Winter in France Bonus Episode
Winter in France Bonus Episode: This is the first episode two dedicated to Winter vacations in France.
Winter vacations are really enjoyable in France. You can access exceptional skiing resorts and amazing food and wine!
Today, I will focus more on the different mountains in France and the next episode will focus more on skiing vocabulary! This podcast will have a mix of French nouns and some descriptions in English! I am myself a skier and I can tell you that the French resorts are amazing, with great lifts, great après-ski life, still affordable, and with terrific amenities! Are you ready? I will be right back after this short break!
Let’s start with the names of the main mountains in France!
The most famous is of course, Les Alpes, notice the Z sound, Les Alpes, between the Swiss and Italian border, this is the home of the highest European peak, le Mont Blanc, notice you don’t voice the C at the end of Blanc, you don’t voice the T at the end of Mont, and of course, the two nasal vowels, ‘’ON’, and ‘AN’, on is made by pursing your lips with O and lift the back of your tongue, for ‘AN’, open your mouth wide and go from A to AN. Le Mont Blanc, Le Mont Blanc…
Les Alpes are home of the best and highest ski resorts in France. Val Thorens (Valtho) is the highest European ski resort, part of les Trois Vallées, Les Trois Vallées, an immense ski domain with hundreds of miles of slopes! In Les Alpes, you will find Méribel, Val D’Isère, l’Alpe D’Huez, or Chamonix to name a few.
If you prefer cross country skiing, head for ‘Le Jura’, ‘ Le Jura’….which are mid-mountains located northern to Les Alpes. Unfortunately, with global warning, there is less and less snow every year, but this less known skiing area has so much to offer! Metabief, is one of the resort with snowshoeing, sledding, cross country skiing, and all around great for beginners. Le Jura has awesome scenery with many great pines, and some of the coldest part of France!
Next to le Jura, north, by the German border, you can also ski in ‘Les Vosges’… The spelling here is tricky, we don’t say ‘Less Vogue’ or ‘Less Vosgess”… Les Vosges, they have small resorts, so if you spend time in Les Vosges, be ready to also spend time in Alsace, sipping their great wines, or if in December, checking the great ‘Marché de Noël’ , Christmas market. The most famous resort is Gerarmer, Gerarmer, a family oriented resort, great for skiing beginners, and cross country skiing.
Le marché de Noël is inherited for the German tradition. You will find these market all across France but the most famous ones are in Alsace, in the cities of Colmar and Strasbourg. SO he you go visit Les Vosges in December and don’t get snow, make sure to check ‘Les Marchés de Noël.
There are two more main skiing mountains:
Le Massif Central… Le Massif Central, located in the center of France, mostly made by chain of volcanoes. This is the largest volcanic area in Europe. Le Massif Central are mid-mountains, and lately with global warming, snow can be hard to find! Still, you will find amazing cheese, snowshoeing, and beginners skiing. The most famous stations are Super Besse, and La Besse.
Our last mountain region is ‘Les Pyrénées’, straddling the French and Spanish border. Don’t pronounce ‘Lesss Pyrénéesss’ Les Pyrénées has a lot to four with sharp slopes and family oriented resorts, and also offers world-famous spas and thermes! Les Pyrénées is also a fun playground for backskiing!
Allright, you made it!! Thank you again, and please share with your friends, comment, and subscribe!
Make sure to check out my workshops to be fully ready when you go to France! Merci !!