Independently researched and written by the Snow Team, sponsored by the experts at Sunweb<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a reason why skiers and snowboarders from all over the world flock to France: quite simply, it\u2019s got home to many of the best ski resorts in the world. Whether you\u2019re after a quaint,\u00a0family-friendly ski town or a high-altitude mega resort with direct access to the slopes and brilliant springtime skiing,\u00a0France won\u2019t let you down.<\/p>\n Despite having many natural advantages (including some of the shortest transfer times, and being among the best resorts to travel to by train) France’s\u00a0<\/strong>ski destinations never rest on their laurels. Innovative developments\u2014whether in snow-making, hotel concepts or cuisines\u2014appear on a regular basis, and many resorts launch new activities every winter season. Meanwhile, investments in old favourites such as Serre Chevalier,\u00a0Val d\u2019Is\u00e8re\u00a0and La Plagne<\/strong> (about to open a new \u00a322 million gondola) help them retain their status.<\/p>\n France’s biggest natural advantage is, of course, its geography. The Alps offer some of the steepest and most varied skiable terrain on the planet, and the majority of France\u2019s resorts can be found in the heart of this beautiful range. Over the years, France has developed arguably the world’s richest alpine skiing culture\u2014there’s a reason why French skiing terms are used in so many languages, most famously post-slope drinks which are known universally as «apr\u00e8s ski». In France, apr\u00e8s no longer just means slope-side beers, but parties on the piste (we\u2019re looking at you, Folie Douce), chic cocktail bars, and fantastic festivals\u2014including the largest in the Alps, Tomorrowland Winter, which attracts over 20,000 people to the slopes of Alpe d’Huez.<\/p>\n There are hundreds of incredible French ski resorts to choose from\u2014from tiny traditional villages like Bonneval-sur-Arc (a personal favourite) to the modern, mega-resorts of the 3 Valleys. We’ve focussed mostly on the latter here, as they satisfy the broadest range of skiers. We’ve also concentrated solely the Alps, because we list the best ski resorts in the Pyren\u00e9es separately (and yes, we know you can technically ski in the Massif Central, but the resorts aren’t really big enough to attract anyone other than locals). <\/p>\n We’ve chosen several of the biggest-name destinations in the biggest ski areas here, because they really do have it all. But if you’re looking for something more specific, there are plenty of French destinations featured in our lists of the best backcountry resorts, best family-friendly resorts, and the best places to party.\u00a0<\/p>\n Got a head for heights? You\u2019ll love Alpe d’Huez, which tops out at 3,300m. It\u2019s the largest resort in the Grand Domaine ski area, which combines Auris-en-Oisans, Huez-en-Oisans, Oz-en Oisans, Vaujany and Villard, so it’s perfect if you love a base which offers effortless access to neighbouring resorts.\u00a0<\/p>\n The resort\u2019s location in the heart of the Grand Domaine area means allows skiers to carve up 249kms of ski runs catering to all skill levels \u2013there are 41 green pistes, 34 blue pistes, 40 red pistes and 16 black pistes. Our favourite? The 16-kilometre La Sarenne, which is the longest ski run in Europe. On powder days, the areas off the edges of this black run provide some of the best «sidecountry» terrain in Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is an incredibly family-friendly ski holiday destination, hence its Famille Plus designation, awarded by France Montagnes, the national tourism marketing body, to resorts best suited to family ski holidays. It\u2019s also a brilliant choice for fans of sunny spring skiing \u2013 it\u2019s known for its warm, sunny days, hence its nickname l\u2019Isle au Soleil,<\/em> meaning the island in the sun. Our favourite spot for sun-soaked apr\u00e8s ski session? The terrace of the La Folie Douce, by the Marmottes 1 lift.<\/p>\n Take a look a our full Alpe d\u2019Huez ski resort guide for more details.<\/p>\n Avoriaz is one of France\u2019s most sustainable ski resorts, but it\u2019s not just ticking boxes\u2014in addition to Green Snowflake certification, the resort has conducted a massive study into the effects of climate change on snow conditions which it’s using to dictate its future plans.<\/p>\n This vehicle-free ski resort, perched at 1,800m on the edge of a dramatic cliff, has always been one of France\u2019s top destinations for skiers and snowboarders. It sits at the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski area, which straddles the French-Swiss border. The combination of its high altitude and a 600-kilometre network of runs ensures brilliant snow conditions, and the compact design means that you can walk to almost everything\u2014from restaurants to supermarkets\u2014 sometimes without ever going outside.