre has indoor climbing, swimming, a gym and ice skating, and the village is a lovely spot to mooch around in the evenings, gazing at the shop windows.
Méribel is made up of pretty chalets which sit on the mountainside. As a resort it is fairly large, and so there are not many ski-in, ski-out chalets, but Ski Magic’s Chalet Loden is just 200m from the blue run, Doron.
Portes du Soleil
There is 372km of skiing in the Portes du Soleil ski area which is quite varied in terrain. Expect nice cruisey runs around Les Gets, then tougher challenges in Avoriaz and Morzine and over into Switzerland (don’t forget the change of currency between Swiss Francs and Euros!)
The area is quite child-friendly, especially Les Gets which is more suited to families. If you’re looking for nightlife, Morzine is where it’s at.
The area is a short trip from Geneva airport which is a nice benefit, although the skiing is lower than some others in the Northern Alps, and therefore the snow isn’t quite as reliable at the start or end of the season compared to higher resorts like Espace Killy or Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys.
Val d’Isère and Tignes
Another big name in French skiing is the Espace Killy, which comprises the two different resorts of Val d’Isère and Tignes, linked via lifts. This ski area is about 300km. It is renowned for being high altitude, with glacier skiing on the Grande Motte. There are some tree runs in Val d’Isère which make for a popular spot in snowy weather.
The Espace Killy is a bucket list destination for advanced skiers, although beginners and intermediates find it a challenge skiing back into resort – it’s advisable to take a bubble lift to get down to the village.
The Folie Douce also has a sister après-ski bar in Val d’Isère, known for its DJs and dance shows, and the party carries on in town until the early hours.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
In the top five most visited places in France, Chamonix’s main draw is the sheer size of Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, and the alpine scenery. The bustling town is quite different to other ski resorts, and has a more year-round feel than a winter ski resort.
There are 173km of slopes, served by 62 lifts, although some of these are a little outdated and there can be queues in busy times.
The skiers that tend to enjoy Chamonix are advanced intermediates and experts: ‘Cham’ has a reputation for being great for off piste and daredevil adventures, but not so good for beginners and intermediates. The skiing, although exceptional for the courageous, is located in five different parts of the valley and is not linked in the same way that Espace Killy and the 3 Valleys is. The Vallée Blanche is on most experts’ bucket lists: a 20km off piste run that takes you from the Aiguille du Midi back into the town.
There are plenty of exciting adventures to be had in Chamonix – ice climbing, husky sledding, snowshoeing or ice skating.
Paradiski: Les Arcs and La Plagne
These two ski resorts are linked by the Vanoise Express cablecar, giving a total of 435km of marked runs in total. That said, the resorts are not as well linked as the Three Valleys.
Beginners are well catered for in La Plagne, and there’s some great off piste and challenges for advanced skiers, but sometimes intermediates can be put off on the easy beginner runs or terrified on the steeper pistes.
In Les Arcs it’s the opposite – there are some lovely runs for intermediates here, down to Arc 1600, Arc 1800 and Vallandry, but less for beginners and experts.
The village resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs are suited to children and families. They’re not especially renowned for their charm or nightlife, although if you’re on a budget, you can expect to find some great value self-catered apartments.
La Plagne has a fun off the piste activity: the Olympic bobsleigh run!
Best Ski Areas in the French Alps
What makes a ski area ‘the best’? It all depends what you’re looking for, of course: not all groups or skiers or snowboarders are the same!
Some are all beginners, others are travelling with children and/or grandparents. Maybe you’re looking for the best nightlife or apres-ski in the French Alps? Or perhaps you have a non-skier or two in the group and you need to be in an accessible place for off-the-piste activities…
Whether you’re looking for wild adventures, fun slopes for kids or perfectly-groomed pistes, let us find the best for you!
Best Skiing for Beginners
With its new beginners zone served by a ‘magic carpet’, La Tania is a great place to learn to ski. Once you have mastered the basics, you can head up on the gondola and take the long green run all the way back down into resort.
Les Arcs is another beginner friendly French resort, in the Paradiski area.
Best Family-Friendly Ski Areas
When you’re skiing as a family, you usually need a good ski school for the children, with easy to access skiing and reliable lifts to make sure you’re in the right place to meet, at the right time. Les Arcs, Les Gets or Courchevel are good for families with skiing for a mix of levels, plus the family park for adventurous kids. There’s also a good selection of ESF or independent ski schools.
La Tania is also well known as being family friendly, as a small car-free village with easy access to and from the slopes for little legs (and parents carrying kids’ skis as well as their own!)
