France
Top holiday offers
06/Jan/13 , Gatwick
This chalet apartment is on the third floor of the Etendard building (along with the Chalets Philippe and Christian). Chalet Annalise shares an
| Resort | Date | From | Basis | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpes d'Huez | 06/Jan/13 | Gatwick | Cater | £ 623 |
|
| Avoriaz | 16/Dec | Gatwick | Cater | £ 503 |
|
| Chamonix | 18/Feb | Stansted | SC | £ 267 |
|
| Courchevel | 10/Mar | Gatwick | SC | £ 335 |
|
| Flaine | 24/Mar | Gatwick | SC | £ 330 |
|
| La Plagne | 24/Mar | Gatwick | SC | £ 369 |
|
| La Rosiere | 15/Dec | Gatwick | Cater | £ 425 |
|
| Les Arcs | 24/Mar | Gatwick | Cater | £ 385 |
|
| Les Deux Alpes | 18/Feb | Gatwick | SC | £ 389 |
|
| Les Gets | 16/Dec | Heathrow | Cater | £ 573 |
|
| Les Houches | 17/Mar | Birmingham | SC | £ 304 |
|
| Meribel | 14/Apr | Gatwick | Cater | £ 374 |
|
| Morzine | 05/Jan/13 | Gatwick | SC | £ 503 |
|
| Tignes | 24/Mar | Belfast International | SC | £ 364 |
|
| Val d'Isere | 05/Jan/13 | Stansted | SC | £ 420 |
|
| Val Thorens | 05/Jan/13 | Manchester | SC | £ 453 |
|
France Introduction
Sixty million French people are the lucky owners of some of the best snowboard resorts in the world, (Chamonix and Serre Chevalier should be on the calling card of all snowboarders) and without doubt, the most extreme and largest areas in Europe.
Resorts vary from the old to the new, but what makes them stand out is the variety of resorts themselves. Some are ugly, semi-modern dumps, whilst others are olde worlde hamlets. What is common however, are the facilities on offer. Fast-food and good bars are plentiful and all help to create a good snowboard scene.
Getting to French resorts is no problem; most are reached by road, although please note that motorways have expensive tolls. Flying to France offers a number of routes, with the principal airports to resorts being Grenoble, Lyon, Chambery and Geneva in Switzerland.
Train services in France are affordable, excellent and fast. Furthermore, during the winter months there is a direct train service from London's Waterloo station to Bourg St Maurice station, a short five minute walk to the funicular that serves the resort of Les Arcs. Most resorts can be reached indirectly by train and bus.
Working in France. EU national won't need a visa to work in France, however it is not as simple as passing a couple of snowboard exams. In order to obtain official stagiaire status, you will require ISIA-level qualifications and a certain number of FIS points. SnowSkool snowboard instructor courses offer BASI qualifications - check out their advice here. However, more mundane forms of work such as bar work are permitted. Many opportunities do exist, especially at the bigger resorts.
Accommodation in most places consists of apartment blocks sleeping any number from 1-21, which are usually quite easy to overload with floor scammers, provided they pay up with some beers.
On the money side, France is expensive, but you can get by if you eat fast-food or buy in supermarkets (where alcohol is really cheap). Avoid the overpriced discos as late night bars are just as good.
6-day weather forecast
| Sun 5th | 6-day forecasted snowfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Afternoon | Night | Lower Mountain | Mid Mountain | Top Mountain | |
| Chamonix |  clear |
 clear |
clear |
1cm | 1cm | 1cm |
| Les Arcs | clear |
clear |
clear |
1cm | 1cm | 0cm |
| Serre Chevalier | clear |
 snow shwrs |
 some clouds |
1cm | 1cm | 0cm |
| Tignes | clear |
clear |
clear |
1cm | 1cm | 0cm |
| Powered by Snow-forecast.com | ||||||
British Legend James Stentiford, takes on the FWT
Tue 17 January 12Big mountain legend and Quiksilver snowboarder James Stentiford killed it on the Freeride World Tour last year.