<\/p>\n Avoriaz is also regarded as one of France\u2019s best ski resorts for families, and with good reason; kid-friendly features include the tepee-dotted Village des Enfants d\u2019Annie Famose, where children and teenagers can come for a wide range of activities. There\u2019s plenty for thrill-seekers too though, including two Burton fun parks, plenty of easily accessible backcountry terrain and one of France’s few full half pipes.<\/p>\n Read our full Avoriaz ski resort guide for more information.<\/p>\n Huddling in the shadow of the Mont Blanc massif, Chamonix is one of the most famous ski resorts not just in France, but in the world. It’s known for its mountaineering history, brilliant glacier skiing and vast array of terrain\u2014including some of the steepest, most technical off-piste you’ll find anywhere in the Alps.<\/p>\n In fact, calling Chamonix a ski resort is doing it a bit of a disservice. It’s a fully-fledged mountain town, with a year-round population of 10,000 people, and all the amenities you’d expect to find serving them. Altitude-wise, the town itself isn’t super high, sitting at 1,035m, but the resort around it includes the Aiguille du Midi lift, which carries you up to 3,842m. And of course if you’re prepared to go mountaineering, you can reach the summit of Mont Blanc itself, 1,000m further up.<\/p>\n It’s not one of the best ski resorts for beginners, but there are learner areas. It’s also worth noting that Chamonix is just an hour’s drive from Geneva, so if finding\u00a0a ski resort with a short transfer time is your priority, it’s worth a look whatever level you’re at.\u00a0<\/p>\n Find more information on our full Chamonix ski resort guide.<\/p>\n Courchevel\u00a0is big, beautiful and luxurious. M\u00e9ribel might be prettier, and Val Thorens might be higher, but when it comes to international reputation, this is the most famous ski resort in the vast 3 Vall\u00e9es ski area.\u00a0Courchevel 1850 is by far the resort\u2019s swankiest village, and has long been a favourite of wealthy international guests, particularly rich Russians. Of course, following the invasion of Ukraine, there are fewer oligarchs on the slopes\u2014but with eight Michelin star restaurants holding an incredible 14 stars between them, Courchevel can still cater to those with crazy-expensive tastes.\u00a0<\/p>\n It’s not all bling and Breitling shops though\u2014the villages further down the mountain, including Courchevel 1550, La Praz, at 1300m and La Tania at 1400 offer better value for money and a wider range of family-friendly accommodation.<\/p>\n Ski here and you\u2019ll get access to the enormous 3 Vall\u00e9es area and its 600 kilometres of piste, but there\u2019s plenty of fantastic terrain in this valley alone. Beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers are all incredibly well catered for.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 150 kilometres of runs in the resort itself are easy to access, thanks to the massive modern lift system, and there are brilliant beginner areas in both Courchevel 1650 and 1850. While it doesn’t have the reputation of a Chamonix or a Verbier, the off-piste here is pretty good too \u2014 when conditions are right, the Grand Couloir from the top of the Saulire is amazing, for example.<\/p>\n Find out more by browsing our Courchevel guide\u00a0here.<\/p>\n It might seem perverse including a place with fewer than 500 visitor beds and a single lift on this list of the top French ski resorts. But for a certain kind of skier, resorts don’t get much better than La Grave.<\/p>\n It’s among the smallest ski resorts in France, but La Grave nonetheless enjoys an outsized reputation as one of the best places on the planet for freeriding. Think Chamonix, without the crowds, or Jackson Hole, with far gnarlier descents. What the mountain lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in the steepness and technicality of its terrain, and the decision not to develop it any further is a deliberate one\u2014it’s all un-pisted backcountry. Left as God intended, for brave free skiers to descend in whichever way\u2014and however fast\u2014they see fit.<\/p>\n The glaciated peak at the top of the ski resort is La Meije, a famously gnarly mountain that was one of the last major summits in the French Alps to be conquered. The bulk of the skiable terrain is down the mountain’s north face, which doesn’t see much sun, but gets plenty of snow. Given the conditions and the available off piste terrain, it’s little wonder luminaries like the American big mountain pioneer Doug Coombs chose to make their homes here (and it’s a mark of this mountain’s seriousness that Coombs was killed here a few seasons after setting up shop).<\/p>\n As you might expect from such a place, the village is a no-frills affair\u2014a ribbon of traditional alpine chalets with a couple a 70s hotels strung out along a road beneath the iconic cable car. La Grave’s version of ski in, ski out accommodation are the vans parked near the bottom of the slope, and while there can be a lively apr\u00e8s ski scene, this is the kind of place where if the snow’s falling, the bars will be empty. If you want pampering, luxury and a range of child-friendly activities, you’re best off heading elsewhere (to nearby Alpe d’Huez,\u00a0for example). But if your idea of a good ski holiday is all about tackling the gnarliest lines possible, La Grave is arguably the best ski resort in the world.