Location: France
France – a skiing nation with numerous superlatives! Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps, the Vanoise Express is the largest and fastest double-decker cable car in the world and Les 3 Vallées is the largest connected ski area in the world. Whether you want to ski on the glacier in Les 2 Alpes, the Olympic descents in Chamrousse, through the connected ski areas of the Les Sybelles region or through the small but no less beautiful ski area in Valfréjus – in France you will find everything that the skier- Heart desires.
Why book a ski holiday in France?
What are the main reasons to go on a skiing holiday in France? This beautiful country attracts many tourists every year, the reasons for this are varied. Is it because of the cultural or landscape diversity or maybe also because of the culinary specialties? At least one of these should be reason enough to travel to France! The country offers a unique selection of delicious food and world famous wines.
Even if France offers a seemingly endless selection of delicacies, this is no reason why you should pay the country a visit in winter. The spectacular ski and snowboard conditions, however, do! The French ski regions are among the largest and highest in the world. The French Alps are not only beautiful and have guaranteed snow, they also offer perfectly groomed slopes and excellent deep snow opportunities at high altitudes. Just imagine: the perfect descent is waiting for you, the snow glistens in the sun and the Mont Blanc massif towers majestically in front of you. What more do you want?
France also offers unique day trips and interesting sights. One city not to be missed is Grenoble, where the 1968 Winter Olympics took place. The city is located in the middle of the French Alps and offers almost everything your heart desires: museums, a citadel with a breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding mountains. Another bonus point: A winter holiday in France is usually also quite inexpensive!
Where can you ski in France?
With so many ski areas and sports activities, choosing the right ski area is not easy. The largest ski areas are in Savoy. The Vanoise massif in the southern Alps of Savoy offers the famous ski resorts of La Plagne, Val Thorens, Tignes and Valmeinier. One day this region will probably grow together into the largest ski region in the world. The ski region Les 3 Vallées offers over 600 kilometers of slopes and 200 ski lifts, which connect the following ski resorts: Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires. Les 3 Vallées is very snow reliable and a very popular travel destination for an early start to the ski season: Val Thorens is even the highest ski station in Europe, reaching up to 3,200 meters. The Isère area, which stretches from the foothills of the French pre-Alps to the Écrins massif, is probably the most varied ski region in France. The Écrins massif also offers a great view of the high mountains of the Dauphiné Alps.
Even more fascinating is Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc (4,810 m), which is located in the Haute-Savoie region. This region is located in the eastern part of France, right on the border with Italy and the Swiss cantons of Valais and Geneva. In the valley, majestic mountain landscapes meet untouched nature with isolated lakes and rivers. The well-known winter sports resort of Chamonix, where the Olympic Winter Games took place in 1924, can offer everything that nature lovers and winter sports fans could wish for. Here alone you can choose from a multitude of ski resorts such as Chamonix, Les Portes du Soleil and La Clusaz. Les Portes du Soleil is made up of a total of twelve connected ski resorts, so that a total of around 580 kilometers of slopes can be used! Since some of the ski areas are located in Switzerland, Crossing the border on skis is easier than ever! The unforgettable view that skiers and snowboarders can experience on sunny days is also worth mentioning.
Another interesting destination is the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m). One of the longest and most spectacular high alpine ski routes in the world begins there. The route is around 20 km long and leads through the Vallée Blanche down to Chamonix. However, Mont Blanc is not the only high mountain in France. There are equally majestic peaks in the Hautes-Alpes, for example: the most southerly 4,000-meter peak in the Alps, Barre des Écrins (4,102 m) or the mountains Le Meije (3,983 m) and Mont Pelvoux (3,946 m), both of which almost reach the 4,000 m limit . With all these mighty peaks to choose from and through the abundance of different ski areas, winter sports fans are guaranteed to find the right skiing holiday in France.
