Not everyone has time for a week-long holiday in the Alps. If you are going through a busy period at work, have young children, or often both, a long weekend on the slopes is the perfect antidote and a great chance to recharge those batteries. The weekend is a great time to ski as other tourists often transfer to and from their holidays on Saturday, leaving quieter, more open pistes to enjoy.
If you’re looking to wring the dregs out of winter with one last week of shredding the pistes in the French Alps, Val Thorens has got everything you need and more. Along with some awesome slope action, this power-packed resort has a pretty heavy après scene as well. From hitting the dance floor on the highest open-air club in Europe to downing pints in an authentic British pub, if you think you’re ready for the ultimate party to send out the season, Val Thorens is ready for you! Oh, and don’t forget your skis…
Each year, the alpine city of Annecy in the stunning Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps becomes the global centre of animated films for the much-anticipated International Animation Film Festival, drawing over 8000 industry professionals.
All the big names in the world of animation come together in a celebration of the industry, where festival-goers can marvel at the most recent animated masterpieces and even get to interact with filmmakers, producers and other creative forces.
Extending your stay in Annecy? Check out our guide to the highlights.
When you think of glitz and glamour in France’s Alpine region, Courchevel 1850 is probably the resort which springs to mind with its exclusive visitors including the likes of the Beckhams, William and Kate and Roman Abramovich.
Its charming snowy streets are lined with luxury boutiques selling Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Dior and its mountainsides are littered with ultra luxe chalets so it’s not surprising that the resort has no shortage of elegant, high-end eateries. In fact it boasts no fewer than seven Michelin starred restaurants, one of which holds three of the prestigious culinary awards.
With fantastic high-altitude skiing giving you the perfect opportunity to work up a good appetite – or work off those extra calories – Courchevel really is the perfect place for an indulgent, gourmet break.
If the idea of combining excellent winter sports with refined fine dining has got your mouth watering, here is my selection of the very best Michelin-starred dining in the resort.
Back in 2013 Avoriaz was awarded Best Family Resort by the World Snow Awards and it’s easy to see why. With no motor traffic at all through the centre of the village, great ski schools teaching from 3-years upwards and an excellent selection of pistes from nursery to black, it really has been designed with families in mind.
Set in France’s Alpine region and part of the Portes du Soliel area, this is a charming purpose-built resort whose quiet streets are only disturbed by the sound of horse-drawn sleighs and skiers returning after a day on the slopes.
Designed so that all the accommodation is either on or very close to the pistes, parents will love the ease of getting the kids out on to the slopes in the morning and the quickness of getting tired children back to your accommodation at night.
Any ski enthusiast will know the importance of selecting the right base so that you can maximise time shredding the slopes and finding the best powder. I highly recommend Bourg Saint Maurice as a base camp; this fun and lively town in the Tarentaise Valley, which is world-famous with winter sports enthusiasts, puts you in the heart of the French Alps.
In addition to the cool atmosphere, cultural events and bustling town centre, you are surrounded by skiing areas that are both varied and fantastic. 7 minutes on the funicular and you will arrive at Les Arcs’ four resorts and the legendary Paradiski region – the largest ski area in the entire world!
Check out our handy guide to Paradiski here!
There’s no use crying over potentially melting snow as winter draws to a close. Do something about it and slip in summer ski action at Les Deux Alpes, which, as well as being a Mecca for freestylers with an awesome après ski scene, is also home to Europe’s largest and most lofty skiable glacier. And you know what that means… snowsure baby! Year. Round. Skiing. You’re welcome.
Have you ever watched James Bond or Jason Bourne throwing their high performance cars around ice-covered roads and thought you’d like to try that? Well on the Alpe d’Huez ice track in France’s snowy Alps, you and a group of your mates could do just that.
The Evodriver Driving School runs ice track experiences where you will not only learn how to drive safely on snow but you’ll also have the chance to have a go in a choice of high performance cars including BMWs, Audis and Mercedes.
While on your next ski holiday to Alpe d’Huez, you and your mates will have the choice of whether to go around solo in cars or take on race conditions in Evodriver’s high speed ice buggies for the ultimate Fast & Furious challenge.
Skiing fanatic? Then you will already be familiar with the legendary Les Trois Vallées region in the stunning Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps – but did you know that Méribel Mottaret is the best place to stay to explore the world’s largest skiing area?
This magnificent resort is brilliantly situated right in the heart of Les Trois Vallées, so each day it is incredibly easy to get around and find all the best action (both on and off the slopes!). Les Trois Vallées boasts over 600km of superb skiing within epic natural surroundings, so any skiing enthusiast simply must make the trip to this outstanding integrated area.
Read up on Les Trois Vallées with this handy ski area profile!
Deciding on family holiday destinations when the kids get a little older can be a tricky and daunting decision. You will desperately want them to have a great time so that you can bond and make many happy memories, so it must be somewhere with plenty to keep them entertained. In my humble opinion, you cannot beat skiing vacations – these combine fun and thrilling activities with incredibly peaceful and idyllic surroundings.
It is likely that you will all have different abilities and learn at a different pace, which means that you will want to find a resort that caters for all abilities. Les Carroz in the French Alps is a superb family-friendly resort that provides easy access to the legendary Grand Massif ski area – here you will find a huge variety of pistes for beginners, intermediates and experts.
Read this handy guide to see what awaits at the magnificent Grand Massif region!
Les Carroz is a pretty traditional French village with dozens of charming restaurants, bars and shops. This means that after an exhilarating day of shredding powder, you can all catch-up and share your stories over a delicious meal within a cosy, idyllic eatery (with a glass or two of red for mum and dad!).
Here is what you can expect on the slopes around Les Carroz.
Megève is often overlooked by advanced skiers who wrongly believe it can’t provide the kind of skiing challenges they are looking for.
You may have heard that La Plagne is a ‘family’ resort, with skiing only worthy of beginners and intermediates, if so let me set you straight. La Plagne actually has some of the Alps’ fiercest black runs, intense mogul fields and a range of off-piste skiing which could give the hallowed faces of Chamonix a run for their money.
Ok. You know it: Val d’Isère is one of the most awesome resorts in the Alps if you’re planning on heading to Europe for a winter ski break. But the great range of on and off piste skiing across the hugely varied terrain of the Tarantaise Valley at your toe tips is just the beginning of the fun. Because the other thing you know to be true is that all that means next to nowt if the après action doesn’t measure up – but it does. Oh yes, it does!
