The French Alps

Skiing, snowboarding, snow shoe walks, ice skating, snow biking, dog sleighing, snowmobile, ice fall climbing, diving under ice … are just a few of the activities on offer for lovers of snow and mountain sports.

For those who prefer to relax and take in the scenery there are snowy peaks, high altitude lakes, waterfalls and the natural parks of Vercors, Vanoise, Ecrins and Queyras to enjoy, plus a number of authentic villages, which provide the ideal place to buy local pork delicacies, wooden souvenirs, wines and cheeses to help capture the essence this wonderful region.

Treat yourself to a stay in the French Alps this winter and choose between a large resort and one of the typical mountain villages. Either way, Youth Hostels provide you with a whole range of exciting activities in a lively atmosphere and offer the ideal base for action-seekers to discover the large resorts where they can ski and enjoy extreme sports.

HI has many hostels in the French Alps – 11 of which are bookable on HIhostels.com. To inspire you, here are some fantastic things to do and some unforgettable places to stay…

Chamonix is the world skiing and mountaineering capital, which offers a wide variety of skiing areas and breathtaking landscapes. You can’t miss the uninterrupted view of Mont Blanc, with its 4,807 metre peak. After a hard day on the piste, relax and enjoy the leisure facilities the town centre has to offer including a bowling alley, cinema, ice skating rink and swimming pool. If you still crave some downhill action, try night skiing at Les Planards…you won’t regret it!

At Tignes 1800, in the heart of the Savoie, two Olympic resorts nestle in the immense Espace Killy, open from late September to early May. There are 300km of ski runs - 26 black, 45 red, 61 blue and 22 green - a whole spectrum of skiing opportunities for all to enjoy! Just 100m from the hostel, be prepared to ski down a 1900m slope. With the snow park in Tignes the biggest in Europe, expert Freestylers can enjoy a full range of sensations at the Swatch snow park while beginners can use the Gliss Park. Freeriders also have some great opportunities: Tignes is famous for its exceptional off-piste action.

At Deux-Alpes, the biggest skiing glacier in Europe awaits you. The Deux-Alpes Youth Hostel is just 5 minutes from the slopes, right in the heart of the resort, and is ideally located for enjoying its vibrant nightlife. Start your après-ski at the many bars offering late afternoon happy hours and relax with some mulled wine. As night falls, you can hit the dance floor at the disco, or maybe you prefer to relax at the cinema or wind down in one of the bubbling hot baths and enjoy a water massage at Club Forme.

Further south, Serre Chevalier, nestling among the centuries-old forests, offers the activities of one of the largest resorts in Europe, with the local sing-song accent and glorious sunshine. There are 250 km of slopes, the first of which is just 100m from the Serre Chevalier hostel. When you are finished skiing, treat yourself to a relaxing soak in the thermal waters of Monêtier-les-Bains in the snow or under the stars.

Les Arcs offer limitless snow sports with some of the longest ski slopes in Europe. Blue, red and black runs, a snow park with half-pipe, a boarder and Olympic downhill skiing slope. Located in the heart of nature, between a forest and a river, the Seez-les-Arcs Youth Hostel stands in the middle of the Olympic Area, near this big resort of Les Arcs in the Tarentaise region.

In addition to these world-famous resorts, the Alps offer you other enchanting sites and ideally-located hostels at the foot of the ski slopes such as La Clusaz, an authentic small village nestling in the heart of the Aravis massif; La Toussuire, with its 310 km of slopes in the Sybelles resort bringing together traditional and modern values or Lanslebourg/Val Cenis and Chamrousse.

If you want to focus on cross-country skiing and relaxation, push on into the Alpine lakes region to Annecy and Aix-les-Bains. Or if you want to combine city life with a little time on the slopes, why not visit Grenoble, the capital of the Alps, a young university city with a wealth of cultural, sports and festive events.

Make the most of your stay in the Alps and slalom between the warm ambience and cosmopolitan atmosphere in one of the 11 youth hostels located in the heart of the alpine ski resorts.