Alps: 10 ski resorts where you absolutely have to go

In the Alps, there are nearly 200 ski resorts. Difficult to find it. To help you choose where to go this winter, here is a list of 10 ski resorts that you absolutely must discover.

in term of Ski stations , the best is found in the French Alps. Whether in the Northern Alps or the Southern Alps. In addition to the summit of Europe - Mont-Blanc, which culminates at 4,810 meters above sea level - many snow-capped peaks make up the Alps. Summits which, for the most part, host ski slopes. where it counts nearly 200 ski resorts in the Alps , including the largest international stations. For winter sports enthusiasts (and others: it's not just downhill skiing, you can do cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and many other activities), here is a list of 10 resorts that you absolutely must discover in the Alps (North and South) for a sporting stay or a family holiday.

Top 10 ski resorts in the Alps to go to this winter

1) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Val Thorens

Highest resort in Europe , Val Thorens is the favorite destination for lovers of large ski areas. In addition to its 150 kilometers of slopes, it is connected to the Des 3 Vallées area, which has 600 kilometers of slopes. It offers rather wide slopes for all levels, complete with high-tech ski lifts. The ski season lasts from November to May with good snow cover. It must be said that the Savoie resort is oriented towards the north, so not completely sunny, which prevents the snow from melting in the sun. An XXL resort, Val Thorens does not have the charm of the small villages of Mountain of the Alps, but rather the appearance of a big city under the snow. In winter, the roofs of the 14 hotels (including 9 luxury) and numerous chalets and buildings are covered in white.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 2300 m

Altitude at the top: 3230 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 150 kilometers

Track name: 88 in total (11 green, 39 blue, 30 red and 8 black)

Number of lifts: 31

Prices for daily ski passes: 61 euros

Packages for a week of stay: €343

(Book on the site station)

Other activites : snowpark, familypark, toboggan runs, boardercross, footpaths, ice rink…

The highest station in Europe in the Northern Alps / Credit: Unsplash

2) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Tignes - Val d'Isère

The resort of Tignes - Val d'Isère offers one of the largest ski areas in the Northern Alps : 300 kilometers of track for family holidays. With its many facilities, the area welcomes skiers of all levels: there are play areas for children, extreme terrain for sports enthusiasts, and even cross-country ski trails for those who do not like downhill skiing. In short, there is something for everyone. Ideal for holidays with family or friends. It is indeed the resort in the Alps that offers the longest period of skiing, from October to May, with, in addition, summer skiing in July and August.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1800 m

Altitude at the top: 3450 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 300 kilometers

Track name: 163 in total (21 green, 67 blue, 41 red and 29 black, as well as 5 ski touring tracks)

Number of lifts: 76

Prices for daily ski passes: 60 euros

Packages for a week of stay: 360 euros

(Book on the website of Tignes )

In addition : snowparks, boardercross, glisspark, tobogganing area, slalom stadium, bump stadium, cross-country ski loop...

In the Alps: Tignes / Credit: Unsplash

3) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Les Arcs

The ski resort of Les Arcs, in Savoie, in the Vanoise National Park, was created in the 1960s by Charlotte Perriand, an architect who notably collaborated with Le Corbusier. Result: a confusing town planning at the foot of the slopes, with views of Mont Blanc, accessible directly by train from Paris. The resort of Les Arcs includes 6 sites around the Aiguille Rouge and the Aiguille Grive (Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 2000, Arc 1950, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Villaroger). More than 400 kilometers of slopes linked to Peisey and La Grande Plage (connection by cable car). It is the second largest ski area in France. However, it is not ideal for beginners (few green slopes), but perfect for experienced skiers, with good snow cover thanks to the high altitude: two thirds of the slopes are above 2000 meters.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 2000 m

Altitude at the top: 3220 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 425 kilometers

Track name: 258 in total (18 green, 129 blue, 77 red and 34 black, as well as 5 ski touring tracks)

Number of lifts: 130

Prices for daily ski passes: 57 euros

Packages for a week of stay: €285

(Book on the website of Arcs )

In addition : toboggan runs, cross-country ski loops (43 kilometres), forest and natural areas for snowshoeing, spas...

In the heart of the Alps: Les Arcs / Credit: Unsplash

4) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Les Saisies

Les Saisies, a plateau between Beaufortain and Val d'Arly, is a medium-sized ski resort in the Alps with a view of Mont-Blanc. It is a family resort, ideal for lovers of downhill skiing but also for cross-country skiers. with a large Nordic domain on Mont Bisanne (which was used during the Olympic Games in Albertville 1992). The advantage of the resort of Les Saisies is that it is largely sunny, which can also be a disadvantage for snow cover. Les Saisies is connected to the resorts of Val d'Aryle. A little extra for lovers of tartiflette and other cheese dishes: there is a production of Beaufort cheese in Les Saisies (the village of Beaufort is about a twenty-minute drive away).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1650 m

Altitude at the top: 1720 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 192 kilometers

Track name: 61 in total (10 green, 29 blue, 16 red and 6 black runs)

Number of lifts: 31

Prices for daily ski passes: 45 euros

Packages for a week of stay: €267

(Book on the website of Seizures )

In addition : 120 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, 20 kilometers of footpaths, 45 kilometers of snowshoe routes, tobogganing on rails...

5) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Courchevel

Courchevel, in the Savoie department, is a luxury resort. And it shows in the village: five-star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury boutiques have been set up in the middle of the chalets. Xavier Niel has invested in the L'Apogée hotel, Bernard Arnaud in Le Cheval Blanc. As for downhill skiing, the resort of Courchevel, which spreads out around Saulire, the summit of the Vanoise, offers 150 kilometers of wide slopes, linked to Méribel and the 3 Valleys (and its 600 kilometers of slopes).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1850 m

Altitude at the top: 2738 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 150 kilometers

Track name: 96 in total (19 green, 35 blue, 34 red and 8 black)

Number of lifts: 58

Prices for daily ski passes: €61.50

Packages for one week: 360 euros

(Book on the website of Courchevel )

Other activites : 90 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, tobogganing area, aquatic center, spas, art galleries...

Courchevel, one of the most beautiful ski areas in the Alps / Credit: Unsplash

6) Alpine resorts: Alpe d'Huez

Between the Southern Alps and the Northern Alps, we find the resort of Alpe d'Huez. Family resort with 250 kilometers of sunny slopes. It is indeed one of the resorts best exposed to the sun in the French Alps. (which however does not lack snow despite the sun). Skiing enthusiasts and thrill seekers will find the longest ski slope in France, the Sarenne, which descends 2000 meters in altitude over 16 kilometers in distance, just that. The resort of Alpe d'Huez also offers access to the Pic Blanc, at 3330 meters above sea level, which, on a clear day, offers a magnificent view of the Ecrins, the Vanoise, the Vercors, the Mont-Blanc and even peaks of Italy.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1860 m

Altitude at the top: 3330 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 250 kilometers

Track name: 111 in total (34 green, 31 blue, 28 red and 18 black)

Number of lifts: 70

Prices for daily ski passes: 58 euros

Packages for a week of stay: €339

(Book on the website of the Alpe d'Huez )

In addition : 50 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails, footpaths, rail tobogganing, dog sledding and ski joëring (pulled by a horse)…

Alpe d'Huez above the clouds / Credit: Unsplash

7) Stations des Alpes du Nord : Chamonix

Chamonix is ​​at the foot of the Mont-Blanc massif in a deep valley, which means that the resort is not very sunny but benefits from good snow cover. The ski resort generally opens from November to May, offering 120 kilometers of slopes. The resort is linked to around ten ski areas (Argentière, Grands Montets, Brévent, Flégère, etc.). It is also possible to descend the Mer de Glace on skis from the Aiguille du Midi. This is off-piste skiing, so it is necessary to be accompanied by a valley guide. Chamonix is ​​the cradle of mountaineering. Notice to those who prefer ice axes to ski poles.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1035 m

Altitude at the top: 3848 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 120 kilometers

Track name: 111 in total (15 green, 38 blue, 40 red and 18 black)

Number of lifts: 56

Prices for daily ski passes: 62 euros

Packages for a week of stay: 310 euros

(Book on the website of Chamonix )

In addition : descent of the Mer de Glace on skis from the Aiguille du Midi, 50 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, ski touring routes, mountaineering, balneotherapy center...

8) Resorts in the Northern Alps: La Plagne

Located in Savoie, in the heart of the Tarentaise valley, La Pagne is a family ski resort, with a vast ski area offering 225 kilometers of slopes (including many blue ones, for beginners and children). La Plagne is linked to the resorts of Les Arcs (by cable car) and Peisey Vallandry. In general, the ski season begins in December, with the first snowfalls and ends in April. At La Plage, the sunshine is optimal, for ideal skiing conditions, especially for family holidays.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1250 m

Altitude at the top: 3250 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 225 kilometers

Track name: 135 in total (9 green runs, 72 blue runs, 34 red runs and 19 black runs)

Number of lifts: 75

Prices for daily ski passes: 59 euros

Packages for one week: €298

(Book on the website of La Plage )

Other activites : cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails and footpaths, ice rink, toboggan run, paragliding, swimming pool, zip line...

La Plagne, in the Northern Alps / Credit: Unsplash

9) Resorts in the Northern Alps: Saint-Martin de Belleville

In the heart of the Tarentaise valley, Saint-Martin de Belleville is a small authentic village with pretty chalets. The advantage: they are at the foot of the slopes of the largest ski area in the world, the 3 Valleys . In total, 600 kilometers of slopes, between Méribel, Courchevel, La Tania, Val Thorens, Les Ménuires, and Saint-Martin de Belleville therefore. Be careful though, if the snow is still abundant at altitude, at the level of Saint-Martin, at the end of the season, the snow cover can be reduced.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 1450 m

Altitude at the top: 3230 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 600 kilometers

Track name: 339 in total (48 green, 146 blue, 109 red and 36 black)

Number of lifts: 160

Prices for daily ski passes: 66 euros

Packages for one week: 330 euros

(Book on the website of Saint-Martin de Belleville )

Other activites : 13 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, tobogganing area, snowpark...

10) Resorts in the Southern Alps: Serre Chevalier

Enjoying the sun of the Southern Alps in a ski resort in the Northern Alps ski area is possible in Serre Chevalier. Near Briançon, the highest town in France, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the resort of Serre Chevalier, on the northern slope of the Guisane valley, offers 250 kilometers of trails, making it the largest ski area in the Southern Alps . Domain not suitable for beginners however, with few green slopes, and many red slopes to walk between the valleys. With 80% of the slopes above 2000 meters above sea level, Serre Chevalier benefits from good snow cover despite the excellent sunshine.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 2400 m

Altitude at the top: 2780 m

Number of kilometers of slopes: 250 kilometers

Track name: 81 in total (13 green, 26 blue, 29 red and 13 black)

Number of lifts: 59

Prices for daily ski passes: 52 euros

Packages for one week: €264

(Book on the website of Serre Chevalier )

In addition : 146 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails, tobogganing area, mountain kart descent, zip line, balneotherapy center (in Monêtier)…

In the Southern Alps: Serre Chevalier / Credit: Unsplash