France Ski Holidays

With more ski lifts than anywhere else in the world, serving a stonking variety of terrain for all skiers and snowboarders, the purpose-built resorts have easy access to miles of piste... 6,271 miles of slopes to be precise. With resorts like Val Thorens and Tignes checking in at some of the highest altitudes in Europe, France ski holidays promise to deliver quality as well as quantity.

And then there’s the food! With Michelin-starred mountain restaurants in bling alpine capitals like Courchevel, and hearty dishes like tartiflette and fondue being a staple of every mountain restaurant, this nation satisfies our hunger for food as well as snow.

France is home to over 200 resorts. There are ancient alpine villages with fairytale charm. There are modern ski towns with endless amenities. There are sociable spots where tabletop dancing is a common occurrence. Whatever your perfect ski holiday looks like, France is sure to have a resort for you.

We’ve spent years exploring everything the French Alps have to offer. We’ve rounded up our findings whilst keeping an eye on the latest developments to bring you the best guidance to France’s ski resorts. From family friendly options to off-piste adventures, discover our top recommendations to help you on your way to the France ski holiday of your dreams.

Best Ski Resorts in France

We expect fantastic food in France, but the best ski destinations also provide a vast and varied network of slopes and cosy accommodation from budget to super-lux. Courchevel sets the standard with 600km of piste and glamorous atmosphere. Val d’Isere is a worthy rival with everything from Olympic downhills to beginner friendly blues and a legendary party scene. Impossible to overlook is Val Thorens which was voted the best ski resort in the world in 2023. Other top contenders for the best ski resorts in France include Chamonix, Meribel, Tignes and Morzine.

Best Snowboarding in France

France treats snowboarders right, with parks for perfecting your freestyle, wooded runs for scenic cruising and specialist snowboard schools for those keen to learn or improve. One of the best French resorts for snowboarders is Serre Chevalier. Enjoy the easy riding Eychauda piste or test your mettle on the Casse de Boeuf black run which twists through the pines. Avoriaz is full of thrills to keep boarders entertained with long runs, a full-blown superpipe and five snow parks. Courchevel is popular with snowboarders thanks to its absence of pesky surface lifts.

Snow Sure Resorts in France

France is known for reliable snow cover between mid December and late April. If you really want to guarantee great snow on your ski trip, higher altitude resorts and glaciers are essential. At 2,300m, Val Thorens is Europe’s highest resort and one of the most snow sure destinations in France. Les 2 Alpes is high altitude and home to Europe’s biggest skiable glacier. We also love La Plagne with its ski in ski out links to the Bellecôte and Chiaupe glaciers.

Family Friendly French Ski Resorts

The French ministry of tourism awards the ‘Famille Plus’ label to resorts with safe slopes, excellent ski schools, local medical services and evening activities. 44 resorts have achieved this standard including SNO’s favourite La Rosiere where most family accommodation is minutes from a ski lift - a relief when you’re carrying that extra pairs of skis! Flaine is another top family friendly french ski resort thanks to its easy access to the pistes, fairy-tale themed run for little ones and ski jumps on Ze Funny Slope for daredevils.

Destinations for Group Ski Holidays

Our clients booking large group ski holidays pick France more than any other alpine nation because it’s easy to reach, accommodates mixed skiing abilities and has bars aplenty. If your group likes to party, check out Val d’Isere or Tignes with their lively après scenes and huge variety of pistes. Meribel and Val Thorens also make our Top 10 best French ski resorts for groups with the world’s largest ski area, chic chalets to chill in and superb restaurants like L’Igloo and The Frog.

Best Après Ski in France

“Après ski” originated in the French Alps so it’s no surprise these resorts do it best. From live bands and bottles of toffee vodka in Meribel’s Rond Point, to DJ sets and Champagne showers in Val d’Isere’s legendary Folie Douce, there’s plenty to satisfy even the wildest party animals. For a more metered après scene, Morzine is home to Taille de Mas du Pléney, an area better known as “Bar Street”... Need we say more? If getting a little loose is part and parcel of your ski holidays then the best après ski resorts in France are definitely for you.

France’s Luxury Ski Destinations

Lavish spa hotels, chic boutiques and Michelin starred restaurants set amongst sweeping alpine vistas create ‘la belle vie’ in France’s luxury ski resorts. Courchevel attracts celebs and British royals with gourmet restaurants, five-star chalets and magnum-filled bars (boogie with the Beckhams and Windsors in Les Cave). Megeve exudes old-world charm with its cobbled streets, designer shops, horse drawn sleighs and triple Michelin starred Flocons de Sel. For traditional mountain beauty at a higher altitude, St Martin de Belleville is a luxury haven in the Three Valleys.

