Slow skiing in the French Alps: leisurely lunches, spa sessions and village visits

The mountains aren’t just for adrenaline junkies. Here’s proof that foodies, culture buffs and luxury spa enthusiasts can find respite and restoration on a ski holiday

Winter sports enthusiasts can generally be divided into two types. First, those who are up with the lark for the first lift – stopping only when they close – followed by a quick aprés ski, dinner and bed before starting all over again. Then there are those who like to take things a little easier and enjoy the “slow ski” lifestyle, taking more time to enjoy leisurely lunches, explore local culture, perhaps spend some time in a spa, and generally find out what else the mountains have to offer.

Whichever type you are, Sunweb can help you enjoy a slower, stress-free experience from the outset, because you know that your pass is included in the price of your holiday. You can also add travel to your booking if you choose.

French resorts offer every facility the hardcore skier or boarder could want, but there is also plenty to enjoy away from the slopes. And while the well known purpose-built resorts may not be to everyone’s taste architecturally, you don’t have to look too far to find resorts with a village feel and more traditional design, often without needing to compromise on the ski area.

A perfect example is Paradiski, one of the largest French ski regions with more than 250 miles of slopes, combining the resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs. Both resorts are made up of several villages, including traditional ones where you can easily take things at a slower pace. In La Plagne, Les Coches is low-rise with a pedestrianised centre and a village atmosphere. The lifts and gondola will whisk you straight up to the ski area, or you could perhaps spend the day at the old farming village of Montchavin, an easy walk, lift or bus ride down the hill, where there is a public pool and spa.

Or, over in Les Arcs, you could opt for Résidence P&V Premium Arc 1950 Le Village, where everything you need is in the pedestrianised purpose-built village, with an underground car park so there’s no need to lug suitcases to your accommodation. Interiors are tasteful and luxurious and there are pools, hot tubs, saunas and a spa. There is regular live music, DJ sets and street performances during school holidays, as well as a free programme of activities and entertainment for all ages, plus fireworks for special occasions such as Christmas and new year.

If you want to enjoy the vast Alpe d’Huez ski area, why not look at the satellite villages of Vaujany or Oz-en-Oisans? Vaujany grew up around a traditional village and many of the older buildings are still there, including its medieval church tower. It has a huge range of facilities for a smaller resort, including a state-of-the-art sports centre with swimming pool, spa and 1,600 sq metre ice rink. There’s also a free museum charting the history of the town, and a library that visitors are welcome to use. You can take things easy one day, and then let Vaujany’s superfast 160-person cable car whiz you up to the ski area the next. Résidence Les Edelweiss offers stylish apartments in a chalet-style building with sauna and hammam, and is just 250 metres from the town centre and ski lift.

Even if you stay in one of Sunweb’s larger resorts, there are plenty of ways to slow things down. For example, foodies will love Tignes. As well as the Michelin-starred restaurant Ursus, you shouldn’t miss the chance of a leisurely lunch at Le Panoramic at 3,000 metres. You don’t even need to worry about overindulging – if you don’t feel like skiing back down, there’s always the option to take the lift. Another day you could take a walking tour to learn about the history of the 13th-century village of Tignes. Visit the St Jacques church, built in 1952 as an exact reproduction of the 17th-century original that was dynamited to make way for a dam. Treat yourself to a stay in the five-star Hotel Voulez-Vous with its ski slope views, 600 sq metre spa and live music in the stylish cocktail bar.

Obviously no visit to a French ski resort is complete without cheese, and if you’re heading to Avoriaz, you can learn about the cheese-making process at La Ferme Seraussaix, about 2.5 miles down from the resort and reachable on skis. Guided visits including a short film are available, you can also taste and buy the products and even watch the cows being milked.

One of Sunweb’s most popular accommodation options in Avoriaz is Résidence P&V Premium L’Amara, which is close to the slopes and has its own spa.

If you are seeking to slow down on your winter holiday and see more than just the lifts and slopes, Sunweb can help you find the right trip. Offering more than 40 resorts in France with a huge range of facilities and activities, both on the snow and off, you’re bound to be able to find one which is right for you.

For your very own slow ski trip in France, visit Sunweb