another amazing review. i did a month in courchevel 1650 last season based on your great reviews and chamonix the season before. i''m gonna put arc 1950 on the list and avoriaz for this season as ive been to the others you mentioned. all mentioned are amazing. thanks for the great content i'm gonna head to your website to see whats on offer.thanks a million,have a great season.
@@TheChizzletube thank you so much for your amazing feedback!!! I’m so glad I was able to help out. You’re gonna love Arc 1950 and Avoriaz. Totally different experience to Cham and Courch 😃👍
@@eipip1ez not quite, you’ll find the ski areas at all those ski resorts fantastic. This review is to know which are the Top ski resorts in France, not dissecting the ski areas, it’s about where to stay if wanting to experience the best ski resorts hence the title 😊
One of my favorite things to do is talk to people about where are their favorite places in the world to ski. More often than not they mention Val D'Isere Just wish it was easier to get to from Los Angeles
@@coryjoe0420 if you haven’t been, Val d’Isère should definitely be on your to do list 😊👍 much easier from LA than for me from Aus 😁 flying is not so bad… You do have some amazing ski resorts already up your way though. I love Mammoth, Tahoe etc…
There aren't too many ski resorts that i will go back to as i love exploring new places but Val d'Isere is one of those i will always want to go back...
Mégève has stunning scenery but as you rightly said, it is very low in altitude and you sometimes can get rain instead of snow, I’ve had both there with tones of beautiful powder one day and a few days later rain. No high altitude ski terrain. The ski area is a bit disconnected in 2 parts so not really seamless , great spot , amazing town , beautiful chalets and hotels and is part of our Top 16 ski resorts but just doesn’t make the top 7 . 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
I have went to the Paradiski(Les arcs) ski area 5 times now, I'ts stunning. I've always gone near the end of the season but even then the snow is good(as long as you stay out of the woods:) I've stayed in the belambra hôtel in arc 2000 twice, it is very beatiful and the easy acces to the beautiful 1950 by foot is a certain plus. I've gone to the chantel part of arc 1800 3 times and it is even better, you get more calmness, easy acces to la plange(even on bad weather days) and to the snowpark. And if the visibility is low or the weather is harsh, just go to peisay-vallandry. So in a nutshell, on my top 1, Paradiski takes number 1!
J´étais en Autriche pour ouvrir la saison le week-end dernier ! top conditions sur les glaciers :) Mais là, tu m´a bien donné envie de faire un petit voyage en France prochainement ! Merci et bonne saison !
No crowds really at those ski resorts in January, best time to go skiing in France in my opinion to avoid the crowds plus there’s more availability and low season rates
Les Contamines is also a good “value” with inexpensive lift ticket and good vertical. I know at Val d’ Isère the terrain is a bit more interesting and the village a very nice traditional mountain town but on the same lift ticket Tignes is a very nice sunny ski resort.
@@buggykiksak366 thank you mate 🙏 Yeah fair call on that one , they could be switched. I guess it’s just a personal opinion and there’s no right answer
Really enjoyed this video. Whilst I really like Val D’Isere, I find the comparative lack of easier pistes into town a bit of a shortcoming. It’s ok for me, but my wife is less confident. So, for that reason, I prefer Courchevel. Got Arcs 1950 planned for next year, off the back of your review video (which was excellent), but may have to add Avoriaz to the list too 👍
@@andywatterson4161 thanks mate! Getting those type of feedback makes it so worthwhile making those videos. Have an amazing time in Arc 1950. Feel free to book on our website for either Arc 1950 and Avoriaz if you find it good value 😊👍
I've skied all of these apart from Les Arcs. I can't argue with your resort choice. If it was 7 ski areas, I'd choose only Meribel from 3 Valleys and make room for two other areas. Maybe Flaine in Grand Massif and Serre Chevalier (good tree skiing, touring and the option to sneak off to La Grave for a day). Good to see my favourite, Chamonix included, but I think your ranking is fair as great as it is, Chamonix is not exactly easy or convenient for regular ski tourists.
Thanks mate 🙏 I figured some people wouldn’t agree which is fair. I find the layout of Avoriaz and the views much nicer than Val Thorens. Hard to beat a pedestrian only village also. There quite a bit of inconsistency in the building architecture in Val Thorens compared to Avoriaz (Val Tho’s 1970s building not matching some of the more traditional chalet wooden style).Val Thorens also lacks tree skiing ⛷️ so definitely loses some points for that too. Hope that helps you understand my reasoning.
Hello, great vid. Im traveling for Christmas for the first time to the Alps. My two sons and myself want to snowboard, is it easy to rent out equipment? What do you recommend? Thank you
@@mikecopros79 I always recommend pre-booking as you get better value. It is easy to rent however if booking in the resort, you’ll pay full price. Try to book online in advance with companies such as Skiset for example: www.skiset.co.uk
La Grave I rank very high over really good ski resorts in France. But it is a completely different type of ski resort if you compare with your ski resorts that you have included in your list. Your thoughts on La Grave ski resort?
I agree, La Grave is very special and amazing although I recommend it more as a an add on for 1 or 2 nights rather than making it the destination for 1 to 2 weeks. It’s not the most family friendly destination either so it’s not really suited for everyone. For experience skiers and freeriders though, it is a dream come true skiing there
@@topsnowtravel With good snow conditions, La Grave offers magically good skiing. Agree that it is not a ski resort for a family with children. I have been there myself a few times and had fantastic skiing. I personally like to stay there for a longer time.
Agree with both of you. La Grave is unique when ski conditions are good! It is only 30 min away from Serre Chevalier, that is also best ski resort of south French alps, with amazing sun & snow conditions, and stunning powder ski in the trees. So a great combo for good skiers!
I’m hoping to take my family of 5 next year. We normally go to Utah and as a snowboarder I’m all about the off-piste powder which you can usually find an abundance of in the Wasatch resorts. How expensive is it to hire a guide to take you off-piste in Val d’Isere, and how much hiking (I’m in my late 50s but in good shape) is required on average to find the powder there?
you're looking at around USD $650 per day day for a full day private guide in val d'Isere in low season (9am - 4pm). You can easily not do any hiking on powder days especially in low season January as the ski area is quite spread out (bigger than any resorts in the US). Saying that, i can't of course predict snow and weather conditions... Here is a video on The Best Time to go skiing in France if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/xyFUoY-vrKM/видео.html
I did all of them unless Val d’Isère that I will Put on my list Avoriaz is nice for families with young kids No cars which is great Meribel is nice as well as courchevel but a bit bling bling Val Thorens is my favorite as 2300 m resort is nice for a long season . I went there also for the closing the 4 th of may and snow was tremendous at 3300 m Cime Caron down to 2200 meters Key point is that this is great ski with large slops and also free skiing between those slopes Les Arcs is nice as well
@@Steph-iw3hr definitely put Val d’Isère on your list, it’s such a great village!! Looks like you’ve skied some good ones already. Have you been to La Rosière ? It has exceptional views, one of the snowiest ski resort in France and for sure the nicest sunsets in the French Alps. La Rosière ski resort (4K) - 2 Countries (FRA, ITA), 1 Ski Area ruclips.net/video/v33MMHrL01U/видео.html
@@guyyo31051850m is considered high altitude for a ski resort in France. It is south facing and receives lots of sun but has the cover of the Mont-Blanc from the Italian side which keeps the snow pretty well. There’s not much skiing under the village’s altitude and higher up is all good all the way until April
Nice. love my French ski resorts !! the food, the bread, cheese, wine, patisseries ! YUM. and of course the snow ! excellent snow with many resorts very very high !@ Ever skied Serre Chevalier ? it looks great. Even Montgenevre up the road, part of the Via Lattea, looks pretty awesome too?
@@topsnowtravel Personal preference is a key factor. Also to consider is when you're going, your skiing level, whether you have a preference for luxury accommodation and restaurants or you prefer something more rustic. For example one resort may be fantastic in the middle of January to but too busy to enjoy properly in the middle of school holidays.
The top 7 on this video is pretty consistent with other top French resorts I've seen, but 3 of them are all part of the 3 valleys ski area so are they really distinct resorts? We visited Serre Chevalier last year and enjoyed it so much we're going back this year. It's a beautiful place, no 5 star hotels, but very friendly and sunny. Not the highest resort around but high enough to offer mostly good snow, with lots of trees. It's good for intermediate level piste skiing but also a popular base for freeriders. It's a bit harder to reach than some others but that's also an advantage when you get there and find it much less crowded than the more famous northern resorts during school holidays.
@@nigelgb8408 yeah I know they are part of the same ski areas those 3 mentioned in the 3 Valleys but they are definitely so different from one another, big contrast in the villages and even within each valley. The fact that they’re linked is just a great bonus and you could easily have a blast in just skiing its own valley without venturing into the others.
Mmh not really a top ranking there, Les 2 Alpes doesn’t even have 1 single 5-star property. Morzine is an average town at low altitude. Out of how many ski resorts visited is this top 3 based on ? Always good to know other people’s preferences though, thanks 🙏 for sharing 😊👍
Having grown in the French Alps, it's interesting to listen to such a ranking. It gives another point of view, not so easy to think as someone that come from another culture and have other expectations. May I ask you where you live and if you consider yourself as a tourist when in the Alps or something like a local guide owing to the dozen of ski resorts that you have visited for years ? Also, would you say that your ranking is supposed to be watched by non-French tourists so you made your ranking trying to think about their expectations or the ranking is rather your personal opinion. Btw, it's absolutely stunning to notice that 5 ski resorts overs the seven are located in one valley (geographically speaking the valleys in Vanoise can be considered in the territory of Tarentaise). I'm a bit surprised when you described the villages of Les Arcs 1950 as charming and Courchevel to have the nicest chalets in the world considering the fact that all these villages (at the exception of the lowest part of Courchevel) were built less than 70 years ago and are suffering from a terrible lack of soul. If I came from a country far away as Britain or the US, I would rather see authentic French villages and cities. It's a bit sad to be in the French Alps but have the feeling to spend a week in a snow bubble where everything sounds fake. Well, I may have unusual expectations if compared with foreign tourists, tell me...
