Fresh Alpine air, delicious food and eclectic entertainment mean that a ski holiday in France is the perfect family break.
But with so many ski resorts to choose from in this part of the world, it can be hard for first time visitors to work out those that are particularly family oriented.
If you’re planning a ski vacation and are feeling flummoxed by this question, fear not ̶ we’ve pulled some interesting information together on three fabulous French ski resorts for families that will provide peace of mind!
1. Sainte Foy
Nestled in a powdery bowl overlooking the Aiguille Rouge mountains in Haute-Tarentaise, Sainte Foy has plenty of sheltered north west facing runs and comfortable accommodation in the traditional chalet style that’s perfect for families.
Skiing on the village slopes here is gratis for adult and child beginners, which means there’s no need to splash out on passes for more advanced runs until you find your feet, and the Gallopins and Marmots green runs have magic carpets which are far easier for novices to use than lifts.
There are many fab family restaurants in Sainte Foy and off-slope activities for kids include husky dog sledding, swimming and ice skating, as well as the Natur’Squirrel trail, which teaches them about local flora and fauna.
2. Les Carroz
Part of the Grand Massif ski area, Les Carroz is only 45 minutes from Geneva airport, there are ample sweeping blue runs for intermediates, a snow park to satisfy budding snowboarders in your party, well-groomed nursery slopes and ski schools that accept kids as young as three years old. Furthermore, its medium-level altitude and westerly aspect mean that the temperatures are pleasant for children.
Buying a Carroz beginner’s pass by the day is an economical way for you to use the slopes and lifts in the immediate vicinity until you fee confident progressing to more tricky runs, and when you do want to step things up, there are some brilliant blue runs in the bowl above nearby Flaine.
Off the slopes, activities for kids include ice skating and the high-tech Speed Dragoz rollercoaster, where VR headsets take them into another dimension of fun!
3. Arc 1800
The largest of the villages in Les Arcs resort, Arc 1800 has diverse skiing, ski-in, ski-out accommodation and it’s completely car-free, which is great news for families. There are plenty of gentle nursery slopes here for beginners, but intermediate skiers will find many blue and red runs too, while experts enjoy vertiginous black runs above neighbouring Arc 2000.
Another advantage of skiing holidays in Arc 1800 is the sheer variety of off-slope activities available for kids. For example, the Mille 8 sports centre has a terrific pool, there’s 10-pin bowling, a cinema and laser quest arena, Arc 2000 has a rodeo toboggan course and at Black Sheep Igloos you can sleep under the stars in your own authentic igloo. Throw in ski lessons from the trusted ESF school and you can see that Arc 1800 is a fab choice for families.
That’s our list! Share your own French Alps family ski holiday tips in the comments section.
