Experience wintery mountain magic on adventure holidays, France

Holidays are the sum of experiences. Memories, attached to experiences, are one of the fundamental reasons why holidays are so cherished, why people yearn to escape quotidian routines for a change of pace and place. How you make those memories is up to you, but a sense of adventure will go a long way. 

Fortunately, the French Alps, as one of our favourite luxury holiday destinations, are bursting with experiences that will leave an indelible mark of happiness on your memory. The French Alps are home to adventures of all kinds: mountain biking and rock climbing while on summer holidays, to skiing and paragliding in the winter.

Turn your luxury ski holidays into something more with these thrilling experiences: family adventure holidays that will not only help you to bond with the area and its people, but also deepen familial connections.

At Le Collectionist, our holiday tailors have curated experiences in each of our destinations that will leave you with a feeling of wide-eyed excitement. Whether you have a predilection for slower pursuits or fast-paced thrills, there will be something to entice you in the French Alps.

Play the musher apprentice, Chamonix

Explore the great white wilderness of Chamonix with our favourite musher. Bear witness to the sheer brilliance and power of mountain dogs, as you glide over whitened contours aboard a sled. It is a truly magical experience, one that will give you a fresh insight into a new Alpine world. A day spent with these majestic animals and their skilled musher makes for a spectacular family outing on your luxury holidays.

There is something mystical about these bold and graceful creatures that pull you through the snow. It might be their eyes: some bear untold wisdom, others appear to be crafted and moulded from glacial ice, millennia captured in those steely spheres. It might be the apparently hostile environment that they have mastered. Or, it might just be that these animals, which have become so familiar to us as man's best friend, companions through domestication, are capable of far more than we give credit for. 

As you race through the snow, a blur of trees and traditional Alpine chalets slipping into your wake, the mighty Mont Blanc's gaze will jump in and out of view.

Where to stay

Stay in the trendy, yet cosy, Chalet Shaman. The chalet's large glass windows are a looking glass onto the sweeping mountain views. This chalet is the perfect base to return to from awe-inspiring experiences while on French Alps holidays.

Ski like an Olympian, Courchevel

Carve up the snow with the help of a former Olympic ski champion, who was raised in the region. Courchevel boasts access to one of the world's biggest lift-served ski areas. Located at one end of the Trois Vallées, Courchevel has some 600km of pistes, as well as a depth of enjoyably challenging off piste. 

Whether you are an excellent skier, or just looking for some easy but fun adventure, our guide will be able to cater for you with his unrivalled knowledge of the area and affable teaching abilities. We recommend spending the day with Julie Pomagalski, a French Olympian snowboarder who went to the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Julie takes groups for up to six. Book a day in with Julie to see the Trois Vallées from a completely different angle.

Where to stay

If experiences are the raison d'être for holidays, then you might as well meet them in style and luxury. Chalet Eglantier's plush interior and comforting amenities will be the perfect holiday home to return to after a day of shredding the slopes of the Trois Vallées. 

Paraglide over the valley, Val d’Isère

Val d'Isère is a place of contrasts: the quaint town is synonymous with tranquility and authentic charm, while the mountains scream of sportiness and daring. It is in these contrasts that the true joy of Val d'Isère is found. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. 

One of these experiences, though, encapsulates both ends of the Val d'Isèrean spectrum of variety; it is both daring and tranquil. It even offers unique, to say the least, views of the authentic charm of the ski resort. The experience: paragliding. With skis on your feet, launch yourself above the village of Val d’Isère and its snow-covered landscapes. Let the breeze carry you along in utter stillness above and away from the continuing movement of life below. This is a mode of transport that will forever pale into significance cycling and walking holidays.

Where to stay

Chalet Eagle's Nest juts out from the rock face with Alpine grandiosity; the chalet almost hangs over the valley like a paraglider. Having conquered the intrepid sportiness of the mountains, return to your chalet as if it were the right of someone who had overcome adversity and earned such lavishness, a place for the bold to rest. 

Discover reindeer breeding, Megève

Beyond Megève's superb skiing and charming town, there are a number of things for animal lovers to discover on holiday in the French Alps. Throughout the year, one can ride horses or donkeys. In the winter, one can be exhilarated on a dog-sledding excursion or towed on skis behind a powerful horse.

One of our favourite experiences on offer during your luxury France holidays to the Alps is to see the wild beauty of reindeer at one of the last breeding grounds, with a breathtaking view of the Mont Blanc massif.

Where to stay

Chalet Amande provides an atmosphere that is a trendy take on a farm-like cottage. It is a wonderful chalet, particularly for animal lovers, as the walls and tabletops adorn photographs and ornaments of polar bears and the ambience is country chic. While this chalet is sophisticated, it bears a semblance to the bucolic charm that these Alpine resorts once held before skiing's popularity.

At Le Collectionist, our holiday tailors ensure that all of your holiday dreams come true. With these experiences and more we can help you to discover memorable moments with family and friends on Alpine holidays. Explore our collection of luxury ski chalets to begin your next memorable mountainous journey.