Bonjour Mathieu. Je suis moitié Français moitié Australien. I was born and grew up in Paris with most of my French family living in Lorient (Bretagne). My dad side is French, my mum's side is Australian. My parents bought a holiday apartment in Valfréjus which was our 2nd home as we travelled there every school holidays both summer and winter so i spent many months dans la Vallée de la Maurienne every year from the age of 2. Valfréjus itself was only a few years old. You may have heard of that little resort, in case you didn't know, this is where speed riding was invented as well as the Skwal from my old friend Thias (Patrick Balmain). I don't really consider myself as a tourist really although since i don't live in France since the age of 15, i guess i am a half a tourist each time i come back to France since i live overseas but certainly not a mountain guide or pretend to be one. This ranking is catered to our high end luxury market for overseas people living outside of France. This RUclips channel, where i provide reviews and information about the best French ski resorts and the best hotels is part of my company: Top Snow Travel: www.topsnowtravel.com/ where we book exceptional and seamless France ski holiday experiences. Our market is mainly from Australia, USA, Canada with some from the UK and Scandinavian countries. Those ski resorts mention had a few criteria for me to reference them, they must have luxury chalets and 5-star hotels (we only sell 4 and 5-star properties). Yes there are many more beautiful and authentic villages than the ones mentioned for sure but overall, the top ranked ski resorts need to tick all the boxes in terms of large ski area, services, luxury accommodation, wide range of winter activities... I will release more videos in the future including the best for traditional and authentic villages but this is not what this current video was aimed for. It was targetting the top ski resorts in France which i believe these are. Sure there are much more beautiful authentic villages like Bonneval-sur-Arc for example but the latter won't have the infrastructure and services or amenities compared to the big ski resorts i mentioned in this Top 7. I'm not syaing one is better than the other, they each offer something different for different people. I don't see your point in your comment about what i said about Courchevel having the best chalets in the world. Courchevel 100% certainly does have the nicest chalets in the world having stayed and visited 1000's of luxurious accommodation over the past 20 years around the world from the best in USA & Canada to the European Alps, there's no doubt the luxurious chalets in Courchevel are on another level. The chalet itself and service that comes with it is stand alone and not to be compared or confused with the ski resort itself. Yes absolutely, Courchevel has no soul in the summer, i totally agree and in winter not much more compared to other villages but when you stay in a luxury chalet with your family, it is an exceptional experience to share those precious moments with the family, you don't really need to go into the village that much when staying in such a place. The fact that those chalets were built after the 70s doesn't change the fact that they are world class and amongst the best in the world. A chalet is not to be confused with a refuge which you would want to keep its old authenticity and charm from the distant past. Arc 1950 is definitly charming and a nice village totally different than most in the French Alps, Valmorel might be similar. I specifically mentioned Arc 1950 and not Les Arcs as the others: 1600, 1800 & 2000 can be quite sore on the eye. I understand your point of view about seeing authentic french villages for tourists from far away but this is for another video, not this one. Not matter which ski resort you stay for your week in the french Alps, you will be in your own snow bubble as you pointed out but this is not necessarily a bad thing, i see it as a good thing and an escape from daily busy life. Thank you so much for taking the time to write your very valuable feedback, i really appreciate it!
@topsnowtravel Thanks for such a comprehensive answer! I understand better what are the criteria you valued building this ranking and it makes more sense to me now. There was no judgement about your quality to judge between ski resorts, I was truly curious to understand your point of view. I'm also interested in understanding what kind of people come from abroad to spend a week in the French Alps and what are they looking for when they come. It's incredible that tourists from Australia come to the Alps! Do you also work with ski resorts in other European countries?
@@carterfan80 low altitude ski resorts. The tree line in France and Europe is probably almost half the altitude in the US. Megève, Les Gets, Courchevel, Méribel etc… all have great tree skiing. It will depend on your ski level ability though which resort is best suited
@topsnowtravel thanks. That helps. Investigating Europe is a little overwhelming as an american. There are so many resorts, and it's just an entire different infrastructure and way of looking at the sport. I'm sure I'll get there eventually, but it's just a little hard for me to justify the amount of extra time and money it takes to get there. But it does look like France will be my first trip! Based on my research
Mmh not sure about adding Les 2 Alpes in the conversation 💬 I do like Les 2 Alpes and I’ve been there a few times but I think that is more part of a Top 10 as in 8th 9th or 10th at best. It definitely wouldn’t make my top 7 but I respect ✊ your opinion and we all have different taste . Thanks for sharing, I’m sure some viewers will agree with you
Obrigado mate, out of the Top 7 French ski resorts mentioned, the most affordable ones are Avoriaz, Arc 1950 and Val Thorens if you’re more looking at budget affordable options. Obviously there will be plenty of cheaper options outside that top 7 as there are 364 ski resorts in France, you’ll certainly find something in your price range 👍
I’m glad you left some of the quieter areas out…Serre Chevalier, La Cluzas… Chamonix is way overrated for weekend skiers😂 disconnected, terrible transit, overcrowded buses, and walking if lifts are down, albeit Grand Montets with peak to valley base and good snow cannot be beaten…and the snow quality is wildly variable as the areas are all on different aspects. Cham is for backcountry hardcore enthusiasts.
depends on what you are looking for, as a 24 year old chamonix is basically a heaven for me, yeah it lacks long ski runs and ski in ski out however it most certainly makes up by offering stunning views and lively town. I don't ski 12 hours a day
@@adygt2747 yeah I gotta give you that. Cham has a special vibe and the views are exceptional! It’s not for everybody but it is so special for some and not so much for others, we all have different needs and expectations. Thanks for sharing yours 🤙
I say, if you are going once in your life to a ski resort in France, or in the Alpes, go to Val d'Isere. If you like big resorts go to 3Vales, i prefere to stay in Val Thorens. Of the resorts i havn't been to Alp Duez, Les Arcs and Serre Cevaliere are on the top. I have been to 15 different resorts and Avoriaz/Port du soleie are not on the list of places i would go back to. As a experienced offpist skier i prefere Chamonix, but i have skied Aguille du midi more than 100 times and i could go a week without going to anny of the other parts, just ski from Aguille du midi. I have days, i am the only one skiing from there, haveing vale blanche all to my selves. but you need Guide du montagne or someone that knows the area to be able to experience it in a good way.
No way. No 1 is Courchevel. val d’isere is not accessible for all level skiers. I ski them as a pro many weeks , beginners always suffer , ice , bumps , too much walking. Good video by the way 👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks mate! Yeah I figured there would be a few upsets with some preferring Courchevel as #1 instead of Val d’Isère. At least it made it in my Top 7 😉
Mention more things about the actual skiing challenge at Valdi. The shops and villages are not visited during the day. Val d'Isere has Olympic class terrain and a huge number of lifts which makes lift lines nonexistent. Also, Val d'Isere is intimately connected with the adjoining Tignes ski area, so the #1 rating should read "Val d'Isere/Tignes"
I wouldn't put Meribel above Courchevel, other than the ability to get to either VT or Courchevel quickly! If you ski over from Courchevel, you will immediately notice how poor the piste grooming is in Meribel by comparison. La Tania (this year will be our 7th) is an amazing place - true ski in/ski out good value apartments and PubLeSkiLodge is the best place in the 3V! We love going over to Moriond where the pistes are vast and deserted! Surprised La Plagne didn't make the list, but as others have said, your review doesn't seem to focus much on the ski domain (how good it is for skilled/intermediate/beginners & kids), but more on the villages and shopping.
@@simon1602-t1u salut Simon, oui je comprends, c’est juste un choix personnel 😊👍 j’ai fait une saison d’hiver (6 mois) à Val d’Isère 2012/13 et j’ai trop aimé depuis…
I guess not, that’s too specific, this ranking is overall ski resort but in any of these ski resorts, you will find more blue runs than you can handle except Chamonix, you could give that a miss. If you want some good terrain parks, Avoriaz and Le Grand Bornand are pretty good as well as the ones in the 3 valleys which gives you more variety.
What dates are you looking for? Try searching for low season during January (04 Jan - 08 Feb 2025) if you're flexible with your dates. You can find our range here 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com
In the 70's all these places were affordable, now they are out of reach. In the 70's 3 quarters of the locals (residents of Savoy) were avid skiers and french national team was good. Now only 1 quarter skies because prices went sky high and many small resorts closed because of lack of snow. Maurienne remains a nice compromise, Val Frejus you named at the beginning, Termignon / Val Cenis also.
Yes sadly i have seen the decline in snow conditions even as a child 35 years ago. Every year when we use to drive from Paris to our holiday apartment in Valfréjus i would noticed some of the Glaciers in the Maurienne valley declining year after year (noticeable especially in summer) and that was already 30+ years ago... As for the lift tickets, they do go up a lot especially in the last 5-7 years but they're still much more affordable than in the USA/Canada and here in Australia.
Ticket prices in North America are insane. For anyone on the east coast, it's cheaper overall to fly to Europe to ski than go to the Rockies or Sierras.
@ €40 for a daily lift pass at a descent ski resort is good value indeed compared to North America. It’s not just the price, generally the ski area is much bigger too
Tignes is on my Top 10 just doesn’t quite make it in my top 7. But a great ski resort 👉 Tignes Ski Resort - Truly Unique ruclips.net/video/jE4hw9yYBlo/видео.html
Very unimaginative choices. You start the video saying there are is an enormous choice of ski areas in France, then all you've done is list Cham, Portes Du S, Paradiski, 3 Vallees, Espace Killy. If these mega-resorts are your sponsors you ought to make that clear
No sponsors. These are the ski resorts with the best accommodation options, winter activities and ski terrain overall. What does imagination have to do with a ranking of the top ski resorts in France?
Tout dépend de ce que vous recherchez. Si vous souhaitez une station offrant du grand ski, un paysage à couper le souffle, et une qualité architecturale remarquable je vous conseille personnellement : - les arcs 1600 (vue exceptionnelle sur le mont-blanc, architecture exceptionnelle faisant date et ski fabuleux) - la clusaz (beauté des aravis, village plein de charme, diversité du domaine skiable) - flaine (cocon de neige ouaté, architecture egalement remarquable, et skinmagnifique avec vue exceptionnelle depuis les grandes platières) Tout ceci etant bien sûr très subjectif.
Plus Arc 1600 being directly accessible by rail, with TGV high speed train + funicular cable car right up to the resort! Get off the coach, put on your skis! 😎
Désolé mais personnellement, je trouve Arc 1600 et Flaine horrible et moche sauf Le Hameau de Flaine avec les jolies chalets Scandinave mais Flaine Forum et Flaine Forêt avec ces bâtiments horrible, on dirait une prison . Je parle point de vue de la station bien sûr, pas le domaine skiable qui eux (Paradiski et Grand Massif) sont magnifiques et effectivement avec des vues à couper le souffle. Les Aravis sont superbes effectivement 😊👍 je préfère Le Grand Bo mais bon ça c’est juste un choix personnel mais La Clusaz est sympa aussi mais n’entrerait pas dans le top 10 pour moi et c’est trop bas en altitude (1100m) donc plus de chance d’avoir de la pluie ces jours-ci
Arc 1699 et Flaine sont des produits architecturaux extraordinaires, ce qui ne signifie pas qu'ils sont beaux,'mais au moins ils marquent votre mémoire par leur originalité. Ce ne sont pas des disneylands comme Arc 1950, ou des copies de pseudo villages savoyards comme Méribel ou Val d'Isère.
@@badroo well obviously 🙄 we sell those 7 ski destinations if they the best in my opinion and I have hand picked those ski resorts to work with. We also work with another 9 ski resorts (16 total) 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/ Do you expect me to choose ski resorts I don’t think are the best and don’t want to work with??? I really don’t see the point in that comment and where you’re going with this??? As if it’s some kinda trick or something… from the channel name and our website, it’s obvious we are a business and therefore we do sell products and services. It’s free info by the way, nothing or no one is pushing you to buy anything you know…
@@equalizer_8736 not for me… too annoying to get around to the slopes, low altitude so the town is not covered in snow throughout winter, no great terrain parks, exceptional off-piste yes I must admit but the conditions are not always so great for off-piste.
Flaine is pretty flat except going to "la combe de Gers", overcrowded like ants around their nest. Going down to Sixt is great but you have to take a bus. Samoens has great slopes, but that's not Flaine ...
