Hit the French slopes this summer
In July, the French sporting calendar is keenly focused on hundreds of professional cyclists making their way around the country in the Tour de France. But for skiers itching for the snow, the summer slopes on some of the country’s glaciers are open in the summer as well.
Val d’Isère includes the Pisaillas glacier and is open in summer. There is a strong tradition of summer skiing in the Isère Valley, with pistes open from mid-June until mid-July depending on snow conditions.
Tignes is another great French destination for summer skiing in the Alps. The glacier, which rises from 2700m to 3600m, offers a great deal of snowy entertainment. The venue has 22kms of ski runs, 12 lifts, 750m of vertical drop, a vibrant snow park, and even an ice grotto. There are also a number of cross-country skiing runs for visitors to enjoy during the summer months. Tignes opens in late June with the snow park open from 4 July through 7 August.
Days dedicated to summer skiing in France often start early. To get the best in snow conditions, skiing and snowboarding usually takes place in the morning. After lunch, the day may give way to mountain bikes, or even flip flops and sun bathing in the afternoon. A number of resorts in the area cater to both winter and summer activities because of their proximity to the glaciers.
Most summer days end sipping wine or champagne on the veranda at 3000m as the sun sets creating that postcard image your summer holiday in the Alps needs.
A perfect location to many great holiday cottages, Tignes and Val d’Isere have interconnected mountains and transport making them ideal destinations. Home to many of the alpine events from the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, this region of the Alps is perfect for hiring ski chalets in France.
Image Credit: runoutside (flickr.com)