Ski Areas France

Ski Areas France

The French ski regions rank amongst the largest, highest, and most spacious worldwide. Second to none is the ski area Trois Vallées, with over 600 kilometres of piste and 200 ski lifts. It consists of the connected three valleys of Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens/Les Menuires. At 2,300 m, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe.

The ski area, Les Portes du Soleil (in English: The Gateway to the Sun) can also be enjoyed. It offers 650 km of literally unlimited pistes, the 12 connected resorts are partly in Switzerland. Depending on which direction you decide to go in, you can get a glimpse of either Lake Geneva or Mont Blanc or enjoy yourself in the deep snow or in one of the 9 fun parks.

Further combined ski regions are La Plagne and Les Arcs (420 km, 169 lifts), as well as Tignes and Val d'Isère (350 km , 97 lifts). The largest glacier ski regions are found in Tignes (2,100 - 3,350 m) and Les 2 Alpes (1,300 - 3,560 m).

Additionally, France is home of the highest mountain in the Alps, Mont Blanc (4,792 m). At the foot of the mountain lies one of the winter sports hot spots, Chamonix, scene of the Olympics in 1924. From here, the second highest cable car in Europe goes up to the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m). This is the starting point for one of the longest and most spectacular deep snow ski runs in the world, the glacier run (20 km) through the Vallée Blanche down to Chamonix.

Other Winter Olympics took place 1968 in Grenoble (Alpine competitions in Chamrousse) and 1992 in Albertville (competitions in, for example, Tignes).

Après ski France

Après-Ski in France is generally somewhat quieter than in Austria. However there generally tend to be bistros and bars in all ski resorts where you can comfortably end a days skiing. Après-Ski centres have developed in some areas, which are well known for ski hut entertainment and great parties. These areas include Val Thorens, Tignes, Les Deux Alpes, Méribel and Courchevel. All the larger ski resorts have sport centres with swimming pools, bowling alleys, tennis and squash courts and often also ice rinks. Additionally, depending on the resort, more adventurous sports such as ice-climbing, snowshoe hikes, paragliding and rides on snow mobiles are available.

Good food has always played a massive part in the lives of French people. Therefore you can find a large variety of restaurants in the French ski resorts which offer a range of dishes, from regional favourites to gourmet cuisine. Specialities from the French Alps include cheese fondue, Tartiflette (a hot potato and cheese dish) and Raclette, as well as the Génépi herb liqueur.