I like the Grand Massif ski area but i can't understand Flaine, i find it so ugly like concreate jail boxes and to me is an eyesore. I must admit that i do really like Le Hameau de Flaine with its little village of beautiful scandinavian chalets but the other villages like the Forum, Flaine Forêt etc... are just plaine awful in my opinion. Les Carroz is much nicer than Flaine but not as high. Same with all French ski resorts, if you want to avoid crowds, go in January, i go every year during that period and i definitly don't find it over crowded.
Well, you listed many big and expensive places and left loads of middle places that are worth a good holiday for most people who are average skiers. What could i expect?
With over 300 ski resorts in France, there’s plenty of options for everyone to suit all types of budget and styles. We specialise in the top ski resorts staying in the most exceptional properties so it would make sense to mention the average good ski resort. Working with the top 16 is enough 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
superbe vidéo!!! J'adore la montagne et je m'y connais assez bien, donc si vous êtes intéressé par un autres salarié dans votre entreprise, n'hésitez pas, je suis intéressé!!
@@hzviewmax you can watch my full review of Méribel here 👉 Méribel ski resort | An Extraordinary Experience 🤩 (4K) ruclips.net/video/Kq2u6YDfppQ/видео.html
Can’t compare the Canada/USA with France, they each offer something totally different. I love both but when it comes to large ski areas, food, history, authenticity, there’s just simply no match. You won’t find 200 years old traditional mountain chalets made of old stone and wood for example in North America (yes you do have great log cabins). Size does matter sometimes: The 3 Valleys has 25,916 acres. This is the equivalent of combining all of the big Canadian 🇨🇦 resorts of: Whistler Blackcomb (8171 acres), Sun Peaks (4,270 acres), Banff Lake Louise Mt Norquay (7690), Big White (2775 acres) and Silverstar TOTAL 26,178 acres. Or for USA 🇺🇸 combining the resorts of: Aspen Snowmass (5,600 acres), Vail (5,317 acres), Beaver Creek (1832 acres), Breckenridge (2908 acres), Telluride (2000 acres), Steamboat (3741 acres) and Keystone (4800 acres) TOTAL= 26,198 acres. Saying all that, I love USA 🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦 very much 😍 amazing ski resorts, great mountains, nice villages. Just different. Some villages have 400 year old churches and old cobbled stone streets and a rich history making it so charming. ✌️
Cheap! We were in La Tania last year (our 6th time) and we spoke to a Canadian family who came to France because it is cheaper, even with the long haul flights, for them to come to France!
I watched to the end but I was skeptical when Chamonix came in at seven. This is all about the ski village and facilities. Ski terrain and snow quality has nothing to do with this review. 😂
Not exactly 👍 it’s about knowing where to find the top ski resorts in France and where they are located, not dissecting their ski areas and give a full review of each resort. Where would you have Chamonix ranked?
Top 3. It’s a genuine mountain sports town with character and has the best free ride and back country skiing in France. In short because of poor snowfall I wouldn’t ski in France anymore.
France doesn’t have many genuine ski towns and Chamonix tops them all however I personally prefer villages. Chamonix is too low in altitude so you don’t get a white winter wonderland all winter unfortunately. You always find plenty of snow in the high altitude ski resorts mentioned though.
@@topsnowtravelthe Mont Blanc pass gets you access to the neighboring high peaks including the gondola to 3800m. From there you have access to the best free ride skiing in France. It’s ok. Your idea of skiing is a few laps on piste then back to the luxury hotel. My idea is skiing steep technical terrain and powder snow followed by a few beers at night.
@ yes i have been to the summit of Aiguille du midi cable car 🚠 (3842m) and went down La Vallée Blanche as well as several off-piste routes in the Chamonix valley. Mmh 🫤 not quite, you have no idea what my idea of skiing is. I actually don’t really ride the slopes that much (after skiing/riding all types of terrain for over 35 years!), I prefer hitting the jumps and rails at the terrain parks, off-piste freeriding is my #1 choice only when there’s powder (no icy conditions or hard crust, I don’t see the interest in going off-piste for crapy conditions) and like you have a few beers but also some nice wines at the end of the day as well as eating good food.
Au moins une personne normal, qui ne fait pas rentrer alpe d'huez et les deux alpes dans son top 5!!!! Par contre je ferais rentré La Plagne dans ce classement!!
@@zemmouretoui5048 haha 😂 merci 🙏 Mmh par contre je ne mettrais pas La Plagne non plus. Le domaine skiable est magnifique mes les villages sont assez horrible à voir (sauf Belle Plagne) et beaucoup trop de monde.
Hi Gilles Val d'Isere number one? Freezing in January and February, no tree line skiing to speak of and the resort you are most likely to have issues getting in and out of. Also not a village anymore - a sprawling ugly town which has been massively over developed and is full of drunken Brits - no thanks. Courchevel - really - motorway pistes everywhere, ridiculous priced accommodation (OK so you cater for those with more money than sense!) and as for Avoriaz above Les Arcs - really?!! I don't even call Chamonix a ski resort - its a tourist trap with a few ski lifts. Avoid at all costs if you want to actually ski though Argentiere great for advanced skiers (only!) My top 5 are 5. La Clusaz - genuine family friendly village super easy to get to and with neighbouring Le Grand Bornand - best kept secret in the Alps. 4. La Rosiere - fabulous high altitude ski area linking France and Italy and with really good value accommodation 3. Serre Chevalier - much under rated resort with three huge ski bowls all inter connected. 2. Orelle - connected to Val Thorens - south facing and MUCH cheaper than any resort in the Three Valleys 1. Les Arcs - not just 1950 - the whole place (why did you just review 1950 yet Courchevel you mentioned every village?!!) I am in Villaroger (so biased!) - tree line skiing both Villaroger and Peisy sides, breathtaking ski area including La Plagne. Perfectly located also to ski Sainte Foy, La Rosiere, Tignes, Val d'Isere. Easy access to Bourg St Maurice - a proper French town with great shopping. The ONLY place you can get to by train thus the GREENEST ski resort in France AND the best bit - it is not over run by noisy drunken Brits! But keep it to yourself. We like it that way ;-)
Well that was a mouth full 😂 Thanks for your in depth feedback. I can’t believe you would put BSM as a ski town though, nothing there, pretty ugly in my opinion, just an average passing through town handy for groceries when staying in the nearby resorts of the Tarentaise valley. When I mention Arc 1950, I’m talking about where to stay, of course the entire Les Arcs-Peisey Vallandry ski area is so beautiful, I didn’t mention just the ski area around 1950. There’s no beating about the bush, Arc 1800 and Arc 1600 are plain ugly and an eye sore so I will certainly stand by my comment and that Les Arcs ski area and views are amazing and it’s true that the crowds are more from the French market compared to the likes of Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Méribel. Le Grand Bornand is not so much the best kept secrets in the French Alps, we’ve been selling ski holidays to Le Grand Bo for over 10 years and is part of the Top 16 ski resorts in France we work with: www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/ . La Rosière is also part of our Top 16 : ruclips.net/video/v33MMHrL01U/видео.htmlsi=uBmCgThHLgibM4bO What do you mean Val d’Isere freezing 🥶 in January and February?? It never gets that cold at all (I used to live there) between -5 and - 12 which you want anyway for dry snow conditions. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -25.3 which was 24 years ago… I have been in Banff Canada 🇨🇦 with minus -35. Now that’s freezing 🥶 Having a bit of traffic in and out is worth the sacrifice to get to experience Val d’Isere. This video is about the best ski resorts, NOT the cheapest or best value. Usually there’s a price to pay to get the best and that’s why they’re there and more expensive. To be the best has to come as a whole package which would include everything from restaurants, bars winter activities, ski area size etc… you can’t tell me Orelle would offer guests travelling there the best of everything including the bars, restaurants, winter activities etc.. Glad your #1 Les Arcs is in my Top 7 at least 😁
Well thats some pretty corny tier list, only focusing on confortability and the more the price goes up, the higher it is in your list(nothing about the skiing itself). Having skiied at every one of your best ski locations, i will put undoutebly at number 1 Tignes 2100(which is not even mentioned).
Well not really, aesthetics count and you can’t tell me Tignes is prettier than Val d’Isere or Méribel. Tignes Val Claret is such an eyesore. Tignes Le Lac is nice but certainly is not nicer than Val d’Isere, Méribel or Courchevel. Tignes 2100? Where are all the traditional mountain chalets…?? Tignes has a fantastic ski area but those purpose built ski resort buildings along with many in the French Alps are just not nice on the eye. Where to ski is not just about the ski area, the village has to be nice as well.
Agree. Tignes needs to be on this list for sure. I've skiied all these resorts and they're all good options. But not including Tignes is crazy. Meribel is brilliant for apres and for access to Val thoren and courchevel... But I've worked over 10 years in resorts in these areas and occasionally, especially December, because Meribel has such low altitude, it hasn't been able to open due to lack of snow. Still this is all opinion and a good review regardless.
All fair points and yes i agree Tignes is an excellent ski resort which is why we work with Tignes and is part of our portfolio asone of the best ski resorts in France : www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/tignes/ . We work with the Top 16 best French ski resorts and Tignes is in there but it is just not in my Top 7. It would probably come as 8 or 9 and out of 300+ ski resorts in France, that's excellent. Here is the list of our Top 16: www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
Yes, French skiing(and Europe in general) for food and après ski. But for an American, specially Western American, why spend 13+ hours on a plane to ski euro hard pack when we can go the other way and ski bottomless pow in Honshu or Hokkaido which is suffering less than the big hit European areas are taking from climate change.
just a different experience, history and culture i guess. You will get amazing snow in Japan for sure and an amazing culture and people but you will never get the amazing traditional wood and stone chalets on the mountain like France or in the European Alps (mainly also Switzerland and Austria). Food is a big part of a holiday and it is hard to beat the French cuisine in the mountains. From the USA though, you're lucky, you have amazing ski resorts in your own country and not too far to go to Japan or Europe. To be honest a 13 hour flight is no big deal, not for us Aussies anyway 😊
@@topsnowtravel So you are Aussie, I thought you were a frog that lived a long time in Oz. And, If I lived in the middle of nowhere I guess I'd get used long flights back to civilization.😉 There's no doubt Europe has all the bells and whistles connected w/ skiing over many other places. It depends what you value most. If it's party and food you want, there's always summer in the Greek and Spanish islands
@@rickden8362 I’m both (half Aussie half French). Each of those resorts can offer a wide range of experiences, it’s not all about partying and après of course, if you know where to go , where to stay, you can always have an exceptional ski holiday there.
J'étais cette année à Les Menuires et à Les Arcs. Mais je ne vais pas me vanter et prétendre que j'ai skié 10 domaines de ski, contrairement à ce que tu fais.. .Je ne suis pas du tout d'accord avec ta liste. Tu ne peux pas citer les 3 vallées puis énumérer chaque village qui s'y trouve et en même temps prétendre que tu as parcouru tant de domaines. Ce serait comme si je listais 10 pistes dans une région et prétendais que chacune d'elles est un domaine skiable. De plus, tout ce qui est en dessous de 1800 mètres n'est plus praticable en avril. Les Menuires, etc., ne se résument qu'à de la boue. Il faut aussi noter que les remontées mécaniques et les hôtels vieillissants en France sont, par rapport à ceux d'Autriche, beaucoup trop chers. C'est vraiment une honte.
