France has a lot to offer as a tourist and holiday destination. It has culture, history, stunning beaches, beautiful countryside, thousands of vineyards and of course mountains. When people think of the French Alps, they think of skiing and the options are as diverse as the country itself. So where is a good place to ski? Here are our top 5 French Ski Resorts.
1) Courchevel
Courchevel is part of the three valleys are of the French Alps and is linked to Val Thorens and Meribel. It has 100 miles of slopes which is suitable for all abilities from beginner to advanced. It is a very large ski resort and comprises high end areas such as 1850 and the slightly more “affordable” 1650. It has a good range of 5 star luxury ski chalets and is popular with the worlds rich and famous.
There is a good buzz at night with great dining, clubs and restaurants as well as some exclusive shopping and leisure activities other than skiing such as spas and massage.
2) Chamonix
This is one of the oldest ski resorts in the French Alps and hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1924. Mont Blanc makes for a beautiful scenery on the long wide slopes with skiing for all abilities with some pistes being quite steep for the more advanced skiers. It has over 145 skip slopes which spread over around 100 miles and is made up of 8 separate areas in the valley and a great cable car ride can take you from the very bottom to the peak wioth stunning views.
It is easy to get around and there is a selection of chalets and hotels ranging from budget to luxury.
3) Meribel
Along with Courchevel and Val Thorens Meribel is part of the three valleys. It is a famous and very popular resort with a fantastic nightlife. There are cross country skiing trails as well as perfect slopes for boarders but it is the advanced and intermediate skiers that will really enjoy Meribel. However, there are always to lessons to get your ski skills up to scratch.
Other activities include heli skiing, spas, hot air ballooning, glacier trips and the many restaurants in the town.
4) Val d’Isere
This resort hosted many of the 1992 Olympic events and is popular with skiers and boarders of all ages and still is a popular venue for the world cup winter sports. It is a huge resort which enables all abilities to ski or board the level they are most comfortable with. It has numerous bars and restaurants too so the après ski is lively too and therefore attracts many younger holiday makers.
Of course there are many other resorts to choose from in France, but those are our top 4 and the one we would go for as first choice would be Courchevel. The best thing to do is to find out for yourself and book one of our featured best resorts that suits your needs.
Check out this ski map of France to see all the resorts.
