Best ski resorts in France for a large mixed-level group

A snowHead

Hey all,

It may sound crazy, but I'm already planning my 25/26 season ski trip. That's because next December, I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday, and since I'm from Brazil, to convince as many people as possible, it needs to be affordable and give them plenty of time to prepare and schedule in advance.

The list of people consists mainly of beginners/intermediates, plus myself and another friend who are more advanced. I'll invite 20/25 people, but I'm expecting around 14 to actually go. Here's what we're looking for in a resort:

- Ski in/out: Large group, lots of beginners, so ease is key.
- Decent amount of beginner terrain: It would suck if the beginners, who will probably stick to greens most of the trip and maybe tackle a few blues by the end, only had access to one lift and a couple of pistes.
- Good amount of ungroomed terrain: Preferably avalanche-controlled terrain (naturide/ungroomed pistes), but it can also be off-piste that feels safe (close to pistes/lifts). I'm probably the only one in the group interested in this, but hey, it's my birthday, and this is the type of terrain I love skiing.
- Best snow possible: My birthday is in December, but I'm willing to push the trip to mid-January to avoid high prices and poor snow conditions, where most of the terrain might not even be open.
- Good après bar on the mountain: Doesn't have to be many, just one good spot will do.
- Things to do besides skiing: Beginners might get tired and want to relax in a pool or do something similar.
- Preferably a big resort: Love exploring the mountains.

At first, I considered booking a big chalet, but it’s hard to predict group size. Now I’m leaning toward a Club Med (expensive but might fit everyone's budget) for ease: ski school, all-inclusive, ski in/out, heated pool, and no need to adjust accommodations for late joiners.

My top choices right now are:

Tignes:
- Lots of naturide pistes and tons of terrain.
- High altitude, so snow shouldn’t be a problem in January.
- La Folie Douce.
- Main concern: Might not be great for beginners, as the Club Med is in Val Claret, meaning they'd mainly ride Bollin and Col de la Fresse, where they'd have to come back by lift from Toviere and take a bus from Le Lac until able to ski the blues Prariond or Henri.

Alpe d'Huez:
- Good amount of greens across different lifts.
- High altitude, so snow shouldn’t be an issue in January.
- La Folie Douce.
- Le Tunnel: Seems fun to ride at least once.
- Main concern: No naturide terrain? Haven't found much info on ungroomed pistes there.

Any thoughts or other resort suggestions (Alps, not just France)?

A snowHead

Val Thorens & 3 Valleys:
- Lots of naturide pistes and tons of terrain
- High altitude, so snow shouldn't be a problem in January
- La Folie Douce
- Super for beginners, with many green/blue pistes next to the ski-in-ski-out apartments.
- Super easy connection to area Les Menuires with many more green ski options
- Offers a huge arena 3V with

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

If there's lots of beginners yet you still want a large ski area for the others I reckon I'd be inclined to look at La Plagne. It's pretty blue heavy so should be alright for beginners and early intermediates, but its also a pretty huge ski area both locally and over in Les Arcs for inters and above. Not sure if it ticks the box of decent on-slope apres bar, mind.

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I'd say La Plagne too, mainly because there's somewhere the beginners can head for the trees if the weather closes in. I did in January VT for my second week skiing and it was bloody miserable when the clouds closed in. LP was my first ever trip and we had great fun racking up the miles and exploring different areas.

Tignes I wouldn't say is ideal for beginners, especially if you want them to join at Folie...although same kind of applies in VT, the carnage of that run is clear to see on a daily basis

Downside is that I'm not sure La Plagne has much in the way of party apres on the slopes...but if you're a big enough group you can create that anyway.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@satibr, don't forget that, for the most part, once you're off the piste, in a French resort, you're out of avalanche-controlled territory. But yes, definitely postpone your trip to mid-January. Just make sure your beginners sign up with a good ski school, and they'll have a ball.

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@satibr,
When in December?

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@satibr, "it needs to be affordable" seems to be at odds with "I’m leaning toward a Club Med (expensive but might fit everyone's budget)"

Hiring a large self catered chalet could be great fun for 14 if they are the sort of people that are happy to muck in - cooking together, sharing living spaces, etc.

I'm guessing coming from Brazil this will be DIY and with flights, transfers, ski school, ski hire to arrange it will require to be fairly uncompromising with your group - as in this is what we are doing, I need your money on x date, etc. Unless of course you go down the expensive (but could be worth it) Club Med route.

Keep it simple and don't try to accommodate everyone's whims.

Mid-January is ideal from a cost and busyness point of view but...

