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5 of the Best Luxury Ski Resorts in France

Posted on 19 February 2020

Style is in each detail, and this applies to the best luxury ski resorts in France catering to every need and want of their clientele. Offering five-star plus hospitality and a range of personalised services, if the finer side of skiing in France is what you desire, they will not disappoint you.

The French have always perfected quintessential standards for cuisine, drink, clothes, and a five star lifestyle so choosing the country for your luxury ski holiday guarantees you are hooking up with the experts. Once you have sampled our favourites of top ski resorts, holidays in France will never be the same.

Best Luxury Ski Resorts in France

1: Luxury Courchevel

Belonging to the Three Valleys, Courchevel 1850 always appears top of any list talking about the best ski resorts around the world. Its reputation has attracted many international celebrities, billionaire business executives and members of royal families, eager to be seen where the upper classes of society hang out.

Courchevel separates into four distinct areas called 1850, 1650, 1550 and 1300, which all reference the altitude, although officials renamed the resorts in later years. 1850 is the most prestigious and offers ultimate luxury. As well as being a luxury ski resort, one of its most significant claims to fame, is the lift system that works and without hold-ups even at the busiest time of the year.

Courchevel

When you ski in Courchevel, you are staying in some of the best luxury hotels in the world, and visiting Michelin starred restaurants serving up excellent cuisine and expensive wine, is a must. Using a chef to come into your own luxury chalet is also a popular choice.

A luxury ski holiday in Courchevel means indulging in the more elegant side of life including private self-catering luxury chalets, helicopter transfers, a top of the range ski school, one-to-one ski instructors, spa treatments and endless fashion shopping opportunities. If you still want the glitz of Courchevel 1850, but without the cost, look at 1650.

2: Val d’Isère: Ski in Style

Open from the end of November to the beginning of May, the ski slopes of Val d’Isère have always been a rival of Courchevel 1850. Sitting in the French Alps near the Italian border, it belongs to the Espace Killy ski area and enjoys an esteemed reputation for excellent restaurants with a variety of menus. Michelin star restaurants serve the best in Savoie cuisine, while entertainment comes in the form of wild parties or fire-side live music.

Val d’Isère hosts several five-star hotels but excels in its luxury ski chalets, many of which have private swimming pools, saunas, and extensive wine cellars. Booking a chalet does not mean you have to forgo five-star service because many come with their own team including a chef, concierge, and cleaners that provide top honoured alpine hospitality but with a touch of opulence.

One notable aspect about Val d’Isère is its commitment to upgrading infrastructure. This French resort is going all out with a strong commitment to ski, and snowboard holidays. Whether it is the ski lifts, off piste skiing, cable car, the gondola, or the major architectural work taking place in the centre, Val d’Isère will impress you.

3: Family Friendly Megeve

Megeve’s reputation as a hub of luxury started in the 1920s when it became a favourite destination for the rich and famous. Sitting in the southeast of France, the purpose-built residents has now grown to one of the best resorts in France, with a sizeable population of 4000 people.

Despite its popularity, it’s kept an authentic atmosphere with beautiful slopes and a car-free, a charming old town with horse-drawn sleights for a fairy-tale ending. To break the bank, the extensive range of branded luxury shops will relieve you of your money.

Megeve

Megeve is a firm favourite of luxury, family ski holidays so during school holidays, the slopes and a town soon become a bustle of activity, but visit outside of these times, if you want to avoid the crowds. Megeve is also ideal for novice and beginner skiers thanks to the vast array of ski schools and private tutors.

4: Meribel: The Mountain Village of France

Meribel’s emergence as a ski resort started in the 1930s, as an alternative to other destinations under the influence of the Nazi regime. Residents have always stayed true to their routes and used time-honoured wood and stone architectural styles to build their homes and businesses. Therefore, the authentic atmosphere along with indulgence of the elegant side of life has all the potential for a luxury ski holiday of a lifetime.

Meribel

Belonging to the Trois Vallees ski areas, Meribel separates into smaller villages all within the Vanoise National Park. With a hotel capacity of over 30,000 beds, finding accommodation isn’t a problem either.

Luxury skiers often book private ski chalets staffed with your private chef, driver, valet, and concierge host, who pay exceptional attention to details. Meribel is an excellent choice for those who believe in living life with chic, finesse and style and is another family favourite. Skiing and snowboarding both take place in Meribel.

5: Chamonix Mont Blanc

Last on our list of the best luxury ski resorts in France is Chamonix Mont Blanc, the oldest ski resort in the country that has matured with age to define luxury skiing with its own impeccable standards. With several parks and runs in this mountain resort that recommended by experts, enjoy a multi-cultural feel popular with many nationalities, and excellent snow conditions.

The luxurious face of Chamonix was first born in 1816 with the construction of the first hotel, and although there are five-star hotels in Chamonix, many skiers like to book unique experiences in contemporary and chic chalets with private hospitality services provided.

Pleasuring your palette with excellent food is also easy thanks to the 60 plus restaurants and bars. It is open all year-round including summer, making it a firm favourite for people looking to buy skiing property.

6: Luxury in Tignes

A luxury skiing holiday in the Alps is thrown into the limelight in Tignes. Offering excellent snowfall, winter sports, and as a friendly snowboarding destination, think ski-in ski-out chalets, that will impress even the most cynical skier. Although it is high altitude, Tignes breaks down into several smaller French resorts but this just adds even more choice. Serviced by 78 lifts, and 300 kilometres of runs, the nearest airport of Chambéry is just 100 minutes away. This holiday destination is also another high-profile resort offering summer holidays with plenty of activities.

Tignes

7: Les Arcs

Ski hotels make a roaring trade in Les Arcs, although a popular trend is the self-catered apartments of which many are owned and rented out for holiday lets. Having been an unbeatable spot for snowboarders, ever since the sport took off, it does a decent trade for skiing, but the World Snow Board Guide reckons is it one of the best snowboarding resorts in the world. Its other jewel in the crown is the Après-ski social scene, so expect loads of lively bars. For holiday destinations offering luxury, few people think about Les Arcs, but if you give it a go, it will not disappoint.

Further Reading

To learn more about ski resorts in Europe, buying property in France, and general news from the industry, follow our blog here. If you are looking to become an owner of a luxury ski chalet or apartment in the Alps, our portfolio of homes on the market will also be of use. Describing each home, and giving location information, they emphasise the French alps luxury real estate market.