France ski holidays & resorts

France's sensational skiing

France is the most popular Alpine country for British skiers and snowboarders and for good reason. The country took advantage of being comparatively late to join the pantheon of ski nations and unlike Austria and Switzerland, where skiing evolved gradually from mountain villages - France didn’t build many of its resorts until the 1960s. This meant it was possible to select the highest, most snow-sure places to ski in the country. Offering picturesque scenery, varied ski areas resorts and charming traditional alpine villages, France never fails to tick all the right boxes.  

Your travel, transfers, accommodation, and resort representatives are all included. Plus, you can pre-book extras like ski lessons, lift passes, and off-piste adventures.

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Where to ski in France

Largest Ski Areas

If you’re looking to ski big, Courchevel is a key gateway to the vast area of the 'Les Trois Vallées (The Three Valleys) which is arguably the biggest linked ski region in the world, its only rival being the Portes du Soleil network of ski areas (with Avoriaz and Morzine at its heart). The Three Valleys is dominated by four major resorts: Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens. Each of these four resorts has more than enough terrain to keep you happily occupied for a week or more during a skiing holiday in France, so the opportunity to ski all four provides you unlimited permutations.

Snow in France

With altitudes reaching above 3000m, Val d’lsere and neighbouring resort Tignes are guaranteed excellent snow all season long. Thanks to their elevation and mostly north facing runs, they’re some of the most snow sure resorts in France. And if the unpredictable weather were to bring the worst, both resorts have an impressive network of snow cannons waiting to ensure the go ahead of your ski plans.

Best for Families

Expect to be personally welcomed to the traditional Alpine market town of Morzine. This French resort has been awarded the Familles Plus label due to its impeccable childcare services, fantastic facilities, activities and family friendly accommodation. There are many age categorised opportunities – on and off slope – so you and your children can make the most of your time on the mountains.

Les arcs is the perfect choice for families looking for easy access to its large ski area as many properties provide ski-in ski-out access to the slopes. If you’re bringing the teenagers, we’d recommend visiting the largest of the four Arcs – Arc 1800 – as the range of activities and Après are just as good as the opportunities to ski. But if you’re looking for a little more traditional and on the quiet side, Arc 1950 is a pedestrianised village with plenty of facilities for younger children.

Best for Groups

Situated in the Southern French Alps, Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d’Huez offer you and your group the ideal balance of active and passive itinerary. Both resorts offer a range of mixed ability slopes and a variety of excursions from sleigh rides to paragliding. Alpe d’Huez has a selection of attractive chalets and apartments that can accommodate larger group sizes, whilst Les Deux Alpes offers over 200km of longs ski runs as well as one of the largest snow parks in the French Alps. 

Best for Après

If you want to experience some of the best après alongside your skiing or snowboarding, it’s no doubt that Val Thorens is the place to stay. Visit the largest underground nightclub in the Alps, Le Malaysia, or take a climb and enjoy a local beer in the highest pub in Europe, the Frog and Roast Beef. Or maybe sit back, relax and take in the views from one of the many bar terraces across the resort. No matter your taste, Val Thorens has something for everyone.

Best for Beginners

With a large selection of green and blue pistes as well as designated nursery areas, La Plagne spoils for choice when it comes to beginners skiing. The well-designed resort comprises some ten villages, each with its own character and infrastructure, meaning there’s somewhere new to explore every day.

Flaine’s reassuring location in a snow-bowl and excellent snow record means beginner skiers and boarders needn’t be concerned about icy conditions underfoot. The ski school in Flaine has an excellent reputation for both adult and child tuition making it an ideal resort for families too.

La Clusaz is a traditional, pretty village and is an ideal resort if you’re looking for a short transfer from Geneva. The resort offers some great opportunities for beginner skiing, and we’d highly recommend visiting Beauregard - consisting of gentle blue and green slopes overlooking some amazing views of the Aravis ski region. 

Best for Snowboarders

Serre Chevalier and Chamonix offer some truly excellent opportunities for snowboarders looking to ride in a great natural freestyle terrain. Serre Chevalier forms an organic playground well suited to more confident boarders and is great for powder. Chamonix offers a variety of tree runs and exhilarating off piste, and the different level slopes and quality of snow means the resort has runs to cater for all levels.