As mentioned the weather can be bleak. If you stay high and it closes in you may be holed up or it may not be fun to be out. So you may want to consider stations low down that still have access to the main area - thinking La Tania, Les Coches, Vallandry, Oz-en-Oisan.

Also because it's a quiet time the apres/nightlife will be quieter but as mentioned if you are a large group you can make your own fun.

If you are used to the in bounds off piste of North America then I think you would be best to give yourself a birthday treat and go out with a guided group. As mentioned it's different in Europe.

After all it is free

In general if you're taking beginners, especially mainly beginners you really need to take the "beginners first/experienced can suck it up" approach. If you're the person dragging friends skiing for the first time you really want them to have a good time, ideally so you create more skiing friends to go away with in future years but at worst the person who gave them a great experience - not the guy who made then go on that holiday that cost and arm and a leg and was just cold, painful, and miserable!

That said Alpe d'Huez would be ideal as it's a beginner's paradise. If you're talking mainly adults who want to eat/drink out then probably stay in Ad'H itself but if there are lots of little children then look at Oz en Oaisans, part of the same ski area but much smaller and dead quiet in the evening - which if you're going to be eating/drinking in your chalet because the children are in bed isn't an issue and means you can let them run a little more wild without worrying about losing them in the crowds while they are still awake.

Skiing wise a good skier, skiing solo can ski everything in 1 day - but that doesn't mean you can't make your own fun, especially if there are a few of you. I did Ad'H twice and both time the Tunnel was closed. And "The longest black run in the world" is barely a black at it's peak and a green for 75% of its length. There's a black off one of the gondola mid stations, Balcons I think that was unpiested and just the right number of mogals to be fun before becoming tiresome - and I had it to myself every time I did it to make it even better.

@matejp
Yeah, that could also be a good option.

@Dav and @SnoodyMcFlude
But is La Plagne/Paradiski good for real beginners? The ones that might only want to ski greens? From what I've seen on the trail map, lots of blues, but not that many greens.

@Origen
Yeah, I'm aware, wouldn't go 20m far from the pistes if avalanche risk is moderate and wouldn't go off piste if it's high.

@Kenzie
21st

@Layne
What I meant is that if booked well in advance, Club Med often offers great discounts, making it more affordable (though by no means cheap).
I hadn’t considered the possibility of bad weather at higher altitudes. Choosing a lower elevation resort could be a good option that I hadn’t thought about before.

@Mjit
Most of the group has skied before, but only for a few days, and some are complete beginners. There are no kids, everyone is between 25 and 32 years old.

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@satibr, in a lot of French resorts there are very few runs designated green - and those that are often turn out to be farm or forestry access tracks that are no fun for beginners because they are narrow. So when you look at piste maps, you will mostly see blue runs.

In La Plagne for example there are a lot of "cruising blues" which are very flattering to relative beginners.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

There’s a lot of love for France here but can I put in a word for Austria and Italy too.
Zell am See is a proper town with day trips for the non skiing days/ access to the Super ski area including Saalbach for those wanting a lot of skiing. Whilst a lot of accommodation isn’t ski in / out, there’s a lot in just a few metres of the lifts.
Having been converted to a Dolomites lover by @admin that’s a beautiful area and Venice is day trip-able if non-skiers want something different. The food is AMAZING and the views are jaw dropping.

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+1 la plagne. Stay in belle plagne for ski in ski out or close to it. Huge ski area. Taken my little kids. Plenty of ski school options. Few apres options too. (La Bergerie?)

Lucky you. Enjoy! Ps. It’s not the same as North America etc re off the piste, can be quite dangerous . Be wary of that!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@satibr, it'll always be tough for someone who doesn't know a resort like the back of their hand to find "easy slopes" for a one day beginner to ski. That's why I suggested ski school! A group of them together with an instructor could have a lot of fun and feel really pleased with their progress.

A snowHead

@satibr, I began skiing with a week in La Plagne, they are blues but lots of gentle blues. That's why I think it appeals, you can be new to skiing but still see a lot of a mountain. Although as Origen says, knowing which ones are easy might be trickier.

@ElsieP, the OP asked for a resort in France, hence the French resort suggestions.

A snowHead

My first thought reading your post was AdH as it ticks the boxes for everyone else in terms of skiing level etc. It does have unpisted runs and off piste, of course, and you're within striking distance of La Grave for a bigger challenge. Treat yourself to an instructor / guide as it's your birthday?

