France has loads of British skiers, meaning its après will feel very familiar - here's Cocorico in Val d'Isère
France is one of the greatest countries on earth for skiing, offering fantastic networks of pristine ski slopes, rapid lift infrastructure - and of course an electric après-ski scene in many of its resorts.
If a strong après and nightlife scene is integral to a good ski holiday for you, then look no further than the following resorts - all of which offer brilliant live music, tabletop dancing and partying through the night.
French après probably caters more to a British audience than Austrian or Italian, since there are so many Brits here.
And if you’re new to the world of skiing, then have a read of our guide explaining what après-ski actually is - it’ll make you want to be in the mountains in no time.
READ MORE: Have a look at what we've got for the best après-ski resorts in Italy!
France's best ski resorts for après-ski are:
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Val d'Isère
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Val Thorens
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Tignes
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Les Deux Alpes
- Morzine
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Méribel
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Alpe d'Huez
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La Plagne
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Chamonix
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Avoriaz
1. Val d'Isère
Most people agree that Val d’Isère is the home of après - a lively party town with places to nip into wherever you look. Indeed, it’s where Folie Douce, now France’s biggest après chain, was first based.
Head for Folie, which is halfway between Val d’Isère and Tignes, for a world of dancers, singers and energy-inducing tunes. The original Cocorico is also from Val d’Isère (they’ve since opened another in Tignes) and has some of the best live bands in the mountains, as well as decently priced drinks.
Back down in town you can enjoy loads of live music at Le Petit Danois and Le Coin des Amis, while its nightclubs are an Alpine icon - Dick’s Tea Bar and Doudoune Club dominate the airwaves.
They are each incredibly popular, with the former being established all the way back in 1979 and attracting more of a British crowd with its house music sets with saxophone and violin mixed in.
Doudoune has welcomed some huge names - David Guetta, Pete Tong, Roger Sanchez - and closes at 5am after an electric night.
Have a read of our complete guide to Val d’Isère’s après and nightlife scene for even more details.
The Val d'Isère Folie Douce (also easily accessible from Tignes) has an amazing atmosphere
2. Val Thorens
Val Thorens could be anywhere in the top 3 depending on personal taste - part of the 3 Valleys, it’s a true party town.
Also the highest ski resort in Europe, it’s got more than 40 bars and clubs to choose from and they’re all within such a small area.
A favourite of Iglu Ski’s Alice Barlow, she recommends Folie Douce and Bar 360 as the picks for mountain partying - “both are found on easy runs, with doors open every day of the week and tunes blazing out”.
“Back in town, you should check out The Frog and Saloon Bar if you’re craving even more live music - both of which regularly get bands in and have lots of nice food for a post-Folie refuel. They are a bit quieter than Folie and 360, although they liven up as the night goes on.”
As nightclubs go, you can’t get much bigger than Malaysia in Val Thorens - or indeed the whole of the Alps. It’s welcomed some huge names in the past, including Calvin Harris and Pendulum and stays open regularly until 5am.
Have a read of our complete guide to Val Thorens’s après and nightlife for even more key details.
Club Malaysia is the Alps' biggest dance floor - and it welcomes some serious names
3. Tignes
Tignes has some wonderful skiing in the outstanding Espace Killy ski area, with over 300km of pistes to explore. A newbuild resort, it was designed originally as a quieter alternative to Val d’Isère - and while some sleepier parts certainly remain, its main town has grown an après scene that many resorts are now jealous of.
Up in the mountains, there’s the Folie Douce, which is just a chairlift and gondola away from Tignes Le Lac (the resort’s main town) and features plenty of table-dancing, spectacular performances and wonderful scenery.
Iglu Ski’s Iwan Williams loves Tignes and prefers Cocorico at the bottom of the lifts in nearby Tignes Val Claret, which takes itself a bit less seriously and was also the setting for a wedding between two seasonaires not long ago!
