In the Peak Midwinter: Great Family-Friendly Ski Resorts in France

The Alps are the original home of downhill skiing, developed as a competitive sport on these mountains by the pioneer Sir Arnold Lunn in the early 20th century. Specialised clubs spread across the mountain villages of the region, and ski areas expanded from steep slopes reserved for racers to gentler pistes where parents could bring their children to learn. Over time, certain French towns developed their own reputation for being especially well adapted to visiting families, and some winter sports hubs were purpose-built for more general snowbound recreation. Today, you’ll find family-friendly ski resorts in France that offer all sorts of other activities, from ice-skating and tobogganing to sleigh-rides and "yeti" encounters.

The best-known family-friendly ski resorts in France are scattered across the Alps, but our favourites include at least one gem in the Pyrenees too. Each selection has been accredited as a Famille Plus Montagne, or “Family Plus Mountain” by the French Ministry of Tourism – a coveted award only granted to areas that fulfill a long list of over 100 requirements in catering to families with children aged over 18 months.

Nested high in the Portes du Soleil ski area near the Swiss border, Avoriaz 1800 is among the most family-friendly of all ski resorts in France. There are three whole zones and 37 green slopes for beginners, as well as a dedicated “children’s village”. The economics are appealing to parents too: children under 5 ski for free, and the ski pass for kids is valid up to age 15 (most resorts require adult passes from age 12), with additional discounts for older teens. The whole set-up creates a winter wonderland of comfort and safety as motor vehicles are banned from the village itself, creating more room for other forms of snowy transport and leisure:

• Night-time toboggan runs in a custom-built “Avocart”
• Dog-sledding with huskies through surrounding backcountry
• Beginner snowboarding at The Lil’Stash, a forest park where young riders can practice in a controlled space
• Traditional Joëring, where the rider is pulled on skis behind a horse
• Flumes and slides at Aquariaz, the resort’s indoor water park

In the same ski area: Portes du Soleil is also home to the smaller, quieter family-friendly ski resort of Morzine, a former farmland with lots of dogs and horses, as well as igloos where you can eat fondue. Les Gets, meanwhile, also offers family-friendly slopes and the popular Mechanical Music Museum.

The Espace San Bernardo ski area straddles the Italian border in the Northern Alps, and La Rosière is probably the most family-friendly ski resort in this corner of France, within sight of the mighty Mont Blanc. All the winning ingredients are in play here, with near-guaranteed snow cover on wide and generally sunny south-facing slopes at altitudes over 1,850 m. A renowned slopeside nursery called Les Galopins readies kids for their first runs, and most of the off-piste fun is also suitable for all but the smallest children: toboggans, an ice rink, a bowling alley and an excellent indoor climbing centre.

In the same ski area: La Rosière is directly linked to the adjoining Italian resort of La Thuile, so the family can also easily pop across to try the slopes of a neighbouring nation, and explore a relatively quiet former mining village with mountain cuisine to rival the French side of the border.

Among the closest winter retreats to Grenoble, Chamrousse is perhaps also the handiest of family-friendly ski resorts in this part of France. Barely 30km, or a half-hour drive, out of the city and up into the Belledonne range of the Dauphiné Alps, Chamrousse has several schools for kids and beginners on its gentler slopes. Access is free for the under-5s, lift passes are cheaper than other Alpine hubs, and the resort itself is quieter and quainter than most, with villages Le Recoin at 1,650m and Roche Béranger at 1,750m. Off the main runs, you can enjoy a day out snowshoeing or trekking cross-country, while the night skiing is made especially beautiful by clear views over the lights of Grenoble.

In the same ski area: Nearby family-friendly ski resorts in the Isère region of France include Alpe d’Huez, which has learner slopes with bumps and raised bends. Villard de Lans - Corrençon en Vercors, meanwhile, is home to Hameau des Rambins, a mountain village customised as a live ski-training facility for children.

The massive Three Valleys ski area encompasses some of the world’s most renowned winter resorts, including Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens. Nestled between the latter two and often overlooked, Les Menuires was built in the 1960s as a different sort of family-friendly ski resort in France – an accessible, affordable alternative to those glam surrounding hubs. The original design was strikingly modernist but the village has since been made to look more warm and appealing with lots of wood and stone, while the price points for gear rental and passes (including a “family flex” pass that covers three people of any relation) remain comparatively low. Today it’s the perfect spot for entry-level skiing in the region, cosy and compact with plenty of easy runs for beginners in gorgeous surroundings.

In the same ski area: Quick lifts and cable cars connect Les Menuires to the higher, grander jewels of the skiing world, including Val Thorens and its majestic 3,230 m peak at Le Bouchet.

Deep in the Pyrenees, on the French side of Catalonia, Les Angles is a real discovery for those who venture away from the better-known resorts of the Alps. Superbly family friendly, it covers all the basics of a winter holiday and then some, with beginner packages based around the lower slopes at Bas de Station and Pla del Mir (where you can also night-ski for free during school holidays). More than 50 km of cross-country routes lead through the La Matte forest and around Lac de l’Olive, while alternative options range from snowtubing to pony-luge excursions. There’s also an animal park with vast enclosures around natural habitats for reindeer, lynx and wolves. Former pro snowboarder, Olympian and international champion Mathieu Justafré is a native of Les Angles, and offers personal lessons for kids, beginners and more advanced riders at the resort's snowboard club, Les Wildcats, as well as an intensive training centre called ACAMP.

In the same ski area: Also on the Capcir plateau you’ll find the similarly family-friendly resorts of Formiguères and Font-Romeu, both low-key and welcoming with lots of sunshine and dependable snow cover.

Whether you’re carving first turns with little ones or chasing new horizons with seasoned young skiers, France’s family-friendly resorts offer the perfect backdrop for winter memories that last long after the snow melts. So pack your warmest layers, gather your favourite people and head for the mountains – your next great family adventure is waiting on the slopes.