Ski holidays in France - what's new for 2011?

Skiing in France

P & O

If you’re thinking about family ski holidays, France is pretty hard to beat. Most ski resorts in France can be reached in a day if you cross the channel early or overnight. Check out what's new for 2011.

Value for Money

Don’t dismiss smaller French resorts, particularly those that link into large ski areas, as they are better value both on and off the mountain. This year Flaine, one of the best family ski holiday resorts has undergone a complete renovation of its main gondola. There’s a new slope that reduces traffic on the nursery slopes, and two new apartment complexes, Terasses de Veret and Refuge du Golf, are due to open. Flaine links with resorts such as Samoens, (where a new six-man chairlift opened last season), Morillon and Les Carroz in the Grand Massif. In Les Carroz (which is actually bigger than Flaine) a beginner lift pass has been extended to cover the gondola and several lifts.

Vaujany, ideal for family ski holidays links to the Alpe d’Huez ski area where a new six-man gondola has replaced the first section of the Marmottes gondola and creates a new blue run from the top to the mid station. There’s a beginner lift pass that includes four free lifts and family passes that include other activities such as the sports centre, ice rink, and swimming pools.

Self-catering apartments offer great value for money for family ski holidays and France has really improved apartment standards over the years. Check out brands such as Pierre & Vacances Premium, Lagrange Prestige and MGM and you’ll be impressed at the quality and the prices too.

Large Ski Areas

Since the Vanois Express gondola linked La Plagne and Les Arcs to form the 425 km of the Paradiski area, new lifts, hotels, and lift pass offers have been added on an almost annual basis. This season sees a new all-inclusive Hotel Club in Plagne-Montalbert with a private lift to the main Plagne area, which includes a children’s club and lift pass deals. In Les Arcs’ Peisey-Vallandry there’s a new chairlift making an easier connection between the lifts and a new children’s playground. There’s also a new rope tow for the flat area by the Arcabulle chairlift and a covered moving carpet planned for the nursery slopes, both great news for beginners. Set to open for this winter is a sledge slope from the top of Transarc to the Arcabulle with free sledge, helmet and ski deposit. And, if ski holidays in France are all about luxury for you, then try the new 25 room Le Strato hotel in Courchevel 1850, which even has a champagne bar in the ski room.

New Flexible Passes

For fair weather skiers Morzine has introduced a new four hour lift pass for any four hours on a particular day and Couchevel has introduced a similar three hour lift pass too, handy if you don’t want to ski all day, but do want to spend a bit of time on the slopes. At completely the other end of the scale, serious skihounds will be delighted that finally Chamonix now includes Les Houches and Verbier in the Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass and there is a new ski pass in the 3 Valleys called the Liberty.

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