“Loop Bar was also a favourite - a bit more lowkey than Cocorico but still very lively, they do cheap jugs of beer which everyone takes onto the dancefloor in front of a raucous live band… a bit of a surreal experience”.
There are plenty of other lively bars around in Tignes, while those looking to go clubbing should head for Cave du Loop (downstairs from the Loop Bar) and the Melting Pot in Val Claret, which shuts at 4am after plenty of DnB, electro and hip-hop.
Have a read of our complete guide to Tignes’s après and nightlife for more details.
Cocorico in Tignes has quickly become a favourite in the resort
4. Les Deux Alpes
Les Deux Alpes is another of the French Alps’ best ski resorts, with an impressive 227km of slopes on offer - and some cracking après.
Iglu Ski’s Hannah Bolger says “my favourite spot for après has to be the Pano Bar at 2600m, just outside the top of the Jandri Express gondola. It can get a tad crazy, and very jam-packed, but it’s a great laugh - top tip, leave your skis in a memorable place... it can take a while to search for them otherwise!”
Back down in town you should aim for the Umbrella Bar at the bottom of the beginner slopes, where a live DJ takes over from 5pm-7pm, and punters regularly dance on the top of the bar.
Le Spot is the place for more live music, while Smithy’s Tavern offers a taste of home for us Brits. For something a bit different, there’s Boris Bistro, which is an American diner-style bar with music from the 60s, 70s and 80s - and insanely nice burgers.
Meanwhile, early-hours clubs include Avalanche and Le Patinoire - both with large dance floors and electric DJs.
The Pano Bar in Les Deux Alpes is serious fun
5. Morzine
Morzine is part of the spectacular Portes du Soleil, alongside purpose-built Avoriaz, and is an original farming town oozing with character and energy.
This means its après scene is inevitably top quality - something that Iglu Ski’s Michael Higgs can vouch for having done a season there.
He says “head for Le Tremplin at the bottom of the slopes for a classic après party where live bands and DJs come out onto the huge sun terrace to entertain the crowds.
“The Cavern is also up there - it’s got live music usually until about 2am every day, as well as tables which have their own private beer pumps.
“If you’re after a 5am finish then aim for L’Opera, while a nice bar crawl could start in the Coyote, before heading next door to The Cavern and then Tibetan".
Crowds flock to Le Tremplin in Morzine for some live music and fun
6. Méribel
Méribel is a lovely resort within the world’s largest ski area, the 3 Valleys, which has a mindboggling 600km of pistes. The skiing’s not the only plus though - its après is a real pull, too.
Iglu Ski’s Louisa Jackson is a big fan, pointing out her slopeside favourite as Le Rond Point (nicknamed Ronnie’s) thanks to its “huge sun terrace and constant party atmosphere. It has live music every day and is well known throughout the entire 3 Valleys, with loads of people coming over from the other resorts of Courchevel and Val Thorens specifically for it.
“For a more niche recommendation, I love Copina, which is a small tapas bar with an authentic Spanish interior. Its music is so fun and it has a huge selection of cocktails and craft beers”.
Another top pick in Méribel is the Folie Douce, which is France’s most famous après-ski chain with groovy tunes, live singers and dancers - and plenty of table-dancing encouraged. Head into town for Jack’s Bar, which puts on live music (including saxophonists), as well as comedy nights and smashing food.
O’Sullivans is a great choice for dancing through the night - it’s got non-stop DJs and an electric party atmosphere that goes right through until 4am. There’s also free entry before midnight.
Have a read of our complete guide to Méribel’s après and nightlife for all the key details.
As ever, the fun never stops at Folie Douce - this time in Méribel
7. Alpe d'Huez
Known for its sunny weather, Alpe d’Huez is a snow-sure haven with a very solid 249km of pistes, and some top après-ski, too.