Dis ce que tu veux, j'ai skié dans 76 stations de ski dans le monde et 44 rien qu'en France pendant 37 ans de ski chaque année sauf COVID donc je suis bien placé pour avoir un avis d'expérience sur ce sujet sans compter que j'ai travaillé dans l'industrie du ski vendant des séjours au ski depuis maintenant 18 ans. Ma question est la suivante : est-ce que tu peux égaler cette expérience ? Je vais répondre à cette question pour toi, non je ne pense pas. Il n’y a pas lieu d’être jaloux, ce n’étaient que des faits. Chacune de ces stations de ski des 3 vallées offre une expérience totalement unique et complètement différente les unes des autres. Séjourner à Courchevel n’est tout simplement pas la même chose que séjourner aux Menuires. Point. Alors oui je citerai ces différentes stations de ski même si elles sont reliées sous un seul domaine skiable : Les 3 Vallées. J'ai séjourné dans toutes ces stations, je ne me suis pas contenté de les skier comme toi qui as juste séjourné aux Menuires et qui n'as donc aucune idée de la véritable expérience de séjourner à Méribel ou à Courchevel si tu ne fais que skier de passage.
@@topsnowtravel Selon ta méthode... j'ai skié 10 domaines en 2 jours (dimanche encore aux Arcs - 4 domaines, puis lundi aux 3 vallées - au moins 6 domaines! Une façon de calculer comme une autre! Pour moi, les 3 vallées, c'est un domaine et non la somme de tous les villages. On l'appelle aussi "le plus grand domaine skiable." et non " les plus grands domaines..." Sans compter les 3 semaines dans "20" domaines (selon ta méthode) en Autriche! Ça ne réduit, impacte, ... en aucune façon ton expérience, tes connaissances, ton reportage ou je ne sais pas quoi! Ta façon de calculer, compter, ... n'est, de mon point de vue (ni moins, ni plus), pas correcte. ... et moi j'ai fait de la compétition FIS il y a encore 15 ans (et ça change quoi maintenant? - Rien)...
Pas du tout. Est ce que je parles des domaines skiables ? Non, je parle des stations de ski (ski resorts)... tu es fixé sur ce sujet que toi tu racontes toi, pas moi. Je pense que tu ne sembles pas connaitre la difference entre une station de ski et un domaine skiable??? Ce n'est pas pareil. Cette video est pour savoir où sont les meilleurs stations en France pour y passer les vacances. Donc dans mes références oui, j'ai skié sur plus de 40 stations en France, je n'ai pas dis j'ai skié sur 40+ domaines de ski différents; mais peut-etre que ta compréhension de l'anglais n'est pas si bonne... Voila les stations de ski ou j'ai skié: France (40+) Abondance, Alpe d'Huez, Auris-en-Oisans, Aussois, Avoriaz, Brides-les-Bains, Champéry, Champagny-en-Vanoise, Chamonix (Brévent-Flégère, Les Houches, La Vallée Blanche), Châtel, Champoussin, Courchevel, La Chapelle d'Abondance, La Norma, La Plagne, La Rosière, La Tania, Le Grand Bornand, Les Arcs, Les Crosets, Les Gets, Les Menuires, Les Deux Alpes, Megève, Méribel, Montriond, Morgins, Morzine, Orelle, Oz-en-Oisans, Peisey-Vallandry, Saint-Foy, St Jean d'Aulps, St Martin de Belleville, Tignes, Torgon, Val-d'Illiez, Val Cenis, Valfréjus, Val d’Isère, Valmorel, Val Thorens, Vaujany, Villard Reculas. Italy Pragelato, Sestriere, La Thuile. Switzerland Andermatt, Gstaad, Grindelwald, Wengen, Zermatt. Canada Whistler Blackcomb, Banff (Mt Norquay & Sunshine), Lake Louise, Jasper. USA Heavenly, Northstar, Squaw Valley, Mammoth Mountain, Aspen, Snowmass, Park City, Canyons, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone. New Zealand Mt Hutt, Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Treble Cone, Cardrona, staying in Queenstown, Wanaka & Methven. Australia Perisher, Thredbo.
Trop facile à dire sans trop y penser. Je pense que ceux qui travaillent dans le tourisme ou dans les stations qui ont besoin de la clientèle pour survivre ne seront pas d’accord avec toi. Au total, les voyages et le tourisme ont généré, directement et indirectement, 2,86 millions d'emplois dans le pays en France en 2023. Ce chiffre devrait atteindre environ 2,93 millions en 2024.
I was in Les Menuires and Les Arcs this year. But I'm not going to stand here and claim that I skied in 10 resorts. That's what you’re doing.... So, I absolutely disagree with your enumeration. You can't just quote the 3 Vallées and then list every single village located there and then claim that you have skied in so many areas. It’s as if I were to list 10 slopes in one area and then claim that each one is a separate ski resort. Furthermore, everything below 1800 meters is no longer skiable after April. Places like Les Menuires, etc., are only left with slush. Additionally, the outdated ski lifts and overpriced hotels in France, compared to Austria, are a real shame.
Say as you wish, I have skied 76 ski resorts worldwide and counting incl 44 in France alone for 37 years skiing every year except COVID so I’m well placed to have an experience opinion on this subject not to mention that I have been working in the ski industry selling ski holidays for 18 years now. My question to you is, can you match that experience? I will answer that one for you, I don’t think so. There’s no need for jealousy these were just facts. Each of these ski resorts in the 3 valleys offer a totally unique experience and are completely different from one another. Staying in Courchevel is simply not the same as staying in Les Menuires. Period. So yes I will mention those different ski resorts even if if they are linked under 1 ski area: The 3 Valleys. I have stayed at all those resorts, not “just skied them” like you who stayed at Les Menuires and therefore would have no clue what the true experience feels like to stay in Meribel or Courchevel if you’re just skiing passing through.
@@2204JCM no worries, thanks for your feedback. Yes terrain is a very important piece of the puzzle 🧩 but I wouldn’t speak on behalf of everyone though as you don’t know what all skiers want. A village, its layout and facilities are actually usually the #1 priority actually when planning a France ski holiday, not the terrain as much which maybe comes 2nd (based on providing exceptional ski holidays to France for over 10 years to over 13K happy clients.) All the TERRAIN is so massive at every ski resort mentioned that it will satisfy almost everybody no matter which option you choose and so talking about the terrain becomes almost irrelevant when doing a quick review of where to ski (see our full review of each individual resort if you want to learn and see more of the terrain). 3 Valleys, Paradiski, Les Portes du Soleil, Val d’Isère-Tignes etc… all have between 300km to 600km of terrain. The village and where you stay however makes all the difference. Where you stay plays a crucial part, sorry but it’s a fact. Fair enough, we all have different needs and priorities that’s for sure.
Hard disagree with your opinion - I’m an advanced skier and basically all these resorts have great terrain - im traveling with a family and what I’ve been wanted to get out of this video is what resorts have a great balance of village atmosphere (for non skiers in party) / slope / ski in ski out / height above sea level / things to do outside of skiing etc which is what the video achieved
The moment I saw Chamonix as No.7, I knew you’d be one of those people…it’s the mecca of the Alps and has some of the best skiing in the world! All the others you listed are for piste loving tourists, who often only ski half days and drink the rest, thinking they’re pros because they have the latest ski gear! 🥴 Anyone fortunate enough to visit any of these places should consider themselves lucky, but the ranking is off and you’re catering for a very specific type of skier. Should instead be titled as Top 7 Best Ski Resorts in France for Beginners Brits!
There’s no doubt Chamonix has some of the most beautiful mountain peaks and some incredible off-piste terrain. Isn’t piste skiing part of a ski resort? I didn’t title it “Top 7 Best Hardcore Off-Piste Ski Destination” did I? so your comment is not really valid and accurate but obviously everyone has there own opinion. It seems this video has made you angry for some reason 🫤
another amazing review. i did a month in courchevel 1650 last season based on your great reviews and chamonix the season before. i''m gonna put arc 1950 on the list and avoriaz for this season as ive been to the others you mentioned. all mentioned are amazing. thanks for the great content i'm gonna head to your website to see whats on offer.thanks a million,have a great season.
@@TheChizzletube thank you so much for your amazing feedback!!! I’m so glad I was able to help out. You’re gonna love Arc 1950 and Avoriaz. Totally different experience to Cham and Courch 😃👍
This is a nice review for non skiers who just want to sit at the bottom, shop, and go to restaurants.
@@eipip1ez not quite, you’ll find the ski areas at all those ski resorts fantastic. This review is to know which are the Top ski resorts in France, not dissecting the ski areas, it’s about where to stay if wanting to experience the best ski resorts hence the title 😊
#1 for ski chalenge La grave
#1 for after ski. Serre Chevalier. Chek the spa and the city of Briançon Bro
Fair call, La Grave is up there for challenging terrain and incredible off-piste 😊👍
100% it’s Val!! Was there for my 9th time in Jan this year! I love this place!
Another converted 😉👍
One of my favorite things to do is talk to people about where are their favorite places in the world to ski.
More often than not they mention Val D'Isere
Just wish it was easier to get to from Los Angeles
@@coryjoe0420 if you haven’t been, Val d’Isère should definitely be on your to do list 😊👍 much easier from LA than for me from Aus 😁 flying is not so bad…
You do have some amazing ski resorts already up your way though. I love Mammoth, Tahoe etc…
@@topsnowtravel went a few years back and loved it. Wish I stayed longer. But also gives me a reason to go back.
There aren't too many ski resorts that i will go back to as i love exploring new places but Val d'Isere is one of those i will always want to go back...
I know it’s low altitude but you can’t beat Megève when the weather is right and the snow is pumping in!
Mégève has stunning scenery but as you rightly said, it is very low in altitude and you sometimes can get rain instead of snow, I’ve had both there with tones of beautiful powder one day and a few days later rain. No high altitude ski terrain. The ski area is a bit disconnected in 2 parts so not really seamless , great spot , amazing town , beautiful chalets and hotels and is part of our Top 16 ski resorts but just doesn’t make the top 7 .
👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
I have went to the Paradiski(Les arcs) ski area 5 times now, I'ts stunning.
I've always gone near the end of the season but even then the snow is good(as long as you stay out of the woods:)
I've stayed in the belambra hôtel in arc 2000 twice, it is very beatiful and the easy acces to the beautiful 1950 by foot is a certain plus.
I've gone to the chantel part of arc 1800 3 times and it is even better, you get more calmness, easy acces to la plange(even on bad weather days) and to the snowpark. And if the visibility is low or the weather is harsh, just go to peisay-vallandry.
So in a nutshell, on my top 1, Paradiski takes number 1!
@@wobbecraft I have to agree 👍 the ski area of Les Arcs is incredible, and those views 🤩
J´étais en Autriche pour ouvrir la saison le week-end dernier ! top conditions sur les glaciers :) Mais là, tu m´a bien donné envie de faire un petit voyage en France prochainement ! Merci et bonne saison !
@@jonathdeBuc n’hésite pas à venir en France, ça ne te fera pas de mal 😉
Cool vid. Can you do another top list of budget french ski resorts as well
@@Oliverrees-horsley thanks mate 🙏 Your request is noted
@@topsnowtravel its not his business ;-)
Southern French Alps has many sunny Ski resorts. Don't forget this amazing place for pleasant skiing.
Never forgotten of course 😊👍
Oreille and Val Thorens staying in St Michel de Maurienne. No crowds or big lift line, easy parking at base of Orelle gondola.