Two Nation Skiing

We are very excited to include two-nation skiing with the resorts of Montgenèvre and La Rosière. Take advantage of your flights into Turin and the short transfers by visiting Montgenevre. In both resorts you have the opportunity to ski and lunch in both France and Italy during your stay – why limit yourself to one country when you can ski in two?

Why book a ski holiday in France with Inghams?

  • 90 years of experience and knowledge - you can trust us to deliver your perfect holiday.
  • With you at every step - before during and after your holiday and we have resort representatives.
  • Flights, transfers and accommodation - included in all of our holidays

Ski Regions in France

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The Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area combines both the resorts of Val d'Isère and Tignes to produce a formidable ski area which stronger skiers and snowboarders will get the most from.

Resorts in Tignes-Val d’Isere Ski Area

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Set high in the Tarentaise region of the French Alps, the slopes of Les Arcs and La Plagne – each already famously large areas in themselves - were joined a few years back to create one of the largest lift-linked ski areas in the world. 

Resorts in Paradiski Ski Area

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As one of the largest ski areas in the world, the Three Valleys provides high altitude, world-class skiing, as well as a guarantee of great snow all season long, from November to May. The area links four fabulous French resorts - Europe's highest (Val Thorens), the ultimate chalet resort (Méribel), iconic Courchevel and Les Menuires.

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With claims to being the largest lift-linked ski area anywhere in the world, the huge Portes du Soleil area offers a seemingly endless expanse of runs and no less than 12 individual resorts to explore. 

 

 

Resorts in Portes du Soleil Ski Area

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The Milky Way is an international ski area linking Montgenèvre in France with Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana and Claviere in Italy. Hosting the 2006 Winter Olympics here meant that the ski area was meticulously upgraded.

Resorts in Milky Way Ski Area

Ski

A true skier's resort; high, totally snow sure, with high speed lifts and open pistes right around its huge, panoramic snow bowl. Tignes is the leader of non stop ski. With a resort height of 2,100m snow is always on the menu and anyone looking to improve their freestyle should definitely consider a week in Tignes!

A well established favourite for UK skiers, some come purely for its awesome range of challenging skiing. Others are more interested in the resort's well earned fame as an apres ski paradise. However, we believe most will simply revel in a resort that continually manages to combine both these strengths better than anywhere else in the ski world.

A playful roller coaster of open runs and connected villages, La Plagne makes the most of all the terrain on offer. Individuals and families can stay in four of the villages, Plagne Soleil and Plagne Villages are modern but perfectly placed on the piste above Plagne Centre and Belle Plagne has a traffic free village centre and attractive buildings made of local stone and wood. 

Arc 1800 is the largest centre and also home of the Mille8 complex with pool and ski play areas. It's also the closest centre to the Vanoise Express. Arc 1950 has a piste running through the middle and is inspired by the resort of Whistler and contains a development of high quality apartments, whilst traffic free Arc 2000 is home to a selection of catered chalets.

For those seeking a central base in the world class Three Valleys area, Méribel offers the ultimate position. If proximity to the lifts is important our Hotel Les Grangettes fits the bill, not only in Méribel centre but also as our closest property to the Chaudannes ski lifts and ski school meeting point.

Val Thorens Gondolas

Feel on top of the world in Europe's highest ski resort. Val Thorens is perfect for those who like the promise of guaranteed snow, combined with lively apres and a variety of accommodation. 

Perhaps France's most prestigious resort, Courchevel is the resort of choice for those in search of world class skiing and chic, lively apres ski. Beginners will have a great time here with green pistes groomed to perfection and lifts to neighboring resorts are within easy reach. 

Perfect for families and couples, Les Menuires is the best choice for those wanting real value for money and the ability to ski to and from the ski room without the temptation to party all through the night. The resort also boasts blue runs from all the lifts making it perfect for beginners too. 

Picturesque Morzine is an established favourite. This is due to an appealing and highly unusual mix of charming, traditional Savoyard village centre with easy access to a modern and truly enormous ski area. Only a short transfer from the airport, Morzine is ideal for families.  

