Alpe d’Huez
Many skiers won’t be familiar with this resort, but it has plenty to offer. The location of Grenoble Airport ensures that you land just an hour away from the slopes. And the slopes themselves offer a great array of runs for skiers of all abilities.
If you make it right to the top of the mountain the views are more than worth the climb. A lot of France can be seen on a good day. The resort is also well set up for enjoying the evenings once you have come back off the slopes. With a wide array of restaurants to enjoy an evening meal in, the only problem is being spoilt for choice!
There are also a couple of snowparks to explore – one of which is designed specifically for beginners. The other one is ideal for the experienced skier, so be sure you walk into the right one.
Les Arcs
Some people like to visit an all round resort which has a good mix of slopes for every standard of skier. Les Arcs certainly fits the bill in this department, and while the gentle slopes are perfect for the nervous among us, the design of the mountain guarantees that the experts won’t feel left out either.
This area is actually four resorts in one too, so it’s somewhat unique among many other resorts. The new 1950 area is the newest of the four, and so tends to attract more attention as people start to explore it for the first time. Beginners should head for Arc 1800 though, as this is more pleasant and easier going for those with only the most basic of skills.
This is a lively resort but it’s also well suited to families with children. With more than forty restaurants you won’t have any trouble grabbing a bite to eat in the evenings either.
Avoriaz
If you think a ski resort with no cars is something of a dream, head to Avoriaz to see the reality. This resort is ideal for beginners on their first skiing holiday – and not just because over half the runs on offer are suited to them. There are more than three hundred slopes in total though, so most skiers will find something to get their teeth into.
The village itself is suitably placed and allows for a ski in, ski out freedom that not many other resorts can offer to this degree. It has a real charm of its own too – not least because there is a warren of tunnels underneath the town that will come in handy if it’s snowing really hard.
There is only one nightclub so if you are looking for extensive après-ski then it might not meet your requirements. But for those who like a different restaurant every night plus a nice selection of bars, it’s hard to be disappointed.
Chamonix
Chamonix is perhaps one of the best known resorts in France. It is also very well known for its stunning location, nestling right at the bottom of the grand Mont Blanc mountain. You could simply sit and drink in the views for a week and never get bored, and that’s one of the advantages of this resort.
Many ski resorts have lost their traditional and quaint looks as they have developed to accommodate more and more skiers, but thankfully Chamonix doesn’t fall into this group. It is also well known for being a thriving centre for the après-ski scene, and it’s perfectly possible to have a great week away without going skiing at all when you stay here.
The resort is more for experienced skiers than beginners, although there are a handful of good ski schools for people who want to start learning here. And for those with kids to think about, the crèche will come in handy too.
Courchevel
If you’ve never ventured into Courchevel before, you might be intrigued to know that four resorts fall under this name. As with Les Arcs they are all numbered, so you’ve got the rather unattractively named 1300, 1550, 1650 and 1850. But those ‘names’ are the only unattractive thing about these resorts.
All four areas are ideal for beginners though, and you might find that the best resort for you is chosen with regard to how much it costs to stay there. Be prepared to pay big bucks for staying in the 1850 resort; you can get a much cheaper stay simply by heading over to 1650 instead – although all the others are cheaper to some degree.
The location you choose will also depend on what you want to do when you’re not skiing. 1850 is not only the most expensive one, it is also the après-ski centre. Go elsewhere for a more relaxing experience!
Les Deux Alpes
If the idea of visiting a huge snowpark (the biggest one in the whole of Europe in fact) appeals to you, then head for Les Deux Alpes. This is the place to come if you want to ski on a glacier and have plenty of après-ski to look forward to in the evenings as well. There are more bars here than there are restaurants, so it’s not the most family friendly of resorts if you have kids in tow.
With that said though, beginners should have a great time here, as its location is well suited for offering plenty of easier runs. For the other more advanced skiers there is plenty to look forward to off piste as well.
If you have a little experience and confidence, don’t neglect Pied Moutet nearby. This has some wonderful slopes on offer for the more adventurous skiers. Make sure you pick a suitable run though as there are plenty of diverse ones on offer.
La Grave
This isn’t a resort that many skiers will have heard of. And there is a good reason for that. This isn’t for the beginners, and it’s not suitable for intermediate skiers either. This is for the experienced skiers who know exactly what they are looking for from a challenging and enjoyable skiing holiday.
In actual fact, La Grave isn’t really a resort at all. This is natural, beautiful and challenging snow at its best. This should really be regarded as the ultimate test of the very best skiers – there is no way you should even consider it for a holiday unless you’ve tried all the black runs elsewhere. If you look at it with a sense of fun then you’re really courting danger – it’s that extreme.
If you know what you are doing and you are familiar with the area you are going to tackle, then you will love it. But those are the only circumstances where you should even think about giving it a try.
Meribel
This is one of those ski resorts in France that we Britons love. It’s also pretty good for all types and styles of skier, although there is no doubt that beginners to the sport will enjoy it the most. The area has the benefit of enjoying the sun all day too, so it is a pleasant and enjoyable resort to familiarise yourself with.
