Looking for a family-friendly ski holiday with children in the Portes du Soleil in France? A winter sports holiday with the whole family is a special experience: the fresh mountain air, the crunching snow and the pleasure of being on the slopes together. However, not every ski destination is equally suitable for families with children. Choosing the perfect family winter sports trip can be quite a challenge. The wishes of parents (luxury, tranquillity, challenge on the slopes) and children (fun, good lessons, variety) should come together in one unforgettable holiday. Fortunately, there is a place where this is possible: Portes du Soleil in France. Stretching across the Alps of France and Switzerland, the Portes du Soleil ski area is one of the largest in the world and is known for its versatility, charming mountain villages, luxury chalets and family-friendly atmosphere. The base of your ski holiday would be the charming Abondance Valley, a place where the authentic Alpine style goes hand in hand with luxury and child-friendliness.
There is no mass tourism or busy après-ski here, but space, fresh mountain air, warm hospitality and top-level accommodation – such as FranceComfort’s stylish chalets, AlpChalets and AlpResort. FranceComfort AlpChalets Portes du Soleil is an exclusive five-star resort with approx. 25 apartments and penthouses on a mountainside, treating you to a beautiful panoramic view. The resort has wellness facilities such as a sauna, heated indoor pool and fitness. The resort is located near to the ski lifts, ideal for families looking for child-friendly ski resorts in France and keen to combine comfort and relaxation. FranceComfort AlpResort Portes du Soleil is a beautiful resort with a sauna and an entertainment programme and also approx. 25 luxurious accommodations. The resort lies on the edge of a lively village at around 150m from the ski lift. Both resorts are a short distance from ski schools and childcare, allowing parents to enjoy their own day of skiing whilst their children are in good hands.
Child-friendly ski resorts in the French Alps
Portes du Soleil has strongly profiled itself as a family-friendly ski resort in recent years. But what is the best ski resort in the Portes du Soleil for beginners? And where can you find quiet slopes in the Portes du Soleil that allow fun for the whole family? We are more than happy to tell you more about the ins and outs of Portes du Soleil. The range of slopes is ideally divided into 170km of blue slopes, 380km of red slopes and 100km of black slopes.
- Blue slopes (beginners and families): These slopes are perfect for children who are just learning their first turns in the French Alps and for parents who want to cruise quietly. The blue slopes are often wide, well groomed and lead through beautiful forests.
- Red slopes (advanced skiers): The majority of the area consists of beautiful, challenging red slopes. Perfect for parents and older children who have mastered the technique and want to go on long tours.
- Black slopes (experts): For the daredevils, there is plenty of challenge, including the infamous Mûr Suisse, one of the steepest slopes in the Alps.
In the Abondance Valley, where the FranceComfort resorts are located, there are a number of quiet ski resorts for the whole family, such as La Chapelle d'Abondance, Châtel and Abondance. These resorts do not have crowded ski lifts, the slopes are clearly laid out and the atmosphere is relaxed. Parents can go down slopes without stress, while their children practice. An ideal place for a snow-sure ski holiday in the Portes du Soleil with children.
The immediate vicinity of the villages of Abondance and La Chapelle-d'Abondance is an excellent base for beginners.
- Abondance: The ski area of Abondance is small-scale, lies only 2 kilometres from the AlpChalets resort and is ideal for your first time on skis. A shuttle bus can quickly take you to the larger lifts for the Portes du Soleil area.
- La Chapelle-d'Abondance: AlpResort is within walking distance of the local slopes. The Crêt-Béni ski lift is nearby (only 150 meters), and the local slopes of La Chapelle d'Abondance are perfect for first lessons and to get back into skiing after your previous snow holiday in France.
As soon as your children have mastered the basics, Portes du Soleil will be a true playground for them with themed slopes and fun parks: From the Lil'Stash snowpark for children in Avoriaz to the forest paths in Morzine and Châtel, and the Milka Slopes in Châtel and Morzine. If your children are in good shape, they can also do the well-known ski safari through the Portes du Soleil for advanced skiers. When doing this ski safari you ski across the border into Switzerland and make many kilometres without taking any slope twice after which you finally arrive back to your starting point.
Tip: In many villages in the Portes du Soleil you can buy a family ski pass, which is cheaper than purchasing individual passes. This allows parents and children to ski flexibly without the costs skyrocketing.
