If you are looking to spend your holidays surrounded by the stunning mountain landscapes that France offers, here is a selection of ski resorts that remain very active during the summer. Alps, Pyrenees, Jura, Massif Central: Sport 2000 guides you in choosing your destination for a successful stay with family, friends, as a couple, or even solo.
Additionally, don’t hesitate to browse the websites of the Tourist Offices of these mountain villages: you will find all the useful information for booking accommodation (holiday clubs, hotels, residences, apartments, etc.), renting equipment, activities, prices for various mountain activities, and more.
Chamonix, a must-visit summer mountain resort
Located at the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix is popular with holidaymakers in summer. Among the main activities: visit the Aiguille du Midi and enjoy the breathtaking panorama. For the brave, try the Step into the Void (a glass box suspended above the void).
There are countless opportunities for outdoor walks. You can admire marmots, mouflons, or deer in Merlet Park, hike around Lac Blanc, or attempt the ascent of Mont Blanc. Among the best summer mountain resorts, Chamonix also appeals to sports enthusiasts who enjoy golf, paragliding, rafting, and more.
Tignes, a resort with a wide variety of activities
Tignes is also very active in summer. Paragliding, canoeing, paddleboarding, climbing (including via ferrata), rafting, mini-golf, archery, mountain biking... The surrounding nature is well-preserved, offering numerous trails for hiking. Finally, Tignes is also famous for its Grande Motte glacier, where a few runs allow you to ski year-round.
You can choose among the different Tignes villages based on proximity to the lake, altitude, atmosphere, and more.
Les Rousses, the ultimate summer resort in the Jura
Located in the Jura, Les Rousses is the perfect place to explore unique natural surroundings (canyons, gorges…) or practice sports: paddleboarding, via ferrata, canyoning, cycling, motorbiking...
Listed among the best summer mountain resorts, Les Rousses attracts visitors with its wild surroundings. Lakes Lamoura and des Rousses are perfect for water activities (fishing, swimming…) and offer themed trails to discover local flora and fauna. It’s an ideal destination for a family mountain holiday, even with very young children.
Samoëns, a family-friendly village in the Northern Alps
In Haute-Savoie, Samoëns offers numerous facilities for children as well as parents. With a leisure center, a swimming pool, an adventure park, hiking (like the Mirolda chasm) or horseback riding, the resort has many highlights.
Opportunities for sports are also plentiful: fishing, paddleboarding, mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, aqua speed…
Valloire, a ski resort but also a summer destination
Among the best summer mountain resorts, Valloire (Savoie) offers a wide range of activities. Sports for adults and children abound: swimming pool, via ferrata, adventure park, golf, biathlon (even in summer), mountain biking, climbing school, paragliding, ultralight aircraft… Visiting local farms is also possible.
With 14,000 hectares of trails, hiking reigns supreme in Valloire. Among the most popular are the Three Lakes hike and the one leading to Lac des Cercles. It’s also a chance to taste local specialties, such as the Valloire diot (a sausage made with various meats and served with vegetables).
Méribel, heart of the 3 Valleys in winter and summer
With 300 kilometers of trails, Méribel ranks among the top summer mountain resorts. A paradise for hiking, but also for mountain biking or e-bike. For less athletic visitors, chairlifts allow access to over 3,000 meters altitude.
Other activities include diving in the crystal-clear waters of Lac Bleu or observing marmots. To vary experiences, you can also visit nearby resorts, such as Les Menuires, Val Thorens, or Brides-Les-Bains.
Saint-Lary, a typical village in the heart of the Pyrenees
A charming Pyrenean village with rich architecture and part of the Saint-Jacques de Compostelle trail, the surrounding mountains offer many alternatives for hikers. You can explore on foot, on horseback, by mountain bike, or via paragliding. Sports are abundant: kayaking, fishing, canyoning, rafting…
Saint-Lary is one of the best summer mountain resorts, and also a thermal town ideal for people with rheumatism or respiratory issues. It also offers high-quality wellness activities: spas, balneotherapy, massages…
It’s also an opportunity to taste local culinary specialties, such as Black Bigorre pork, garbure soup, and the spit cake.
Font-Romeu, a high-altitude family-friendly village
Font-Romeu enjoys exceptional sunshine. Close to Spain, this Pyrénées-Orientales resort offers many hiking options, such as the route to Lac des Bouillouses. Font-Romeu and its surroundings are architecturally rich, with highlights like the Hermitage chapel or Mont-Louis, a fortress built by Vauban.
Font-Romeu is considered one of the best summer mountain resorts also for its many options to stay active: golf, mountain biking, climbing, mountaineering, paragliding, quad biking, fat-bike, via ferrata, water sports—the list is extensive!
This list of destinations is, of course, not exhaustive. For a family holiday in France, many other resorts offer breathtaking landscapes, exceptional viewpoints, and diverse activities: La Plagne, Le Grand-Bornand, Val d’Isère, Les 2 Alpes, Val d’Allos, and more.