There are plenty of bars here and twice as many restaurants, plus a few nightclubs to keep things ticking along too. It’s also got plenty more to offer if you get bored of skiing and want to do something different. There are some amazing walks that should only be embarked upon if you have a camera to commit the views to your photo album.
There are nearly three hundred runs to enjoy that are scattered all over the mountain, and you don’t need to head to the top to get the best of them either.
Morzine
This resort is further down the mountain than the previously mentioned Avoriaz, but it’s not so far away that you couldn’t head there as well to enjoy more possibilities from a skiing holiday in the area.
It’s well placed for beginners to get going though, and if a lack of snow locally is a problem you can simply head to Avoriaz to enjoy more of the white stuff. Chamossiere is an attractive opportunity for the experienced skiers to strut their stuff, while there is a lot going on off piste as well.
The tourist accommodation can be found dotted all round the resort, with enough hotels to suit every type of budget. From luxury to basic, you won’t be disappointed with the variety on offer. It might be a smallish resort but it doesn’t skimp on the amount of restaurants and bars you can choose from in the evenings.
La Plagne
This is an area rather than a resort, as it has several resorts lying within it. As such, while it offers the best opportunities to those with a little more experience, there is something for everyone to enjoy on the slopes here too.
There are actually ten separate villages here, giving you plenty of choices when it comes to deciding where you want to stay. There is a huge selection of chalets as well as hotels, so whether you want to go self catering or all in, you should find something that’s ideal for your needs.
There are several ski schools for those who need them, but the family friendly nature of this resort is clearly evident in the number of crèches that are also on offer. These cater for kids of all ages, so be sure to check what the youngest age is with each one before booking.
St Foy
Some people like their ski resorts to look like local villages that don’t have that touristy look. If that sounds like you, be sure to head to St Foy. It has real Alpine charm, and that is just one of the reasons why so many people choose this as their base for a great skiing holiday.
It’s also quite well balanced for all skiers, although there is slightly more on offer for those with intermediate skills. This is also smaller than many other resorts, which could be one of the reasons why it hasn’t been spoilt.
The main attraction here is actually not on the slopes at all – it’s off piste. So if going cross country and exploring more of the area than the snow runs give you sound appealing, you will love what it has to offer. Just be sure to book a guide to prevent you from getting lost.
Serre Chevalier
As with some of the other ski areas in Europe, Serre Chevalier is made up from more than one town. If you are just starting out or you have a little experience on the slopes, you’ll love the variety of runs that are on offer in the area. Experts would be better off going elsewhere.
Grand Serre Che is where you’ll be headed to do your actual skiing, but when it comes time to enjoy the evenings you might be a little disappointed by the options. There are certainly enough restaurants and bars to keep you quiet, but it isn’t as lively as some of the other resorts are. If you are on the hunt for some après-ski then you would be better advised to go elsewhere for it.
It does offer some wonderful old style chalets to stay in though, and some will enable you to ski-in and ski-out of your accommodation.
Tignes
Tignes is one of those resorts which offer far more in the way of skiing excitement than it does Alpine charm. There are four villages to choose from for your accommodation, and Tignes le Lac and Val Claret are the two main ones. The other two are perfect for those in need of quiet and relaxing evenings after a hard day’s skiing.
Tignes le Lac is probably the most attractive of the four, since it enjoys a lakeside position. Val Claret overlooks the other three and as such it will put you closest to the slopes, making for very easy access on this score.
This is an intermediate’s ideal holiday centre – there are slopes on offer for other skiers both good and just starting out, but those with a little knowledge will find that it goes a long way in Tignes. There is also enough nightlife to enjoy once it gets dark.
Val d’Isere
This is a very well known ski resort, and part of that is due to the après-ski that is available to enjoy. It can get very lively and loud once the sun goes down, so if you prefer a quieter atmosphere you might want to go elsewhere as it’s hard to miss.
As far as the skiing is concerned it will cost you to have a holiday here, but the runs on offer for those with a little knowledge (or more) are worth the price. With more than 140 slopes and the Pissaillas Glacier to explore, you can see why so many people head here every year.
There is something of a love or hate thing going on with Val d’Isere. Families might well prefer somewhere a little quieter, but those who are young and free will love every part of it. Be prepared for expensive accommodation though; there aren’t too many real bargains around.
Val Thorens
This resort has the distinct advantage of being so high up that you’ve got guaranteed snow to enjoy. And with a superb network of ski lifts and gondolas to get you around on the mountain, you shouldn’t have any problems getting to the runs that are designed for your own level of expertise.
It also has the advantage of being free of all vehicles, so you can wander around the village without having to worry about being run over. As such it’s great for families with kids.
When it snows here, it really does snow, and there’s no way that you’ll be able to ski when it does. However it’s not usually a problem and even if you can’t get out on the mountain there is still plenty to enjoy. The gorgeous food alone will help you to while away a couple of hours sampling all the local delights.