Of all of the reasons to visit France, to skiing the French Alps must be a seriously good one. After all, France remains resoundingly popular among British holiday makers, and when one considers the variety of skiing on offer in the country as well as how well-equipped its resorts are, that should not perhaps be a great surprise.
Here are some of the top ski resorts in France that we reckon you should check out.
Serre Chevalier
This is the name applied to a series of villages along the road from the Briancon garrison town. It’s smaller than some of the resorts further north, but definitely makes up for that with plenty of Gallic character and a relaxed vibe. It’s also a very friendly place, and we haven’t even yet mentioned the slopes themselves. Largely intermediate, there are some 250km of them to be explored.
Meribel
With thousands of people migrating there each winter, there’s no question that Meribel has plenty of appeal – especially to the party crowd. As you might expect, along with the great skiing, there are some great bars, like Le Poste de Secours. In addition, there are various fine quality chalets to choose from for those that are willing to spend a bit more on their French ski break.
Chamonix
Few ski resorts are better established than Chamonix; in the shadow of Mont Blanc, where you’ll find tourists all year round. Wherever you stand, you’ll get to enjoy stunning views, with lots of very tough terrain to explore. Befitting its busy feel as a town, Chamonix also gives you a wide choice of affordable hotels.
Les Gets
The Portes du Soleil ski area stretches for some 650km, and within it, you’re unlikely to find a village that is better suited to those with children than Les Gets. You get to enjoy not only a 1,172m altitude, but also gorgeous alpine surroundings in general, which you can enjoy from one of the modern chalets that have been developed nearby.
Tignes
For maximum snow reliability, choose Tignes, where you can ski for 10 months of the year. It’s also the place to look for some of the continent’s best piste grooming.
These are just some of the best French ski resorts to explore – with others including Courchevel (a good choice for beginners) and the pretty Trois Vallees destination of St Martin-de-Belleville – the latter not a bad place to bring your partner, we reckon!
