Backcountry Skiing in France: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

France is a very diverse backcountry skiing destination. This means that there is plenty to do here, from single-day backcountry expeditions to multi-day and week-long trips too.

In both the Alps and Pyrenees, you can also combine these trips with skiing in Switzerland and Italy or Spain too. This allows you to experience even more fantastic views and discover even more epic terrains.

Many backcountry skiers choose to parlay their trip into a ski mountaineering expedition to the summit of Mont Blanc too. This requires no technical mountaineering skills, but a high level of physical fitness. The views from the top are well worth the effort. Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, Aiguille in Chamonix and Monte Renoso in Corsica are also popular backcountry skiing targets.

Stunning scenery

No matter where you head in France for a backcountry skiing adventure, you are sure to be met with stunning scenery. From the rocky granite crags of the Pyrenees and the pristine Alpine lakes and valleys near Chamonix to the snow-capped mountains with distant sea views in Corsica, wherever you head in France, you won’t be left yearning for something more scenic.

Haute Route(s)

Perhaps the most famous backcountry skiing expedition of all time, the Haute Route stretches for 180 kilometers from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. Many guides include a trip to the top of Mont Blanc in the itinerary, which takes between 5 and 7 days, too. It’s something that should be on every backcountry skiers itinerary. But wait, Corsica offers a much lesser known Haute Route that is much less classic, but no less fantastic.

Great variety

France is blessed with a huge variety of excellent skiing spots. The narrow valleys and tall mountains of the Pyrenees provide some exciting descents and give you the option of plenty variety in one range. Of course, the Alps offer plenty of different opportunities from minor peaks to the stunning summit of Mont Blanc. Corsica too offers great backcountry opportunities, with the option of a couple of different hut-to-hut treks through the Mediterranean island.

During the winter the average daily temperature hovers just below freezing. This warms to just above freezing during the spring. However, as you get higher up in altitude the temperature dips well below freezing into the summer. While the winter and spring months are drier than the summer, there is still plenty of fresh powder for you to enjoy. Temperatures are slightly warmer in Corsica than mainland France, but still offer plenty of snow at higher altitudes.

This depends on where you’re headed. The Geneva International Airport (GVA) gets you closest to the French Alps. The Toulouse Blagnac International Airport (TLS) gets you closest to the Pyrenees. Arriving at the Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) gets you closest to Corsica. Many guides will meet you at the airport here, but in the other two spots, you’re likely no need to arrange transport from the airport to your final destination. Public transport in France is efficient, easy to use and pretty cheap.

French

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December to April