Tucked into the Haute Maurienne valley in the French Alps, Valfréjus is one of France's youngest ski resorts - opened in 1983 and built around the old hamlet of Charmaix, right on the edge of the Vanoise National Park. The resort sits between 1,550m and 2,737m at the summit of Punta Bagna, with views stretching across into Italy and the surrounding glaciers. It's a compact, purpose-built village designed for convenience: most accommodation is within easy reach of the lifts, shops, and restaurants, and the whole place has a relaxed, friendly feel that suits families and groups looking for a quieter week on the snow.

The Valfréjus ski resort covers 70km of pistes across 29 runs, with a generous 1,187m of vertical drop. A shared ski pass with neighbouring La Norma extends the skiing to 135km, with a free shuttle running between the two resorts. Two high-speed lifts - the Arrondaz gondola and the Chavière six-seater chairlift - get you from the village to the summit quickly, and the layout means you can cover a lot of ground without wasting time in queues. Snow reliability is strong thanks to the resort's position near the Italian border, where easterly weather systems regularly deliver generous dumps, backed up by 80 snow cannons on key runs.

Valfréjus has a genuine village atmosphere with enough going on to keep everyone entertained. The dining scene leans into traditional Savoyard cooking - think fondue, tartiflette, and local wines from the Maurienne valley - with several restaurants in the village centre and a popular altitude restaurant up on the Plateau d'Arrondaz. After skiing, there's a 2km floodlit toboggan run (Bob Park), an ice rink, and a spa for winding down. The resort is also remarkably easy to reach: just 15 minutes off the A43 motorway and four hours from Paris by train via Modane. Check out Valfréjus ski deals to start planning your trip.