The best ski resorts in France

Find our selection of the best ski resorts in France, so make your choice now!

The Alps 

The Alps are a mountain range that stretches across Europe, covering the northern border of Italy, south-eastern France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, southern Germany and Slovenia. The Alps rise to 4,808 metres at Mont Blanc. The Alps form a 1,200 kilometre barrier between the Mediterranean Sea and the Danube.

Photo by Guillaume Marques on Unsplash

Chamonix 

Our favourite resort in the Alps, Chamonix is located north of the Alps, at the foot of the Mont Blanc massif and close to the common point of the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy. Just like the multiple reliefs that punctuate the valley, the ski area of Chamonix allows you to discover and alternate, with family or friends, all the pleasures of skiing. With its 119 slopes and its various activities: downhill skiing, snowboarding, freeride, freestyle, snowpark, speedriding, discovery skiing, off-piste... Internationally renowned ski areas (the Grands Montets, the Brévent, the Flégère), or even tourist sites not to be missed (the Aiguille du Midi, the Montenvers, the Tramway du Mont-Blanc...)

Val Thorens - The 3 valleys

The resort of Val Thorens is the highest in Europe and has been awarded several times at the World Ski Awards, with the titles of Best Ski Resort in the World and Best Ski Resort in France. With your family or friends, skiers or non-skiers, you will be able to enjoy your holiday in the snow and in the fresh air. Val Thorens offers you a multitude of activities and entertainment to discover throughout your holiday. You will be able to ski and ride on several hundred kilometres of the immense 3 Valleys domain. When not skiing, you can enjoy the great outdoors on snowshoes, mountain bikes, sledges or snowmobiles.

Val d'Isère 

In Savoie at the top of the Haute-Tarentaise, Val d'Isère is a mountain village located at 1850 metres altitude. Ski area located in the communes of Val d'Isère and Tignes. 2 glaciers: the Pissaillas (Val d'Isère) and the Grande Motte (Tignes). 153 runs for a total of 300 km and 1900 m of vertical drop: 20 green, 67 blue, 40 red, 26 black, 2 snow parks, 4 boardercross. Snowshoeing itineraries, 6 cross-country skiing trails. You will have a diverse landscape, between glaciers, forests and valleys. And for après-ski, the resort offers a large number of sports activities, competitions, festivals, etc. For your evenings, ask about shows and concerts.

Megève

Megève is the favourite ski resort for beginners, amateurs and experts who like to get together to ski, share, celebrate and above all, have fun. The cradle of skiing in France with its 400 km of slopes spread over 4 massifs, its 7 freestyle areas. Known and recognised for their rich and varied natural environment where authenticity, modernity, family spirit and breathtaking views reign. Megève and Courchevel are the most popular French ski resorts for the world's elite. The Megève - Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area is immense: 219 runs with a total length of 445 km.

Avoriaz 

Situated just a stone's throw from Switzerland, Avoriaz is a relatively "small" ski resort, with 50 downhill ski runs from 974 to 2276m in altitude. The resort has set up an application called "Avoriaz Up&Down" with all the live information: slope openings, weather, snow cover, avalanche risk, webcam, real-time ski lift traffic, a geolocalized and interactive map to help you find your way around the slopes, detailed statistics on your skiing.

In addition, Avoriaz is part of the "Les portes du soleil" ski area with its 12 resorts, which is the second largest ski area in the world after the 3 Valleys. In a few figures, Les Portes du Soleil consists of 283 downhill ski runs with a total length of 600 km located in two countries (France and Switzerland). Finally, after a day of skiing, you can relax at the Aquariaz, a huge tropical aquatic centre where the water is heated to 29°C. If you're going skiing with your family, we suggest you attend the Christmas fair in this Alpine ski resort.

The Pyrenees 

The Pyrenees are a mountain range in southwestern Europe. They stretch 430 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Biscay. The Pyrenees reach an altitude of 3,404 metres at the peak of Aneto. They mark the border between Spain and France and are also home to the principality of Andorra.

Photo by Samuel Ferrara on Unsplash

Saint Lary Soulan

Located in a small mountain village in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, the resort has 56 runs in three sectors: Pla d'Adet, Espiaube and Vallon du Portet, at altitudes of 1,700 to 2,515 metres, for a total length of 100 kilometres. There are 9 black, 14 red and 26 blue runs, and 7 green runs: it is a great resort for intermediate levels and for families.

Ax 3 Domaines 

With its 3 domains, Saquet, Les Campels, Bonascre, it is the largest ski area in Ariège. Ax 3 Domaines has 37 ski runs for a total length of 80 kilometres. In addition to its alpine ski area, this Pyrenean ski resort has cross-country ski trails and thermal baths (Ax-les-Thermes). It is particularly suitable for families and is only an hour and a half drive from Toulouse: perfect for a ski weekend in the Pyrenees!

Grand Tourmalet 

Our favourite Pyrenean resort, Grand Tourmalet is located in the communes of La Mongie and Barèges, in the south-central part of the Hautes-Pyrénées. The ski area extends from 1,400 to 2,500 metres above sea level at the Col du Tourmalet. The resort has 69 runs, each 100 kilometres long. If you want to get even higher, go to the top of the Pic du Midi observatory (ranked among the 50 most beautiful freeride sites in the world). The resort offers a Npy Flex card: It makes it easier to learn to ski with this pass which automatically adapts to the price of the lifts you use!