Portes Du Soleil
The Portes du Soleil region lies on the French-Swiss border, south of Lake Geneva. If the visibility is good, it is possible to see the nearby Mont Blanc (4,807 m), Lake Geneva and the neighboring Dents du Midi mountain range. This extremely varied winter sports region in the midst of rugged mountain ranges includes 12 ski stations, eight of which are in the French Haute Savoie and four in the Swiss Wallis. From the quiet family resort to the lively party zone, every holidaymaker is offered the right thing. The first-class ski area – with 580 kilometers of slopes one of the most extensive in the world – is an absolute must for every winter sports enthusiast. The higher elevations are very snow-sure, in the lower elevations snow cannons are used.
Three Valleys
The largest linked ski area in the world, the Three Valleys offers 335 ski runs of varying difficulty and at differing altitudes. With four glaciers to choose from, snow conditions are good all season long. The Three Valleys, as the name suggests, consists of the three parallel valleys of Courchevel, Méribel and Belleville. With 600 kms of interconnected slopes and 180 ski lifts you are spoilt for choice. And with eight different resorts to choose from there is a vast array of accommodation, ranging from low cost options to luxury 5 star hotels. When it comes to après, the Three Valleys are in a league of their own. Party lovers head to Méribel and Val Thorens where there are a large number of bars to choose from, including the well-known piste-side après venues of the Rond Point in Méribel and the Folie Douce in Val Thorens. For something a little quieter, head to the typical French villages of St Martin de Belleville or Les Allues, where you’ll find pretty bars and restaurants. Courchevel Courchevel is a world renowned, elegant resort comprising four main villages: Le Praz 1300, Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 and Courchevel 1850. With a great paste-side location, Le Praz 1300 is a pretty quiet village with direct access to 1850. In Courchevel 1650 and 1850 there is a lively atmosphere with a good selection of shops and restaurants. In addition you’ll find luxury hotels, chic boutiques and great choice of restaurants. Courchevel 1550 has a slightly quieter atmosphere, but is a cheaper alternative to the higher villages and is a good option for families. Méribel & Mottaret Sat in the middle of the Three Valleys, the Méribel valley is split into four distinct areas: Méribel-Mottaret, Méribel, Méribel Village and Les Allues. Méribel itself is at the heart of the action in terms of both skiing and nightlife. As well as being home to the piste-side après venue, the Rond Point, there are numerous other bars, restaurants and shops. For a more peaceful setting, Méribel Village lies just a couple of miles away with its own chairlift to Méribel Alitport as well as a bus link to the centre of Méribel. If it’s slope-side convenience you’re after then Mottaret is spot on. Sitting above the resort centre of Méribel at 1750m, Mottaret has a small village centre with a few bars and restaurants. Val Thorens The highest ski resort in Europe, Val Thorens sits at the head of the Belleville valley and offers a great range of skiing. In addition to endless blue and red runs, many of which run back to the resort, Val Thorens is home to the mogul fields of Cime de Caron and La Masse as well as many off-piste opportunities on the Chavière and Péclet glaciers. The resort has a great village feel, set around a small but lively resort centre, with accommodation and facilities for all tastes. La Tania Set neatly between Courchevel and Méribel, at an altitude of 1400m, La Tania is a family friendly ski-in ski-out resort surrounded by pine forest. Red, blue and green runs return to the resort, giving access to other ski areas via ski lifts and local buses. Although quieter than its neighbouring resorts, La Tania’s fully pedestrianised resort centre has enough bars and restaurants to give you variety during your stay. Brides Les Bains Linked to Méribel by gondola, the spa town of Brides les Bains is a favourite with budget conscious skiers who want to ski the Three Valleys. This quiet, traditionally French resort has a good choice of shops and restaurants as well as a specialist spa – perfect for relaxing in after a full days skiing. Les Menuires Set between Val Thorens and St Martin de Belleville, not only is Les Menuires a great skiing choice for beginners, it also has great après activities for all ages. As well as a fantastic sports centre with a swimming pool, there is also a 4km long toboggan run. St Martin de Belleville The family-friendly resort of St Martin de Belleville is a quieter, inexpensive base for exploring the Three Valleys. Keeping in line with the more traditional feel of this village, après tends to revolve more around local bars than larger cosmopolitan venues. From the village, a gondola takes you up to Méribel and Les Menuires and at the end of the day you can return home via a gentle blue run or a more adventurous red.
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