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And with so many ways to get to France, whether it be by plane,
luxury coaches, your own car, or via train you can be at your chosen ski holiday
destination in no time and it is the perfect last minute get away.
France has two main ski areas, the Pyrenees and the Alps,
both with many ski resorts and without a doubt, some of the best and most extreme ski
areas in the world.
Also, France has some of the biggest ski resorts such as Les Trois Vallees, which is made
up of three valleys and includes resorts like Courchevel and Meribel. This area has
around 600km of pistes for skiers of all abilities and experience so there is enough
choice for everyone.
Meribel can offer skiing to people with all abilities, as there are some fantastic
beginners' slopes but the three valleys area offers a good challenge for more experienced
skiers, and has an incredible choice of ski schools, which cater from groups to individual
tuition. And although it is generally a purpose built resort, you will find it like
a fairytale atmosphere with the ski chalets that blend into the scenery, however, it does
have quite a lively nightlife and can get very busy in the peak season as it is such a
popular destination for skiers who enjoy a lively atmosphere.
Font Romeu is one of the oldest ski resorts in Europe and also has the biggest snow making
operation in the Pyrenees and with well over 2500 hours of
sunshine each year, this makes it another very popular resort for weekend breaks and longer holidays alike.
Yet even though many think of skiing as a winter sport, there are a few places in France
where you can still get to ski on the glaciers in the summer months, such as Tignes or Val
d'Isere.
If you have never been skiing then it is advisable to book you holiday through a tour
operator, as they will know exactly what resorts are going to be suitable. But it is
also an idea to have some lessons on dry slopes prior to going, so that you can make the
best of your holiday, rather that spending the first few days just learning to stop
falling over on the snow!
Also please do bear in mind that even if you do not have your own skis or skiing boots,
you will still need to purchase or hire other items of equipment before you go, such as
proper skiing gloves and sallopettes to keep you warm and the snow out. You can find all
of that pretty easily in specialised shop or on big internet portals, where they offer a
lot of articles for skiing and winter sports.
Of course, booking your skiing holiday independently can save you quite a lot of money,
but there can be downsides as well, especially if you have never been to the resort
before, you may not realise how far it is to get from your accommodation to the slopes, or
even how far it would be to get to the ski hire places. And lets face it, you do not
want to spend a day just getting set up rather than on the slopes doing what you went
there to do. Also do bear in mind that even if you do not have your own skis or
skiing boots, you will still need to purchase other items of equipment before you go such
as proper skiing gloves and sallopettes to keep you warm and the snow out.
There is a wide range of ski accommodation in France and you can choose from purpose built
private ski chalets, apartments or hotels. French skiing accommodation meets the
needs of all skiers, with self-catering cabins to luxury apartments and hotels, ideal for the skier on every budget.
But the choice of accommodation can be quite mind-boggling to many and you have to
consider all the people in your party, especially if you have young children where
childcare facilities or entertainment may be an important issue. Or if you are a
more experienced skier, you may wish to look at chalets nearer to the more difficult runs
rather than the nursery slopes or perhaps opt for a little more luxury in a hotel with
gourmet meals by evening in peace and tranquillity.
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