Do you want to go on a skiing holiday in France? Perhaps you’re looking for accommodation for your family ski holiday in France? Here we’ve put together useful facts & information about skiing holidays in France.
France is one of the best countries in Europe, if not the world, to come on a skiing holiday. France has over 40 fully equipped ski resorts, some of which are open all year round. The mountainous geography of France means there are six separate mountain ranges in France where you can go for a skiing holiday. Ski resorts in France can be found in the French Alps, the Jura Mountains, The Vosges Mountains, the mountains of the Massif Central and even on the peaks of Corsica.
Skiing Season in France
Skiing season in France varies slightly depending on where you intend to take your skiing holiday and also general weather conditions. Snow conditions at a lot of resorts tend to vary from year to year. However, it’s safe to say that generally the best skiing conditions in France can be found in January and February. However, these months, particularly February, are also when the ski resorts are most crowded, mainly due to the school holidays in France.
Otherwise, the general skiing season in France can be said to run from December to March or April, depending mainly on the altitude of the ski resort you take your holiday at. The higher the altitude of the resort, the later in the year the snow will stay on the ground.
Cross Country Skiing in France
Downhill skiing in France is much more popular that cross country skiing; however, it is also more expensive. Although prices differ between ski resorts in France, if you intend on a downhill skiing holiday you have to consider equipment rental, lift passes, accommodation in crowded resorts and après ski activities. Cross country skiing in France works out a lot cheaper and there are some superb cross country skiing runs in France.
Although there is cross country skiing available at high altitude resorts, the best cross country skiing in France is to be had in the valleys. Popular places in France for cross country skiing include Les Grande Bornand and La Clusaz near Annecy where there is more than 200km of ski trail. Other good cross country skiing trails can be found in the Jura range and Metabief.
