The best Club Med ski resorts for families and more advanced skiers

Which Club Med resort is a good choice for beginners?

One reason Club Med La Rosiere was chosen to have its own Exclusive Collection space is that it’s the ideal resort for families. Sitting at 1,900 metres above sea level, the resort is known as “the Balcony of the Tarentaiseski”, mainly for its exceptional 180-degree panoramic south-facing view. The location is steeped in history, tradition and breath-taking nature. Dotted with chalets built from stone, wood and slate, a magical village surrounds the resort, hosting various events and competitions over winter and bringing together the world’s best freestyle skiers. Guests will see lots of Saint Bernards here, thanks to the dog breed’s role in searching for lost travellers in the mountains; they are a special symbol of La Rosiere.

And which is more suitable for experienced skiers?

For advanced skiers, Club Med Val Thorens is Club Med’s highest-altitude resort, at over 2,300m high, and offers convenient access to the Three Valleys domain. Guests have access to 110 red slopes and 35 black for a good challenge, while there are also 104 blue and 68 green slopes for a more easy-going day. A well-kept off-piste secret (until now) is La Vallee des Encombres. While it finishes with a tricky hike out, you can book a helicopter pick-up at around €100 per head for a once-in-a-lifetime day. For those seeking to push boundaries, we would recommend Club Med Alpe d’Huez as it is home to La Sarenne, the longest black run in Europe. This is definitely one for thrill seekers!

What is Club Med’s Snow Guarantee?

Out of our 18 resorts in the Alps, 12 plus two collections of Chalets, are in France and are situated within a fair proximity. This is integral to Club Med’s Snow Guarantee: with multiple high-altitude resorts, we have the unique ability to move guests to an alternative, depending on occupancy, if over 70% of the ski domain is closed by the local authorities. Guests are also entitled to a credit voucher for the value of the holiday (excluding the cost of the flights, transfers and extras) towards a future booking if this happens due to unforeseeable weather changes that affect their trip.

What is Club Med doing to help make ski holidays more sustainable?

There is so much we could say on this. Firstly, we are making big efforts to ensure all of our eligible resorts are Green Globe and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certified where applicable. We use heat pumps and recycle water where we can, while we are now nearly completely single-use plastic free in-resort. This is an ongoing priority for us.

We partner with local producers to ensure our food is the freshest, most authentic taste of the destination, as well as supporting local communities and lowering our carbon output by not relying on imported goods. We strive to control our food waste by having chefs make up specially portioned dishes for guests and devise new dishes using the same ingredients used the day before, so that nothing goes to waste.

How much difference does the choice of country make to a ski holiday?

Our customers’ choices tend to come down to personal preference over ambiance, local language and cuisine, however all our resorts will always offer the same level of luxury, ample range of activities and facilities and exquisite service that Club Med is known for.

One piece of inside knowledge is that in Italy, the difficulty of the slopes is perhaps not as intense as in France; guests might find that an Italian red slope is sometimes comparable to a French blue slope. 

Club Med Pragelato in Italy also has some fantastic deals at a slightly lower price point than our French resorts, so in light of these factors, it may be a great option for a family looking to take their first ski holiday this year.