Spring Skiing in the French Alps: A Family Guide to Les 3 Vallées with Kids
When most people think about spring, they imagine blossoms and bike rides—but for our family, late March and early April meant one thing: spring skiing in the French Alps. We set our sights on Les 3 Vallées, the largest interconnected ski area in the world, for a week of sunshine, snow, and mountain memories. With kids in tow, we found the perfect blend of adventure, accessibility, and family-friendly amenities in Les Menuires—our cozy base within this sprawling alpine wonderland.
Spring Skiing in the French Alps: The 3 Vallées
Les 3 Vallées (pronounced Leh Trwah Vah-lay) is a ski mecca made up of eight interconnected resorts spread across three majestic valleys: Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens, along with Les Menuires, Brides-les-Bains, La Tania, Orelle, and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. Together, they boast over 600 kilometers of ski runs and nearly 160 lifts, making this the largest linked ski area in the world.
The concept of Les 3 Vallées was born in the 1920s and began to take shape in the post-war era, growing into a carefully engineered network of pistes and lifts that provide seamless access across the entire area—without ever having to unclip your skis. Its altitude, ranging up to 3,230 meters at the Cime de Caron in Val Thorens, ensures reliable snow even late into the season.
And we were glad for that. Even during our end-of-March trip, the resorts remained 100% open, with a full range of pistes in service. The mornings were generally groomed frozen granular conditions and by the afternoon as the temperatures rose the snow turned to mashed potatoes, but high quality snow could still be enjoyed on the higher elevation runs in Méribel Mottaret and Val Thorens.
Skiing Les Menuires: A Family-Friendly Paradise
Les Menuires may not be as glitzy as Courchevel or as bustling as Val Thorens, but what it lacks in flash, it makes up for in family-friendliness and accessibility. The resort features gentle, confidence-building green runs like Montagnette and Fontagnette, which our youngest happily zipped down all week. She even capped the trip by conquering her first blue run—the aptly named Menuires—on our final day.
For our older daughter, the variety of blue and moderate red runs kept things exciting without being overwhelming. We especially loved the Pointe de la Masse sector, which offers long, scenic descents and fewer crowds—a nice break from the more trafficked central areas.
A standout feature was the kid-friendly chairlifts. Two of the lifts servicing green runs had booster platforms that lifted smaller children to chair height, making loading easier and safer—something every ski parent can appreciate.
Exploring Beyond: Méribel, Courchevel, and Val Thorens
One of the biggest perks of staying in Les Menuires is just how easy it is to explore the entire 3 Vallées. We took full advantage of this, skiing over to Méribel, Méribel Mottaret, Courchevel, and Val Thorens during our stay.
From the top of lifts like ROC 2, Mont de la Chambre, and Bruyères 2, it’s just a few runs and lifts to find yourself in a new valley with entirely new terrain. Méribel Mottaret surprised us with high-quality snow, especially after a late-season dusting. Val Thorens, the highest of the resorts, was understandably the busiest, but it delivered with good quality snow.
On our final day, my daughter and I skied the entire 3 Vallées loop, starting in Les Menuires, cruising through Méribel, zipping down into Courchevel, and then making our way back. The whole adventure took under four hours, a testament to how well-connected this ski area truly is.
Our route took us on the following path and optimized for blue runs:
- Ours Blanc hotel to the Montagnette run (green), then up the Reberty lift
- Take the Bruyeres 1 and 2 gondola to the ridgeline
- Here we crossed into Meribel (Mottaret), then down Lac de la Chambre (blue)
- Up the Plan Des Mains lift and down Jnbee > Sittelle > Matre (blues)
- Up the Pas du Lac 1 and 2 gondola to the ridgeline
- Here we crossed into Courchevel, then down Creux (blue)
- Up the Marmottes lift to the ridgeline
- Here we crossed back into Meribel, then down Biche > Marmotte > Doron (blues) to Meribel Centre
- Up Tougnete 1 gondola and Tougnete 2 lift to the ridgeline
- Here we crossed back into Les Menuires, then down Gros Tougne (blue) and Vignette (green)
Looking for more European skiing ideas check out our Zermatt, Switzerland, St. Anton, Austria, and Zell am See, Austria family ski guides.
