The 12 Best Family Skiing Holidays in France

 

Are you planning to take the family skiing in France, but you’re not sure which resort to choose? We asked travel expert Jane Egginton to pick 12 of our favourite skiing holidays for families.

To find family friendly accommodation at ski resorts in France visit our Alps pages: franceforfamilies.com/gites/alps-accommodation.

1. Courchevel

Courchevel - one of France's best ski resorts for families


This resort may be well known for its glitz and glamour, but actually its pistes are perfect for families. With a wide variety of slopes to choose from and a number of beginner runs, it is a good option for those travelling with children or older family members. Moriond is particularly good, and a quieter option, with Alitport offering gentle slopes and easy to access lifts. Novices are catered for with both ski and snowboard schools.

Picture credit: © Atout France | Jean François Tripelon-Jarry

2. Morzine

Morzine is a great resort for families and intermediate skiers – the slopes are gentle, sheltered by woods and there are lots of play areas. There also an excellent ESF ski school for children, taking tots from 3 and up. For superb family friendly accommodation, take a look at the catered chalets provided by Simply Morzine: www.simply-morzine.co.uk.

3. Les Gets

This resort regularly gets rated as one of the most family friendly resorts in the Alps, and with good reason. There are plenty of Kindergartens for kids and it offers a high standard of facilities for families of mixed skiing abilities. There is even a children’s area where adults can only enter if accompanied by children. The resort is formed around a traditional village, which gives it an authentic charm and makes it easy to get around, which is a real plus for families. An exciting kids programme includes everything from story telling to chocolate making so little ones can be guaranteed fun on and off the slopes.

4. La Giettaz

La Giettaz - one of France's best ski resorts for families


If you want to steer clear of the glitzy resorts and spend a little less on your ski holiday to France, you can opt for a lesser-known village in one of the large ski regions. One we like is La Giettaz, in the Portes Mont Blanc area, which has quiet pistes, beautiful surroundings and untracked off-piste, plus (and best of all), the cheapest lift pass for an area of this size in Europe. Ski passes are cheapest when you buy them from the local kiosks, and start from €31 per day for adults and €24 for children. For wonderful accommodation choices, see: www.chalet-la-giettaz.com.

Picture credit: © La Giettaz

5. Avoriaz

Avoriaz - one of France's best ski resorts for families


There are no cars – just horse-drawn carriages – at this resort which has long won awards for its family friendly facilities. Parents welcome the ski in/ski out option throughout Avoriaz and its safe, easy to use, pedestrianised centre. Kids love the popular ‘Village des enfants’, while the Aquariaz centre offers fun for all the family. This aquatic and leisure complex is made up of a variety of swimming pools as well as a river, heated hot tubs, water slides and even a climbing wall.

Picture credit: © Atout France | Jean François Tripelon-Jarry

6. Les Karellis

Travelling with little ones too small to walk? This resort provides special sledges for children to facilitate them travelling between its many facilities. Smaller kids can be left at the highly regarded child minding centre, while the teenagers will be entertained at the regular resort discos. There’s a ski school for children from four years old and a ‘snow garden’ to entertain non-skiing little ones. Families are entertained together too, in dedicated play areas, and with special events and activities.

7. Serre Chevalier

This family focussed ski resort is actually made up of three villages: Chantemerle, Villeneuve la Salle and Monêtier les Bains. En masse they provide a playground for all ages with attractive forests, large snowfalls and the beautiful park of Parc des Ecrins. Kids love the snow garden while parents appreciate the high level of child caring facilities. Beginners in the family as well as younger children can take to the large number of green slopes surrounding the resort.

8. La Rosière

France's best ski resorts for families


This resort has long been a family favourite with skiiers. In a lovely setting, which gets lots of sun, families come first, ‘The Resort Where Children Are Royalty’ really is the motto here. Enjoy a compact skiing area with easily accessible ski lessons for kids as well as for older family members who can take to the well-serviced beginners slopes.

Picture credit: © Atout France | Jean François Tripelon-Jarry

9. Les Trois Valleys

Les Menuires in The Three Valleys has proudly held the ‘Family Plus Mountain’ award for years. Those on a budget will appreciate the special offers on lift passes to those travelling ‘en famille’. A guide produced by the tourist office details activities and facilities for kids. Little ones can join the ski school and there are well-serviced children skiing zones, with special magic carpets and child safety bars to help get them on and off the slopes.

10. Les Arcs

Sledging, skiing schools for kids, and the four separate villages makes Les Arcs a great option for skiing families. Thanks to a direct link with Eurostar from Central London, it is also an accessible and budget option. Of the four villages, Les Arc 1950 is the newest and also the most family friendly option. The facilities here include apres-ski activities for all ages, family focussed restaurants and plenty of leisure options in the pretty village square.

11. Val d’Isere

Val d'Isere - one of France's best ski resorts for families


This is another big name, but another winner for families. Val d’Isere is a compact resort, which has a car-free centre, which means getting around for young and old is relatively easy. There is a Children’s Holiday Village – for babies as young as 18 months, a nursery and a network of nannies. Ski schools are of a high standard, catering to all abilities and for non-skiiers there’s an ice-skating rink, sledging and even a full service spa.

Picture credit: © Atout France | Jean François Tripelon-Jarry

12. Belle Plagne

Belle Plagne boasts a pedestrianised centre, a purpose built children’s ski area, and a variety of blue runs for younger skiiers and beginners. The resort is built around an attractive village, which enjoys good snowfall and has been given the French Tourism ‘Family Plus’ accreditation for its family-friendly credentials.

 

Find ski accommodation in France: www.franceforfamilies.com/gites/alps-accommodation.

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