Photo: La Folie Douce Val d’Isere – © Gilles Riou / Top Snow Travel
Top French Ski Resorts To Celebrate New Year’s Eve
Spending New Year’s Eve in the French Alps is pretty special. You are surrounded by like-minded people out for a good time. But the stunning landscapes, snow-covered peaks and events make the experience magical.
You cannot help but get into the spirit of things when you spend New Year’s Eve in a French ski resort. The resorts, bars, restaurants and hotels really know how to put on a party.
You can have an incredible time on the mountain during the day, before experiencing all the après and nightlife. How hard you go is up to you. You can party all night or take it easy and make the most of the quiet slopes the following morning while everyone else is nursing their hangovers.
In this article, we will highlight our favourite French ski resorts to celebrate new year’s eve.
Val d’Isère
Val d’Isère is one of the most famous and picturesque ski resorts in the French Alps. At first glance, you would be forgiven that it is a pretty and tranquil village. Its beautiful Savoyard chalets and high-end hotels are wonderful places to stay.
But, Val D’isère is one of the wildest ski resorts in the French Alps. Many ski resorts put on one big party in the streets. But Val D’Isère has so many bars, nightclubs and restaurants that you are spoiled for choosing where to go for New Year’s Eve.
Each venue in Val D’Isère celebrates New Year’s Eve in its own way. Therefore, you can choose to take it easy or party until 5am. You can even get the party started by dropping into La Folie Douce, a daytime nightclub on the slopes.
In the evening, you can be entertained by big-name DJs in Doudoune and Dick’s Tea Bar. These are Val D’Isère’s main nightclubs, but you will need to buy tickets in advance, especially if you want to reserve an exclusive table.
But, if you don’t fancy either of these, there are plenty of other venues to choose from. A great alternative is Le Petit Danois for a buzzing night, thanks to a high energy crowd and DJs.
On New Year’s Day, you can explore the enormous ski area that links up with neighbouring resort, Tignes. Alternatively, if you feel a little delicate, you can enjoy the wellness facilities in one of the incredible luxury chalets and hotels.
You could also head to the Centre Aquasportif. This is Val D’Isère’s leisure facility with a gym, a couple of swimming pools and a wellness centre. Here you can relax in the jacuzzis, saunas and a steam room until you feel more human again.
Val D’isère is one of the wildest ski resorts in the French Alps
Tignes
Tignes is famous for putting on one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in the French Alps. It is actually the largest free outdoor party in Europe with big names from the entertainment world, such as David Guetta.
The New Year’s Eve party takes place on the snow front in Tignes Le Lac. This area is perfect, as it is large, but it also gives you a great view of the incredible fireworks display at midnight.
This outdoor party is terrific, but you need to remember to bring your own drinks. You need some fizz to pop at the stroke of midnight to see in the New Year!
Once the outdoor party is over, or you just fancy going somewhere warmer, you can head to Loop Bar or Cave de Loop. These bars are right next to the party, but you also have lots of choices in Tignes Lavachet to finish up your night.
For an alternative night, you may want to head to Dropzone or enjoy some live music at Couloir.
As New Year’s Eve is such a big deal in Tignes, you won’t see many people on the mountain until lunchtime on New Year’s Day. This means you can enjoy fantastic snow without waiting too long in the lift queues.
If the visibility isn’t too good, you can head down to Tignes Les Brevieres or over to Val D’Isere for some tree-lined runs.
Tignes is famous for putting on one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties in the French Alps
Méribel
Méribel is a gorgeous ski resort between the Courchevel and Belleville valleys in the 3 Valleys ski area. It provides the perfect blend of the amenities of a modern ski resort and traditional alpine charm.
It is a very family-friendly ski resort, with excellent childcare and ski schools. Therefore, parents have several options to enjoy New Year’s Eve in one of the top French ski resorts.
One way you can celebrate New Year’s Eve in Méribel is right in your chalet. Many of Méribel’s chalets have mountain views, so the resort puts on a huge firework display visible from most balconies.
The display is to music and is set off from the Tougnète ski lift mid-station at midnight. You can also see a torchlit descent in Méribel Mottaret, Méribel Chaudanne and Méribel Village at 6:30pm.
In addition to all this, Mottaret sees a DJ that plays party tunes from the last 30 years for free. But there are plenty of other ways to see in the new year indoors.
A day exploring the 3 Valleys will give you an appetite; luckily, Méribel has many excellent restaurants. Many of them put on special menus for Christmas and New Year and entertainment.
It is best to book your table in advance, as New Year’s Eve is popular in all ski resorts. For some of the best restaurants in Méribel, head to La Fromagerie, Kiki Restaurant, or Le Cepe.
The food in these restaurants is fantastic. The special menus will likely feature turkey, oysters, and foie gras, as they are all common at this time of year. These all go down well with a few glasses of Champagne.
Another way to enjoy New Year’s Eve in Méribel is with live music. The live music scene in Méribel is great all winter, but it is at its best at New Year.
There are many excellent pubs with live music to choose from. However, you should find out which ones require you to buy a ticket in advance to avoid disappointment. You may want to check out Jack’s Bar, La Folie Douce, and Barometer Bar.
For a more relaxed evening with a classy atmosphere, check out Bar La Taverne, the Den Bar, and Le Grand Café des Pistes. These are all tasteful places to have a few drinks in to welcome the new year.
If you fancy hitting the dancefloor, you can be sure of a great time at O’Sullivan’s Bar and Nightclub and Le Rond Point Bar.
For those who manage to wake up on New Year’s Day fresh and raring to go, you have a lot to keep you happy. The 3 Valleys is one of the largest ski areas in the world, with 600km of marked slopes. So while everyone else is chilling out in their chalets, you can explore the quiet pistes.
One way you can celebrate New Year’s Eve in Méribel is right in your chalet. Many of Méribel’s chalets have mountain views, so the resort puts on a huge firework display visible from most balconies.
Courchevel
Courchevel is located in the 3 Valleys and is well-known for being a high-end resort, earning it the title of St Tropez on snow. With such a high profile, Courchevel makes sure its discerning guests are not left wanting.
You can expect luxury accommodation and incredible bars and restaurants; some have Michelin stars. Therefore, you are guaranteed to have an excellent trip, especially for New Year.
The big countdown sees crowds descend on the town centre. This is not an official event but more of an annual tradition. As the clock strikes 12, corks and fireworks fill the sky in celebration.
If you head over to Courchevel 1850, you can join in the fun on the piste by the La Croisette building. The party kicks off at 9pm with a DJ and a whole host of performers and the obligatory firework display at midnight.
However, Courchevel has an extensive range of restaurants and bars, perfect for New Year’s celebrations, from pizzerias to Michelin starred restaurants.
There are always New Year’s parties at Courchevel’s fantastic après ski venues. You can head to Les Caves for a classy nightclub scene or Le Bubble Bar for a fun atmosphere.
The ski area is extensive with 150km of runs with plenty of variety for all skill levels. You also have access to the rest of the 3 Valleys, so you can visit the other resorts and see what they have to offer all in one trip.
From off-piste open bowls to perfectly groomed runs and tree skiing, you will love Courchevel ski area
Final Thoughts
The French really know how to throw a New Year’s Eve party. The various bars, restaurants and clubs also push the boat out to ensure you can have the best New Year’s Eve possible.
Visiting the French Alps during the festive season is special. It is made more fun by the locals and the visitors they get from all over the world.