No crowds really at those ski resorts in January, best time to go skiing in France in my opinion to avoid the crowds plus there’s more availability and low season rates
Les Contamines is also a good “value” with inexpensive lift ticket and good vertical. I know at Val d’ Isère the terrain is a bit more interesting and the village a very nice traditional mountain town but on the same lift ticket Tignes is a very nice sunny ski resort.
@@colinress yeah there are so many great value ski resorts in the French Alps that’s for sure, too many to name 😅
There is also : La Plagne , Tignes , Les Deux Alpes , L'Alpe d'Huez and tons of other small resorts .
@@tiestu7612 yeah too many to mention but great ones there, most of them are in our Top 16 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
Top job mate! Cannot agree more, just myself i would switch arc 1950 with avoriaz, but anyway thats just me, thats a very swet job you are doing👍
@@buggykiksak366 thank you mate 🙏
Yeah fair call on that one , they could be switched. I guess it’s just a personal opinion and there’s no right answer
@@topsnowtravel I'll take a new resort with a spa and proper high altitude skiing over a tired place full of horse poo any day!
Late bid for Alpe d'Huez. Variety and exploration beyond its size, and back country to die for.
Alpe d’Huez is in my Top 16 but doesn’t make the finals 👉 Alpe d'Huez ski resort | Is it WORTH THE HYPE?
ruclips.net/video/DHeK-jxks_k/видео.html
finally yes! been waiting for this one
@@igoplacessometimes it was overdue, sorry 😁
Really enjoyed this video.
Whilst I really like Val D’Isere, I find the comparative lack of easier pistes into town a bit of a shortcoming.
It’s ok for me, but my wife is less confident. So, for that reason, I prefer Courchevel.
Got Arcs 1950 planned for next year, off the back of your review video (which was excellent), but may have to add Avoriaz to the list too 👍
@@andywatterson4161 thanks mate! Getting those type of feedback makes it so worthwhile making those videos. Have an amazing time in Arc 1950. Feel free to book on our website for either Arc 1950 and Avoriaz if you find it good value 😊👍
I've skied all of these apart from Les Arcs. I can't argue with your resort choice. If it was 7 ski areas, I'd choose only Meribel from 3 Valleys and make room for two other areas. Maybe Flaine in Grand Massif and Serre Chevalier (good tree skiing, touring and the option to sneak off to La Grave for a day). Good to see my favourite, Chamonix included, but I think your ranking is fair as great as it is, Chamonix is not exactly easy or convenient for regular ski tourists.
Thanks mate, great constructive feedback! I appreciate it 😊👍
Nice review overall, but Avoriaz ahead of Val Thorens? Hard to understand.
Thanks mate 🙏 I figured some people wouldn’t agree which is fair. I find the layout of Avoriaz and the views much nicer than Val Thorens. Hard to beat a pedestrian only village also. There quite a bit of inconsistency in the building architecture in Val Thorens compared to Avoriaz (Val Tho’s 1970s building not matching some of the more traditional chalet wooden style).Val Thorens also lacks tree skiing ⛷️ so definitely loses some points for that too. Hope that helps you understand my reasoning.
Nice vid! Already planned to go VT - VD - Avoriaz this Dec. Watched your video and I was thinking if I made the right choice so guess I’m good 👍
@@Bryan0n you’re all good 😉👍
Have an awesome time!!
@@topsnowtravel Thanks! Btw your videos are really helpful for ppl living on the other side of the world. 👍
@@Bryan0n thanks mate 🙏 I appreciate it very much
Hello, great vid. Im traveling for Christmas for the first time to the Alps. My two sons and myself want to snowboard, is it easy to rent out equipment? What do you recommend? Thank you
@@mikecopros79 I always recommend pre-booking as you get better value. It is easy to rent however if booking in the resort, you’ll pay full price. Try to book online in advance with companies such as Skiset for example: www.skiset.co.uk
Thanks for the vid 🏂
Thanks mate!
La Grave I rank very high over really good ski resorts in France.
But it is a completely different type of ski resort if you compare with your ski resorts that you have included in your list.
Your thoughts on La Grave ski resort?
I agree, La Grave is very special and amazing although I recommend it more as a an add on for 1 or 2 nights rather than making it the destination for 1 to 2 weeks. It’s not the most family friendly destination either so it’s not really suited for everyone. For experience skiers and freeriders though, it is a dream come true skiing there
@@topsnowtravel With good snow conditions, La Grave offers magically good skiing. Agree that it is not a ski resort for a family with children. I have been there myself a few times and had fantastic skiing. I personally like to stay there for a longer time.
Nice! Everyone can find their happy place in the French Alps!
Agree with both of you. La Grave is unique when ski conditions are good! It is only 30 min away from Serre Chevalier, that is also best ski resort of south French alps, with amazing sun & snow conditions, and stunning powder ski in the trees. So a great combo for good skiers!
@@DP406 thanks mate for your input, I feel like I need to do a new video on La Grave… stay tuned
I’m hoping to take my family of 5 next year. We normally go to Utah and as a snowboarder I’m all about the off-piste powder which you can usually find an abundance of in the Wasatch resorts. How expensive is it to hire a guide to take you off-piste in Val d’Isere, and how much hiking (I’m in my late 50s but in good shape) is required on average to find the powder there?
you're looking at around USD $650 per day day for a full day private guide in val d'Isere in low season (9am - 4pm). You can easily not do any hiking on powder days especially in low season January as the ski area is quite spread out (bigger than any resorts in the US). Saying that, i can't of course predict snow and weather conditions... Here is a video on The Best Time to go skiing in France if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/xyFUoY-vrKM/видео.html
I did all of them unless Val d’Isère that I will Put on my list
Avoriaz is nice for families with young kids
No cars which is great
Meribel is nice as well as courchevel but a bit bling bling
Val Thorens is my favorite as 2300 m resort is nice for a long season . I went there also for the closing the 4 th of may and snow was tremendous at 3300 m Cime Caron down to 2200 meters
Key point is that this is great ski with large slops and also free skiing between those slopes
Les Arcs is nice as well
@@Steph-iw3hr definitely put Val d’Isère on your list, it’s such a great village!! Looks like you’ve skied some good ones already. Have you been to La Rosière ?
It has exceptional views, one of the snowiest ski resort in France and for sure the nicest sunsets in the French Alps.
La Rosière ski resort (4K) - 2 Countries (FRA, ITA), 1 Ski Area
ruclips.net/video/v33MMHrL01U/видео.html
Hey Gilles , la Rosières sounds good
Will find out more
Will start my season in Austria Konnertal in November and maybe great opening at Valtho
@@Steph-iw3hr nice!!! I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time 🤩
@@topsnowtravel La Rosière is not so high and facing due south ... beware of the snow later in the season though!
@@guyyo31051850m is considered high altitude for a ski resort in France. It is south facing and receives lots of sun but has the cover of the Mont-Blanc from the Italian side which keeps the snow pretty well. There’s not much skiing under the village’s altitude and higher up is all good all the way until April
Nice. love my French ski resorts !! the food, the bread, cheese, wine, patisseries ! YUM. and of course the snow ! excellent snow with many resorts very very high !@
Ever skied Serre Chevalier ? it looks great. Even Montgenevre up the road, part of the Via Lattea, looks pretty awesome too?
@@jimbosaul3996 hey mate! Yeah I have skied both, great ski resorts you mentioned BTW but I personally prefer the northern Alps
@@topsnowtravel Personal preference is a key factor. Also to consider is when you're going, your skiing level, whether you have a preference for luxury accommodation and restaurants or you prefer something more rustic. For example one resort may be fantastic in the middle of January to but too busy to enjoy properly in the middle of school holidays.
The top 7 on this video is pretty consistent with other top French resorts I've seen, but 3 of them are all part of the 3 valleys ski area so are they really distinct resorts? We visited Serre Chevalier last year and enjoyed it so much we're going back this year. It's a beautiful place, no 5 star hotels, but very friendly and sunny. Not the highest resort around but high enough to offer mostly good snow, with lots of trees. It's good for intermediate level piste skiing but also a popular base for freeriders. It's a bit harder to reach than some others but that's also an advantage when you get there and find it much less crowded than the more famous northern resorts during school holidays.
@@nigelgb8408 fair point, well said 😊👍
@@nigelgb8408 yeah I know they are part of the same ski areas those 3 mentioned in the 3 Valleys but they are definitely so different from one another, big contrast in the villages and even within each valley. The fact that they’re linked is just a great bonus and you could easily have a blast in just skiing its own valley without venturing into the others.
my top 3 should be Alpe D'Huez, Les 2 Alpes and Morzine-Avoriaz =)
Mmh not really a top ranking there, Les 2 Alpes doesn’t even have 1 single 5-star property. Morzine is an average town at low altitude. Out of how many ski resorts visited is this top 3 based on ?
Always good to know other people’s preferences though, thanks 🙏 for sharing 😊👍
Having grown in the French Alps, it's interesting to listen to such a ranking. It gives another point of view, not so easy to think as someone that come from another culture and have other expectations. May I ask you where you live and if you consider yourself as a tourist when in the Alps or something like a local guide owing to the dozen of ski resorts that you have visited for years ? Also, would you say that your ranking is supposed to be watched by non-French tourists so you made your ranking trying to think about their expectations or the ranking is rather your personal opinion.
Btw, it's absolutely stunning to notice that 5 ski resorts overs the seven are located in one valley (geographically speaking the valleys in Vanoise can be considered in the territory of Tarentaise). I'm a bit surprised when you described the villages of Les Arcs 1950 as charming and Courchevel to have the nicest chalets in the world considering the fact that all these villages (at the exception of the lowest part of Courchevel) were built less than 70 years ago and are suffering from a terrible lack of soul. If I came from a country far away as Britain or the US, I would rather see authentic French villages and cities. It's a bit sad to be in the French Alps but have the feeling to spend a week in a snow bubble where everything sounds fake. Well, I may have unusual expectations if compared with foreign tourists, tell me...
Bonjour Mathieu. Je suis moitié Français moitié Australien. I was born and grew up in Paris with most of my French family living in Lorient (Bretagne). My dad side is French, my mum's side is Australian. My parents bought a holiday apartment in Valfréjus which was our 2nd home as we travelled there every school holidays both summer and winter so i spent many months dans la Vallée de la Maurienne every year from the age of 2. Valfréjus itself was only a few years old. You may have heard of that little resort, in case you didn't know, this is where speed riding was invented as well as the Skwal from my old friend Thias (Patrick Balmain). I don't really consider myself as a tourist really although since i don't live in France since the age of 15, i guess i am a half a tourist each time i come back to France since i live overseas but certainly not a mountain guide or pretend to be one.
This ranking is catered to our high end luxury market for overseas people living outside of France. This RUclips channel, where i provide reviews and information about the best French ski resorts and the best hotels is part of my company: Top Snow Travel: www.topsnowtravel.com/ where we book exceptional and seamless France ski holiday experiences. Our market is mainly from Australia, USA, Canada with some from the UK and Scandinavian countries.
Those ski resorts mention had a few criteria for me to reference them, they must have luxury chalets and 5-star hotels (we only sell 4 and 5-star properties). Yes there are many more beautiful and authentic villages than the ones mentioned for sure but overall, the top ranked ski resorts need to tick all the boxes in terms of large ski area, services, luxury accommodation, wide range of winter activities...