Prettiest & Most Instagrammable French Ski Resorts

France is full of pretty ski destinations which will have Instagram aficionados reaching for the camera. Lesser known Samoens is one of the prettiest French resorts with its quaint village circled by seven mountains meaning epic mountain views in every direction. Photos of Chamonix with its envy-inducing views of Mont Blanc and the gorgeous old cog mountain railway will give friends and family back home FOMO. Morzine’s traditional stone and timber buildings look spectacular set against the beautiful natural backdrop of the tranquil Lac de Montriond.

Best French Ski Resorts for Beginners

With millions invested in creating fun and safe slopes for debutants, France might be the best country to learn to ski. From nursery slopes with ‘Zen Zones’ where everyone skis slowly, to award winning ski schools and slope-side cafés for all-important chocolat chaud rest-stops. Some of the best beginner skiing in France can be found in La Plagne and Valmorel with their wide and gentle runs perfect for finding your ski legs. Les Deux Alpes and Meribel also have the advantage of free beginner lifts.

Best French Ski Resorts for Intermediates

intermediate skiers need a variety of slopes from gentle options to ease you back in, to scenic pistes for enjoyable cruising and challenging sections that help you to progress. France is full of resorts with this level of variety. Tignes is home to over a hundred reds and blues so there’s no need to ski the same slopes twice - unless you want to! Morzine is superb for intermediate skiers who love twisting through the trees. Val Thorens, Courchevel and Meribel are among the best French resorts for intermediates thanks to their connection to the huge Three Valleys area.

Best French Ski Resorts for Advanced Skiers

For ski holidays filled with monstrous moguls, blood-curdling blacks and exhilarating off-pistes, France has you covered! Chamonix is home to the world famous off piste run the Vallee Blanche and the fantastic Pas de Chevre couloirs which provides 2,000 metres of vertical drop making it something of a right of passage for expert skiers. Perhaps our favourite destination for advanced skiing in France is Alpe d’Huez with its super-fun Tunnel as well as the longest black run in the Alps, The Sarenne (we can even arrange a torchlit descent after a little après, famously named ‘The Moonlight Sarenne’). Advanced skiers also flock to Val d’Isere and Courchevel where extreme skiing meets extreme partying.

Best Off-Piste Skiing in France

There’s nothing like carving fresh tracks through untouched terrain and France provides brilliant off piste skiing for powder lovers. Val d’Isere is full of awesome backcountry runs if you’re willing to hike. The heart-pounding route from the Rocher Du Charvet peak is one of our favourites. Alpe d’Huez has off-piste skiing with easier access, with sensational powder fields and hair-curling couloirs just a hop away from the lifts. And you can’t list the best off-piste skiing in France without mentioning Chamonix - a paradise for the daring, it’s dotted with natural drops and jumps, high speed bowls and technical turns - off-piste skiing doesn’t get much better than this.

Budget Ski Holidays in France

For a cheap ski holiday in France, we’ve got purpose built resorts that access France’s best ski areas without the price tag. In Les Menuires you can enjoy the amazing Three Valleys ski area but avoid paying the premium attached to trendier resorts like Val Thorens, which is just a ski lift away. Flaine is a great place for a budget family ski trip, with an incredibly short transfer too. We’ve curated a list of the best resorts for skiing at a low cost in France, and the best priced packages and offers can be found in our ski deals to save extra pennies on your next trip.

Summer Skiing in France

France’s ski season usually runs between December and April but there are many glaciers across France which make early or late season ski trips possible. French summer skiing is big in Les 2 Alpes, home of the biggest skiable glacier in Europe. Tignes’ Grand Motte Glacier at 3,456m above sea level is another great spot for summer skiing. Experts looking to hit the slopes in the off-season should consider Alpe d’Huez where the black runs of the Sarenne Glacier are skiable in July and August on a good year.