The Massif Central 

The Massif Central is a mountainous massif that occupies the centre of the southern half of France. With a surface area of 85,000 km2, i.e. approximately 15% of the territory of Metropolitan France, it is the largest massif in France. It culminates at 1,885 metres at the volcanic summit of the Puy de Sancy. The Massif Central is home to most of the French volcanoes.

Image by Sophie ML from Pixabay 

Besse Super Besse 

Our favourite resort in the Massif Central. In the commune of Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, this resort perched on the southern slopes of the Sancy offers magnificent views of the surrounding volcanoes and lakes. From an altitude of 1,350 metres to 1,850 metres, the Super Besse ski area offers 40 kilometres of varied pistes, accessible to all levels. With its 27 runs, suitable for experienced skiers but also for children learning to ski.

Le Mont Dore

On the northern slopes of the Sancy, the Auvergne ski resort of Le Mont-Dore is a historic family resort. Of its 30 runs, 22 are green or blue, making it an ideal place to start skiing. In addition, the resort has a Sancy Park area which offers, close to the ski slopes, a fun area with 3 sledging runs and an electric snowmobile circuit.

Chastreix Sancy 

Freedom and wide open spaces are what awaits you when you spend your holidays in this Auvergne ski resort. On the western side of the Sancy, the resort of Chastreix rises to an altitude of 1,400 metres and offers its visitors breathtaking scenery. On the other hand, the area has 18 runs over 16 kilometres and welcomes both experienced skiers looking for thrills and families. Chastreix is located in the hinterland, one hour from Clermont-Ferrand.

The Vosges 

The Vosges is a mid-range mountain range in north-eastern France which separates the Lorraine plateau from the Alsace plain. It reaches heights of 1,424 metres at the Grand Ballon.

Image by Florito from Pixabay 

Gérardmer 

Our favourite resort in the Vosges, Gérardmer is a resort nestled on the shores of a lake and pine tree lined slopes, close to a charming town at the crossroads of Alsace and Lorraine. Peaceful and unspoilt. The resort has 40 km of downhill ski runs with 21 slopes, 30 km of Nordic ski runs, some of which are dedicated to night skiing with illuminated and soundproofed runs, as well as a snowpark. Since 2013, Gérardmer has been a Famille Plus resort.

La Bresse 

In the heart of the Ballons des Vosges Natural Park, between enchanting landscapes, passes, lakes, ridges and forests, the resort of La Bresse-Hohneck is an ideal resort for families or friends.  This ski area will satisfy all your skiing desires: fun slopes, boardercross area, gentle and steeper slopes, from 900m to 1350m in altitude. With its 33 green, blue and red runs and even a black run, but also its slalom stadium and its 8 runs designed for night skiing, not forgetting its vast Nordic area. 

The White Lake

On the Alsatian side of the Vosges mountains in the Kaysersberg valley you will find the Lac Blanc ski area. Here you will find five green runs, one blue run, six red runs, one black run and if you are more of an evening person, you will have the opportunity to practice your slalom under the stars four nights a week. Cross-country skiing is not to be outdone, and lovers of monoskiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding will be able to test their stamina on the ridges of the Ballons des Vosges natural park. As dynamic as it is friendly, the Vosges resort offers a complete experience with, as a bonus, tasting of local products in its excellent restaurants.

The Jura 

The Jura is a mountain range in Europe, mainly along the Franco-Swiss border, northwest of the Alps. It stretches for more than 360 kilometres between Dielsdorf and Foreppe along the curve of the Alpine arc. The highest peak, Crêt de la Neige, reaches an altitude of 1,720 metres.

Photo by Melvin Trav on Unsplash

Les Rousses 

The Les Rousses ski area has almost 52 kilometres of ski runs. Les Rousses, Bois-d'Amont, Lamoura and Prémanon offer numerous runs accessible to beginners. The more experienced will enjoy the 5 black runs and 14 red runs in the middle of the forests. Acrobatic sportsmen and women will have at their disposal boardercross and slide parks on the Serra massif and at the Tuffes resort. Nordic skiing is also in the spotlight, with 220 kilometres of dedicated runs. To discover the fauna and flora, the resort offers a 13-kilometre circuit called the "Baladaski". Not to be underestimated, Les Rousses has been awarded the Flocon Vert label for its respect of the environment.

Monts Jura 

Our favourite resort in the Jura. The largest ski area in the region, the Monts Jura resort lies in the Haut-Jura natural park. Here, you are sure to get some height. The highest slopes in the entire massif are to be found here, culminating at an altitude of 1,680 metres. The resort has 49 downhill ski runs over 60 kilometres. The smaller resorts of Mijoux, Lélex and Chézery make up the Monts Jura. The scenery on the summits is breathtaking: the Écrins massif, Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps are some of the breathtaking views you can enjoy on a good day. Cross-country skiers can enjoy over 140 kilometres of hiking, including the Vattay-Valserine area. Other activities include sledging, snowshoeing, dog sledding, paintball and an indoor ice rink.

Métabief Mont D'or 

Easily accessible from Besançon, the resort of Métabief is spread over 6 villages and offers breathtaking views of the Alps from the summit of the Mont d'Or. Alpine skiers of all levels can enjoy 37 kilometres of snow-covered runs, located between 950 and 1,430 metres. The slopes are interconnected and diversified with 9 green, 12 blue, 11 red and 3 black runs. Hikers can enjoy 120 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and 56 kilometres of snowshoeing trails in the wilderness. Dog sledding, ice skating and a water sports complex complete the range of activities on offer.