Are you looking for a French ski resort for your next holiday? Perhaps you want a ski resort in the French Alps? Here we’ve given you useful facts & information about French ski resorts.
France has some of the biggest and best ski resorts in Europe and probably the world. Among france’s skiing claims to fame is the fact that the world’s largest skiing area is in France; Les Portes Du Soleil located in Morzine-Avoriaz north west of Chamonix. If you’re looking for thrills then it’d be a good idea to find a French ski resort near Bourge Saint Maurice because this is where the longest vertical ski drop in France is, which is 2500 meters long.
France can also boast to have the highest ski resort in Europe. This is the famous Val Thorens ski resort, located 2300 meters above sea level just west of Maryville. The longest official skiing trail in France is the Alpe d’Huez which is 16 km long.
Ski Holidays in French Alps
The French Alps have the most popular and most expensive ski resorts in France. Among the most popular places to go skiing in the French Alps are the Three Valleys of Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens where there are plenty of ski resorts with good facilities. Some of the higher altitude French ski resorts cater for snowboarders and cross country skiing as well as regular downhill skiing. There are snowboarding instructors available to give lessons as well as snowboarding ramps.
Slightly cheaper and less crowded than the ski resorts in the French Alps are Les Arcs and Alpe d’Huez which have plentiful powdery snow, long varied ski runs as well as excellent off piste skiing. All in all these places make a good destination for a skiing holiday in France.
While the majority of French ski resorts close down in the summer months, a few resorts located next to glaciers remain open as skiing on these glaciers in France can be done all year round. France is home to Europe’s largest glacier upon which skiing can be done. This glacier, complete with nearby ski resorts, is 200 hectares in surface area and located in Les Deux Alpes which is in the Ecrines National Park.
Other Ski Resorts in France
Smaller alternatives to ski resorts in the French Alps can be found in the Pyrenees Mountains as well as the Massif Central. These ski resorts are probably better suited to beginners and intermediate skiers who won’t be intimidated by the crowded runs at ski resorts in the French Alps.