Luxurious family chalet for your winter sports holiday in Portes du Soleil - France
After a day outside in the cold, nothing is better than coming home to a warm, comfortable holiday home. Luxury and child-friendliness go hand in hand at FranceComfort AlpChalets Portes du Soleil and FranceComfort AlpResort Portes du Soleil in the Abondance Valley. These resorts combine the authentic charm of an Alpine chalet with the comfort of a modern holiday home. These luxury winter sports chalets in France are among the most beautiful accommodations for a successful winter sports holiday with children in the Portes du Soleil. Especially the luxury chalets with wellness are very popular in the French Alps.
- Luxury and Comfort: The apartments and penthouses are spacious and modern, with comfortable furniture, complete kitchens, luxurious bathrooms and box-spring beds made on arrival. Some apartments even have a private sauna or jacuzzi.
- Wellness and Relaxation: There is a private wellness area with a heated indoor pool, sauna and jacuzzi, depending on the resort. This is the ideal place for parents to relax while the children splash around in the pool after a day in the cold.
- Magnificent Views: Located on the outskirts of authentic villages, our luxury chalets offer a magnificent panoramic view of the valley and the surrounding mountains.
- Facilities: There is free Wi-Fi, a parking garage, ski depots with shoe heating, and a bread service in the morning.
- Cozy Evenings: The spacious apartments offer the opportunity to enjoy a homemade meal with the family instead of eating out every night. However, the proximity of authentic, quiet restaurants in Abondance and La Chapelle-d'Abondance also offers the opportunity to taste the local Savoyard cuisine (fondue, raclette).
- Time for Each Other: The quiet location and the panoramic views guarantee a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for a quiet family holiday. Children can also play table tennis and table football at AlpResort, for example.
Tip: The Abondance Valley is quieter than the busy touristic villages in the core of Portes du Soleil, but is only a few minutes' drive from Châtel. This gives you the best of both worlds: peace and quiet, but also direct access to the extensive ski area.
Child-friendly ski schools and childcare
An important condition of a family-friendly winter sports holiday in France is the quality of the ski school. A frequently asked question is: "What is the best ski school in the Portes du Soleil for children?". Portes du Soleil is home to many child-friendly ski schools, where professional instructors teach in a playful way. In Châtel, La Chapelle d'Abondance and Abondance you will find ESF (École du Ski Français), Club Piou Piou and Ecole de Ski 360 International, with Dutch-speaking instructors in high season. This is ideal if your children do not comfortably speak French or English. An advantage of going on your winter sports holiday to the Abondance valley is that the slopes are generally quieter than in the large ski villages. There are special nursery slopes and green slopes where children can practice in complete safety. Parents can stay close by or enjoy a cappuccino on a sunny terrace while watching their children ski down the slopes.
Most villages offer childcare or a kids club, where the children can play indoors, do crafts or build snowmen while you enjoy a few hours on the slopes. In Châtel, for example, there is the "Garderie Les Mouflets", a cozy childcare centre for children aged between 2 and 6 years old who are on holiday with their parents. In the afternoons, children's activities and entertainment programmes are often organised, such as: torchlight hikes, snowshoe hikes, sleigh races or games in the snow. Perfect for making memories together and taking a breather from skiing.
Tip: Book the ski school and childcare well in advance, especially during the school holidays. The most popular places are quickly booked up!
More than Skiing: Entertainment and off-piste activities
A family-friendly winter sports holiday in France is not just about skiing. Sometimes it is wonderful to do something different for a day. Portes du Soleil has plenty of options for this, both on and off the slopes.
- Tobogganing and sledding: Many villages have toboggan runs. In Morzine, you can even go sledging in the dark, an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
- Dog sledding and ski joëring: Go on a dog sled ride if you seek a thrilling adventure. Ski joëring is a unique activity where you will be pulled on skis by a horse, a nice activity for your children during your winter sports holiday in Portes du Soleil.
- Ice skating: Châtel and Morzine have ice rinks, ideal for a fun afternoon together with your family during your holiday in France.
- Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing: The area has 214 kilometers of cross-country trails and 385 kilometers of snow hiking trails, very suitable for a rest day or to explore the beautiful Abondance Valley.
- Wellness: While your children join in on the entertainment programme, you can relax in the wellness areas of the ski resort.