<\/p>\n For more info and the full lowdown on La Grave,\u00a0read our Weekender story from the 2022 SNOW<\/em> print annual.<\/p>\n It’s name is a form of the French word for «flat,» and perhaps because of this, La Plagne has long had a reputation as primarily a destination for families. But there’s nothing boring or plain about the country’s biggest resort. Sure, there are flat sections to some of the pistes, and plenty of family-friendly, motorway-style blues\u2014but the resort also has challenging tree runs, tight couloirs and, in the North Face of Bellec\u00f4te, one of the longest and wildest accessible off-piste areas in the French Alps. It’s also just massive, with 225km of pistes by itself, and 425km if you count the full Paradiski area, which includes neighbouring Les Arcs (see below).<\/p>\n La Plagne is snow sure, with lifts that top out at 3,250m, and a lot of north-facing terrain above 2,000m. This winter sees the opening of a brand new, \u20ac26 million (\u00a322 million) gondola to link the Bellec\u00f4te glacier to the Roche du Mio area of the resort. It will make accessing the highest, most snow sure areas quicker and easier, and will also carry skiers to a restaurant overlooking the famous north face, offering incredible views.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 11 separate villages that make up La Plagne each have their own character. So while it’s true that many of the buildings in Plagne Centre are slightly charmless, 1970s moon base style constructions, you can find chocolate box chalets too if you head to Plagne 1800, Montchavin or Montalbert. In terms of variety, this place is hard to beat, and it feels like a reassessment of its reputation is long overdue\u2014hence its place on this list.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check out our full resort review of La Plagne here.\u00a0<\/p>\n Les Arcs has a lot going for it. It’s relatively high, with well-designed, snow sure slopes and a modern lift system. There are all types of accommodation, from the small self-catered apartments you find in Bourg Saint Maurice (connected by a fast funicular railway) to the newer ski-in, ski-out apartments you find in the purpose built Arc 1950 village\u00a0<\/p>\n In terms of terrain, there’s something for everyone. Beginners can learn the ropes on the blue runs above Arc 1600, while daredevils can satisfy their need for speed on runs like the knee-burning Villaroger, which streaks down the side of the Aiguille Rouge and includes 2,000m of vertical drop over seven kilometres. Love a bit of off piste? Make a beeline for the north face of the Aiguille Rouge or cruise over to the neighbouring resort La Plagne, via the Vanoise Express cable car, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and rip down the north face of the glacier du Bellec\u00f4te.<\/p>\n (Incidentally, if it’s the linked area of Les Arcs that appeals to you most, check out our list of the best linked ski areas in Europe.) Les Arcs isn\u2019t just known for having some of the best skiing in France, it’s also famous for its lively and unpretentious apr\u00e8s ski scene.\u00a0The cover bands who ply their trade at the long-serving Red Hot Saloon Bar, in Arcs 1800 are always worth checking out.<\/p>\n Read our full Les Arcs resort guide here.<\/p>\n Les Deux Alpes sits in the shadow of Europe\u2019s largest skiable glacier and is one of the best ski resorts in France for high altitude skiing. It’s also a place that’s expanding at a rate of knots. Since December 2020 the resort has been managed by SATA Group, which promised to invest a whopping \u20ac290 million over 30 years. SATA\u2019s plans involve putting L2A (as it’s known) on the map as a four-season destination\u2014bolstering the summer glacier skiing that the resort is famous for with more infrastructure for mountain biking and other activities.<\/p>\n Recent new improvements\u00a0 include a major revamp for the nursery slopes at the centre of the resort, with the aim of creating fewer pinch points and allowing easier access to ski lifts. This winter, the resort will open arguably its most visible new addition\u2014a brand new Jandri Express gondola, with the old circular cabins replaced by shiny new ones, designed to seat up to 24 skiers each. <\/p>\n As for the apr\u00e8s ski? You\u2019ll be spoiled for choice\u2014there are more bars in Les Deux Alpes than you can shake a (ski) stick at. Standout venues include the Bistrot Chamois Lodge for its great range of local wines and Smithy\u2019s Tavern for the cocktails (we recommend the Smithy\u2019s Old Fashioned\u2014just don\u2019t blame us when the hangover kicks in).