Facilities and Holiday Tips
Skiing with style from a holiday home for winter sports in France
Popular destinations
All regions from France
Special Holiday homes deals from France
Information
When one thinks of a winter holiday in France, the beautiful French Alps come to mind. Choose a comfortable and affordable winter sports holiday home in France from our special offers and go skiing with style in the world's most beautiful resorts.
The French Alps and the Pyrenees mountains offer world-renowned ski domains with extensive trails and excellent ski lifts, covering regions such as the Rhone-Alps, the Savoy-Haute Savoie, the French Alps, the Midi-Pyrenees and so on. Enjoy France's winter playground at its best!
Where to go for a winter sports holiday in France
France hosts some of the best ski resorts in the world, without a doubt. Its 8000 km of pistes are spread over 300 resorts, portraying some of the biggest names in world skiing.
The country literally has everything when it comes to winter sports: from family oriented resorts such as Morzine and Megève to cult destinations such as Chamonix.
You can even go hunting for hidden gems such as La Clusaz and Saint Lary, or boldly venture out to high altitudes, in snow sure paradises like Val Thorens and Val d’Isere.
Here's a few ideas on where you can "set camp" for a memorable winter sports holiday in France:
🎿 Chamonix
Chamonix is a historic town located on the legendary snow-capped Mont Blanc, with huge vertical descents and extreme off-piste, as well as:
- 69 individual pistes, 49 ski lifts
- 43 km of cross country pistes
- excellent pistes for experts, intermediates, snowboarders, good for beginners
- the greatest lift-served vertical drop in the world
- numerous bars and restaurants, clubs
- seven Airports within two hours drive
- skiing, snowboarding, climbing
- ski passes for various of the Mont Blanc ski resorts
- the famous 22 km off-piste descent through La Vallée Blanche
- fantastic apres-ski facilities, a snow park
- a cinema, a Bridge club, a casino, bowling alley
In Chamonix you can purchase a Chamski pass, a 6 day pass that includes a day over in Courmayeur and two trips on the high Grands Montets lifts. The ski season lasts from early December to late April.
🎿 Val Claret
Val Claret is the highest village of the Tignes ski area, and it offers its visitors:
- 154 pistes, 87 ski lifts
- 20 km of cross country pistes
- an airport within two hours drive
- ice diving in Tignes' frozen lake
- direct links to the Espace Killy, the Grande Motte glacier
- summer and winter skiing
- snow tubing, ice climbing, dog sledding, heliskiing, karting on ice
- snowmobiling, mountaineering, snowshoeing, snow kiting, paragliding
- children's areas, activity centers, ski schools
- swimming pools, wellness
The ski season in Val Claret – Tignes is usually between December and April.
🎿 Val Thorens
Val Thorens is located at the top of Les 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. This highest ski resort in Europe offers:
- 67 individual pistes, 29 ski lifts
- 5 km of cross country pistes
- excellent pistes for experts, intermediates, great for beginners, snowboarders
- two Airports within two hours drive
- a French ski school, with around 200 instructors
- a 40 hectares area for beginners
- a beginners, intermediates, experts, boardercross and Jump Air snow park
- over 130 bars and restaurants
- a sports center, swimming pool and a cinema
- the longest toboggan run in France
- ice driving, snowmobiling
With the right Ski Pass, from Val Thorens you can ski or snowboard in the other Three Valleys ski resorts: Courchevel, La Tania, Les Menuires, Méribel and Saint Martin de Belleville. The ski season in Val Thorens usually lasts between late November and early May, due to the high altitude of the resort.
🎿 Les Menuires
Les Menuires is part of the Three Valleys ski area and it offers:
- 62 individual pistes, 40 ski lifts
- 28 km of cross country pistes
- excellent pistes for experts, intermediates, great ones for beginners, snowboarders
- four Airports within two hours drive
- a fantastic ski school suitable for foreigners too
- a special very low cost beginner's pass
- a "beginners village" of about 5000 square meters
- snow and Terrain Parks
- sledging and a quad bike or buggy circuit
- sports center with saunas, jacuzzi and Turkish bath
- a 4 km long Roc 'n' bob tobogganing slope
Les Menuires will allow you, with the appropriate ski Lift Pass of course, to ski or snowboard in the other Three Valleys ski resorts. The ski season opens in early December and usually ends in late April.
🎿Les Deux Alps
Les Deux Alps is a world class resort with one of the largest ski areas, summer ski areas and maximum vertical drops. It hosts the unmarked trails of the lift-linked descent to La Grave, and it offers:
- 75 pistes, 55 ski lifts
- 20 km of cross country pistes
- free ski bus
- pistes that are excellent for experts, intermediates, beginners, snowboarders
- four Airports within two hours drive
- ski school suitable for foreigners too
- three Snowboard Schools, snow park
- the largest glacier summer sliding area in Europe
The appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in other Grande Galaxie ski resorts such as La Grave, Puy Saint Vincent and Serre Chevalier. The ski season usually lasts between late November and late April, with re-opening for summer season between late June and early September.
🎿 Alpe d'Huez
Alpe d'Huez is one of the world's top resorts, offering one of the greatest unbroken verticals in the world, and more:
- 114 pistes, 85 ski lifts
- 50 km of cross country pistes
- excellent pistes for experts, intermediates, snowboarders, beginners
- a huge beginners area directly above the resort
- three Airports within two hours drive
- the longest black in the world
- a free lift for first timers use
- fantastic ski schools suitable for foreigners too
- 2 snowboard parks
- snowboarding excursions on the glacier and off-piste
- more than 30 bars and restaurants
- an ice driving competition in December
- a comedy film festival in January
- sports facilities and sports center
If you purchase the appropriate ski Lift Pass you can ski or snowboard in other Alpe d'Huez grand domaine ski resorts such as Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany and Villard Reculas. The ski season lasts between early December and late April.
