A Guide to the French Ski Resorts

Skiing has a long and illustrious history. Norwegian cave paintings depicting skiers, indicate that ancient civilizations enjoyed racing down snowy mountaintops as long ago as 2500 BC! These days the equipment may be far more modern, but the concept is the same and the sport’s popularity is showing no signs of waning. France is probably one of the world’s favourite ski locations, but if you’re going for the first time, or you’re not sure of where to try next, how do you know where to book? With that question in mind, we’ve put together a guide to the top French ski resorts for you.

La Plagne
Located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoine , La Plagne spreads across four communes and has 11 resorts. With over one hundred slopes that measure at 225km, it offers slopes for every level of skier. It’s also great for moonlit skiing!

Val Thorens
Found in Tarentiase Valley Savoine, it is home to the highest altitude resort in Europe, known for its quality snow and state of the art ski-lifts. Most of the ski area is above 2000 ft. And there are over 600km of slopes, to suit all levels. You’ll find a vibrant nightlife here that includes bars and restaurants and even a concert every Tuesday night! There’s a cinema and bowling facilities too, so it’s also perfect for families.

Tignes
With an area made up 300 kilometres of ski runs located at various altitudes between 1,550 metres and 3,450 metres, the Tignes resort offers a fine balance to suit both novices and more experienced skiers. For recreation here you can enjoy sledging pistes, which are great for the kids, a cinema, several bars, restaurants and a nightclub.

Ports du Soleil
Located at the heart of the French Alps, Ports du Soleil offers a unique skiing experience. Referred to as a ski safari, you’ll have the chance to explore 12 linked resorts on either side of the French-Swiss border. There are 285 slopes to choose from, clocking in at 400km, as well as 90 slope side restaurants for when you work up an appetite across this vast area.

Avoriaz Morzine
Morzine is a village in the heart of the Portes du Soleil region, with the ski resort Avroiaz situated within the commune region of Morzine.The two areas have combined, over 100 slopes and ski lifts, with a moderate mix of advanced and intermediate levels. They total 286 runs that cover 650km, with numerous snow parks and half pipes offering a great mix depending on your skiing needs. It offers great amenities for those looking to bring children, including playgrounds, kids ski clubs and a nursery for toddlers.

Les Gets
A beautifully scenic mountain village located between Geneva Lake and Mont-Blanc, Les Gets enjoys a height of between 1172-2002 metres. Very much suited to skiers of all levels, this resort offers a range of slopes, that are friendly and welcoming to all. The resort includes 650 km of pistes, 195 lifts and 243 km of cross-country skiing. There’s even a golf course!

Chamonix
Situated in the north western area of the Alps and close to borders of both Italy and Switzerland, Chamonix is a mountain village found at an altitude of 1035 metres. With numerous things to do and see in and around the town, you wont struggle to find something to do here. Hiking, paintballing and even a helicopter ride around the nearby Mount-Blanc are just a few of the many leisure activities available to you.

Not forgetting the slopes, Chamonix is home to various ski areas all made for different levels of skiers. Notably The Grands Montets, which will allow you to ski from some of the greatest heights in the world, however, it’s not one for beginners!

The Three Valleys Resort
This is the worlds largest ski area all linked together through ski lifts and runs, clocking over 600km of slopes. The three resorts are Courcheval, which is made up of five villages at various altitudes, Meribel, which is home to five of its own resorts all and Les Menules. In a nutshell, Courcheval is one for the gourmets, boasting as it does, 7 Michelin star chefs, Meribel is perfect for those seeking a quiet quaint location. And Les Menules is one for the die-hard skiers, those who are seeking thrills and action.

Our travel partners Club Med and Mark Warner both offer fantastic all inclusive & half board ski deals at these resorts, which can be booked through Aspen Travel. Please give us a call to find out more.