Ski Holidays in France - Why France Should Be Your Next Holiday Destination

Fresh croissants and baguettes to start the day, cheese fondue and vin chaud for apres-ski – skiing in France is about the finer things in life, so it is no wonder we Brits flood to the French Alps year after year.

So why is it so popular? Is it because French ski resorts are relatively easy to get to? Is it because the French Alps offer so much variety? Is it because most of us learn French at school and therefore feel most comfortable in a country where we at least know how to say yes, no, please and thank you?

With both the Pyrenees and the mighty Alps to choose from there are no shortage of options when it comes to Ski resorts in France. Some of the most popular destinations include the highest at ​​Chamonix on top of Mont Blanc and the location of the very first Winter Olympics. Val d'Isere is classy ski holidays personified and a place to go to be seen in your best designer goggles. La Rosiere is small and intimate but beautifully set in the midst of the Savoie valley. Les Menuires does everything well and can offer good value for families. However, we have chosen the ski resorts in France we think are simply unbeatable based on a number of criteria.

The top reason for choosing a ski resort, quoted in the Ski Club research, is guaranteed snow, followed by the size of the ski area, how busy the slopes are, price and quality of accommodation. All of which France’s skiing destinations offer in buckets.

Chris Gill, editor of the new guidebook Where To Ski In France (and former co-editor of Where to Ski and Snowboard, known as “The Skier’s Bible”) agrees: “The appeal of France remains essentially unchanged: big ski areas (including the world’s biggest) at high altitude, where you can expect or at least hope for good snow conditions, and plenty of resort villages with ski in/ski out lodgings.”

French ski destinations constantly keep ahead of the curve, offering impressive facilities and slopes for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, whether you are a first-timer looking for easy-access nursery slopes or a seasoned pro wanting challenging black runs and off-piste.

French ski resorts are constantly updating their infrastructure – new faster, covered lifts, more snow cannons to guarantee good snow conditions all season long, and updating restaurants, hotels and bars as well as family facilities. For example Val d’Isere opened a family-friendly area and base at the top of Solaise, and Les Arcs opened the Mille8 leisure area with tubing, sledging, a restaurant and specific beginner facilities.

Although Austria and Switzerland are lively, France truly wears the crown when it comes to après-ski activities – whether you’re looking for sledging, tubing, sleigh or husky rides, ski-joring or hard partying. There is always going to be at least one or two throbbing bars in most French ski resorts, and some have more than a few! The Folie Douce chain now has open-air nightclubs that get going at lunchtime up in the mountains across Meribel-Courchevel, Val Thorens, Megeve-Saint Gervais, Alpe d’Huez and the original Val d’Isere-Tignes.

Discover the thrill of skiing with Club Med. Our all-inclusive ski packages include lift passes, expert lessons, and luxurious accommodations. Enjoy hassle-free skiing in some of the world's top ski destinations. Book your ski holiday with Club Med and experience the slopes like never before.