The first reason: you fill up with oxygen! You are getting busy in the fresh air while everyone is having their holiday meals. You profit from nature and you get fit. Plus we cannot imagine a better way to welcome the New Year than on the mountain! By choosing to spend New Year’s on skis, you are going with an original solution. Everybody dedicated the end of the year with long family meals which can sometimes be annoying. There is time to change habit and have fun this time of year. You will find a new way to party with your feet in the snow, watching the stars. There is no need to show all your splendor on New Year’s Day! In the mountains, everything that counts is comfort and warmth. You put on layers, sweaters and pants. There is no need to wear a beautiful shirt or a pretty dress. You can wear the uniform of the perfect skier! New Year’s on skis is also the occasion to have new experiences like sleeping in an igloo. You step out of your comfort zone putting aside the heat of the radiators. You relax in your sleeping bag, making your childhood dream come true, all this on New Year’s Day. The last reason is not the least: the resorts organize end of the year events. Torch lit descents, fireworks, DJ… it is not because you’re going on high altitude that you cannot party! The evening of 31 December was never so magical and festive.
The top resorts to go to during the New Year holidays
La Plagne
Situated in Champagny-en-Vanoise, the resort of La Plagne offers you crazy festivities for the New Year at an altitude of 1250 m! Everything starts at 17:30 with a torch lit descent, organized by the instructors of ESF. To accompany this spectacle, hot chocolate is distributed for free. The evening continues with fireworks in the mountains. Before profiting from this free event you could ski on one of their 134 slopes. The resort is part of the ski domain Paradiski. This gives you access to 260 slopes spread over 425 km. The domain is aptly named!
Les Arcs
The day of the evening, les Arcs does it big. Everything happens at the Olympic place of Arc 2000. For the occasion of New Year this is awaiting you: fireworks, torch lit descent, podium, special effects and even a DJ. You can also profit from its other resorts: Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 2000 and their numerous slopes, spread between 810 and 3800 m of altitude. Les Arcs is also part of the domain Paradiski, the second biggest ski domain in the world.
Les Menuires
Les Menuires belongs to the 3 Valleys domain and is situated in Savoie. It offers you 86 slopes spread over 160 km with 28 km of cross-skiing. Situated on an altitude of 1850 m, it is equipped with about hundred shops, 6 bars, and 61 restaurants. For those who like to swim, there is a space of 3500 m2 at your disposal.
Serre Chevalier
Serre Chevalier is one of the biggest ski domains in the Hautes Alpes. Besides its more than 410 hectares it consists of various hamlets: Briançon, Puy Saint-André, Puy Saint-Pierre, Chantemerle, Villeneuve, Le Monêtier Les Bains. You have access to 81 slopes whereof 13 are black and 13 blue. Children and adults are not forgotten with playful spaces and places to discover. All this on an altitude of 2800 m!
Val Thorens
Val Thorens is the best place where you can spend New Year’s! All is gathered: slopes (600 km), scenery (6 glaciers, Vanoise National Park) and its festivities. The ski domain to which it belongs consists of Val Thorens, Belleville Valley and the 3 Valleys. So you can ski, hike, snowboard, boarder cross, telemark, between 2300 and 3230 m of altitude. Don’t forget the New Year’s festivities! Torch lit descents and releasing lanterns are on schedule.
Les Orres
Les Orres is a domain situated in the Alps and offers you a stay on the peak! You can profit from 100 km of slopes whereof 8 green and 20 red. You can move around thank to 19 lifts and you can have fun in its snow park. The children are not forgotten with toboggan and snow gardens. The domain consist of many resorts: Les Orres 1550, Les Orres 1650, Les Orres 1800. It is between 1550 and 2720 m of altitude.
Valfréjus
Situated in the heart of Cerces-Thabor the resort of Valfréjus will let you have beautiful adventures thanks to its ski domain. 24 slopes, 2 toboggan, 1 boarder cross, snow canons, lifts… during your stay you will be between 1550 and 2737 m of altitude.
Val Cenis
The resort of Val Cenis consists of five villages: Lanslebourg, Lanslevillard, Termignon, Sollières-Sardières and finally, Bramans. It is two steps situated from Mont-Cenis and Vanoise National Park, the resort is a true paradise. You can do both cross country skiing and toboggan. Its 125 km of slopes also has2 boarder cross and the easy park. All this is situated between 1300 and 2800 m of altitude.
Orcières Merlette 1850
Anchored in the massif of Ecrins, Orcières Merlette 1850 offers an ideal setting in which you can practice alpine skiing, cross country skiing, hiking, snowshoes and furthermore mountain bike! If it is liked in summer, it is loved in winter. It has 51 slopes of which 7 black and 9 green, all at an altitude of 2725 m.