France is the proud home to some big and beautiful ski areas. From scenic slopes that stretch for miles, to steep gullies that test your bravery as well as your thighs. Our favourite French mega-ski-domains are:

• The Three Valleys. The biggest ski area in Europe and probably the world, Les Trois Vallées’ 600km of runs have more pistes at each difficulty level than anywhere else, alongside spellbinding views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
• Espace Killy. The high-altitude Espace Killy (now called Val d’Isere/Tignes) promises well maintained, snow-sure slopes. Perfect for intermediates, this region contains 155 powdered pistes covering 300km of mountainside.
• Paradiski. Lying in the shadow of Mont Blanc, Paradiski region spans from 3,250m right down to 1,200m with tons of spectacular terrain up high for a snow sure and high-mileage week of skiing.
• Portes du Soleil. Named ‘gateway to the sun’, it’s unsurprising this ski area is popular for bluebird skiing across 308 runs. We love being able to ski across the border between France and Switzerland.
• Le Grand Massif. 80% of pistes in Le Grand Massif are north facing which means exceptional snow conditions even when it’s warm and slushy elsewhere. It’s picturesque, family-friendly, and home to the longest blue run in Europe, the gloriously cruisy two and a half kilometre long Cascades in Flaine.
• Alpe d’Huez (Les Grandes Rousses). With wide open slopes lower down and challenging terrains higher up, this ski area is one of our most repeat-booked among intermediate skiers and snowboarders.

These vast areas surprise and delight us with new thrills and adventures every time we visit. Pick your next grand adventure from the top 10 best of France’s Biggest Ski Resorts.

Ski accommodation options in France are as magnificent and varied as the country’s slopes. From luxury alpine hotels oozing elegance to comfy private apartments and catered chalets perfect for relaxing at the end of a long day on the slopes, we’ve the widest selection of accommodation and package ski holidays departing from the UK:

• France Ski Chalets. Picture perfect chalets provide guests with a homely space to kick back at the end of the day. Ideal for groups or families, chalets provide both communal spaces for enjoying each other's company as well as private spaces for those necessary moments of ‘me’ time. Self-catered chalets are an option but catered chalets with a chef and staff to take care of the cooking and cleaning has long been the top choice of British skiers.
• Ski Hotels in France. From high-end luxury pads to more budget friendly options and everything in between, France’s ski hotels can often be found conveniently right on the slopes for a ski-in, ski-out experience. Many also benefit from extra facilities such as an on-site pool, spa or restaurant.
• French Ski Apartments. Ski apartments are popular among clients working to a tighter budget, combining the convenience of a hotel with all the homely sole-occupancy feeling of a chalet. Beyond the budget priced, there are also five star options with a swimming pool, hot tub and fireplace for a more lavish self-catering ski holiday in France.

Only an hour away from the UK by plane and with some of the closest ski areas to big airport hubs, France is ideal for ski weekends. The best resorts for ski weekends in France include Chamonix, Avoriaz, Les Gets and Morzine which all have a transfer time from Geneva of barely an hour. Get straight out on the slopes each morning by choosing ski-in, ski-out accommodation such as Chalet Renard Blanc in Avoriaz to maximise your ski time further.

Thanks to the size and quality of resorts across the French Alps, there’s a good chance you can book an awesome holiday last minute. Plus with our range of France ski deals, you could even save a few pennies too. Whether you’re flexible and just after the best value for money, or have a specific resort and budget in mind, our specialists are on hand to help. Jet off on a last minute French ski holiday and be surrounded by snow, sipping vin chaud in no time.

High altitudes power France’s great snow conditions and when plenty of snow cannons make up the difference.

Great snow conditions await in France thanks to its high altitude resorts and quantity of snow cannons.

High altitudes and plenty of snow cannons power France’s … for great snow conditions.

Sitting at higher altitudes Great snow conditions await

You’ll find excellent snow conditions in France

These days, we’re lucky to have access to France’s snow information right at our fingertips. Before you book your ski holiday, taking a gander at the snow records from previous years can help you gain a clearer idea of the conditions you might expect. When the countdown is on and your holiday is coming up, there’s nothing more exciting than peaking at the forecast and seeing what snowfall is in store. Check out France’s Snow Report or France’s Snow Forecast to satisfy your intrigue.

France is globally renowned for its cuisine and this excellence extends to the mountains, with classic alpine dishes originating from a time when remote mountain villages were cut off from the rest of the world during long, cold winters. Featuring local ingredients and and often Herculean amounts of cheese, they’re the perfect antidote to the cold mountain air and a hard day on the hill. For us, a France ski holiday is not complete without a mountain side bowl of tartiflette or a delightfully decadent Fondue Savoyarde.