5 Best Ski Resorts near Lyon

Chamonix is one of the most famous ski resorts near Lyon. Situated close to Mont Blanc – Western Europe’s highest peak – Chamonix has some of the best off-piste terrains for advanced skiers. The slopes are spread across 3 areas - The Brevent, Flegere and Grands Montets – all set against the stunning backdrop of the Aiguilles de Chamonix Mountain range.

Just 2.5 hours from Lyon airport, Chamonix is famous for hosting the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924. The scenic slopes were also featured in the 1999 James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough starring Pierce Brosnan.

Tignes and nearby resort Val d’Isère are 2 of the most popular ski resorts in the French Alps. Sharing the vast Espace Killy ski area, the resorts feature more than 300 km of pistes, with gentle runs for beginners through to challenging off-piste routes for advanced skiers. The Grand Motte glacier also provides year-round skiing.

There are 4 villages to choose from when it comes to accommodation at Tignes – Val Claret, Le Lac, Les Boisses and Les Brévières – the latter of which is particularly popular with families looking for a quieter base. Just 3 hours from Lyon airport, Tignes is one of the best snow-sure locations for those with limited time.

Val Thorens is one of the highest resorts in all of Europe and is known as one of the best ski resorts near Lyon. Thanks to its position and north-facing slopes, it’s one of the most snow-sure locations in the Alps, making it ideal for early and late-season ski breaks.

Part of the huge Three Valleys Ski Network, Val Thorens has more than 140 km of local slopes, as well as access to over 600 km of piste throughout the total ski area. As a purpose-built resort, the majority of accommodation in Val Thorens is ski-in, ski-out. With transfers taking around 3 hours from Lyon airport, there’s also an excellent range of restaurants and après ski entertainment.

Les Arcs is a family-favourite, purpose-built resort in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Made up of 4 smaller resorts (Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000) Les Arcs is linked to nearby La Plagne by the Vanoise Express gondola. Known collectively as the Paradiski ski domain, Les Arcs and La Plagne offer 425 km of pistes for adventurous skiers, as well as a range of non-ski activities.

Just 3 hours from Lyon airport, Les Arcs was one of the earliest ski resorts of its kind in Europe, with Arc 1600 first opening in 1968.

Les Menuires is one of the best ski resorts near Lyon which offers excellent value for money. Les Menuires might not be known as a beautiful town but what it lacks in attractive architecture it makes up for in on-piste skiing. Centrally located in the Three Valleys Network, Les Menuires has easy connections to Val Thorens, St Martin de Belleville, Meribel and Courchevel.

In recent years, Les Menuires has also worked hard to improve its offerings for beginners and now has one of the best nursery slope areas in the Alps. With a transfer time of just 2.5 hours from Lyon Airport, Les Menuires is a budget-friendly, easy-to-reach location that skiers of all abilities can enjoy.