Best Ski Resort for Advanced Skiers
If you’re a group of advanced skiers who are looking for some extreme adventuring then the Espace Killy, La Plagne or Chamonix should certainly be on your list of considerations.
But don’t rule out Courchevel either, with the vertiginous Grand Couloir, and the Three Valleys for its sheer size which give you masses of options if you like to explore on or off piste (or both!) as well as the snowparks.
Best for Mixed Level Adult Groups
For groups of mixed levels, without children (or with older teens) then Meribel is a great option. There’s easy access to a huge variety of terrain and plenty of fun activities away from the slopes, including the legendary apres-ski and nightlife.
Val d’Isere could be another option, although watch out if there are nervous intermediates or beginners as the runs down into resort should be avoided.
Best for Groups with Non-Skiers
If you’re looking for a French ski resort which will keep the skiers and snowboarders entertained as well as offering nice activities for non-skiers, then Courchevel Le Praz is a great option as it’s so pretty with forest walks.
It’s easy to meet up with the group on the hill using a pedestrian pass. Chamonix would be another option as it has a large town with lots of shops.
Planning your Ski trip to the French Alps
Best Time to go Skiing in French Alps
The ski season in the French Alps mainly runs from early December until late April. In ski resorts with glaciers you’ll find that the resorts open late November (eg. Val Thorens) and stay open until early May.
The best time to go on a ski holiday is from mid December until mid April, for good snow. If you’re looking to ski powder, January is your best bet, but if it’s sunshine you want then try March or April.
February in the middle is very reliable for snow, you get the best of both worlds! Make an escape to the mountains before Christmas and you’ll find the ‘First Tracks’ weeks to be quiet, you’ll have the mountains to yourselves along with a few locals.
The atmosphere in French ski resorts turns all sparkly and magical over Christmas and New Year, with fireworks and Père Noël.
How to get to the French Alps
For the Northern Alps resorts (Chamonix, Les 3 Valleys, Espace Killy, Paradiski) then you can fly to Geneva in Switzerland, or Lyon or Grenoble, as well as nearby Chambery in France. At Ski Magic we offer airport transfers from these airports in our licensed minibus.
Alternatively you could also check out Turin/Milan and travel across the Italian border by train, coach or transfer.
For the Southern French Alps (Serre Chevalier, Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes) then Grenoble is the best airport. For Isola 2000, you could even fly into Nice.
Coming by train? For the Espace Killy and Paradiski resorts then get your ski train all the way to Bourg St Maurice. For the Three Valleys, or Champagny, Pralognan and Valmorel, get off the stop before at Moutiers-Salins, just 20 minutes drive from La Tania (ask us for Ski Magic transfers!)
Self driving to the French Alps isn’t too complicated, with autoroutes most of the way through France. Click for more info on driving to the Alps.
Ski Magic tip: book ski passes, ski lessons and childcare well in advance of your stay in the French Alps, especially during peak weeks. You can also reserve your ski hire in advance too.
Summary
The Northern and Southern French Alps offer some of the World’s very best skiing, with excellent snow coverage and up to around 3000m altitude.
The best French Alps resorts offer winter holidays to suit all types of skier or snowboarder, whether you’re looking for epic high peak adventures, cruisey blues and long lunches, cross country skiers, freestylers, and even for people who just want to enjoy the mountains and snow in winter.
There are pretty villages and wood-clad chalets, great value apartments, smart hotels, efficient lift systems, plenty of entertainment and activities, and of course, excellent French restaurants from homely to fancy, and apres-ski and nightlife for those who love to party until dawn.
Discover magical experiences like ice skating, husky sledding and tandem paragliding, and above all – enjoy the endless white mountain peaks on offer in the French Alps, miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
FAQS
Is there snow in the French Alps?
There is snow in the French Alps from late November until early May. The highest ski resorts and those with glaciers are open for this period, with other resorts following at the beginning of December and closing in late April.
How high are the French Alps?
Mont Blanc measures 4810m high and is situated in the town of Chamonix. Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys is the highest ski resort at 2300m, with its highest run at 3230m.
How to get to French Alps?
Travel by plane to Geneva, Lyon, Chambery, Grenoble to get to the French Alps.
Is Chamonix in the French Alps?
Yes, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is located in the Northern French Alps. It also borders Switzerland and Italy.
Where are the French Alps located?
The French Alps are located on the Eastern border of France, and this mountain range crosses the border into Italy and Switzerland.
Are the French Alps open for skiing?
The French Alps open for skiing between late November and early May each year.