I will release more videos in the future including the best for traditional and authentic villages but this is not what this current video was aimed for. It was targetting the top ski resorts in France which i believe these are. Sure there are much more beautiful authentic villages like Bonneval-sur-Arc for example but the latter won't have the infrastructure and services or amenities compared to the big ski resorts i mentioned in this Top 7. I'm not syaing one is better than the other, they each offer something different for different people.
I don't see your point in your comment about what i said about Courchevel having the best chalets in the world. Courchevel 100% certainly does have the nicest chalets in the world having stayed and visited 1000's of luxurious accommodation over the past 20 years around the world from the best in USA & Canada to the European Alps, there's no doubt the luxurious chalets in Courchevel are on another level. The chalet itself and service that comes with it is stand alone and not to be compared or confused with the ski resort itself. Yes absolutely, Courchevel has no soul in the summer, i totally agree and in winter not much more compared to other villages but when you stay in a luxury chalet with your family, it is an exceptional experience to share those precious moments with the family, you don't really need to go into the village that much when staying in such a place. The fact that those chalets were built after the 70s doesn't change the fact that they are world class and amongst the best in the world. A chalet is not to be confused with a refuge which you would want to keep its old authenticity and charm from the distant past. Arc 1950 is definitly charming and a nice village totally different than most in the French Alps, Valmorel might be similar. I specifically mentioned Arc 1950 and not Les Arcs as the others: 1600, 1800 & 2000 can be quite sore on the eye.
I understand your point of view about seeing authentic french villages for tourists from far away but this is for another video, not this one.
Not matter which ski resort you stay for your week in the french Alps, you will be in your own snow bubble as you pointed out but this is not necessarily a bad thing, i see it as a good thing and an escape from daily busy life.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write your very valuable feedback, i really appreciate it!
@topsnowtravel Thanks for such a comprehensive answer! I understand better what are the criteria you valued building this ranking and it makes more sense to me now. There was no judgement about your quality to judge between ski resorts, I was truly curious to understand your point of view. I'm also interested in understanding what kind of people come from abroad to spend a week in the French Alps and what are they looking for when they come.
It's incredible that tourists from Australia come to the Alps! Do you also work with ski resorts in other European countries?
Which resort has the best and most accessible tree skiing? I'm not a big fan of skiing on piste, is it worth it for me to leave North America?
@@carterfan80 low altitude ski resorts. The tree line in France and Europe is probably almost half the altitude in the US. Megève, Les Gets, Courchevel, Méribel etc… all have great tree skiing. It will depend on your ski level ability though which resort is best suited
@topsnowtravel thanks. That helps. Investigating Europe is a little overwhelming as an american. There are so many resorts, and it's just an entire different infrastructure and way of looking at the sport. I'm sure I'll get there eventually, but it's just a little hard for me to justify the amount of extra time and money it takes to get there. But it does look like France will be my first trip! Based on my research
Have you been to Alpe D'huez? Wonder how that compares to the ones here.
@@nickmotion I sure have 👉 Alpe d'Huez ski resort | Is it WORTH THE HYPE?
ruclips.net/video/DHeK-jxks_k/видео.html
3 Valleys, Val dIsere, 2 Alps, Chamonix, ....
Mmh not sure about adding Les 2 Alpes in the conversation 💬 I do like Les 2 Alpes and I’ve been there a few times but I think that is more part of a Top 10 as in 8th 9th or 10th at best. It definitely wouldn’t make my top 7 but I respect ✊ your opinion and we all have different taste . Thanks for sharing, I’m sure some viewers will agree with you
I'm going to Arc 2000 in mid March, for my second ski holiday.
@@Puzzoozoo Nice! Be sure to visit Arc 1950. A 1min ride down the cabriolet 🚡
@@topsnowtravel And 30 seconds ride down the ski run! ;-)
@@guyyo3105 indeed 😁🤙
As Brazilian , I'm looking for affordable option due our currency is shit.
Thank you for so great information!
Obrigado mate, out of the Top 7 French ski resorts mentioned, the most affordable ones are Avoriaz, Arc 1950 and Val Thorens if you’re more looking at budget affordable options. Obviously there will be plenty of cheaper options outside that top 7 as there are 364 ski resorts in France, you’ll certainly find something in your price range 👍
Least expensive ski in ski out in my experience is Les Menuires which is right below Val Thorens and next to Meribel.
I’m glad you left some of the quieter areas out…Serre Chevalier, La Cluzas… Chamonix is way overrated for weekend skiers😂 disconnected, terrible transit, overcrowded buses, and walking if lifts are down, albeit Grand Montets with peak to valley base and good snow cannot be beaten…and the snow quality is wildly variable as the areas are all on different aspects. Cham is for backcountry hardcore enthusiasts.
@@IHatePikeys yeah, too many inconveniences with Chamonix to make it #1. Those mountain peaks though are simply stunning
depends on what you are looking for, as a 24 year old chamonix is basically a heaven for me, yeah it lacks long ski runs and ski in ski out however it most certainly makes up by offering stunning views and lively town. I don't ski 12 hours a day
@@adygt2747 yeah I gotta give you that. Cham has a special vibe and the views are exceptional! It’s not for everybody but it is so special for some and not so much for others, we all have different needs and expectations. Thanks for sharing yours 🤙
I say, if you are going once in your life to a ski resort in France, or in the Alpes, go to Val d'Isere. If you like big resorts go to 3Vales, i prefere to stay in Val Thorens. Of the resorts i havn't been to Alp Duez, Les Arcs and Serre Cevaliere are on the top. I have been to 15 different resorts and Avoriaz/Port du soleie are not on the list of places i would go back to. As a experienced offpist skier i prefere Chamonix, but i have skied Aguille du midi more than 100 times and i could go a week without going to anny of the other parts, just ski from Aguille du midi. I have days, i am the only one skiing from there, haveing vale blanche all to my selves. but you need Guide du montagne or someone that knows the area to be able to experience it in a good way.
@ thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience of the beautiful French Alps 🙏
No way. No 1 is Courchevel. val d’isere is not accessible for all level skiers. I ski them as a pro many weeks , beginners always suffer , ice , bumps , too much walking. Good video by the way 👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks mate! Yeah I figured there would be a few upsets with some preferring Courchevel as #1 instead of Val d’Isère. At least it made it in my Top 7 😉
Mention more things about the actual skiing challenge at Valdi. The shops and villages are not visited during the day. Val d'Isere has Olympic class terrain and a huge number of lifts which makes lift lines nonexistent. Also, Val d'Isere is intimately connected with the adjoining Tignes ski area, so the #1 rating should read "Val d'Isere/Tignes"
Thanks 🙏 for your feedback
I wouldn't put Meribel above Courchevel, other than the ability to get to either VT or Courchevel quickly! If you ski over from Courchevel, you will immediately notice how poor the piste grooming is in Meribel by comparison. La Tania (this year will be our 7th) is an amazing place - true ski in/ski out good value apartments and PubLeSkiLodge is the best place in the 3V! We love going over to Moriond where the pistes are vast and deserted!
Surprised La Plagne didn't make the list, but as others have said, your review doesn't seem to focus much on the ski domain (how good it is for skilled/intermediate/beginners & kids), but more on the villages and shopping.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and past experiences
Je viens de Val d'Isère donc c'est surement subjectif mais je suis d'accord avec cette liste, juste j'aurais mit courchevel avant meribel
@@simon1602-t1u salut Simon, oui je comprends, c’est juste un choix personnel 😊👍 j’ai fait une saison d’hiver (6 mois) à Val d’Isère 2012/13 et j’ai trop aimé depuis…
would the list be the same if you were a blue run snowboarder?😀
I guess not, that’s too specific, this ranking is overall ski resort but in any of these ski resorts, you will find more blue runs than you can handle except Chamonix, you could give that a miss. If you want some good terrain parks, Avoriaz and Le Grand Bornand are pretty good as well as the ones in the 3 valleys which gives you more variety.
La Plagne no 1, Val Thorens 2, Avoriaz 3
Thanks for your feedback 😊👍
@@topsnowtravel np, ski a lot places in France thats my favorites
@@vukmirkovic2567 have you skied the other 5 ski resorts I mentioned?
@@topsnowtravel yes, I ski about 30 resorts in France, and thats my choice
Sorry I lie didnt been to Chamonix... Only
Got lost searching an affordable nice mountain hotel for a couple 😢
@@Iam.Jean1987 which ski resort?
We select only the best here 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com
What dates are you looking for?
Try searching for low season during January (04 Jan - 08 Feb 2025) if you're flexible with your dates. You can find our range here 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com
In the 70's all these places were affordable, now they are out of reach. In the 70's 3 quarters of the locals (residents of Savoy) were avid skiers and french national team was good. Now only 1 quarter skies because prices went sky high and many small resorts closed because of lack of snow. Maurienne remains a nice compromise, Val Frejus you named at the beginning, Termignon / Val Cenis also.
Yes sadly i have seen the decline in snow conditions even as a child 35 years ago. Every year when we use to drive from Paris to our holiday apartment in Valfréjus i would noticed some of the Glaciers in the Maurienne valley declining year after year (noticeable especially in summer) and that was already 30+ years ago... As for the lift tickets, they do go up a lot especially in the last 5-7 years but they're still much more affordable than in the USA/Canada and here in Australia.
Ticket prices in North America are insane. For anyone on the east coast, it's cheaper overall to fly to Europe to ski than go to the Rockies or Sierras.
@ €40 for a daily lift pass at a descent ski resort is good value indeed compared to North America. It’s not just the price, generally the ski area is much bigger too
I've been to all of those except Chamonix and my fav, the place where I chose to spend whole season earlier this year, isn't any of them.
Fair enough, we all have different taste 😊👍 . Where did you spend your season?
T I G N E S ??????????❤️🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Tignes is on my Top 10 just doesn’t quite make it in my top 7. But a great ski resort 👉
Tignes Ski Resort - Truly Unique
ruclips.net/video/jE4hw9yYBlo/видео.html
Very unimaginative choices. You start the video saying there are is an enormous choice of ski areas in France, then all you've done is list Cham, Portes Du S, Paradiski, 3 Vallees, Espace Killy. If these mega-resorts are your sponsors you ought to make that clear
No sponsors. These are the ski resorts with the best accommodation options, winter activities and ski terrain overall.
What does imagination have to do with a ranking of the top ski resorts in France?
Tout dépend de ce que vous recherchez. Si vous souhaitez une station offrant du grand ski, un paysage à couper le souffle, et une qualité architecturale remarquable je vous conseille personnellement :
- les arcs 1600 (vue exceptionnelle sur le mont-blanc, architecture exceptionnelle faisant date et ski fabuleux)
- la clusaz (beauté des aravis, village plein de charme, diversité du domaine skiable)
- flaine (cocon de neige ouaté, architecture egalement remarquable, et skinmagnifique avec vue exceptionnelle depuis les grandes platières)
Tout ceci etant bien sûr très subjectif.
