The 10 Most Beautiful Ski Resorts in the French Alps

France is considered a worldwide winter sports paradise, particularly along the western foothills of the Alps. Here, you’ll find several of the largest interconnected ski areas in the world, such as Les Trois Vallées. However, it’s not just the well-groomed slopes, excellent infrastructure, or stunning landscapes that attract many enthusiastic skiers every year to the mountainous regions along the borders with Switzerland and Italy. French lifestyle, glamorous ski resorts like Chamonix, and exceptional cuisine also entice visitors to enjoy a relaxing stay in the snow-sure mountain world. To give you a taste of what to expect, here’s a list of the 10 most beautiful ski resorts in the French Alps.

Les Trois Vallées

With a total of 600 kilometers of slopes, Trois Vallées is one of the largest ski areas in the world. As an extraordinary ski link connecting three valleys, it combines the ski resorts of Courchevel, Val Thorens, and Meribel. More than 200 ski lifts bring you to the top of France’s Alpine world, where you’ll find 25 connected peaks and four glaciers. Of course, there’s something for everyone, whether you're a beginner, an intermediate skier, a piste expert, or a freerider. A relaxing descent can be made down the Combe du Vallon, which has a height difference of 1,000 meters. If you’re looking for a challenge, black runs like those leading to Le Praz or Combe de Caron are ideal for you. In the evening, you can enjoy a lively nightlife and superb cuisine. In Courchevel, you even have a choice of several Michelin-starred restaurants. 

Courchevel

Val d'Isère - Tignes (Espace Killy)

One of the most famous ski resorts in the French Alps is Val d'Isère. Located at an altitude of 1,821 meters, this town, together with the Tignes ski resort, is considered one of the “most beautiful ski areas in the world.” On Val d'Isère’s local mountains, Solaise and Bellevard, you'll find a wide selection of slopes for all levels. With about 300 kilometers of runs, there are also two snow parks for freestylers and two glaciers: the Grand Motte at 3,656 meters and Pissaillas. One of the most difficult runs is Face de Bellevarde. If you are more of a leisurely skier, you'll find an extensive network of blue runs around the Vallon Gondola. Beyond the mountains, après-ski in Val d'Isère is legendary.

Vallées de Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Where the first Olympic Winter Games took place, ten ski resorts await your visit. With 121 slopes covering a total length of about 170 kilometers, you’ll have a vast selection for varied ski adventures. For example, in the Les Houches ski resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, you can carve down the Bellevue, Col de Voza, and Prarion slopes. Many of the runs are perfect for children, beginners, and leisurely skiers. If you're looking for excitement, you can look forward to the legendary Kandahar piste. Chalet atmosphere and excellent Savoyard cuisine round off your day in Chamonix, which is a true culinary hotspot with over 100 restaurants. 

Vallees de Chamonix

Le Grand Massif

Located in the Haute Savoie department, near the Swiss border, this ski area encompasses five villages: Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns, and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, offering 142 slopes for you to carve down. Of the 265 kilometers of slopes, 60 are perfect for beginners. If you're in top form and an adrenaline junkie, you can challenge yourself on 12 kilometers of black slopes. One of the attractions is the 14-kilometer Les Cascades descent in Flaine, which leads down to the valley of Sixt.

Avoriaz 1800 - Portes du Soleil

The “Gates of the Sun” encompasses 12 ski resorts between Mont Blanc in France’s Alps and Lake Geneva in Switzerland. French resorts such as Morzine, Avoriaz, Châtel, and Montriond have joined forces with Swiss communities in the Valais region to create a massive winter sports area: about 650 kilometers of slopes await you, including 195 blue and 166 red runs. If you're a beginner, there are 56 slopes to help you learn your first turns. 

Avoriaz 1800

Les 2 Alpes

Located about 70 kilometers southeast of Grenoble, this extraordinary ski resort reaches heights of up to 3,600 meters, allowing skiing on glaciers even in the summer. The 200 kilometers of slopes offer top descents for all levels, including 12 black runs. If you're a beginner or traveling with children, you'll find 14 easy slopes. In addition to a fun park for the whole family, the 16-kilometer Dôme de la Lauze-Mont de Lans descent, with a height difference of 2,280 meters, is a highlight. Around 30 bars, clubs, and pubs, along with 50 restaurants, complete the offerings for your stay in the mountains.

La Grave

This small village near Les Deux Alpes is one of the most beautiful villages in the French Alps. At the same time, La Grave is famous in winter as a top freeride destination. Here, you can carve down challenging steep slopes, ice chutes, and glacier edges at your own risk. La Grave is one of the hotspots for extreme skiers. 

La Grave

Les 7 Laux

Located about 34 kilometers northeast of Grenoble, in the Belledonne Mountains, the popular Les 7 Laux ski resort offers 110 kilometers of slopes. You can choose from 7 beginner slopes, or 10 easy, 14 intermediate, and 11 difficult runs. With 22 lifts, you can reach altitudes of up to 2,400 meters. About 10 restaurants provide you with delicious meals after your sporting activities.

Paradiski (Les Arcs - Peisey Vallendry - La Plagne)

The Paradiski winter sports center in the Savoie department is one of the major destinations for winter sports enthusiasts in the French Alps. With about 425 kilometers of slopes and 130 lifts in the Vanoise massif, it offers a huge variety of options. Additionally, the infrastructure is perfect: you can quickly travel between the three areas of Les Arcs, Peisey, and La Plagne using a double-decker cable car. Because of the high altitude of the ski areas (over 2,000 meters), you can expect snow reliability until the end of April. 

Les Arcs

Espace Diamant

Between the Beaufortain Mountains and Val d'Arly lies this ski area in the French Alps, where six resorts have come together to form Espace Diamant. At altitudes between 1,000 and 2,069 meters, you can carve down 157 slopes while admiring the impressive Mont Blanc in the distance. If you're seeking action, you can choose from 49 red and 11 black runs.