The world’s most beautiful, famous and inexpensive resorts for the most atmospheric winter vacation in 2022.
The best winter resorts in France and not only
Enthusiasts and fans of mountain skiing are looking for the best routes for their dream trip. To help them, we have chosen some relatively inexpensive mountain resorts.
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Arc 1950
Arc 1950 – an adequate alternative to the bohemian and expensive Meribel and Courchevel – is one of France's three best ski resorts. The cozy village is easily accessible from the Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and Chambery airports. Then you can take a cab or rent a car, which you will leave in the underground parking of the resort with direct access to the apartments. For the more discerning public, there is a helicopter transfer option.
The concept of Arc 1950 is the absence of "superfluous" vehicles. That is, cars do not go through the town. But skiers and snowboarders can move throughout its territory. Resorts are happy to walk or practice "skiing from the door" – coming down from the slopes on skis straight to the apartments, cafes and stores. This option gives an incomparable ski vacation experience and maximum comfort.
Arc 1950 is the youngest of the four Les Arcs. It was built ten years ago and is still considered the best access to the "ski paradise" (Paradiski) – the second largest ski area in the world at the foot of the Vanoise National Park. The scale of this resort is impressive: 144 elevators with dozens of trails with a total length of 425 km and a height of up to 3250 m. There are trails for beginners and professionals (there is even a bobsled run and a halfpipe).
Fans of thrills will find skijoring (skiing behind a horse), snowmobile rides, high-speed sledge races and a 20-minute helicopter flight, where the bird's-eye view of Italy, France and Switzerland can be "marked" at once.
Chamonix
Chamonix – the oldest ski resort (it is more than 200 years), the largest (there are more than 10 thousand residents) and the most famous resort in the French Alps. Its peculiarity is that not only do we not come here in winter, but also in summer – the city and its surroundings are ideal for activities such as golf, hiking, mountain biking and walking in the beautiful surroundings.
Incidentally, it was here that the first-ever Winter Olympics were held in 1924. It lies at the foot of Mont Blanc, in the east of France, in the department of Haute Savoie (the historical region of Savoie).
Chamonix has a unique geographical location: it's in a valley at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, and one can go skiing in France, Italy (Courmayeur resort) or Switzerland (Vallorsin). Therefore, Chamonix is called the "resort-patriarch" and a resort with an excellent reputation because it's no accident that all the canons of skiing were laid down here. In addition, Chamonix is unique in that tourist of different social level rest here, as there are conditions both for young people who prefer extreme sports and for the respectable public.
The resort is open all year round – in the summer, there is a practice of hiking, mountain biking and walking through the picturesque town's streets. In addition to the many decent hotels of different categories of stars and apartments, Chamonix offers luxury formats – for example, the Montblanc hotel is a real gem of the city. The hotel has a famous gastronomic restaurant Matafan for the most demanding gourmets. Furthermore, the Savoyard cuisine of the region can be tasted in cafes and restaurants in Chamonix, such as Telecabine or Bistrot.
Megève
Legend has it that Megève was born out of the efforts of the Rothschild family, who wanted to establish a closed elite resort for their people in the most picturesque place of the French Alps. Over the years, Megève has become a trendy destination, and today you can find all kinds of accommodation – from luxury chalets like Le Chalet Du Mont D'Arbois, where two Michelin-starred chefs cook for respectable audiences in the legendary 1920 Michelin restaurant, to the relatively democratic but comfortable Loges Blanches, each with its name. Golfers will find Megève a veritable paradise – its spectacular le Golf du Mont d'Arbois
courses are among the best in the world.
Megève is one of the most picturesque ski resorts with world fame, located in the historical region of Haute-Savoie. Like Chamonix, the town is beautiful in both summer and winter. In its centre are a pedestrian zone with cobbled streets, ancient architecture, churches of the XIII century and numerous cafes and restaurants. By the way, it is Megève considered a place of reference for Savoy cuisine. Thus, in the city's heart, restaurants like Chamois offer specialities like raclette (self-melted Swiss cheese with meat and vegetables). If you go out of town, you can get to some surprisingly atmospheric places. For example, Le Refuge is a wooden house with a vast terrace overlooking the mountains, spruce, and fir forests. The rustic restaurant practices original serving – large portions are decorated as gastronomic masterpieces. For example, stewed strawberries with curd and served with milk foam and almond meringue.
Pas De La Casa
The highest mountain resort of the Pyrenees, Paz De La Casa, is located on the border with France. It is the first ski resort in Andorra: next year, it will be 60 years old. Paz De La Casa is two magical valleys with various pistes, perfectly groomed slopes, and countless cannons to keep the snow-covered. This snow cover has the fantastic feature that even if the thermometer shows +10, the snow stays dry and very slippery.
Every visitor to the resort will find a suitable piste for themselves. The ones at the top of the valleys will please seasoned skiers; they are more complex. Those who can't call themselves virtuosos will feel comfortable at the bottom of the mountain. There is a slalom course, a "corral" for snowboarders, and an opportunity to ski at night. Children will also not be bored. Kids will have a great time in the nursery, and older children – in the kindergarten under the supervision of teachers, who will teach kids the basics of skiing if they want. The ski pass costs 45 euros per day for adults. More than bearable.
Sölden
The Ötztal Valley has nestled in some of Austria's highest-altitude resorts. Sölden does not break altitude records, but it has much to be proud of. Firstly, it is one of the most popular ski centres in Europe and Mecca for snowboarders. Secondly, it is in Sölden is holding competitions for the World Cup. Glaciers, hills, mountains – everything is clear and conveniently arranged, neat and varied. On the glaciers, you can ski all year round; the actual season starts in December and ends in April. The price of a ski pass for adults per day is 50 euros.
