Skiing in France, a guide to ski resorts in the French Alps; where and when to go

France as a winter wonderland

France is, as they say, a Land for all Seasons. While millions of people just know France in the summer months, millions more know that France also has plenty to offer those in search of winter sports. When the days get short, and the temperature falls, the mountains of France are blanketed in snow. But where are the best places to go skiing in France ? And when?
Of course, it rather depends what you are looking for - crowds, company, thrills, adrenalin surges, or just peace and tranquility, gently cruising down a mountainside, and enjoying the quiet of a winter wonderland.....

Choose a topic:	The French Alps	The French Pyrenees
Other areas	Travel to French ski resorts	When to ski in France

The mountains of France

When it comes to skiing, France is one of Europe's top destinations. It is on the French-Italian border that the Alps, Europe's greatest mountain range, reach their peak, in the eternal snows at the summit of Mont Blanc, 4,810 m (15,781 ft) above sea level.
The French Alps offer the broadest range of skiing opportunities anywhere in Europe (see below), but they are not the only mountain range in France with skiing facilities, and in some cases it may be interesting to check out the opportunities available in the Vosges, the Jura, the Massif Central and the Pyrenees (see below), all of which have fully equipped downhill and cross-country ski resorts.

Ski resorts in the French Alps

Skiing in the French Alps
   It is the Alps that offer the broadest range of resorts, and - on account of the altitude - those where the snow conditions are most reliable. Here are the main skiing areas in the French Alps.
    Les Portes du Soleil, the northernmost area, includes a dozen resorts, including Avoriaz - reputedly the capital of snowboarding - and Morzine, a long-established resort, at an altitude of 1000m, with plenty of facilities for beginners. The Morzine ski pass includes the runs at Les Gets, a resort that includes ski-runs for children only. The resort at Praz-de-Lys / Sommand is popular for the large number of easy runs.

Further south is the Chamonix - Megève sector; Chamonix, in the Savoy Alps, lying at the foot of Mont Blanc, was the original French ski resort, and for many years has been very popular with skiers from all over Europe. Today, the area around Chamonix and Megève offers the fifth largest skiing area in France. The resort at Combloux, near Megève, is reputed to have good opportunities for beginners

    Les Arcs / La Plagne in the Haute Savoie offer plenty of high mountain skiing, so can usually guarantee good snow. Les Arcs is a resolutely modern ski resort.
    Tignes / Val d'Isère is a high mountain area, with some 300 km of pistes, many of them over 2,500 metres altitude. This area offers a good number of pistes for beginners and relatively inexperienced skiers, as well as pistes for the more intrepid. With the highest pistes at over 3000 metres, this is an area where some skiing is possible almost throughout the year.
    The ski area of Les Trois Vallées (Les 3 Vallées), including the resorts of Courchevel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires, is the world's largest ski area accessible with a single pass. With 183 ski lifts, the area gives skiers access to over 600 km. of pistes - more than enough for even the most demanding of skiers. With almost 2000 snow cannons, the area is also able to guarantee that a fair number of pistes will be open even if the snow does not come in abundance.
    L'Alpe d'Huez: one of the largest resorts in the Alps, l'Alpe d'Huez offers a wide range of facilities, including plenty of slopes for beginners, and also opportunities for off-piste sking. the resort is the closest major ski area to the city of Grenoble, and therefore attracts plenty of day trippers as well as staying guests. Further west, in the Vercors area, the resort of Villard de Lans, southwest of Grenoble, is reputed as the most environment-friendly ski resort in the French Alps

    With 120 km of pistes, the southern Alpine resort of Isola 2000 is reputation of being both one of the sunniest ski resorts in France, one of the coldest, and also one of those that gets most snow. Damp winter winds off the Mediterranean can dump large quantities of snow on the high peaks of the southern Alps, while the northern Alps get little or nothing. The resort is a classic 1970s development, lying at an average altitude of 2000 metres - rising to 2,600 metres. This resort is just an hour and a half by car from the Riviera, and is therefore popular with people living in Nice and the surrounding area.

    There are plenty of other ski areas in the French Alps, but mostly smaller and for this reason often calmer, sometimes cheaper, and more family-oriented. Resorts that are based on long-existing small towns, such as La Clusaz, Aussois or Serre-Chevalier, near Briançon, offer an authentic Alpine experience.

    The big problem with Alpine skiing areas is knowing how to avoid the crowds . A great international reputation means that the main Alpine ski resorts attract millions of skiers each winter, from all over France, and all over Europe. Avoiding peak weeks can mean far less time spent waiting in queues on the slopes, or waiting to be served in the restaurant – not to mention better deals.

Dates best avoided: French school holiday periods, 2008 - 2010

Year	Christmas /New year (national dates)	Winter break (3 zones, 2 weeks each)	Spring break (3 zones, 2 weeks each)
2008-2009	20th December - 4th January	7th February - 1st March	4th April to 25th April
2009-2010	19th December - 3rd January	13th February - 7th March	10th April to 2nd May

Click here for holiday dates by zone

Generally less well-known, the other French mountain ranges tend to attract a far less international clientele, and for this reason their slopes are often not just less crowded, but relatively quiet outside the French school holiday periods - except at weekends.