Iglu Ski’s Hannah Bolger knows it well, and has her top recommendation: “The Folie Douce is a classic après spot in Alpe d’Huez - there’s always a DJ, professional dancers, singers and different musicians playing, including an unreal saxophonist at times! It’s right by the Marmottes 1 lift, which is ideal for catching a gondola car down to town after an afternoon of dancing on tables”.
Other top venues include Smithy’s Tavern, which is very popular with seasonaires and has cheap jugs of beer, Tex Mex food and live bands and DJs. Linked to it downstairs is the L’Igloo Nightclub, where the party goes on until 4am - although make sure you get your drinks in upstairs as it’s quite expensive down there.
The post-Folie après also continues in Sphere Bar (owned by the same people as Val d’Isère’s legendary Dick’s Tea Bar) where the large sun terrace gets packed out in good weather. The Underground Bar is also a favourite, with live music and live sport on the TVs.
8. La Plagne
La Plagne is part of the epic Paradiski area (making up 425km alongside Les Arcs) and has a decent après scene to explore.
La Bergerie is probably the number one spot - found on the easy Mira blue run in Plagne Centre, it gets rowdy from 2:30pm with live bands, DJs and table dancing. This was the favourite spot of Iglu Ski’s Jack Dowson, who has fond memories of “clambering on to the tables with a jug of beer pêche in my hand, shaking my hips to the live saxophonists”, all the while with stunning mountain views in the background.
Back in town, Le Saloon in Belle Plagne has three separate dance floors with live music and DJs until 5am - a fantastic place to end up in. There are plenty of places to warm up to this though. Try Bar La Mine in Plagne 1800, Spitting Feathers in Plagne Bellecôte or Igloo Igloo in Plagne Centre.
Have a read of our complete guide to La Plagne’s après and nightlife scene for all the key details.
La Bergerie is a must-visit if you end up in La Plagne
9. Chamonix
Chamonix is probably the biggest ski resort in France in terms of the size of its actual town, meaning there’s quite a lot going on.
Take the Chambre Neuf, which is your best bet if you want a dancing-on-tables kind of vibe. It gets loads of live bands in, with the party atmosphere only cranking up throughout the evening, until it finally closes at 1am.
Slightly less raucous but still energetic is La Terrasse, which has regular live bands and sensational views of the mountains above, while the Micro Brasserie de Chamonix is great for local ales and a wide range of interesting beers. It also has live music from time to time, although with a more relaxed atmosphere than the places above.
DJs frequent the Monkey Bar and South Bar - both next door to each other - until the early hours, making them two of the most popular party venues in Chamonix, although if you want a serious venue throughout the night then head to L’Amnesia, which plays a mix of house, electro and RnB right through to dawn every night.
10. Avoriaz
Avoriaz is part of the magnificent Portes du Soleil region and often attracts a fairly young crowd because it has plenty of self-catered accommodation.
It’s got a healthy mix of bars and restaurants, including the famous Folie Douce just up on the last slope into town, where you’ll find a raucous crowd enjoying live music, singers, dancers and lots of colour and flair.
Happy Hours is another banging venue which has a live band every single day - with a particular emphasis on Wednesdays when they bring in a very special guest DJ.
Back in town, Le Shooters and The Place are good options for live music. The former also offers 50 different types of shot to choose from.
Have a read of our complete guide to Avoriaz’s après and nightlife scene for all the key details.
Discover France's après-ski scene for yourself with Iglu Ski
If French après sounds like a bit of you, then let us help you out! We’re the UK’s biggest ski travel agency and have been securing people amazing holidays for the last 26 years and running.
All of our staff have done at least 1 season in the mountains - we really are experts! Call us on 020 3848 3700, or make an inquiry, and we’ll give you the best advice on resort choice, where to stay, and all the extras like travel, ski hire, lift passes and other top tips.
You can also book online by yourself if you know what you want! Have a look at our best French ski holiday deals for inspiration.
And if you’ve been put in charge of booking for a group and you’re feeling a bit flustered, have a read of our group booking guide for some tips to set you straight.