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The resort also has a fantastic selection of accommodation, ranging from catered chalets to luxury hotels such as Chalet Mounier, a spa hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Finally, it\u2019s worth noting that this is a resort with a bright future. In addition to the recent investment, it\u2019s believed that it will soon be connected to Alpe d’Huez,\u00a0which is also owned by SATA\u2014although the exact plans have yet to be announced.<\/p>\n Take a look at our full Les Deux Alpes ski resort guide for more details.\u00a0<\/p>\n M\u00e9ribel\u00a0<\/strong>is a pretty French ski resort wedged into a forested valley known as Les Allues. It was founded in 1938 by the Scottish ski enthusiast Major Peter Lindsay, who was looking to create a French alternative to the ski resorts of southern Germany and Austria, both of which were run, at the time, by the Nazis.\u00a0Although it\u2019s part of the massive 3 Vall\u00e9es, one of the world’s largest ski areas, M\u00e9ribel has plenty to offer in its own right\u2014with 150km of pistes at altitudes of between 1,450m and 1,700m.\u00a0<\/p>\n The village has everything you could ever need too. Neighbouring Courchevel might be more famous for its fine dining, but there’s plenty of posh nosh in M\u00e9ribel, including l’Ekrin, where Michelin-starred Chef Laurent Azoulay serves up some seriously creative cuisine. The bulk of the development in M\u00e9ribel town took place after World War II, but unlike many of the French resorts built during the post-war skiing boom, M\u00e9ribel had a policy of not allowing modern tower blocks. <\/p>\n Its original architects\u00a0Christian Durupt, Paul Grillo, and Andr\u00e9 Dutour, worked closely with Lindsay (who by then had been promoted to Colonel) to ensure that all the buildings would be constructed in the traditional Savoyard style\u2014using wood and stone for the walls, and slate for the roofs.\u00a0 <\/span>While the whole 3 Vall\u00e9es attract a lot of British skiers, M\u00e9ribel is perhaps the most anglophone of the three. But if that’s the kind of home away from home vibe you’re after, it’s a great place to head.<\/p>\n Our full Meribel ski resort guide\u00a0has even more details about the resort.\u00a0<\/p>\n Heading south for the first time? Serre Chevalier is a great place to start \u2013 it\u2019s got the largest ski area in the Southern French Alps. It\u2019s also incredibly beautiful, perched just above the pretty mountain town of Brian\u00e7on (which means even more accommodation to choose from), surrounded by larch forests, and nudging up against the spectacular wilderness of the Ecrins national Park. No fewer than 59 lifts provide easy access to 82 runs (13 black, 30 red, 26 blue and 13 green), and there\u2019s rarely any shortage of the soft stuff \u2013 80 per cent of the slopes are higher than 2,000 metres.<\/p>\n There are even more reasons to visit in winter 2023\/24 too, starting with the opening of the Pontillas gondola, which will link the village of La Salle les Alpes to the Col de M\u00e9a area<\/em>, and the expansion of the stunning Grand H\u00f4tel (which was the resort\u2019s first hotel). Investment in low-energy snowmaking technology will create a new network of nursery slopes higher up the mountain, although the sustainability doesn\u2019t stop there \u2013 Serre Chevalier is investing \u20ac26M in efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. <\/p>\n This involves various reforestation projects, the recovery and recycling of old ski lift components when lifts are taken out of service, and more eco-friendly architecture.<\/p>\n Get the lowdown on this family-friendly resort with our full review of Serre Chevalier.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For far too long, Tignes has been viewed as the ugly stepsister to Val d’Is\u00e8re’s sparkling Cinderella. Thankfully, in the past few years there’s been something of a reassessment of this perception. Partly this is because Brutalism (the architectural style so beloved of France’s ski resort builders in the 70s) is having a bit of a moment. But more than anything else, it’s because of Tignes’ location. The construction of a resort here, in an accessible, but very high bowl, now seems more prescient than ever, as the planet warms. These days, the higher your base is, the better, and at 2,100m above sea level the village of Tignes Le Lac is as high as ski resorts in France get. In fact, it’s the country’s highest ski resort, a title it shares with Val Thorens.<\/p>\n As well as being snow sure, the terrain here is excellent, with plenty of variety\u2014from massive, wide open reds and blues, to tight, technical off-piste couloirs. There are tree runs down near the village of Les Brevieres for when the visibility’s bad (along with some excellent off piste terrain) and skiing on the glacier for when it’s hot. Snowboarders and freestyle skiers will appreciate the full-sized superpipe (one of the few left in Europe), the terrain parks, and the playful terrain of the legendary Palafour run (known to locals simply as P4).