Resorts with the best apres ski in France:

There’s nothing better than hanging up your skis in the early afternoon for a bit of apres ski on the mountain. Outdoor terraces pumping with music and revellers dancing on the tables into the early evening. We’re looking at the resorts with the best apres ski in France.

France is home to the apres icon of the Folie Douce bars, the slopeside cabaret party originated here and is one of the best places to find yourself after a day on the slopes.

Apres ski has become one of the biggest factors in choosing the right ski holiday for you. So here we are going to round up the best apres ski resorts in France.

Val Thorens

Val Thorens has had a lively apres ski scene as long as we can remember, it’s the perfect resort for parties starting on sunny slopeside terraces in the afternoon and carrying on late into the night.

La Folie Douce is perched up on the piste above town, arguably the best location of any the Folie Douce in the Alps. An absolute sun trap with stunning views down the valley as the music blares and acts perform their weird and wonderful cabaret. As the lifts close the bar shuts and everyone skis back down to town to carry on the party.

Bar 360 is another great slopeside spot with a huge sun terrace and don’t miss the Frog and Roast Beef, back in town, which claims to be the highest pub in Europe with plenty of live music and happy hours. Malaysia is the late night spot of choice, home to the largest dancefloor in the Alps and accessed from an unassuming shack in the main square, the party continues into the early hours.

Val d’Isere

Arguably the most popular resort in the Alps for Brits, and if it’s apres ski you’re looking for, Val d’Isere will not disappoint.

There are some legendary institutions in Val d’Isere such as Dick’s Tea Bar, near the bottom of La Face, the bar has been an institution in the resort for 40 years. It’s not uncommon to see people wobbling out of there still in their ski gear at 5am. The bar opens at 4pm with live apres bands and DJs and at 10pm the ‘After Dinner Club’ kicks in with more live music until 1am and the nightclub continues until 5am.

Cocorico is a slopeside spot that gets packed out daily with a great atmosphere ending in fire shows. Or there’s the original Folie Douce up on the piste full of huge bottles of rose and performance art, a little bit of Ibiza on the slopes. Le Petit Danois is a Scandinavian apres bar which gets a little mental when the free shots come round for happy hour, plus it’s in a great central location.

Meribel

The central valley in the three valleys, Meribel is well known for its apres ski scene. When the apres brand of La Folie Douce plays second fiddle to some seriously good bars you know you’re in for a good time.

Home to one of the best apres bars in Europe (and most likely the world); The Rond Point or ‘The Ronnie’ as it’s affectionately known is a legendary stop just above town where the party kicks off in the afternoons. A huge terrace, this place loves its live music, they even host their own music festival with a big air bag out on the piste.

Ski back to town once the lifts shut to carry on the party in Jacks Bar with a lively sports bar type feel just off the slopes. La Tavern is another longstanding spot and we haven’t even got to La Folie Douce.

It’s not all about partying, however, with Meribel offering a whole range of apres ski activities from the ice skating rink to the swimming pool inside the Olympic centre. Perfect for some post ski relaxation.

> Accommodation in Meribel

Chamonix

Chamonix is as much a small city as a ski resort, and with that comes a large and hectic apres scene. One of France’s most popular tourist destinations, there’s an unbelievable range of fantastic bars for your apres entertainment.

Bars at the bottom of each ski area can be great straight off the slopes. We found a decent vibe and live music at the Kitsch Inn in Les Houches with eclectic decor. Or the Folie Douce Hotel has opened on the slopes with an apres party (though not of the same calibre as the bars of the hotel’s namesake).

In town, there’s a great apres atmosphere up near the train station where you’ll find one of the best apres bars in the resort; Cambre Neuf with live bands almost every night. Across the street is another couple of great bars and La Terrasse is on the way to Rue des Moulins where you’ll find fantastic wine bars such as the Chamonix Social Club as well as a handful of late night venues.

If you fancy a night off the tipple, try the Alpine luge coaster with its 1,300m track fully lit so you can ride in the early evening.

Les Deux Alps

Renown for having one of the liveliest apres ski scenes in France. Les Deux Alpes has long cruisy pistes and the snow security that comes with having its own glacier. Meaning Spring ski parties are definitely on the cards.

With over 30 bars in town to choose from you can definitely dance till dawn if you want to. Pub Windsor claims to be the oldest bar in town, originating when the resort was built, well-priced beers are the ticket here with over 100 varieties to choose from. Pano Bar is up on the mountain opposite the Jandri Express mid-station and is where the party begins with live DJs from 3pm before everyone heads down into town.

Most of the bars are situated along the Avenue de la Muzelle (the main street) with Smokey Joes having a long shot list and the Rhumerie serving over 60 varieties of flavoured rum is well worth a visit.

There you have the best apres ski resorts in France, if you’re purely choosing your next ski holiday based around the apres ski then take a look at the best apres ski resorts in Europe. Or search for accommodation in any of the resorts mentioned above.