Quiet French ski resorts for intermediate/advanced skiers

[TNJ]

Not wanting to hijack the 2026 ski thread, I thought I would start a new one for this question.

I am looking for recommendations for a quieter French ski resort that would suit two intermediate/advanced on-piste skiers who want to start to ski off-piste.

We have been skiing for 25+ years but always on piste. We are reasonably fit and happy skiing most on piste runs. However, we would like to start venturing off-piste now - nothing extreme but want somewhere relaxed but with good instructors and decent opportunities to develop our skiing.

We are expecting to do two weeks starting on Boxing Day - so really want to avoid the big resorts which will be rammed with people (we did Peisey Vallandry/Les Arcs this year and it was too busy to be enjoyable for New Year week).

So far, I have looked at:

Sainte Foy - off-piste looks great but if the snow is not good, on piste is extremely limited
Montgenevre - looks interesting but never been there
La Clusaz - again, looks interesting but fairly low altitude so could be a risk
Serre Chevalier- been there 20 years ago and loved it, but a bigger resort and a longer drive to get there
La Grave - way beyond our ability I think

If anyone knows of any hidden gems, I would love to hear of them!

[cptsideways]

St Foy in the Tarantaise valley, is rarely busy lots of off piste opportunities

[oddman]

I'd be inclined to put the instruction first and the resort last. If you're a good skier then becoming a decent off piste skier should be achievable. Tom Gellie an incredible demo skier and physio with a YT channel has the mantra 'Change your attitude not your technique' which really sums it up for me. If you can carve well on piste although what is going on under the ski and the sensations/feedback is different in powder, the angles and techniques are the same.

If you sign up for a weeks instruction, it will begin the process of transforming you from a piste skier to off piste. You'll also need instruction and practise using the equipment. Transceiver, shovel and probe. Having the right skis really helps. Most skis in the 80mm + area will work off piste but 90mm+ with a decent amount of tip rocker is probably the best all rounder and will be absolutely fine in powder.

My skiing is a mixture of lift accessed off piste, day touring, ski mountaineering and hut to hut touring. In my experience conditions off piste range from unskiable; skiable but not necessarily enjoyable (most touring is like this ) ; skiable and enjoyable and properly awesome. These are served up in roughly equal measures. You have to invest a lot of time or be very lucky to get a lot of good days. You may find, even in good conditions that an instructor spends a lot of time on piste practising the moves you need to be confident off piste. One of these is getting the first turn right. On piste you don't really think about it but off piste it can make a big difference, so reviewing this simple move and being more intentional about it is important.

If you just want to ski then joining a guided group may suit but most guides will not offer instruction

I wouldn't necessarily limit yourself to France. Switzerland, Austria and Italy all have really good off piste destinations. In France Serre Ch. is pretty good especially if you have a car. Montgenevre and La Grave are a shortish drive away, there is good tree skiing and there are lots of easy and relatively safe touring options of the top of the Col de Lauterets.

[Condi]

La Cluz is connected to flaine which is plenty high enough. I would say its a good place to do a bit of off piste.

[swamp]

Grimentz-Zinal has some pretty good off piste. It's a quicker drive than Les Arcs too, though you can expect some crowds there at New Year.

[TNJ]

Thanks all - I’ll have a look at these options. Instruction is definitely priority number one - but if conditions are poor, I want to be sure that there is enough on-piste skiing to keep us happy.

Plus I have to consider the fact that we may not enjoy off-piste - I doubt it but it could happen