Plus Arc 1600 being directly accessible by rail, with TGV high speed train + funicular cable car right up to the resort! Get off the coach, put on your skis! 😎
Désolé mais personnellement, je trouve Arc 1600 et Flaine horrible et moche sauf Le Hameau de Flaine avec les jolies chalets Scandinave mais Flaine Forum et Flaine Forêt avec ces bâtiments horrible, on dirait une prison . Je parle point de vue de la station bien sûr, pas le domaine skiable qui eux (Paradiski et Grand Massif) sont magnifiques et effectivement avec des vues à couper le souffle. Les Aravis sont superbes effectivement 😊👍 je préfère Le Grand Bo mais bon ça c’est juste un choix personnel mais La Clusaz est sympa aussi mais n’entrerait pas dans le top 10 pour moi et c’est trop bas en altitude (1100m) donc plus de chance d’avoir de la pluie ces jours-ci
Arc 1699 et Flaine sont des produits architecturaux extraordinaires, ce qui ne signifie pas qu'ils sont beaux,'mais au moins ils marquent votre mémoire par leur originalité. Ce ne sont pas des disneylands comme Arc 1950, ou des copies de pseudo villages savoyards comme Méribel ou Val d'Isère.
By some amazing coincidence, these Top 7 resorts just happen to be where Top Snow Travel have packages to. What are the chances?
@@badroo well obviously 🙄 we sell those 7 ski destinations if they the best in my opinion and I have hand picked those ski resorts to work with. We also work with another 9 ski resorts (16 total) 👉
www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
Do you expect me to choose ski resorts I don’t think are the best and don’t want to work with???
I really don’t see the point in that comment and where you’re going with this??? As if it’s some kinda trick or something… from the channel name and our website, it’s obvious we are a business and therefore we do sell products and services. It’s free info by the way, nothing or no one is pushing you to buy anything you know…
chamonix should be ur first choice
@@equalizer_8736 not for me… too annoying to get around to the slopes, low altitude so the town is not covered in snow throughout winter, no great terrain parks, exceptional off-piste yes I must admit but the conditions are not always so great for off-piste.
I would prefer Flaine over Avoriaz any day. It is so overcrowded, especially on weekends.
Flaine is pretty flat except going to "la combe de Gers", overcrowded like ants around their nest. Going down to Sixt is great but you have to take a bus. Samoens has great slopes, but that's not Flaine ...
@@francoisfoue That is totally opposite from my experience. There is good variety of slopes, and some off piste opportunities as well.
I like the Grand Massif ski area but i can't understand Flaine, i find it so ugly like concreate jail boxes and to me is an eyesore. I must admit that i do really like Le Hameau de Flaine with its little village of beautiful scandinavian chalets but the other villages like the Forum, Flaine Forêt etc... are just plaine awful in my opinion. Les Carroz is much nicer than Flaine but not as high. Same with all French ski resorts, if you want to avoid crowds, go in January, i go every year during that period and i definitly don't find it over crowded.
@@francoisfoue get the full portes de soleil skipass, and go ski in the Swiss part. Normally nitncrowded :)
Well, you listed many big and expensive places and left loads of middle places that are worth a good holiday for most people who are average skiers. What could i expect?
With over 300 ski resorts in France, there’s plenty of options for everyone to suit all types of budget and styles. We specialise in the top ski resorts staying in the most exceptional properties so it would make sense to mention the average good ski resort. Working with the top 16 is enough 👉 www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
superbe vidéo!!!
J'adore la montagne et je m'y connais assez bien, donc si vous êtes intéressé par un autres salarié dans votre entreprise, n'hésitez pas, je suis intéressé!!
Merci 🙏
Vous habitez en France?
Nous sommes basé en Australie 🇦🇺
@@topsnowtravel ah ouais !
Oui j’habite en France à Paris.
@@zemmouretoui5048 ah ok désolé pas possible, merci 🙏 quand même pour la demande
I was interested in Meribel, as I'm going next January, but this video says almost nothing of any use to a skier about the place. Pity.
@@hzviewmax you can watch my full review of Méribel here 👉 Méribel ski resort | An Extraordinary Experience 🤩 (4K)
ruclips.net/video/Kq2u6YDfppQ/видео.html
How does everyone like skiing in France versus USA and Canada?
Can’t compare the Canada/USA with France, they each offer something totally different. I love both but when it comes to large ski areas, food, history, authenticity, there’s just simply no match. You won’t find 200 years old traditional mountain chalets made of old stone and wood for example in North America (yes you do have great log cabins). Size does matter sometimes:
The 3 Valleys has 25,916 acres. This is the equivalent of combining all of the big Canadian 🇨🇦 resorts of: Whistler Blackcomb (8171 acres), Sun Peaks (4,270 acres), Banff Lake Louise Mt Norquay (7690), Big White (2775 acres) and Silverstar TOTAL 26,178 acres. Or for USA 🇺🇸 combining the resorts of: Aspen Snowmass (5,600 acres), Vail (5,317 acres), Beaver Creek (1832 acres), Breckenridge (2908 acres), Telluride (2000 acres), Steamboat (3741 acres) and Keystone (4800 acres) TOTAL= 26,198 acres. Saying all that, I love USA 🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦 very much 😍 amazing ski resorts, great mountains, nice villages. Just different. Some villages have 400 year old churches and old cobbled stone streets and a rich history making it so charming. ✌️
Cheap! We were in La Tania last year (our 6th time) and we spoke to a Canadian family who came to France because it is cheaper, even with the long haul flights, for them to come to France!
I watched to the end but I was skeptical when Chamonix came in at seven. This is all about the ski village and facilities. Ski terrain and snow quality has nothing to do with this review. 😂
Not exactly 👍 it’s about knowing where to find the top ski resorts in France and where they are located, not dissecting their ski areas and give a full review of each resort. Where would you have Chamonix ranked?
Top 3. It’s a genuine mountain sports town with character and has the best free ride and back country skiing in France.
In short because of poor snowfall I wouldn’t ski in France anymore.
France doesn’t have many genuine ski towns and Chamonix tops them all however I personally prefer villages. Chamonix is too low in altitude so you don’t get a white winter wonderland all winter unfortunately. You always find plenty of snow in the high altitude ski resorts mentioned though.
@@topsnowtravelthe Mont Blanc pass gets you access to the neighboring high peaks including the gondola to 3800m. From there you have access to the best free ride skiing in France.
It’s ok. Your idea of skiing is a few laps on piste then back to the luxury hotel. My idea is skiing steep technical terrain and powder snow followed by a few beers at night.
@ yes i have been to the summit of Aiguille du midi cable car 🚠 (3842m) and went down La Vallée Blanche as well as several off-piste routes in the Chamonix valley. Mmh 🫤 not quite, you have no idea what my idea of skiing is. I actually don’t really ride the slopes that much (after skiing/riding all types of terrain for over 35 years!), I prefer hitting the jumps and rails at the terrain parks, off-piste freeriding is my #1 choice only when there’s powder (no icy conditions or hard crust, I don’t see the interest in going off-piste for crapy conditions) and like you have a few beers but also some nice wines at the end of the day as well as eating good food.
Au moins une personne normal, qui ne fait pas rentrer alpe d'huez et les deux alpes dans son top 5!!!!
Par contre je ferais rentré La Plagne dans ce classement!!
@@zemmouretoui5048 haha 😂 merci 🙏
Mmh par contre je ne mettrais pas La Plagne non plus. Le domaine skiable est magnifique mes les villages sont assez horrible à voir (sauf Belle Plagne) et beaucoup trop de monde.
hallo
Hi 👋
Hi Gilles Val d'Isere number one? Freezing in January and February, no tree line skiing to speak of and the resort you are most likely to have issues getting in and out of. Also not a village anymore - a sprawling ugly town which has been massively over developed and is full of drunken Brits - no thanks. Courchevel - really - motorway pistes everywhere, ridiculous priced accommodation (OK so you cater for those with more money than sense!) and as for Avoriaz above Les Arcs - really?!! I don't even call Chamonix a ski resort - its a tourist trap with a few ski lifts. Avoid at all costs if you want to actually ski though Argentiere great for advanced skiers (only!)
My top 5 are
5. La Clusaz - genuine family friendly village super easy to get to and with neighbouring Le Grand Bornand - best kept secret in the Alps.
4. La Rosiere - fabulous high altitude ski area linking France and Italy and with really good value accommodation
3. Serre Chevalier - much under rated resort with three huge ski bowls all inter connected.
2. Orelle - connected to Val Thorens - south facing and MUCH cheaper than any resort in the Three Valleys
1. Les Arcs - not just 1950 - the whole place (why did you just review 1950 yet Courchevel you mentioned every village?!!) I am in Villaroger (so biased!) - tree line skiing both Villaroger and Peisy sides, breathtaking ski area including La Plagne. Perfectly located also to ski Sainte Foy, La Rosiere, Tignes, Val d'Isere. Easy access to Bourg St Maurice - a proper French town with great shopping. The ONLY place you can get to by train thus the GREENEST ski resort in France AND the best bit - it is not over run by noisy drunken Brits! But keep it to yourself. We like it that way ;-)
Well that was a mouth full 😂
Thanks for your in depth feedback.
I can’t believe you would put BSM as a ski town though, nothing there, pretty ugly in my opinion, just an average passing through town handy for groceries when staying in the nearby resorts of the Tarentaise valley. When I mention Arc 1950, I’m talking about where to stay, of course the entire Les Arcs-Peisey Vallandry ski area is so beautiful, I didn’t mention just the ski area around 1950. There’s no beating about the bush, Arc 1800 and Arc 1600 are plain ugly and an eye sore so I will certainly stand by my comment and that Les Arcs ski area and views are amazing and it’s true that the crowds are more from the French market compared to the likes of Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Méribel. Le Grand Bornand is not so much the best kept secrets in the French Alps, we’ve been selling ski holidays to Le Grand Bo for over 10 years and is part of the Top 16 ski resorts in France we work with: www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/ . La Rosière is also part of our Top 16 : ruclips.net/video/v33MMHrL01U/видео.htmlsi=uBmCgThHLgibM4bO
What do you mean Val d’Isere freezing 🥶 in January and February?? It never gets that cold at all (I used to live there) between -5 and - 12 which you want anyway for dry snow conditions. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -25.3 which was 24 years ago… I have been in Banff Canada 🇨🇦 with minus -35. Now that’s freezing 🥶
Having a bit of traffic in and out is worth the sacrifice to get to experience Val d’Isere. This video is about the best ski resorts, NOT the cheapest or best value. Usually there’s a price to pay to get the best and that’s why they’re there and more expensive. To be the best has to come as a whole package which would include everything from restaurants, bars winter activities, ski area size etc… you can’t tell me Orelle would offer guests travelling there the best of everything including the bars, restaurants, winter activities etc..
Glad your #1 Les Arcs is in my Top 7 at least 😁
Well thats some pretty corny tier list, only focusing on confortability and the more the price goes up, the higher it is in your list(nothing about the skiing itself). Having skiied at every one of your best ski locations, i will put undoutebly at number 1 Tignes 2100(which is not even mentioned).
Well not really, aesthetics count and you can’t tell me Tignes is prettier than Val d’Isere or Méribel. Tignes Val Claret is such an eyesore. Tignes Le Lac is nice but certainly is not nicer than Val d’Isere, Méribel or Courchevel. Tignes 2100? Where are all the traditional mountain chalets…??
Tignes has a fantastic ski area but those purpose built ski resort buildings along with many in the French Alps are just not nice on the eye. Where to ski is not just about the ski area, the village has to be nice as well.
Agree. Tignes needs to be on this list for sure.
I've skiied all these resorts and they're all good options.
But not including Tignes is crazy. Meribel is brilliant for apres and for access to Val thoren and courchevel...
