Speedriding in the French Alps with François Bon

Winter Activities in France

And adventurous things to do!

Plan Your Trip

WINTER ACTIVITIES | BEST WINTER DESTINATIONS

France is one of the world’s iconic destinations for winter activities. Blessed with huge mountain ranges including the Alps and the Pyrenees, winter in France is all about getting outside and enjoying the snow. The winter ski season in France runs from around early-December to mid-April, with temperatures from Christmas to early February ranging from -10° C to +4° C. January and February tend to be the coldest months with temperatures rising in March and April.

The Chamonix Valley, the Portes du Soleil and the Tarentaise offer vast ski domains including Espace Killy, Paradiski and the 3 Valleys, with many hundreds of kilometres of ski pistes. Regions such as the Queyras, the Ecrins and Serre Chevalier in the Southern Alps are renowned for their snowsure winters and bright sunshine. Whatever activity you’re into you’ll find a destination in France to suit, whether that’s skiing, snowboarding, heli-skiing, ski-touring, snowshoeing, or even ice climbing.

Our pick of France’s best Winter activities

Beyond traditional skiing and snowboarding, France provides a wide variety of winter activities to suit you whatever you’re into. If you’re looking for backcountry adventure, ski touring combines off-piste skiing with mountaineering, allowing exploration of untouched terrain. Snowshoeing offers a tranquil way to get away from the ski lifts and enjoy the winter landscape, while ice climbing presents a thrilling challenge on frozen waterfalls. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or tentative beginner, France’s winter wonderland caters to all, ensuring an unforgettable experience amidst its breath-taking scenery.

Skiing in the Three Valleys

Skiing

Check out our 20+ in-depth resort guides and organise your ski trip to the French Alps. Find links to the best backcountry guides, ski hire, lessons, accommodation and airport transfers.
Snowboarding Resort Guides

Snowboarding

For the travelling snowboarder, it’s safe to say that France has it all; big mountains, epic powder, Europe’s best snowparks and awesome après.
Off-Piste Skiing with Ski Cool

Off-Piste Skiing

France has some of the world’s best lift-accessed off-piste skiing. Get away from the crowds and carve your own lines down some of the French Alps legendary off-piste runs.
Ski Touring Holidays in the French Alps

Ski Touring

Ski touring is an increasingly popular winter activity that combines off-piste skiing with mountaineering. Escape the crowds and ski the best terrain in the Alps.
Heli-Skiing in France

Heli-Skiing

Experience the very best heli-skiing in the Alps. Take to the skies for a heli-drop high in the backcountry. Expect big thrills, epic powder and some of the best descents you’ve ever done.
Steep Skiing in the French Alps

Steep Skiing

Discover the best steep skiing terrain in the French Alps. This is skiing at its most extreme. Accessible to expert skiers with mountaineering experience and a keen sense of adventure.
Ice climbing in the Ubaye Valley

Ice Climbing

Whether it is mountain ice or frozen waterfalls, the ice climbing in the French Alps is superb. Physical and exhilarating but also accessible, the sense of satisfaction you get from scaling an ice wall is hard to beat.
Speedriding in France

Speedriding

Speedriding mixes paragliding with skiing in an adrenaline-charged cocktail. It’s the new winter extreme sport that you just have to try. Defy gravity, glide meters above the snow, then land in pristine powder fields. High octane thrills!
Snowshoeing in the southern French Alps with Undiscovered Mountains

Snowshoeing

Discover the wild side of the French Alps with snowshoeing. Make your own tracks and explore pristine wildernesses in a winter wonderland far from the hustle and bustle of the resort.

France’s Best Winter Activity Destinations

France is a lucky country – it has 2 huge mountain ranges, the French Alps and the Pyrenees and over 400 ski resorts. That means that whatever winter sport you’re into, France has a choice of resorts for you. Here’s a selection of our favourite places in France for an active winter holiday.

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French Alps

Spend your days skiing, snowboarding, ice-climbing and mountaineering amongst the high peaks of the French Alps.
Bourg-Saint-Maurice Funiculaire

Bourg-St-Maurice

The Alpine town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice is the gateway to the Tarentaise Valley and makes an ideal base for exploring the valley’s famous mountain resorts.
Skiing in the Pyrenees

Pyrenees

Pristine mountains offer everything from freeride skiing and snowboarding to ski-touring and ice climbing.
Climbing the Dome des Ecrins with Undiscovered Mountains

Ecrins NP

Remote, jagged and spectacular, the Ecrins National Park is a top destination for winter mountaineering, ski-touring and ice-climbing.
Backcountry skiing in Chamonix

Chamonix

However you like your adventure, your après and your lodgings, Chamonix has what you’re looking for in spades.
Snowshoeing in the Mercantour National Park

Mercantour NP

The spectacular Mercantour National Park is a haven for winter thrill seekers and nature lovers alike.

Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your winter activities in France, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this page. Happy holidays!

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