WHEN is the BEST TIME TO GO SKIING in France

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Intro: 0:00
Planning Issues: 0:38
Weather Patterns: 2:36
Local Events: 3:35
Christmas & New Year: 4:15
January Low Season: 7:19
February School Holidays: 9:19
Spring Skiing: 11:15
Conclusion: 12:07

#topsnowtravel #skitravelexpert #skifrance

[Mrride]

3rd Jan to end of January, feb is a write off as busy with school holidays (depending on resort), march and April for spring skiing

[pauldale]

Been skiing for 38 years.. I have not skied in Feb (in Europe) since I left school 35 years ago. Love Xmas week ( its busy but not as crazy as NY week), but I always go in January for a week and March for a week. Hard core mate do Jan and my fair weather mates do March when it can be a little warmer.. But I cry for my mates that have to pay 3x more for Feb because they have kids... roll on 24/25 season.

[palomacappi]

I'm about to work my first Ski Season at Les Arcs 1800. I skied a couple times before but usually just for a few days a year. Couldn't be more excited, thank you for your videos :)

[MathiasNO]

Went to Val Thorens 3rd week of Feb this year. It was absolutely perfect, spring weather where crowd control and flow was seamless. The same could not have been said for Meribel and Courchevel. For that reason I’d rather go back to Val Thorens, but maybe we were just lucky.

[buggykiksak]

Just spot on. Every year after 15rh of jan i am there, u r so right sir!

[richdarlowgolf]

Thanks, we always go to Morzine in mid January when it colder, later in the season it can suffer from lack of snow on the lower slopes due to its lower altitude 👍

[stuartstronach]

Have based myself somewhere in Les Trois Vallees for my last 5 ski trips, so this coming season, I've booked Les Arcs 1950 for a complete change of scene. Always try to go mid-late January for the reasons you state in your video. Looking forward to it!

[stéphanezabotti]

I love the Lego Kaila Chalet behind you 😁, see you this winter

[adjo]

I personally love second week of Jan in La Plagne. Price dips, crowds low and plenty of blue skies. I have been end of April and although weather was lovely the snow was slushy by 1pm. Also the snow had melted alot from the grass, roofs and paved areas, and it didn't feel very ski-ee if that makes sense 😂

[francoisfoue]

The only time to avoid is winter holiday from the 2nd week of february to the first week of march. January is the best powder, march is spring snow, still excellent at high altitude resorts

[bewati]

I have been to Val Thorens and trois vallees a least 12 times and I'm going in Januari this year for the ressond you memtioned. Used to go during school hollidays and yeah the crows were a disaster with 40 min lift lines even on high speed chairlifts and epic overcrowded moguls on all slopes at the end of the day. Last few years were late in March and while not crowded there were way to many clueless beginners without experienced groupmatesor ski class making the slopes kind of dangerous. But the real killer was no fresh snow for weeks and very slushy slopes below 2000m or after 1pm. But if you get a rare march snowfall night with a nice sunny day after it's magical on the empty slopes.

So you are spot on but it might have been worth it to menton that most cheaper accomodation in the French alps is very small and outdated so be carefull if you want to the spend holiday season in the appartment if you book at rated capacity (the average 4 person is really 2, 6 maybe 4 people comfortably etc). And to avoid city center cheap appartments in Val Thorens as these are often party dorms right above bars and night clubs. I usually go to Chamois d'Or, a nice affordable slope side appartment a bit lower in Val Thorens where it's nice and quiet but good slope acces.

[utd]

Going to val thorens last week of January

[chriscoslett]

Great Video, thanks!...How is Val d'isere in mid march? Wife is begginer green and that mountain looks good for her...HNY

[ianlkwd]

Good videos. Would like to see more info about other resorts. We have so far been to all the resorts you always mention but little about (or nothing about the other resorts / areas). We have skied USA, Bulgaria, Romania, Austaria, Germany and even Holland (indoors), but definetly prefer France as we like to drive down. Valloire/Valmenier is great. Les Corbier is ugly but good skiing in the Sybelles area. Le Grand Bornard lovely old resort, etc....

[viccabrambilla]

Your video is so AMAZING, you give an overview of all I may ask for. I've been to La Rosiere dec 2023 first week of the season and it was great. Now, I am planing my next family vacation for 25/26 season. IF YOU would minimize the risk of NO SKI conditions or no snow, can you help me to put those options in order of selection? Club Med Les Arcs / Club Med Alpe D"Huez / Club Med Grand Massif (Christmas week)? Thank you

[gustavogiacominpinho]

Great video, thanks mate! I'm off to Le Grand Domaine over the week of NYE (my girlfriend wants to join some friends who are going there), but I really hate crowded slopes. Would you have any tips regarding quiet resorts in France which I could visit in the weekends around NYE?
Thanks a lot!

[CarlBradbrook]

Thanks mate great info! (You might think about offering a free downloadable PDF report on this with all the key points - i would join your mailing list if you do)

[markmd]

Where was you 2 months ago when I was booking!

[bilgyno]

Why did no-one else figure this out and they all go in the Peak Holiday weeks. Oh I know... Maybe they have kids of school going age...
But really: this is way too general. Sometimes there's already 20°C+ in February in the valleys of the French Alps, so you might want to go to the South Side of the Alps or Switzerland or Austria in some periods. If you're going outside of the big holidays, don't rush and just check a couple of days in advance where conditions are expected to be best.

[Subtleknife]

For those wondering when the Feb holidays are so you can avoid them:

Winter Holidays

Zone A: Sat 22 Feb – Mon 10 March

Zone B: Sat 8 Feb – Mon 24 Feb

Zone C: Sat 15 Feb – Mon 3 March