<\/p>\n The accommodation in Tignes is as varied as the ski area, with options to suit every budget. A brand new Club Med opened here in early 2023, offering yet another reason to visit. Because of the altitude, and the snow tends to be good in the early and late part of the season, when liftpasses are often cheaper, making thus one of the most popular ski resorts with school groups. And while the village might have fewer of the traditional chalets and Michelin starred restaurants that make Val d’Is\u00e8re so des res, it still exudes a certain alpine charm. <\/p>\n Combine the variety of the various separate villages with the consistently good snow conditions, and the sheer size of the ski area, and it’s easy to see why Tignes is now considered one of the top French ski resorts\u2014whatever the snobs say about its tower blocks.<\/p>\n Read our full ski resort review of Tignes\u00a0for the full lowdown.<\/p>\n As well as being the most modern and least pretentious of the main 3 Valleys resorts, Val Thorens is also the highest and most snow sure. The town sits at 2,300m, making it the highest-altitude resort anywhere in the Alps, and 99 percent of its slopes are over the 2,000m mark. The resort often opens in mid-November, and closes in May. If you’re booking an early or late season trip and you’re worried about snow coverage, Val Tho (as the locals call it) is about a safe as bet as you can get in these climate compromised times.\u00a0<\/p>\n The pistes are enormous, wide and serviced by high capacity lifts, capable of carrying hundreds if not thousands of skiers per hour. These also offer access to some incredible backcountry terrain, and the high altitude means that it’s usually cold enough for the snow to stay good several days after a dump.\u00a0<\/p>\n Built in the 1970s, the village isn’t ever going to win prizes for being France’s prettiest, but it’s well thought out, with much of it connected by lifts to save you walking up and down stairs constantly. In recent years, there’s been a noticeable move upmarket, and Val Thorens now boasts its own Michelin star restaurant, Les Explorateurs in the Hotel Pashmina, in addition to the 2-Michelin star establishment Ren\u00e9 et Maxime Meilleur, in Les Menuires, just down the valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n The main attraction here though, is the mountain. Wake up in the morning, and you’re right there in the thick of it. Which is why Val Tho deserves its place as one of the best ski resorts in France.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Independently researched and written by the Snow Team, sponsored by the experts at Sunweb There\u2019s a reason why skiers and snowboarders from all over the world flock to France: quite simply, it\u2019s got home to many of the best ski resorts in the world. Whether you\u2019re after a quaint,\u00a0family-friendly ski town or a high-altitude mega […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6132,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[493,32],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6131","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-v-mire","8":"category-novosti"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6131"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6131\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.volen.ru\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"sunweb-logo\"](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/features\/top-tens\/local-images:\/features\/focus-on\/sunweb-master-logo-r237g41b38.png\"\/){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"alpe-dhuez-france\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/images\/ski-resorts\/france\/alpe%20dhuez%20ski%20resort%20france%20credit%20alpe%20dhuez%20tourist%20office.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAlpe d\u2019Huez<\/h2>\n
![\"Avoriaz-france\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/images\/ski-resorts\/france\/avoriaz%20ski%20resort%20france%20credit%20%20istock.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAvoriaz<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nChamonix<\/h2>\n
![\"Sunweb](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/images\/banners\/Sunweb%20MPU%20July%2024.jpg?t=1722503435730\")
<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/figure>\nCourchevel<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nLa Grave<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/features\/top-tens\/local-images:\/La-Plagne-Freeriding.jpeg\"\/)
\n<\/figure>\nLa Plagne<\/h2>\n
![\"les-arcs-france\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/images\/features\/top-tens\/les%20arcs%20ski%20resort%20france.jpg\")
\n<\/figure>\nLes Arcs<\/h2>\n
![\"Les-2-alpes-france\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.snowmagazine.com\/images\/features\/top-tens\/les%202%20alpes%20ski%20resort%20france%20credit%20luka%20leroy.jpg\")
\n<\/figure>\nLes Deux Alpes<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nM\u00e9ribel<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nSerre Chevalier<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nTignes<\/h2>\n
\n<\/figure>\nVal Thorens<\/h2>\n