It would be an understatement to say that the French Alps make for wonderful skiing holidays. And why not? France plays host to some of the largest ski areas in the world. You have the 3 Vallees, Portes du Soleil and Paradiski. All of them offer families and couples some amazing and diverse skiing opportunities.
France can also brag about having the biggest lift and piste networks in the world. That is why, France is a popular and most sought after choice for a ski holiday, attracting holidaymakers from around the world.
The fact that most ski resorts are accessible, interlinked, and skiers can take advantage of the wonderful French cuisine is a big plus. A lot of mountain and resort based restaurants offer international and local dishes — so you can try anything from aclette, fondue and tartiflette to some amazing cheese and wine.
Here are a couple of resorts for your French ski holiday inspiration.
Ski resort Tignes/Val d’Isère
Located in the Tarentaise, it has about 300 km of slopes. What’s good to know is that Tignes and Val d’Isère are connected by lifts and slopes to form one of the largest ski resorts in France.
The ski resort and its slopes are partially located on glaciers, and this is also an attraction for many skiers. The winter sports resort at the foot of the Pointe du Montet and the Grande Motte provides slopes of all difficulty levels. Many tourists vouch for the fact that it is fantastic for freeriding. Perhaps you may also be tempted by the fact that the men’s skiing competition for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics was held in Val d’Isère. If you are interested in the Ski World Cup, have a look at its history and what you can expect here.
And oh, there’s a fun Yeti race too! Find out more here and here.
Ski resort La Plagne (Paradiski)
While the opening times are mid December to April, this resort is often referred to as a skier’s paradise. A little piece of heaven where your skiing dreams can come true! It has 225 km of slopes and provides an array of villages, snow parks and glaciers. Add to that the 75 lifts to transport guests and you’ll feel that everything is in place for your ski holiday.
Dont miss the bobsleigh track and the machines that have been designed for tourists to go down the track — these are very unique in the world.
Ski resort Alpe d’Huez
This resort is known for its challenging slopes in the glacier area, making it very popular with those seek some adventure. Avid skiers also flock there for another reason. According to the resort’s website, its skiable area enjoys maximum exposure to the sun. Which means over seven hours of glorious sunshine in December and up to 11 hours in April!
Also good to know that the French Weather Bureau has recorded an average of 300 days’ sunshine a year at the resort!
Ski resort Les 2 Alpes
This resort, apart from its great slopes and facilities, is big on entertainment that is available throughout the year. For example, you have a music festival called the Rise Festival, then in April, you have the La Patrolette in which the Sata 2 Alpes first-aiders put their job on stage. This enjoyable event lets you discover their passion for the mountains: encounters, fun and challenges for an extraordinary day! You also have a night snow trail. Plenty of events and activities for the entire family. If the event line-up has you all intrigued, find out more about the resort and what it has to offer here.
Ski resort Saint-Lary-Soulan
This resort has three different areas or zones, and truly offers something for everyone. The first zone is known as the Saint-Lary 1700, (also called the Pla d’Adet.) It is from here that the ski lifts depart from the village, in front of most of the medium altitude accommodations. This area includes ski schools, the Piou Piou club (a snow garden), with tobogganing and snow games. There’s also a fun piste for kids.
St Lary 1900 “Espiaube” is the second zone, an intermediate area that begins at 1,650 m above sea level. It’s a transitional sector, with blue and red pistes and a sports zone. It also has a mountain restaurant which is also accessible to non-skiers. The third zone takes you upward, at an altitude above 2000m. Offering a wide range of pistes, a 360° view of the Pyrenees and lots of sunshine, it is a magnet for all kinds of holidaymakers. Find out more about what else the resort offers here.
We hope we have made things a bit easy for you — when it comes to your French ski holiday inspiration. Whatever region or resort you choose, you are bound to have so much fun; and perhaps all that is left to say is – Au revoir holidaymakers!
