The far-reaching skiing trails of the large French ski areas provide an abundance of pistes for all abilities. The world renowned Three Valleys links resorts Courchevel, Meribel, and purpose built Val Thorens. It’s one of the largest ski areas in the world with 600km of ski slopes and 200 ski lifts, ideal for your all your skiing holiday needs. The Espace Killy glacier region links resorts Tignes and Val d’Isere, giving a high variety of slopes with an enormous terrain of both on and off piste skiing. The Paradiski ski area links contemporary resorts La Plagne and Les Arcs via the Vanoise Express which has linked the two highly-rated resorts since 2003. Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes are neighbouring top ski resorts, with Alpe d’Huez particularly famed for its first-rate ski school and teaching. Portes Du Soleil offers a mixuture of smaller resorts, such as Avoriaz, Chatel, Les Gets and Morzine in France, crossing over to resorts such as Champery in Switzerland. There are also links over to Italy with the ‘Milky Way’ from popular French resort Montgenevre.
Rapid and well-planned development of the alpine country since the 1960s has seen 400 fully equipped resorts establish themselves. However, the scenic mountains haven’t lost their natural beauty as the resorts only cover 6% of the extensive area of the popular Alps range. The highest resort in France sits at 2,300m with skiing up to 3,600m. The French ski holiday season commences in early December and remains open until mid- April, providing one of the longest season periods in Europe to give you plenty of time to escape to the snow.
France is the easiest alpine country to drive to from the UK, and there are some resorts which are served by the Eurostar service. Moutiers is the best station to access theThree Valleys and La Plagne, Aime also serves La Plagne and Les Arcs, and Bourg St Maurice is the best station to reach resorts Val d'Isere, Tignes and La Rosiere. The accommodation on offer varies from self catered apartments and chalets to charming fully-catered chalets and hotels. The wealth of accommodation allows for amazing group ski deals and family ski packages so that whatever your budget, Eclipse Ski will have the perfect ski holiday for you in France.
Getting There...
With more Brit skiers travelling here than anywhere else, there are many access points. Switzerland’s Geneva or France’s Chambery, Grenoble and Lyon Saint Exupery airports are the main contenders for reaching the Alps.
Travelling independently
If you are travelling independently by air, there are regular flights from budget airlines for skiing holidays to France. Chambery and Geneva serve the northern Alps. Skiholidayextras.com offer shared and private transfers to most resorts, even the little ones not listed below.
Chambery is the nearest airport to La Plagne and Les Arcs (Paradiski), Courchevel and Meribel (Three Valleys), and Tignes and Val d’Isere (Espace Killy). All transfers are roughly 2 hours, depending on traffic and weather conditions.
Grenoble airport transfers are between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Grenoble offers Les Duex Alps and Alpe d’Huez transfers, plus transfers to La Plagne and Les Arcs (Paradiski), Courchevel and Meribel (Three Valleys) Montgenvre (Milky Way), Tignes and Val d’Isere (Espace Killy) and Serre Chavalier.
From Geneva airport there are transfers to Avoriaz, Les Gets and Morzine (Portes du Soliel), Courchevel, La Tania, Meribel and Val Thorens (Three Valleys), La Rosiere (Espace San Bernado) La Plagne and Les Arcs (Paradiski) and Chamonix.
Lyon airport has transfers to La Plagne and Les Arcs (Paradiski), Avoriaz, Les Gets and Morzine (Portes du Soliel), La Rosiere (Espace San Bernado) and Courchevel, La Tania, Meribel and Val Thorens (Three Valleys).
Flying into Turin airport is a popular choice for independent travellers to Montgenevre.
France is the easiest destination for self-drivers, you’ll need some cash or cards to pay the tolls as you head south easterly through France. Avoiding airports or flying and gaining flexibility of travel and extra days skiing can all be big selling points to self drivers. Val d’Isere and Tignes (Espace Killy), La Plagne and Les Arcs (Paradiski), Morzine (Portes du Soliel), Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens (Three Valleys) and Chamonix all have a pretty straight forward route takes roughly 10 hours.
For the winter December to April season, Eurostar offers the train service from London St Pancras to Bourg St Maurice travelling via Aime La Plagne and Moutiers. The Eurostar service serves ski resorts Val Thorens, Courchevel, La Plagne, Meribel, Tignes and Les Arcs.
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