- Local markets and cheese tastings: visit a cheese factory and taste the famous Abondance cheese, a specialty of the region.
- Châtel Smuggling Museum: For families with older children (from 7 years old), a visit to the smuggling museum in Châtel is worthwhile. A route has been set out that tells the story of smugglers between France and Switzerland.
- Aquariaz: A Tropical Water Park in the snow. An absolute highlight, especially in bad weather, is Aquariaz, a tropical water park located in the car-free Avoriaz at an altitude of 1800 meters, in the middle of the snow. The park has wild rivers, a spacious swimming pool, water playgrounds and an outdoor jacuzzi with spectacular mountain views. A perfect getaway for relaxing and having fun with the whole family, during your holiday in the Portes du Soleil.
- Unique Activities: 'Alta Lumina', a night walk with lights and imagery in the forest near Les Gets or an adventure on snowmobiles for children in Avoriaz.
Tip: Many activities are free or discounted if you have a tourist pass or ski pass. Ask about this at the reception of the holiday resort.
French charm, mountain gastronomy and culinary indulgence
A winter sports holiday in France is not complete without good food and enjoying French cuisine. This is certainly the case for families! After an active day in the snow, there is nothing better than enjoying a hot meal together in a cozy restaurant or in your luxury chalet in the Abondance Valley. The Abondance cheese is world famous and comes from the Abondance valley! Enjoy it in a steaming fondue savoyarde or on a fresh baguette. Dishes such as tartiflette, raclette and diots (mountain sausages) are also ideal for cold winter evenings. There are several restaurants in villages such as Abondance, La Chapelle-d'Abondance and Châtel where you can go out for a meal with your family after a day in the snow. Your children can enjoy crêpes, pizzas from the wood-fired oven, pancakes and hot chocolate. Many restaurants have children's menus and are accustomed to families. The atmosphere is friendly, with wooden interiors and friendly service.
Tip: Take a look at a local cheese factory in Abondance. Children love to see how cheese is made and to taste it!
Convenience, service and practical tips
Anyone who travels to the Alps in France with children for a winter sports holiday knows that smooth organization makes the difference between stress and relaxation. In the FranceComfort winter sports resorts, service is of paramount importance. There is a Dutch-speaking reception, who can help with booking ski schools or renting ski equipment and during the high season the resorts also offer a bread service where you can get fresh croissants and baguettes for breakfast. It is also possible to rent out various kids items such as high chairs and cots.
- Book on time: The most beautiful accommodations, such as the family-friendly chalets of FranceComfort, are quickly fully booked, especially during the school holidays. The family apartments with a view of the valley are especially popular. So book in time.
- Ski pass for kids: Young children often receive discounts or free passes. The ski pass for the entire area (650 km) is recommended for advanced families, but the local passes are cheaper and already offer more than enough terrain for beginners and young children.
- Snow boots and snow tires: perfect for walks in the village or snowball fights. Winter tyres for slippery roads.
- Combine skiing and relaxation: plan some other activities such as an afternoon of wellness or tobogganing.
- Discover several villages: Châtel, Abondance and La Chapelle each have their own charm.
Tip: Many make a booking for next year immediately upon departure. The reception can arrange this for you!
Why families choose the Portes du Soleil for their winter sports holiday
- Quiet slopes in a large ski area – ideal for children and beginners.
- Personal ski schools – who pay attention to every student.
- Luxury accommodations – such as the child-friendly chalets from FranceComfort: AlpChalets and AlpResort.
- Authentic French atmosphere – with local cuisine, hospitality and nature.
- Versatile winter fun: skiing, hiking, tobogganing, wellness, gastronomy.
Conclusion
A family-friendly winter sports holiday in the Abondance Valley in Portes du Soleil combines the best of both worlds: the grandeur of the Portes du Soleil ski area and the cosy charm of an authentic French valley. In AlpChalets Portes du Soleil and AlpResort Portes du Soleil in the French Alps you will find exactly what families are looking for: space, tranquillity, luxury and a warm atmosphere. Whilst the children can learn to ski, the parents can either relax in the wellness area or enjoy a panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks. Whether it's your first family winter sports or an annual ritual, you're guaranteed to experience an unforgettable winter in the French Alps.
The snow is waiting, adventure is calling... See you soon in the Portes du Soleil!
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