Skiing has become very much a global pursuit with world-class resorts and runs developed on every continent in the modern age. However, it is fair to say that France remains firmly amongst the purist’s choice of ski destination. The country has played a pivotal role in the transformation of skiing from a transport and hunting method to the incredibly popular sport activity that it is today, and you can witness that heritage, history and tradition on every slope.
From the first Winter Olympic Games of 1924, held in Chamonix, France has continued to invest heavily in resort infrastructure amongst some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery that Europe has. In the 21st Century, there is now a thriving social scene attached to French skiing that attracts royalty, professional athletes and the world’s elite with suitably impressive food, drink and wellness establishments to support them.
Here is our guide to the very best for 2025.
Chamonix
Much like the art of skiing itself, it makes sense for our guide to begin at the top. The resort of Chamonix has been at the summit of Alpine tourism for around 100 years and its fascinating history goes back even further, with roots dating to 1091. Just one hour’s drive from Geneva in the heart of the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps, Chamonix takes an impressive seat at the foot of the highest peak in Western Europe, Mont Blanc.
Five main ski areas here provide opportunities and challenges for skiers of all abilities, from family-friendly pistes to wild technical runs that demand experience and a healthy dose of strong nerves. The famous Vallèe Blanche descent is an unmarked and off-piste glacier route that zips through awe-inspiring scenery for around 20km, definitely one for the thrill seekers amongst your party.
The Hotel Mont Blanc Chamonix is a fantastic choice for a stay with first-class facilities and views that you can take the time to appreciate when the goggles are off. Similarly, the chic design of the Heliopic Hotel and Spa stands out with a modern wellness edge amongst the crisp and fine powder surrounding it. As a working town all year round, Chamonix provides an authenticity that is hard to find elsewhere, with its Belle Epoque buildings standing shoulder to shoulder with modern architecture amongst the snowy peaks.
Courchevel
The air of refinement in Courchevel is evident everywhere you look across four sophisticated villages that make up the most elegant European skiing resort. Set deep in the heart of the Tarentaise Valley, they also provide access to the biggest interconnected ski terrain in the entire world across the Trois Valèe domain. This is testament to the ethos of the area that was created as France’s first purpose-built ski resort in 1940. Since then, it has continued to develop with a wonderful combination of flow, function and finesse.
It is definitely the village of Courchevel 1850, named after the location’s elevation, that is top of the mountain in every sense. This is where you will find the greatest alpine accommodation on earth, with some even laying claim to Palace Status – a very rare French accreditation that exceeds five-star standards. Amongst these is the peerless Apogee Courchevel, discreet retreat above the Jardin Aplin piste with 33 suites of exquisite glamour, supported by a spa, a caviar & champagne bar and ski room run by former Olympic champions. Michelin-starred restaurants and a collection of stellar bars support the apres-ski evenings, and you may even find yourself in the company of The Prince of Wales, George Clooney and other famous faces to swap ski stories with.
Val d’Isere
There is an unmistakable wild beauty about Val d’Isere. With such convenient links to Geneva, Lyon and Chambéry, it lies close to the Italian border and connects with the Tignes skiing landscape like a portal to an exhilarating new world. The first hotel was opened up in 1888 as a pioneer of skiing tourism and ever since the Alpine Skiing World Cup was held here in 1955, it has been a much-respected playground of the skiing elite.
There are over 300 km of marked pistes available, with perhaps the most famous being the Face de Bellevarde, designed for the 1992 Winter Olympics, with its extremely steep and sustained gradient of 950m drop for around 3 km in length. However, the Solaise also has blue and green slopes, too, for the more sedate and cruising types of skiing when you want to take it a bit easier.
The hospitality in Val d’Isere is much more varied in style, without any compromise for the highest standards of quality. The Airelles Val d’Isere Hotel has a graceful, mediaeval-inspired design with its turrets commanding some of the best views in the area, and marble interior, tapestries, curated antiques and open fireplaces similarly impressive. The Guerlain spa is home to a snow cave and cryotherapy chamber for when one can’t get enough of that stirring cold therapy.
Le K2 Chogori could not be more different as a lesson in minimalist luxury aesthetic, home to just nine suites and one apartment. Private concierge services and the Japanese-fusion excellence of Altiplano 2.0 present a much more contemporary residence for the 21st century. Val d’Isere has the best of all worlds, it seems.
Megève
The history of Megève speaks to its place in the early 20th century switch from Swiss skiing to the new French era of glamour. This place was designed and created by the Rothschild family in the 1920s as a more refined version of St. Moritz and quickly became the favourite for the affluent French aristocracy. The skiing here is much less about the high-octane and adrenaline-fuelled challenges of huge slopes and more about gentle blues and scenic routes of the vast Evasion Mont-Blanc landscape that allows you to appreciate the majesty of your surroundings in full cruise control.
The five-star Les Fermes De Marie is built from ancient farmhouses that once studded the Alps to now provide tradition and luxury in equal measure. There is a pleasing harmony with nature in the suites that elevates any skiing holiday to a more immersive experience. And we simply could not talk about Megève without mentioning the unrivalled class of Flocons De Sel. This is a three-star Michelin restaurant that feels more akin to a gastronomic retreat in a chalet overlooking the mountains. Here you will find a heavenly ambience to accompany their out-of-this-world tasting menu.
The best ski resorts in France manage to marry top-tier facilities with a deep and connected understanding of the finest hospitality available anywhere on the planet. They allow one to indulge a pursuit of skiing excellence or simply a sedate and tranquil moment on the slopes that will captivate hearts and minds. There are opportunities to ski in thousands of places in the world, but there will always be a certain je ne sais quoi about the ones mentioned above.
