French Alps Summer Holidays
Why choose the French Alps in summer?
The French Alps have remained largely under the radar as a summer holiday destination for British travellers. However, those in the know have come to love the destination for its vast range of sporting and family activities, the stunning scenery including spectacular lakes and mountains, pretty alpine villages and of course, delicious food and drink.
As French Alps specialists, here at Peak Retreats we know a thing or two about what makes a holiday in the French Alps special. Keep reading to find out our top mountain resort recommendations for your next summer holiday.
Sightseeing
There are a range of places to visit in the French Alps whilst you enjoy the sunshine during summer. For example, Annecy, home to the beautiful Lake Annecy with the purest water quality in Europe, is well renowned and you can even go swimming in the lake. There's many other lakes to see across France, or you could also take the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, the highest cable car in Europe that offers you outstanding views of the mountains. For more sightseeing ideas and things to do in summer, browse our list of things to do in the French Alps in the summer.
Variety of resorts
We offer a choice of over 30 resorts, which gives you a selection of varied summer holiday opportunities. From walking and hiking trips surrounded by beautiful French Alps views, to mountain biking across resorts containing miles of track available in France, or resorts that even allow you to ski in June and July thanks to their glacier setting, there's a resort great for anything you're looking for in a summer holiday.
You can see some examples below, or see all of our holiday types to find more themes and the perfect resort for you and your party.
Walking and Hiking in the French Alps - Chamonix
Chamonix offers you an amazing choice of walking routes, with over 60 trails to choose from making up 350km. Whether you're a hiking enthusiast or trying something new, you can enjoy views of the valley's various amazing lakes and views of the mountains, including a close up look at Mont Blanc.
Paragliding - Samoëns
In Samoëns, you can enjoy paragliding flights during the summer, allowing you to take to the air and see this pretty village from above. You can take a number of different paragliding lessons accompanied by English-speaking instructors and get even better at navigating the skies, with kids as young as 4 years old being able to give paragliding a go.
Mountain Biking - Les Deux Alpes
For a variety of trails fit for all skill levels, Les Deux Alpes is a perfect resort for mountain biking in summer. Featuring 2,300m of vertical drop and 22 downhill runs, there's plenty to tackle. There's also a site dedicated to beginners meaning that anyone looking to give mountain biking a try can do so easily, with green runs and workshops to ease you into it.
Even More Summer Activities
There's an assortment of other activity options across France during the summer, the French Alps is home to many sports, events and activities that will keep everyone entertained. Several different water activities are available across the various pure lakes and areas for watersports, including sailing, canoeing and of course plenty of places to swim which families are sure to love.
Even more for families, there's a range of things for kids to enjoy across the Alps, thrilling adventure parks in the trees, summer tobogganing descents and activities with animals such as horse riding or hiking with donkeys are just a few great choices for kids to do on holiday.
There are some resorts that you can often ski in summer during June and July (dependent on weather conditions), such as Tignes' Grand Motte Glacier, which can be reached from Val Claret's Perce-Neige funicular. With 20km of pistes and spectacular views from as high as 3456m, summer skiing in Tignes makes for a breath-taking experience!
If you're interested in these summer activities then why not read our list of the top summer activities to do in the French Alps, to see even more activities and in which resorts you can find them.
Ease of Access
Many resorts in the French Alps are easily accessible by car, thanks to being near motorway exits. All of our summer holidays include a return crossing with DFDS from Dover-Calais, and we can book several other ferry routes with P&O and Brittany Ferries. Samoëns is one of our featured resorts that can be easily reached from Calais in just a 7 and a half hour drive.
If you would rather catch a train, there are several resorts close to train stations in France, including resorts in the Tarentaise area, that can be easily reached if you take the Eurostar and a high speed TGV to Bourg Saint Maurice.
Alternatively you can fly to the French Alps. There are plenty of airports across the UK and Ireland that can get you there, including London Gatwick and London Heathrow, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Dublin and many more. In France there are several airports that can give you easy access to the French Alps, such as Geneva Airport, which has many resorts within driving distance.
Resorts like Le Grand Bornand, a summer destination well suited to families with a beautiful village setting and plenty of outdoor activities, can be reached from Geneva airport in under an hour. Other airports with nearby resorts includes Lyon, Chambéry and Grenoble.
Choose the French Alps experts for your next summer holiday
Peak Retreats is an award-winning holiday company specialising in the French Alps, offering unspoilt and traditional welcoming villages that give you access to stunning scenery and a whole host of alpine activities. As specialists we can advise you on the best choices in resorts, accommodation, travel and more.
If you're interested in what the French Alps has to offer, or would like to find out more about summer holidays in France, call our friendly team of experts on 023 9283 9310 or email reservations@peakretreats.co.uk and start planning your perfect holiday!