But I've worked over 10 years in resorts in these areas and occasionally, especially December, because Meribel has such low altitude, it hasn't been able to open due to lack of snow.
Still this is all opinion and a good review regardless.
All fair points and yes i agree Tignes is an excellent ski resort which is why we work with Tignes and is part of our portfolio asone of the best ski resorts in France : www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/tignes/ . We work with the Top 16 best French ski resorts and Tignes is in there but it is just not in my Top 7. It would probably come as 8 or 9 and out of 300+ ski resorts in France, that's excellent. Here is the list of our Top 16: www.topsnowtravel.com/french-ski-resorts/
Yes, French skiing(and Europe in general) for food and après ski. But for an American, specially Western American, why spend 13+ hours on a plane to ski euro hard pack when we can go the other way and ski bottomless pow in Honshu or Hokkaido which is suffering less than the big hit European areas are taking from climate change.
the wasachts tops them all imho.
@@comesatime123 It's pretty much a toss-up between the cottonwoods and japan.
just a different experience, history and culture i guess. You will get amazing snow in Japan for sure and an amazing culture and people but you will never get the amazing traditional wood and stone chalets on the mountain like France or in the European Alps (mainly also Switzerland and Austria). Food is a big part of a holiday and it is hard to beat the French cuisine in the mountains.
From the USA though, you're lucky, you have amazing ski resorts in your own country and not too far to go to Japan or Europe. To be honest a 13 hour flight is no big deal, not for us Aussies anyway 😊
@@topsnowtravel So you are Aussie, I thought you were a frog that lived a long time in Oz. And, If I lived in the middle of nowhere I guess I'd get used long flights back to civilization.😉
There's no doubt Europe has all the bells and whistles connected w/ skiing over many other places. It depends what you value most. If it's party and food you want, there's always summer in the Greek and Spanish islands
@@rickden8362 I’m both (half Aussie half French). Each of those resorts can offer a wide range of experiences, it’s not all about partying and après of course, if you know where to go , where to stay, you can always have an exceptional ski holiday there.
J'étais cette année à Les Menuires et à Les Arcs. Mais je ne vais pas me vanter et prétendre que j'ai skié 10 domaines de ski, contrairement à ce que tu fais.. .Je ne suis pas du tout d'accord avec ta liste. Tu ne peux pas citer les 3 vallées puis énumérer chaque village qui s'y trouve et en même temps prétendre que tu as parcouru tant de domaines. Ce serait comme si je listais 10 pistes dans une région et prétendais que chacune d'elles est un domaine skiable. De plus, tout ce qui est en dessous de 1800 mètres n'est plus praticable en avril. Les Menuires, etc., ne se résument qu'à de la boue. Il faut aussi noter que les remontées mécaniques et les hôtels vieillissants en France sont, par rapport à ceux d'Autriche, beaucoup trop chers. C'est vraiment une honte.
Dis ce que tu veux, j'ai skié dans 76 stations de ski dans le monde et 44 rien qu'en France pendant 37 ans de ski chaque année sauf COVID donc je suis bien placé pour avoir un avis d'expérience sur ce sujet sans compter que j'ai travaillé dans l'industrie du ski vendant des séjours au ski depuis maintenant 18 ans. Ma question est la suivante : est-ce que tu peux égaler cette expérience ?
Je vais répondre à cette question pour toi, non je ne pense pas. Il n’y a pas lieu d’être jaloux, ce n’étaient que des faits. Chacune de ces stations de ski des 3 vallées offre une expérience totalement unique et complètement différente les unes des autres. Séjourner à Courchevel n’est tout simplement pas la même chose que séjourner aux Menuires. Point. Alors oui je citerai ces différentes stations de ski même si elles sont reliées sous un seul domaine skiable : Les 3 Vallées.
J'ai séjourné dans toutes ces stations, je ne me suis pas contenté de les skier comme toi qui as juste séjourné aux Menuires et qui n'as donc aucune idée de la véritable expérience de séjourner à Méribel ou à Courchevel si tu ne fais que skier de passage.
@@topsnowtravel Selon ta méthode... j'ai skié 10 domaines en 2 jours (dimanche encore aux Arcs - 4 domaines, puis lundi aux 3 vallées - au moins 6 domaines! Une façon de calculer comme une autre! Pour moi, les 3 vallées, c'est un domaine et non la somme de tous les villages. On l'appelle aussi "le plus grand domaine skiable." et non " les plus grands domaines..." Sans compter les 3 semaines dans "20" domaines (selon ta méthode) en Autriche! Ça ne réduit, impacte, ... en aucune façon ton expérience, tes connaissances, ton reportage ou je ne sais pas quoi! Ta façon de calculer, compter, ... n'est, de mon point de vue (ni moins, ni plus), pas correcte. ... et moi j'ai fait de la compétition FIS il y a encore 15 ans (et ça change quoi maintenant? - Rien)...
Pas du tout. Est ce que je parles des domaines skiables ? Non, je parle des stations de ski (ski resorts)... tu es fixé sur ce sujet que toi tu racontes toi, pas moi. Je pense que tu ne sembles pas connaitre la difference entre une station de ski et un domaine skiable??? Ce n'est pas pareil. Cette video est pour savoir où sont les meilleurs stations en France pour y passer les vacances. Donc dans mes références oui, j'ai skié sur plus de 40 stations en France, je n'ai pas dis j'ai skié sur 40+ domaines de ski différents; mais peut-etre que ta compréhension de l'anglais n'est pas si bonne...
Voila les stations de ski ou j'ai skié:
France (40+)
Abondance, Alpe d'Huez, Auris-en-Oisans, Aussois, Avoriaz, Brides-les-Bains, Champéry, Champagny-en-Vanoise, Chamonix (Brévent-Flégère, Les Houches, La Vallée Blanche), Châtel, Champoussin, Courchevel, La Chapelle d'Abondance, La Norma, La Plagne, La Rosière, La Tania, Le Grand Bornand, Les Arcs, Les Crosets, Les Gets, Les Menuires, Les Deux Alpes, Megève, Méribel, Montriond, Morgins, Morzine, Orelle, Oz-en-Oisans, Peisey-Vallandry, Saint-Foy, St Jean d'Aulps, St Martin de Belleville, Tignes, Torgon, Val-d'Illiez, Val Cenis, Valfréjus, Val d’Isère, Valmorel, Val Thorens, Vaujany, Villard Reculas.
Italy
Pragelato, Sestriere, La Thuile.
Switzerland
Andermatt, Gstaad, Grindelwald, Wengen, Zermatt.
Canada
Whistler Blackcomb, Banff (Mt Norquay & Sunshine), Lake Louise, Jasper.
USA
Heavenly, Northstar, Squaw Valley, Mammoth Mountain, Aspen, Snowmass, Park City, Canyons, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone.
New Zealand
Mt Hutt, Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Treble Cone, Cardrona, staying in Queenstown, Wanaka & Methven.
Australia
Perisher, Thredbo.
Chamonix is a bad ski area
Trop de touristes en France. On en a marre !
Trop facile à dire sans trop y penser. Je pense que ceux qui travaillent dans le tourisme ou dans les stations qui ont besoin de la clientèle pour survivre ne seront pas d’accord avec toi. Au total, les voyages et le tourisme ont généré, directement et indirectement, 2,86 millions d'emplois dans le pays en France en 2023. Ce chiffre devrait atteindre environ 2,93 millions en 2024.
I was in Les Menuires and Les Arcs this year. But I'm not going to stand here and claim that I skied in 10 resorts. That's what you’re doing.... So, I absolutely disagree with your enumeration. You can't just quote the 3 Vallées and then list every single village located there and then claim that you have skied in so many areas. It’s as if I were to list 10 slopes in one area and then claim that each one is a separate ski resort. Furthermore, everything below 1800 meters is no longer skiable after April. Places like Les Menuires, etc., are only left with slush. Additionally, the outdated ski lifts and overpriced hotels in France, compared to Austria, are a real shame.
Say as you wish, I have skied 76 ski resorts worldwide and counting incl 44 in France alone for 37 years skiing every year except COVID so I’m well placed to have an experience opinion on this subject not to mention that I have been working in the ski industry selling ski holidays for 18 years now. My question to you is, can you match that experience?
I will answer that one for you, I don’t think so. There’s no need for jealousy these were just facts. Each of these ski resorts in the 3 valleys offer a totally unique experience and are completely different from one another. Staying in Courchevel is simply not the same as staying in Les Menuires. Period. So yes I will mention those different ski resorts even if if they are linked under 1 ski area: The 3 Valleys.
I have stayed at all those resorts, not “just skied them” like you who stayed at Les Menuires and therefore would have no clue what the true experience feels like to stay in Meribel or Courchevel if you’re just skiing passing through.
This review was a Fail for me. It sounds like a review for non skiers. Skiers wan’t to prioritize TERRAIN. Not much mentioned on that…
@@2204JCM no worries, thanks for your feedback. Yes terrain is a very important piece of the puzzle 🧩 but I wouldn’t speak on behalf of everyone though as you don’t know what all skiers want. A village, its layout and facilities are actually usually the #1 priority actually when planning a France ski holiday, not the terrain as much which maybe comes 2nd (based on providing exceptional ski holidays to France for over 10 years to over 13K happy clients.) All the TERRAIN is so massive at every ski resort mentioned that it will satisfy almost everybody no matter which option you choose and so talking about the terrain becomes almost irrelevant when doing a quick review of where to ski (see our full review of each individual resort if you want to learn and see more of the terrain).
3 Valleys, Paradiski, Les Portes du Soleil, Val d’Isère-Tignes etc… all have between 300km to 600km of terrain. The village and where you stay however makes all the difference. Where you stay plays a crucial part, sorry but it’s a fact. Fair enough, we all have different needs and priorities that’s for sure.
Hard disagree with your opinion - I’m an advanced skier and basically all these resorts have great terrain - im traveling with a family and what I’ve been wanted to get out of this video is what resorts have a great balance of village atmosphere (for non skiers in party) / slope / ski in ski out / height above sea level / things to do outside of skiing etc which is what the video achieved
Thanks mate 🙏
I do the black diamond skiing, but my wife does the black diamond shopping 🙃. So yes, the village experience is important.
Chamonix is absolutely garbage , I wouldn’t have it in any list and certainly not top 7 ?!!! It’s disjointed, low altitude and expensive as @@@@ !!!!!
😂 wow no pity haha !!!
@ 😂
The moment I saw Chamonix as No.7, I knew you’d be one of those people…it’s the mecca of the Alps and has some of the best skiing in the world! All the others you listed are for piste loving tourists, who often only ski half days and drink the rest, thinking they’re pros because they have the latest ski gear! 🥴
Anyone fortunate enough to visit any of these places should consider themselves lucky, but the ranking is off and you’re catering for a very specific type of skier. Should instead be titled as Top 7 Best Ski Resorts in France for Beginners Brits!
There’s no doubt Chamonix has some of the most beautiful mountain peaks and some incredible off-piste terrain. Isn’t piste skiing part of a ski resort? I didn’t title it “Top 7 Best Hardcore Off-Piste Ski Destination” did I? so your comment is not really valid and accurate but obviously everyone has there own opinion. It seems this video has made you angry for some reason 🫤
So glad he didn’t name the real best places @ 144K views 😂😂😂
😒