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The questions usually start towards the end of summer. “Can we go skiing again next year? Please?” And before I have a chance to answer: “Which resort are we going to go to?”
My sons – aged 12 and 14 – are lucky enough to have been skiing in the French Alps most years since they were young. And if you asked them, or my husband and I for that matter, we’d all say these winter trips have been our most memorable and happy times as a family.
It didn’t start perfectly, however. When we first put the eldest on skis, on a nursery slope in Chamonix when he was three or four, I had to bribe him with torn up pieces of pain au chocolat in between each run on the magic carpet as his skis “felt funny” on his feet. We left it a few years, and tried again when his younger brother was old enough to join in, choosing resorts with great reputations for family skiing. Under the tutelage of super-friendly ski instructors in Oz-en-Oisans, and thanks to the dog-themed forest fun parks and mellow sunny slopes of La Rosière, they both completely fell for the mountains, and we’ve been enjoying magical Alpine moments together ever since.
The first time we skied over to La Thuile in Italy from La Rosière for a pizza lunch was a real highlight, as was a trip to Val Cenis – a lovely, quiet and great value resort, with ample beginner and improver terrain and stunning nature all around. One day, we were having a picnic lunch facing a towering ridge in the distance, when some skiers appeared on top of the ridge and proceeded to ski down its vertical face, treating us to our own private extreme sports movie. The kids talked about the experience for months afterwards.
As they’ve got older and gained more confidence in their skiing and strength in their legs, we’ve loved giving them their first taste of fresh powder and off-piste skiing in Chamonix and introducing them to the extensive piste network and steeper terrain at Les Arcs, where they also took great pleasure in beating us both on the ski-cross course. Taking on the picturesque Sarenne piste in Alpe d’Huez, the longest black run in the world, which starts at the majestic Pic Blanc and is actually a lot less tough than it sounds, is always an incredible experience.
But these winter trips to the French Alps are about far more than just the skiing. They’re about laughing together on chairlifts in the sunshine, gazing in awe at jagged mountain backdrops and white peak panoramas, and the delight of diving into snow-covered mountain huts for hot chocolates during blizzards. We’ve introduced our kids to proper French après ski at Le Folie Douce in Alpe d’Huez, taken them to enjoyably feisty ice hockey matches in La Rosière and, when they were younger, they were thrilled with a visit to a working dairy farm in Val Cenis.
They’ve tried ice skating in La Rosière, ridden the epic toboggan runs at Les Arcs, and visited the iconic ice cave in Alpe d’Huez. Going out for a fondue or raclette – typical Savoyard mountain fare – is one of our favourite treats on any trip, but my kids will tell you that French ski resorts do a fine line in desserts too, from crepes and creme brulee to chocolate mousse and top quality ice-cream.
It’s hard to imagine a summer holiday offering anything like the levels and variety of fun we’ve had in the mountains over the years. And while these trips aren’t cheap, especially as travel costs across the board have risen since the pandemic, there are ways to make a ski trip as affordable as possible. The first is by choosing your accommodation provider wisely, where add-ons are already covered. With Sunweb, lift passes are always included – and its packages for French destinations include ski hire to boot. And that’s before you even take into account some of the great deals that are available if you book early.
If you’re travelling during school holidays, either pick a package with flights included or consider driving as, in our experience, the Eurotunnel and ferry prices tend to stay consistent throughout winter, whereas flights are more vulnerable to surge pricing at peak times.
Opting for self-catering accommodation so we can cook in the evenings and make packed lunches is another great way we’ve kept costs down over the years. If it’s sunny, we love an on-mountain picnic and on snowy days we head for the indoor pique-nique areas which are usually marked on resort maps. Borrowing ski clothing from friends, buying second hand outfits online or even renting clothing is a good idea too.
It’s fair to say we’ve never once been disappointed by a ski holiday in the French Alps. So, for now, the only question is: “Which resort are we going to go to?”