If Tignes is where you want to go perhaps consider Val d'Isere as a base -- the beginners area is up the mountain and has a small network of nice blues to progress to, and it's of course easy to ski over to Tignes.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@satibr,
21st December would mean being too late for the cheaper pre-Christmas weeks, so look at January after New Years week.
Have you looked into UK tour operator chalet-hotels?
Tignes would tick your boxes, as long as your beginners & less experienced skiers use instructors, who will find the right slopes for their abilities. Plenty of non-ski activities, too.
Tignes apres-ski bars are at village level. The Folie is technically in the Val d'Isere part of the ski area, so you either have to be on the last lifts back to Tignes (4.30 at that time of year), or get a bus/taxi back from VdI.
If you would consider early December, Snowheads run a pre-season bash in Tignes, followed by a post pre-season bash.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Alpe d'Huez is great for beginners and great for off piste too, often untracked with an excellent sliding scale of adventure/risk - from easy access routes to harder climbs and descents. Plenty of excellent guides available in January. There used to be a nice little yellow Vamos book about off piste routes in la Grave, Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thank you all for your input! If we go with the Club Med plan (or something similar), ski school will be available for the entire group for all six days of the week, starting directly from the hotel. This means they won’t be skiing on their own or taking unnecessary risks until they feel confident enough to do so. My thoughts so far:

Alpe d'Huez, La Plagne, and Les Arcs: Solid options
Tignes: Manageable if the group sticks with ski school (Val d'Isère might be a better fit within the same area)
Treat myself by hiring a guide for some off-piste
La Grave could be an incredible experience

@Kenzie, I haven’t really looked into the specifics yet, just evaluating resorts for now. Could you tell me more about this bash event?

After all it is free

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@satibr,

I recommend that you check out ClubMed Peissey-Vallandry. It's just next to the Vanoise Express, so gives the good skiers instant access to both Les Arcs and La Plagne. Off piste is covered with the ski school for Level 3 ie if you are good enough and there is the snow!

The beginners get taken up to the middle station as soon as they can use the chair lift. Return can be via chairlift or skiing depending on how far they have progressed.

PS Quite a few Brazillians go with ClubMed as everything is included
PPS Don't be tempted to take beginners to Tignes

@satibr,
The snowEvents forum should tell you all you need to know about the Snowheads bashes.

You know it makes sense.

1. Courchevel 1850
2. Davos
3. Less Arcs 1600 (Bourg St Maurice)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

You're getting lots of good suggestions here from others, so all I'll add is NOT LaGrave!

NOT the place for beginners! Or for anyone who wants/needs a guide to ski off-piste at more regular resorts either.

A snowHead

@satibr, the best suggestion here was the first one from @matejp, Val Thorens. By far the widest variety of terrain for all levels, Club Med & Folie Douce and easily accessible off piste depending on snow depth. You can argue that VT can be bleak if the weather closes in early season and that's completely true but it ticks all the other boxes handsomely. The weather is always a risk you take with early season skiing but at least with VT the risk won't be grass instead of snow, it'll be lifts closed due to too much snow and/or wind.

Don't put off piste too high on your "must have" list. It's early season and you're pushing your luck for easily accessible stuff. It'll look ok from the lift but much of the French Alps is on top of granite and requires a significant snow depth to be skiable without trashing your skis. If it's really important to you, hire a guide to take you to the bits you can't see from a lift.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Another vote for Val Thorens from me. It’s the best ski area in the world, and it’s good for beginners too. 360 bar has an easy green down from it, which is perfect for drunk beginners. Folie has a blue down, which is more of a challenge when covered in drunk riders. There are many bars and restaurants in town, and a sports centre for days off the mountain.

In Tignes Coco Ricos is better than Folie anyway, but as others have said beginner runs are limited in Tignes, and harder to access.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I would also say that Club Med is overpriced and value for money is far better if you book self catering apartments. However, I understand that the ease of booking may be worth it for you. UCPA is another good option.

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Well done on the geology, @johnE. I would also point out that plenty of French ski slopes are on pasture. wink

But people do love their generalisations......

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To be fair @Je suis un Skieur's allegedly inaccurate guess at the geology was specifically in relation to Val Thorens, which is certainly a resort where there are plenty of lumps of rock around suggesting there are probably more under the snow.

And I think - from the flora in summer - that there are limestone regions as well in the Alps.

After all it is free

I actually meant to write slate rather than granite but had had too much beer and couldn't be bothered to edit it. Look at the time of the post.. Slate might be wrong too, of course. NehNeh

But putting aside the pedantry of which particular type of metamorphic rock it is, have you been to VT in summer? Most of the so called off piste areas look like this (with credit to Skifan):

Glacier du Péclet. by -Skifan-

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