Discover the best places to ski in France, whether you’re skiing with friends, and family or looking for the adventure of a lifetime. Grab your skis and let’s go.
Well-known and traditional ski resorts such as Chamonix or Megève are located in Haute Savoie (Upper Savoie). The Haute-Savoie Alps are the northernmost part of the French Alps. Almost all of the ski resorts in Haute Savoie offer a magnificent view of the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc. The entire Mont Blanc region promises unlimited skiing and snowboarding fun on the “roof of Europe”.
Espace Killy
(1850 – 3450 m )
The Savoy Alps, the oldest ski area in the Savoy Alps stretches over three mountains and two valleys:
Espace Killy. Known after the three-time Olympic champion in Grenoble in 1968, Jean Claude Killy, Espace Killy describes the merger of the two ski areas of Val d’Isère and Tignes with its 300 km of slopes. In Tignes or the well-known winter sports resort of Val d’Isère, there are enough offers for a holiday in France for everyone. Experienced skiers, as well as beginners, will find everything their heart desires here: wide pistes, wide areas or corridors, mogul pistes, or forest paths. Due to its location and the Les Arcs weather, the ski area is guaranteed snow until May and plenty of sun is guaranteed. And after a day on the slopes, there are numerous options with bars, discos, restaurants, pubs, and even a casino, there is everything an après-skier’s heart desires.
Paradiski
(1200 – 3250 m )
This authentic French mountain village is incredibly cozy. It is less suitable for après-ski but exudes the charm of mountain solitude. Here you can enjoy the quiet streets around the baroque village church and the Savoyard-style chalets in peace and quiet. In the center, there is everything you need: a few restaurants, 2 small supermarkets, and a good bakery. The nice village atmosphere is combined with perfect skiing conditions because the gondola takes you to the ski area of La Plagne in no time at all.
The merger with Les Arcs has created a superlative new Les Arcs skiing area with over 400 kilometers of slopes. Downhill runs in the middle of forests and powder snow at over 2000 m altitude and snow is guaranteed. In the car-free Arc 1800 valley station with a view of Mont Blanc, the atmosphere is family and sporty. La Plagne With two three-thousanders, Paradiski really is at a lofty height, and its 425 km of different pistes leave nothing to be desired for both experienced skiers and beginners. La Plagne with a view of Mont Blanc includes several sports-oriented stations with entertainment at high altitudes and more family-friendly valley stations in the villages. For a surcharge, instead of the La Plagne ski pass, you can buy a ski pass for the newly created entire “Paradiski” ski area, either for individual days or for the entire week.
Trois Vallées
(1300 – 3230 m )
Charming ski village on the edge of the largest ski area in the world! This is exactly what they call “the best of both worlds”: during the day you can ski for miles on the pistes of Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Courchevel, and Méribel. And in the evening you can retreat with your family or friends to the charm of the small town, which has only 2,500 inhabitants. The Trois Vallees is the world’s largest contiguous ski area with 600 km of slopes for all levels of difficulty and offers a diverse mountain panorama and the opportunity to practice all types of skiing. 334 marked pistes connect the world-famous ski resorts of Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Meribel-Mottaret, and Courchevel. The Three Valleys (Trois Vallees) are equally popular with beginners, advanced skiers, and “pros” for skiing. The sheer countless opportunities to explore new areas of the ski area every day are unique.
Climate & best travel time for the French Alps
The French mountains are the ideal destination for skiers who long for space. The large ski areas are fully connected to one another by pistes or shuttle buses. Simply perfect for skiing in the midst of beautiful landscapes and first exploring the high mountains and then trudging through a fir forest on the same day.
In short: the French Alps are worth a visit at any time of the year! Of course, it all depends on whether you want to ski, hike or do other outdoor activities. While it gets nice and warm in the summer months, it can cool down to a crisp -14°C in winter. The months of May to September are best for hiking, mountain biking etc.
In the French Alps, you can not only ski in winter but all year round! This is how you combine fun in the snow with longer days and sunshine! The ski areas in Savoie and Haute-Savoie are particularly suitable for skiing in spring. Due to its altitude, there is a particularly long snow season here. Skiing is possible even in summer on the glaciers in Les Deux Alpes, Tignes, and Val d’Isère.