Where We Ate: From Casual Comfort to Alpine Fine Dining
The food scene in Les Menuires may not rival that of Swiss resorts like Zermatt, but we still found some gems:
- Restaurant Brasserie des Belleville: Their morel ravioli was rich and comforting.
- Grizzlys: A rustic spot with a fantastic funky French cheeseburger and an unexpectedly good green chartreuse mule.
- Lili Pizza: A reliable and satisfying option just a short walk from the hotel.
- Sherpa Supermarché: Perfect for assembling après ski snacks—cheese, charcuterie, and fresh baguettes.
Love Raviolis? Check out our homemade pasta ravioli recipe!
But the undisputed highlight of our culinary experience was ROC7, a slope-side restaurant and après ski venue near the top of the ROC 1 gondola. We were blown away by the quality and presentation of the food: osso buco with saffron risotto, veal schnitzel, and bavette steak for the grownups; lasagna and chicken fingers that our girls devoured. Throw in panoramic views and live music, and you’ve got a recipe for the perfect long lunch. We loved it so much, we broke our rule and went twice.
Where We Stayed: Ours Blanc Hotel, Les Menuires
Our home for this week of spring skiing in the French Alps was Ours Blanc Hotel, located in the Reberty area of Les Menuires. The hotel combines chalet-style charm with some truly thoughtful touches for families. Our duplex room gave each child their own bed (a game-changer), and we were pleasantly surprised to find a “secret” game room, a well-stocked library, live acoustic music in the evenings, and a heated indoor-outdoor pool that our kids adored.
However, the hotel does try to balance between family guests and adults traveling without children—sometimes resulting in clashing priorities. For example, while the pool was a highlight, it closed to kids at 6pm to preserve a tranquil experience for adults 16 and over. And though technically “ski-in/ski-out,” the connecting trail had become narrow and patchy by early April, making it a bit risky for our four-year-old—so we often chose to walk to the nearest ski run instead.
Still, the location was ideal, and the morning breakfast buffet was a great way to fuel up for a big day on the mountain. We also tried the buffet dinner one evening—it was fine but didn’t compare to the region’s more inspired dining options.
A final perk of staying at Ours Blanc was the collaboration with Absolu sport, a ski and snowboard rental shop that delivers the rentals directly to the hotel ski room after getting fitted in the store.
Getting There: Flying into Lyon, France or Geneva, Switzerland
We opted to fly in and out of Lyon, a major hub with a well-connected international airport about 2.5 to 3 hours from Les Menuires by car. Another great option is Geneva, which is roughly the same distance and sometimes offers more international flight options, depending on your origin. From either airport, travelers can choose between rental cars, shuttle services, or private transfers.
While many visitors skip the car and rely on resort shuttles, we decided to rent a car to allow for some post-skiing exploration (think Annecy and Lyon). That said, a car isn’t necessary if you’re staying in a well-located hotel or apartment with access to dining and ski rentals. Many ski-in/ski-out hotels or village center accommodations make it easy to get around on foot or skis.
Final Thoughts: Spring Snow, Smiles, and Alpine Magic
Spring skiing in the French Alps, specifically Les 3 Vallées, delivered everything we hoped for and more: excellent late-season snow, kid-friendly terrain, a welcoming resort vibe, and access to world-class skiing across three valleys. While there were a few trade-offs—like slushy afternoon snow—the memories we made carving turns, cheering on new milestones, and enjoying apres ski under the sun will be with us for a lifetime.
For families looking to balance accessibility, adventure, and amenities, Les Menuires is a fantastic home base. And for those chasing one last snow-filled hurrah before the green of spring takes over, Les 3 Vallées still has plenty to offer—even when the calendar says April.