A high, traffic free resort, at the heart of the Portes du Soleil. All our properties offer doorstep skiing making this resort a superbly convenient base from which to enjoy this fantastic ski area. The architecturally unique resort buildings are designed to blend in with the surrounding rocky cliffs, giving Avoriaz a modern and unique feel.

  • from£518pp
  • Area: 225km
  • Altitude: up to 3568m
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With 225km of pistes between 1,300m and 3,600m, Les 2 Alpes is ideal for all levels of skiers and boarders. Unusually, the higher the altitude, the easier the pistes. In fact, the glacier is ideal for beginners with a blue run taking skiers from the glacier right down to the resort.

  • from£449pp
  • Area: 250km
  • Altitude: up to 3330m
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You could hardly wish for a more eclectic ski network than Alpe d’Huez. The resort and its satellites are on a sunny, high plateau surrounded by an amazing snow bowl with mile after mile of varied on-piste and off-piste opportunities.

  • from£299pp
  • Area: 150km
  • Altitude: up to 3842m
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With much of the terrain above 2000m, the skiing in Chamonix valley has for many years attracted skiers looking for good snow and who also want to ski the famous Vallée Blanche - or tackle the rest of the extensive off-piste skiing.

  • from£309pp
  • Area: 265km
  • Altitude: up to 2500m
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The mighty snow-bowl resort of Flaine with its incredible snow record is one of the best villages in the Grand Massif Ski Area. In the Haute Savoie, close to Geneva and Mont Blanc, the Grand Massif is an impressive network of exhilarating skiing and charming villages.

  • from£339pp
  • Area: 230km
  • Altitude: up to 2600m
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The ski domain of La Clusaz is made up of five interlinked mountains, with excellent green and blue runs making this an ideal resort for confidence building beginners and families. You can also ski Le Grand Bornand with the purchase of an Aravis lift pass including the short bus ride between the resorts. 

  • from£529pp
  • Area: 155km
  • Altitude: up to 2641m
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Set high above the picturesque Upper Tarentaise valley, La Rosière is a brilliantly well thought out resort. Big enough to have all the facilities any skier could wish for, but also small enough to be known as one of the Alps’ friendliest resorts with beautiful wood and stone chalets.

  • from£599pp
  • Area: 250km
  • Altitude: up to 2735m
Serre Chevalier@ Offiice Du Tourisme Serre Chevalier Vallée Monetier 2

Serre Chevalier stands apart from other ski resorts. One of the sunniest locations in the French Alps the area offers some of the most extensive and unique tree skiing in Europe – suitable for all levels. Friendly locals and picturesque, historic towns and villages add to the charming atmosphere of this incredible resort.

This traditional French resort is a firm family favourite, that has a wide range of varying slopes that are amazing for all skill levels. From many beginner slopes that nurtures good habits, to fun off-piste treelines that you can explore. This resort has an enviable snow record with the ability to ski over into Italy

Currency: Euro

No. of airports: 3 – Chambéry, Geneva & Turin

Fly from: Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Bournemouth, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast

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France Ski Holiday FAQs

What are the top ski resorts in France?

France has a vast amount of ski resorts due to its terrain offering some amazing destinations. One of the main draws to France are the large ski areas and great resorts, the main 4 being the Three Valleys having 600km of slopes, Tignes-Val d'Isere area having 300km, Paradiski with 425km and then Portes du Soleil having 600km.

What are the snow conditions like in France?

The mountains across France frequently get good snow coverage year after year during the ski season. With some of the highest altitude ski resorts in Europe, the snow conditions in France are one of the best throughout the ski season.

Are there any ski resorts in France suitable for snowboarders?

There are! Many French resorts cater for snowboarders. In particular, Avoriaz is renowned for snowboarding and there are 4 snow-parks to choose from and around 30 snowparks across the whole of the Portes du Soleil ski area.

What hotels are popular for skiers in France?

Chalets are a popular option in France, offering full chalet service. In Tignes, Chalet Les Arolles is in an ideal location close to resort and the beginners ski area. In Val d’Isere, Hotel & Spa Le Savoie is based in the resort centre and a favourite with guests.

Which ski resorts in France are suitable for beginner skiers?

France has many resorts that are ideal for beginner skiers, with ample green and blue runs, dedicated children zones, highly-recommended ski schools and practice areas. A popular destination is La Rosiere.

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