French-speaking Resorts for Season

Jasnah

Hi there

Was wondering if people had any recommendations of resorts for a season that would be primarily French-speaking? Planning on doing a season next year once college is finished, but I'd like to improve my French at the same time by using it as my principle language (already quite fluent but want to finish off my French, so to speak).

I've been looking at various places, but a lot of the smaller French-speaking resorts are a bit limited in their skiing areas/job opportunities, so it's hard to pick something out. I'm tempted by Val d'Isere as they have a large French saisonnier contingent, but I think I'd just probably end up with loads of English-speaking friends as it'd be easier. I was looking at Val Thoren/les 3 vallées, but I imagine it would be the same there? Any recommendations would be quite appreciated in any case!

Fattes

Any where in the 3 Valleys English will be more common than French! Les deux alps maybe?

omicron

Fattes wrote: »

Any where in the 3 Valleys English will be more common than French! Les deux alps maybe?

English is very widely spoken in les deux alpes!

masseyno9

In my experience, it's more about the job you get, and your own personal desire to speak french. I worked as a bartender in a bar that didn't target the seasonnaire market (all english speaking) and got friendly with a few French locals so we'd hang out and they'd learn English from us as we'd learn French from them.

On the flip-side, I was also friends with a few English people who worked in chalets or hotels catering to english speakers and even near the end of the season, they hadn't a lick of French as they were just happy to coast along speaking english.

Fattes

omicron wrote: »

English is very widely spoken in les deux alpes!

As a 2nd language No where near as prevalent as 3 valleys

Jasnah

Yeah, I was in L2A this year and was keen to try somewhere else next year, pity to hear that about the 3 valleys as it looks like a very nice area. Might head back to Risoul/Vars if I can find something there as it was quite French-orientated. Unfortunately a lot of the resorts popular with the French are too small or too low down for a whole season…

cormee

Jasnah wrote: »

Yeah, I was in L2A this year and was keen to try somewhere else next year, pity to hear that about the 3 valleys as it looks like a very nice area. Might head back to Risoul/Vars if I can find something there as it was quite French-orientated. Unfortunately a lot of the resorts popular with the French are too small or too low down for a whole season…

Try St. Martin de Belleville, it's in the bottom right of the Three Valleys and is a very quaint little village with not too many tourists, the majority of shops, pubs etc are run by locals who don't speak English, or speak barely any. St. Martin was only connected to the 3V a few years back, as far as I know.

(It's also where the Marquis de Sade set The 120 Days of Sodom)

Jasnah

Hmm, that actually seems like a pretty nice option, especially since it still would allow access to the 3V! Have you stayed there before yourself cormee?

cormee

Jasnah wrote: »

Hmm, that actually seems like a pretty nice option, especially since it still would allow access to the 3V! Have you stayed there before yourself cormee?

Yes, twice. loved it. It's fairly quiet though, so if you're looking for nightlife forget it!

Getting to the main open part of the 3V takes about 20 mins by two lifts, so there is a bit of a 'commute' but the St. Martin area has some lovely slopes (like the Jerusalem run) so you don't necessarily have to leave it.

am i bovvered

This year we had a family holiday in Les Saisies, its part of the bigger Espace Diamant.
If you've never heard of it it's because it's very "French" in a week we met only 3 people that could speak English. We loved it ! It's a family orientated resort great for beginners, very good for intermediates.

karl83

Val D'Isére is predominately English speaking, I did last season there and just back from a few weeks there again.