|
||
|
France is the most popular destination for British skiers with good reason. It scores high points with its quality of skiing, excellent ski schools, efficient purpose built resorts, vast linked lift systems, delicious food, and vibrant nightlife.
France boasts the biggest linked ski areas in the world such as the Three Valleys and Espace Killy, many of which offer glacier level skiing and long ski seasons. The French Alps offer a wide range of skiing from the most challenging skiing to the gentlest of slopes.
The resorts vary in style, from the purpose built and rather stark architecture of Val Thorens to the traditional farming villages which have developed into ski resorts, which are more sympathetic to the mountains such as Megeve. The traditional villages, tend to be less convenient for the slopes, but they give you a feel of being in France, where French is the predominant language rather than English. France also has traditional alpine towns, such as Chamonix with a long mountaineering history and home to some of the most challenging skiing in the Alps. There are some well run independent ski schools in many of the French resorts, which have small groups, a high standard of tuition and English speaking instructors. Some of these offer a high standard of children’s’ lessons
Food is still one of France’s main advantages, as most mountain restaurants offer a good value ‘plat du jour’. In the evening a large number of resorts have restaurants serving excellent food and the wine is of a reasonable quality and is inexpensive too.
Nightlife is excellent, and is especially good for the young in most of the big name resorts such as Meribel, Chamonix or Val d’Isere. Live music is not widespread and clubs tend to be pricey in the top resorts.
The main disadvantage for France is that most hotels and nearly all apartments are still very much geared to weekend departures, so if you are looking for a long weekend, Switzerland or Austria are the countries to focus on.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
 |
|