🎿 Val d'Isere
Val d'Isere is a world-class resort, with a vast ski area, and a top ski lift infrastructure. It offers great apres-ski facilities and also:
- 154 pistes, 87 ski lifts
- 44 km of cross country pistes
- excellent pistes for experts, intermediates, snowboarders, good for beginners
- an airport within two hours drive
- over 500 ski school instructors
- one of the largest snow parks in the world, snowboarding school
- great apres-ski facilities
Val d'Isere is part of the Espace Killy ski area, sharing it with the neighboring Tignes resort. The appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard here too. The ski season lasts between late November and early May.
There are numerous other winter sports resorts in France that you can choose from, each with a specific character and charm: Serre Chevalier, Megeve, La Plagne, Flaine, Meribel, Chamrousse and others.
The gift of France for Christmas
Christmas holidays are always a special time of the year, and the French ski resorts offer a very festive atmosphere. There are local celebrations and Christmas markets, events and attractions that will have you celebrating a classic Christmas here.
Watch out though! The Christmas winter sports holidays in France are selling fast, so don't wait any longer to book yours, in:
- Courchevel, Morzine, La Tania perfect for families and beginner skiers;
- Serre Chevalier, La Plagne, Meribel for intermediates;
- Val d'Isere, Chamonix for experts
- Megeve for a romantic escape
- Meribel, Les Deux Alps, Chamonix for partying
- Saint Lary in the Pyrenees, offering great value for the money
- La Clusaz, Morzine, ideal for weekends
Choose your favorite winter sports location in France in plenty of time, take advantage of our best deals and leave some of the first snow tracks of the season this year.
A New Year with French style
Ski into the New Year in one of the beautiful winter sports resorts in France this year. Check out our special offers and book the one you like the most, enjoy an unforgettable celebration. You can depart a couple of days after Christmas and return in time for kids to go back to school.
The French ski resorts are perfectly located so that you have easy access to various slopes, you will find here ski schools and kindergartens, you will be able to enjoy wonderful celebrations, fireworks and a festive atmosphere.
Numerous restaurants offer special New Year's dinners and programs, in resorts such as Alpe d'Huez with its magnificents views, Chamonix with its ski slopes challenges, the chic Courchevel, Les Deux Alps with its historic attractions, Megeve with its elegance and charm, etc.
Choose a special celebration of the year to come in a unique French style!
A winter sports holiday with children
A good family ski resort will ensure that everyone has a great holiday, whether they are an expert skier or a "not at all" skier. You simply must choose a resort that suits the needs and interests of your family, and in France that's a rather easy job.
Here's some of the best family ski resorts in France:
- Avoriaz
- Les Deux Alps
- Megeve
- Alpe d'Huez
- Val d'Isere
- La Plagne
- Serre Chevalier
- Saint Lary Soulan
- Super Besse
- Flaine
The family-friendly ski resorts in France offer facilities such as:
- children's area
- ski schools and kindergartens
- infrastructure for children (children's lifts, obstacle course, magic carpets)
- babysitting services
- family offers (toboggan run, tubing, playgrounds)
- family ski passes
- children's menus in restaurants
- horse drawn sleighs and electric carts
- pedestrianized areas or entire resorts
A winter sports family holiday requires some compromise indeed, yet in France, with choosing the right resorts, a great time is guaranteed for everyone.
Relax with wellness facilities
If you want to complement the on-slope action of your winter holiday with some rest and rejuvenation, look for a holiday home with a swimming pool, a thermal pool or a sauna or for a winter sports resort with a spa in it.
Places such as Saint Gervais les Bains, Serre Chevalier, Ax les Thermes offer great wellness treatments and also fantastic family facilities. Enjoy a wonderfully relaxing winter holiday this year, spend your evenings by the pool, get spoiled by rejuvenating massages and saunas after a day of exploring the white powder of the Alps or Pyrenees.
Apres ski facilities for all ages
For many skiers, especially the youngsters, the apres-skiing is almost as equally important as the skiing itself. That (seemingly so short) period between finishing the skiing on the slopes and going back to your holiday home in France to sleep, can be littered with fun parties, drinks and dancing, or simply socializing and making new friends.
The best places for hard skiing and equally hard partying are:
- Val Thorens, with the Folie Douce just above the town; The Frog and Roast beef, Europe’s highest pub; Bar 360 at the Moraine base station; Malaysia, the biggest dance floor in the Alps
- Les Deux Alps, with 45 bars along the main drag and 8 night-clubs, the huge Pano Bar, the Umbrella Bar, etc.
- Chamonix with its Chambre 9, Les Rhododendrons, the Mexican La Cantina, etc.
- Val d'Isere with its Cafe Face, the Morris Pub, Dick's Tea Bar, many other restaurants and bars
From good old fashion dancing on tables to sipping mulled wine by the fire, the French have mastered everyone’s favorite way of apres-ski entertainment. Choose your place to be and raise a glass to this great ski nation.
Perfect snow, even more perfect ski pistes, some of the best ski resorts in the world await for you in France. Choose among our best offers for a winter sports holiday home in France and have a world-class skiing experience this year.