Accommodation

  • Features

Resorts

  • Resort Features

Accommodation

  • Features

Resorts

  • Resort Features

Val d’Isere (Val d’Isere-Tignes)

The charming French village of Val d’Isère is one of Europe’s most popular ski resorts. The historical village is built around stone farmhouses. It has an 11th century church and a bell tower built in the 1600s. Val d’Isere is linked to Tignes to create the huge 300-kilometre Val d’Isère-Tignes ski area.

Avoriaz 1800 (Portes du Soleil)

Horse-drawn sleighs are the only vehicles at this family-friendly, pedestrian–only village in the middle of the Portes du Soleil ski domain. The location in the Portes du Soleil gives access to 650 km of runs from France to Switzerland, all without unstrapping your skis. Avoriaz gets an average of 8 metres of snow each winter making it the snowiest ski resort in France and in the top 10 in Europe. With reliable snow falls and plenty of sunshine

Meribel (3 Valleys)

With wood clad and chalet-style buildings, it is one of the most tastefully designed of all French purpose-built ski resorts, with lots of fun for families and great nightlife. Méribel consists of 3 villages between 1400m and 1750m altitude situated in the heart of the Three Valleys ski domain with its 600km of piste.

Courchevel (3 Valleys)

Courchevel is nestled in the heart of the French Alps, in the upper part of the Tarentaise Valley. The ski resort has 6 pretty villages which gradually appear as you round each corner of a pretty zig-zag mountain road, surrounded by forests and breath-taking views. The 6 villages are connected by ski lifts or free shuttle buses and form a single ski-in / ski-out resort.

Val Thorens (3 Valleys)

Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe at 2,300 metres. Val Thorens is known for its high-quality, dry snow and long season, which usually runs from November to May. Catching the cable car up to Роіntе dе Тhоrеns, the highest point in The Three Valleys аt 3,266 metres, is an experience to remember. You will be greeted on arrival with spectacular panoramic views of the French, Swiss and Italian alps.

Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Chamonix lies at the foot of Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s tallest mountain at 4,810 metres. It has a reputation for challenging skiing both on and off-piste. It boasts the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, which takes passengers from the bustling town of Chamonix at 1,035 metres in the valley to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 metres.

La Plagne (Paradiski)

La Plagne is the most popular ski resort in the world with more than 2.5 million visitors a season on average. La Plagne is a modern ski resort offering variety through its collection of 11 small concentric villages, each having a different appeal to visitors. The ski resort spans the valley and its river, with the snow-capped peaks of the Alps as the backdrop. Each of the 11 villages has its own personality. One caters specifically to families, another comes alive after

Les Arcs (Paradiski)

Situated in the heart of the Alps, facing Mont-Blanc, Les Arcs ski resort is a collection of 4 purpose-built villages constructed in the 1960s and 70s at different altitudes: Arc 2000, Arc 1950, Arc 1800, Arc 1600, all connected to the valley village of Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Les Gets (Portes du Soleil)

Families are increasingly discovering this former farming village which centres around an ice-skating rink with a free toy-like train running through it. Les Gets is a picturesque traditional village perfectly suited for families or friends with beginner to intermediate ski levels.

Megeve (Evasion Mont-Blanc)

The car-free medieval farming town of Megeve has cobblestone streets encircling a 1000-year-old church. Adding to its charm are horse-drawn sleigh rides, traditional markets each Friday and visits to a nearby deer farm.

Tignes (Tignes-Val d’Isere)

Unlike historic Val d’Isère, Tignes is a purpose-built French ski resort at 3,656 metres. It is set around a natural lake fed by the Grande Motte glacier in the Espace Killy ski area. A free shuttle bus runs between its five villages.

Valmorel (Le Grand Domaine)

Valmorel is a purpose-built family ski resort set around a charming pedestrian-only village and decorated with fairy lights at night. Built in the 1970s, it consists of five villages – Valmorel, Doucy, Nâves, Celliers and LaLéchère-Les-bains – which are connected by shuttle buses and a cable car.

Le Grand Bornand (Aravis)

Le Grand Bornand is a family-friendly resort situated in the mountains behind Lake Annecy, between Mont Blanc and Lyon. It is the leading farming township of the region and home to a traditional Savoyard village dotted with wooden chalets, the oldest of which was built in 1664.

Alpe d’Huez (Grand Domaine)

Alpe d’Huez has a longer season than many other French resorts due it’s high altitude and situation on the southern flank of the Grandes Rousses Massif. The village itself lies at 1,450 metres, while the ski slopes rise from 1,860 to 3,330 metres. The resort is known for getting 300 days of sunshine per year and is home to the longest ski run in the world, the 16-kilometre Sarenne.

La Rosiere (Espace San Bernardo)

The purpose-built, La Rosière is the most low-key resort in the Tarentaise Valley. It lies at the same altitude as Val d’Isère and Courchevel (1,850 metres), but just doesn’t have the same crowds. It is a great affordable destination for families, and for those who like the idea of popping over the border to Italy for pizza and pasta.

TOP 15 FRENCH SKI RESORTS

Did you know that France has over 350 ski resorts?

Some of these iconic destinations have played a big part in the history of skiing, snowboarding and other mountain sports.
The wide selection of French ski resorts means that there is something for everyone.

At Top Snow Travel, we have first-hand experience of many of these destinations, allowing us to select for you the very best France has to offer. This post will highlight the 15 best ski resorts in France, so you don’t have to spend hours trawling through the internet trying to find the right resort for you. We will give you a short overview of each resort and its unique qualities.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT FRENCH SKI RESORTS?

French ski resorts are popular for many reasons. Some of these may surprise you; for example, the French Alps are home to some of the world’s largest ski areas. Tignes-Val d’Isere, Portes du Soleil, Grand Massif, Mont Blanc, 3 Valleys and Paradiski are just a few of the vast ski areas available to you.

As there are so many ski resorts in France, they are all competing with each other. Therefore each resort does its best to attract guests. You can expect affordable prices, modern ski lift systems, superb facilities, and a wide range of activities to do.

Many of the best ski resorts in France have been, or are being updated. Therefore, gorgeous accommodation options, fine dining restaurants and trendy nightspots are abundant in the French Alps.

The best French ski resorts are also pretty easy to get to, thanks to their proximity to airports and train stations. If you have a car, you can even use it to visit other resorts to get the ultimate experience during your stay. Some of these ski areas straddle borders, so you can see France, Italy or Switzerland all in one day.

French ski resorts all offer different experiences to suit what you want from your trip. Do you want a family-friendly, laid back resort in a traditional alpine village? Or do you want a high-altitude resort with lively nightlife and a more contemporary feel?
Maybe you want something in between? Whatever you want, France has you covered.

The Best Ski Resorts In France

Here is our rundown of the top 15 best ski resorts in France and what you can expect from each one.
This will help you decide which French ski resort is best for you.