Alpe d’Huez – a great all-round family resort
Located high on a sunny plateau in the centre of the French Alps, the thriving resort of Alpe d’Huez has some of France’s best snow conditions for downhill and off-piste skiing. Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine is one of the world’s largest ski areas and boasts one of the greatest unbroken verticals in the world – the 16km-long Sarenne descent. The area is dominated by the mighty Pic Blanc, which is also the starting point for the Sarenne black run. With more than 250 kilometres of sublime slopes, Alpe d’Huez caters for skiers of all abilities. Some of the lower, wider slopes are dedicated to beginners, while maverick intermediate skiers will enjoy the 36 red runs, and more courageous skiers can test out their skills on the numerous black runs.
Stay: Club Med’s all-inclusive Alpe d’Huez resort offers ski-in, ski-out access, three types of accommodation (superior, deluxe and suites), lounges, open bar, a heated pool, a spa, night entertainment and a kids’ club, welcoming children from four months old.
La Rosière – ski over the border into Italy
Spoil your family with a stay in the friendly Franco-Italian resort of La Rosière, situated at 1,858 metres in the Savoie region of France, where visitors can ski across the border into Italy. The resort is steeped in history and tradition, and is dotted with charming traditional chalets built from stone, wood and slate. Almost all the slopes are south-facing, and offer fabulous views of the dramatic mountains. La Rosière is known for the highest snowfall in France. Its proximity to Mont Blanc (the highest mountain in the Alps) and the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard mountain pass guarantees a long ski season. With its 40 sweeping pistes of mostly blue and red runs, the resort is ideal for intermediate skiers. It’s the only Franco-Italian ski resort in the northern Alps and shares the spectacular San Bernardo ski area, which links La Rosière with La Thuile in Italy.
Stay: Guests at the Club Med’s new La Rosière resort can opt to stay in the superior room, with balconies offering spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Non-ski amenities include a yoga school by Heberson Oliveira, fitness activities, a cardio training room, and a heated indoor and outdoor pool.
Val Thorens – ideal for groups of friends and couples
Val Thorens, in France’s Savoie region, is the highest ski resort in Europe (at 2,300 metres) and offers a strong chance of decent snow with great skiing conditions until early May. It is part of the massive skiable terrain known as Les 3 Vallées, where there are more than 600km of runs and enough space that you never have to ski the same run twice during a week’s holiday. The resort is good for advanced skiers, and the fun atmosphere is perfect for groups and couples. Before leaving Val Thorens, try the zip line from the top of the Bouchet chairlift in Orelle (3,230 metres), which whizzes down the mountain to the Funitel de Thorens in Val Thorens.
Stay: Stay at the chic Club Med Val Thorens, where keen climbers can scale the impressive indoor climbing wall, or relax over wine-tasting and exotic cocktails at the Oxygen bar.
Les Arcs – enjoy beautiful forest runs
Situated in the Tarentaise valley of Savoie, the resort of Les Arcs has long been popular with UK skiers. There are some beautiful and peaceful forest runs to glide through on low-visibility days and wide cruising snow bowl runs to enjoy. The surrounding ski domain of Paradiski offers 425km of long, cruising runs, including 12 green and 132 blue runs for beginners, 65 sleek red runs for intermediate skiers, and 37 challenging black runs for advanced skiers. There’s a slick and ultra-modern lift system that carries skiers and snowboarders swiftly through the pristine mountains.
Stay: Club Med’s Les Arcs Panorama is a ski-in, ski-out mountain retreat offering stunning views of the Alps. Upgrade to an Exclusive Collection suite and enjoy access to the Le Belvédère lounge bar and terrace, which features a jacuzzi. The all-inclusive kids’ club offers young skiers lessons with Ecole du ski Français (ESF) professionals.
Tignes and Val d’Isère – Fantastic après ski
Linked by a network of fast-moving lifts, Tignes and Val d’Isère are in the Savoie region of France and share the vast Val d’Isère-Tignes ski area, where there is 300km of snow-covered terrain to explore. It’s a good choice for early season skiing that’s suitable for all levels. Considered one of the birthplaces of alpine skiing, Val d’Isère (known as “Val” to locals) is also home to some of the most famous après ski and clubbing hotspot in the Alps.
Stay: Club Med will open two new locations this year – one in Tignes and the other in Val d’Isère – and guests can now book for the 2022 and 2023 season. Club Med has been in Tignes since 1958 but, in December 2022, the new Tignes 4T family flagship will open its doors at 2,100 metres in the heart of Tignes Val Claret village. This stunning ski-in, ski-out resort includes an ultimate wellness hub with a 33-metre-long indoor heated swimming pool, a spa, a yoga studio, and all-day dining in a cosy piano bar, plus 25 exclusive contemporary luxury suites boasting a private living room space to relax and unwind.
Club Med Val d’Isère will be a great choice for families, set in a perfect location in a popular ski resort in the Val d’Isère-Tignes area. It will be Club Med’s first Exclusive Collection 5-Trident resort in the Alps.
