The Most Popular Ski Resorts in France

If you think France is all about Paris and the Louvre, you've never been to this beautiful country in winter. After all, in addition to lavender fields and delicious croissants, it is famous for the best ski resorts in Europe. The fabulous Alps are known for their long slopes and are a real paradise for skiing enthusiasts.

The advantage of ski resorts in this country is their modern infrastructure. Beginners and experienced skiers, freestylers, and snowboarders will find perfect slopes here - no wonder the local European mountain trails have repeatedly hosted world-class competitions.

In this publication, we will tell you about the best ski resorts in France that offer an exemplary European vacation.

Courchevel

Perhaps the most famous ski resort in the world, the name of which has become synonymous with luxury and royalty. Courchevel has 68 km of groomed slopes and 17 km of hiking trails for varying difficulty. Tourists are offered a glacier hike, tobogganing (a special part of the toboggan run with a length of more than 2 km), bobsledding, ice skating, snow safaris, hot air ballooning, horseback riding, and helicopter tours. This ski resort has the only high-altitude airport in Europe.

The nerest "standard" airport is 140 kilometers away in Geneva, where a bus ride will cost about 70 yen (a helicopter flight to the high-altitude site costs 2,000 yen).

The season lasts from December to March. For ski and snowboard enthusiasts, there is a large selection of slopes with stable and even snow cover. Beginners should choose the green and blue slopes in the Pralon and Belcote areas, while more experienced skiers choose the red and black slopes in the La Vizelle area. The professional pistes are located in the Col du Pas du Lac and Les Aval areas. Some of them are hidden in the forest, which allows you to ski in windy, snowy weather.

Accommodation at the ski resort is expensive - a 2-3* hotel at an average altitude will cost 120 euros, and at the "peaks," - more than 179 euros.

Courchevel has hundreds of boutiques, cafes, cinemas, etc. On the eve of the winter holidays, it shines in half of Europe, it is decorated with illumination, and tourists are offered a lot of entertainment - festivals, Santa Claus, winter balls and competitions, a pyrotechnics festival, and a ski circus. We are not sure if this essay help you motivate you to go on a trip to Courchevel, but we are confident that you will not be left indifferent to this resort.

Meribel

This ski resort is located in the center of the Three Valleys, which are surrounded by the spires of the Alps. This area is considered the largest ski area in the world, combining the naivety of old French villages with modern hotels. Part of the mountain complex is located on the territory of the European Vanuaz National Park.

The resort boasts 600 km of groomed trails and 180 ski lifts. By the way, part of the 1992 Winter Olympics took place on these slopes.

The season lasts from December to almost the end of March.

The nearest airport is 102 kilometers away in Chambéry, and you'll have to pay 55 yen for a transfer from there. Maribel will appeal to alpine skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing enthusiasts. There are 150 km of trails and 58 ski lifts.

Beginner pistes are located in the Altiport and Rond-Poix areas, with snow cannons at the end of the pistes that cover the surface almost to the hotel entrances. Intermediate skiers can ski in the Pas du Lac and Platier areas, while professionals choose the serious pistes of Mont Valognes and the La Fas Olympic track. There is also 33 km of cross-country skiing and two snowboarding tracks.

A special feature of the ski resort is that once a week a fair with goodies and souvenirs comes here. In addition, there are other entertainment options: a sports complex, a skating rink, water slides, go-karts, snowmobiles, bowling, karaoke, and skydiving lessons. The nearby village has an observatory, many discos, and bars. Hotel room rates start from 100 euros.

Val d'Isere

A ski resort that grew up around an ancient village in a river valley. Even today, the center of the village still features an ancient bell tower and stone churches dating back to the 11th century.

The nearest airport is 140 km away in Chambéry, but it is more convenient to get there from Geneva. The season lasts from October to the end of March.

Experienced skiers also choose mountain vacations here, but the resort is a real paradise for beginners and families with children.

There are 15 ski schools in Val d'Isere and a "children's village" - a huge complex for children from 1.5 years old.

However, in 1992, Val d'Isere hosted a part of the Olympics and 10 years ago, the World Alpine Ski Championships. The resort has 90 trails, the longest of which stretches for 7.5 km. For beginners, the Solas and Col de l'Iseran zones with green and blue slopes are recommended, while the Olympic slopes are suitable for professionals. Cross-country ski trails, a half-pipe, and a fun park also exist.

The ski resort also offers other types of entertainment - bars, discos, restaurants, spas, cooking schools, confectioneries, a water center, a sports complex, and an outdoor skating rink. Accommodation ranges from hostels to 5-star hotels, with room rates in 3-star hotels ranging from 85 euros.

Chamonix

Chamonix is the capital of the first Winter Olympics, which took place back in 1924. This oldest ski resort is located in the Alps on the border with Switzerland and has excellent infrastructure. Chamonix offers a lot of entertainment: tobogganing, mountain fat-biking, or dog sledding. There is also something to see besides the mountains - guests are treated to traditional Savoyard dishes.

The nearest airport to the ski hotel is 80 km away in Geneva, from where it is easy to find a bus transfer or book train tickets. The bus ride will cost about 30 yen, train tickets 20-25 yen, and then you need to change to public transport (3 yen) in the town.

The season lasts from December to March, with ski areas starting at an altitude of 2 thousand meters. Chamonix has more than 70 pistes of varying difficulty, all the slopes are equipped with lifts, and there are cable cars to the nearest settlements.

In the Les Houches area, most pistes are designed for amateurs and beginners, while Breven and Leger have challenging black and red runs, and snowboarding areas are on the peaks. The most challenging part of the ski resort is located in the Le Grand Morte area, where the longest piste is 22 km long. The last zone, Le Tour - Col de Balme, borders Switzerland, is lowered by traverses, and is located on the windy side.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nurlana Alasgarli           

Content Specialist

Nurlana Alasgarli is a professional copywriter with more than 6 years of creative writing experience. Having lived and experienced all over the world, there are many writing genres that Nurlana follows, including adventure, outdoor and winter sports. Nurlana brings life to content creation, captivating her readers.