Photo: D. DAHER
Jenny Jones Announced For Winter X Europe 2012-01-
Fri 13 January 12Top snowboarders return to Tignes, France to compete at Winter X Europe 2012.
Win a Free trip, join us on the Everest challenge!
Tue 10 January 12There is about a week left until we do the draw to see who will join TeamWSG on the Everest Challenge in Morzine, 26th-29th January. Donate now and have a chance to join us!
It is going to be a White Christmas in La Plagne!
Thu 08 December 11Over 3 ft of snow since Monday and is still snowing with 1.3 ft of snow falling yesterday.
Europe Finally Gets It!
Tue 06 December 11After weeks of been stuck in a dry spell the snow finally arrived at many resorts across Europe yesterday with more snowfall planned for the coming days.
Sign up for the Everest Challenge 2012
Tue 16 August 11Snow-Camp, one of Britain's most innovative youth charities, will be holding its third annual charity ski-a-thon in the French Alps on January 26th to 29th 2012
Snow-Camp charity instructor training
Wed 04 May 11the Snow-Camp Excel programme, launched in 2010 with Sport England funding, gave young people the chance to gain a Snowsport England Level 1 instructor qualification
Anderson wins womens Slopestyle at X-Games Europe
Sat 19 March 11Jamie Anderson continues her midus touch of a season with every slopstyle competition she enters turning to gold. There's no repeat of last years feat as Britains Jenny Jones finishes in 8th
Louie Vito picks up X-Games Gold in the Superpipe
Sat 19 March 11American Louie Vito double-corked his way onto the winners podium, closely followed by last years winner iPod and Swiss youngster Christian Haller took home the bronze medal
Chas Guldemond perfect run wins X-Games Slopestyle
Sat 19 March 11Sebastien Toutant seemed to have had the slopestyle in the bag until Chas Guldemond pulled off a bit of X-Games history with an incedible score of 99.33 in his 2nd run to clinch gold.
Useful information
Population:60 Million
Capital City: Paris
Language: French
Currency: Euros
Highest Peak: Mont Blanc 4808m
Drugs Information: Cannabis is illegal and frowned upon.
Alcohol Drinking 18
Electricity Supply: 240 Volts AC 2 Pin plugs
Driving: Drive on the right hand side
Speed Limits
d
Toll Motorways - 130 kph
Motorways - 110kph
Main Roads - 90kph
Towns - 50kph
International Phone Code: +33
Further Information:
French Snowboard Association
Route du Parc du Souvenir
06500 Menton
France
tel+33 492418000
web:www.afs-fr.com
Email:afs@afs-fr.com
Donate to Snow-camp
We've put a team together for the Everest Challenge on the 25th January in Morzine this year. Support team WSG by making a donation, and help us raise lots of money for Snow-camp
MORE INFORMATIONMAKE DONATION NOW!
Resorts
Linked areas
In this section
Winter X Games Europe 2012
14-16 March
125 athletes from around the world will be heading to the third European winter x-games, held in Tignes, France
Join us on Facebook
Image Gallery
WSG Online Shop
OUT NOW! Snow-search Japan - Our award winning guidebook for all those powder hounds thinking of heading to Japan. Covers over 70 resorts, as well as all the travel and cultural information to make sure you make the best of your trip.
“Travel book of the year” Gold Medal winner, 2010 IPPY Awards.
“we can't recommend it enough” Cooler Magazine, Feb 2010
£14.95 BUY NOW!
Free UK P&P, £2 Europe, £5 World
World Snowboard Guide 
- The 11th edition of our critically acclaimed guide book features over 500 resorts across 63 countries
“easy to use and comprehensive” Transworld Snowboarding Magazine
“best snowboard guidebook money can buy” Document Snowboard Magazine
SPECIAL OFFER - was £15.95 and now £9.95 BUY NOW!
Free UK P&P, £2 Europe, £5 World
Partner links
