Ten villages in the Alps to enjoy winter without skiing

You don't ski but you love the mountains in winter? And you would like to know ten villages in the Alps to enjoy winter without skiing?

So, you certainly appreciate snowy landscapes, forests in which you love to walk and charming little villages to stroll in front of old wooden and stone houses.

In this case, you will have to choose a mid-mountain village, where the local inhabitants chose to settle many centuries ago.

Often very sunny and surrounded by forests, these villages will charm you with their architecture and landscapes.

It is difficult to make a choice, because in France, in the Alpes, there are many villages that meet these criteria, nevertheless AlpAddict.com has made a selection and offers you ten villages to enjoy the winter without skiing.

Châtel, the charm of a small village, even without skis

Nestled at an altitude of 1200m at the very end of the Abondance Valley, north of the Haute-Savoie, on the border with Switzerland, the village of Châtel represents the postcard that we visualize when we think of mountain holidays. And it is a village where we can spend an excellent holiday without skiing.

The village bell tower, surrounded by the historic centre made up of its large chalets with a very “Swiss” appearance, dominates the valley from the tree-lined and sunny slopes.

It is a valley inhabited all year round with a real agricultural life which will give you the opportunity to visit farms and taste the well-known Abondance cheese. Châtel you can do it at Philippe Vuarand's farm.

The walks will take place according to the sunshine on the slopes upstream of Châtel, and towards Switzerland, particularly towards Lake Vonnes, or at the bottom of the valley, towards the chalets of Pré la Joux or Villapeyron and its sawmill.

Of course, in the surrounding area you can explore the whole Abondance Valley, passing through the small resort of Chapelle d'Abondance or the village itself which bears the name of Abondance. A detour to the Lac des Plagnes will allow you to discover dream landscapes especially if there is snow.

You can also take a walk on the Swiss side and discover Morgins a few kilometers away that you can walk – and feel the thrill of crossing a border as travelers did in the past – and further on the Val d'Illiez and its capital Champéry.

In addition to pedestrian activities such as hiking or snowshoeing, if you don't like putting on skis, you can still hurtle down some slopes on an Airboard, Snake-Glisse or Yooner.

More information on these very fun activities, by following this link.

Châtel, a sunny village, and generally well-snowed, and the whole of the Abondance valley are a real favorite destination.

Chamonix and its valley, an ideal destination for a non-skier

No introduction Chamonix, the undisputed capital of mountaineering and high mountains. Its historic center, its museums, its sometimes very chic buildings make it a real city at the foot of the giant of the Alps, the Mont Blanc, whose summit can be seen from the entire city center.

But the Chamonix Valley, is not limited to the city itself, nor to the natural balconies which surround it and which can be easily reached with high-performance and impressive ski lifts: Brévent, Aiguille du Midi, Flégère, Montenvers, etc. These are open to everyone in winter, even non-skiers.

There is also a valley floor to explore from Les Houches to the Col des Montets, and the fantastic thing is that you can get around very easily by train.

The walk along the Arve from Chamonix to Les Tines, in the middle of a snowy larch forest, will make you forget the noise and activity of the nearby town.

The discovery ofArgentiere is a real "must". Small village known for its traditional bell tower that can be photographed with the glaciers of Mont Blanc as a backdrop. Everything is calm there, nature surrounds the village. A nature less tamed than in Chamonix, and which quickly becomes wild in the surrounding area.

Finally at the end of the valley, the old village of Tour, one of the snowiest in France, offers a unique perspective on the valley from its very old wooden and stone chalets.

We will not leave the valley without having photographed the Aiguille Verte from the hamlet of Trelechamp, on the road to the Col des Montets. Absolute Zen in a corner of paradise.

The train can take you up to Vallorcine. It is already another valley, an enclave between France and Switzerland, a village where time seems to have stopped. The silence, the forests, the sound of streams that make their way under the snow.

There are many activities on offer in the valley, and it is impossible to get bored.

Combloux for walking without skis

The most beautiful balcony in the Alps. A breathtaking view of the massif of Mont Blanc, and below on the plain which extends from Sallanches to Passy.

Many small paths start from the charming church of Combloux, run alongside beautiful chalets, offer vast and sunny landscapes and end up getting lost in forests. It is a highly recommended destination even when you are not skiing.

A village with bucolic charm, whose history is well highlighted by the tourist office with visits to the church, farms and workshops of "graniteurs" who work granite, this hard stone which is used in slabs for worktops in the kitchen for example.

On a more fun level, don't hesitate to try out the electric mountain bike, the fat bike, and all kinds of sleds to enjoy the snowy slopes.

In the surrounding area, a beautiful walk facing the superb Aiguilles de Varan will take you to Cordon, another charming village clustered around its baroque church with its delightfully typical bell tower.

More to the south, Megève, its chalets, its luxurious and very illuminated town center, especially at Christmas, its walks towards the Calvary or towards the hamlets which surround the village on the edge of the forest is also a charming destination which one can benefit from while choosing accommodation in Combloux or to Praz-sur-Arly. An easy and comfortable solution to enjoy the Mont Blanc Country, this little corner of paradise with such characteristic architecture.

Les Saisies

In the list of ten villages offered to you, Les Saisies , at the gates of the Beaufortain, is a bit of a UFO. In fact, it is not a traditional village but rather a modern resort, although the dominant architecture inspired by large chalets conveys a warm, welcoming and traditional impression.

However, the gentle terrain, the paths that wind through the forests to reach beautiful viewpoints and the countless outdoor activities offered by the resort will allow you to enjoy winter in the mountains here.

You might then want to go on very Nordic dog-sled rides, ski-joëring, snowshoeing, but also try fatbiking, snowmobiling, paragliding, or adventure trails.

There is something for everyone, with one significant plus: almost guaranteed snow.

At 1600m, stuck to the Mont Blanc, this plateau receives abundant snowfalls from the start of the season and will delight all snowflake lovers!

Val d'Isère, walks for non-skiers

There are few large high-altitude winter sports resorts that are also year-round villages with a strong local history. Val d'Isere, at 1800m above sea level is one of them and we could not forget it. Here the highlights are the snow and the natural beauties.

Of course, without skis, it is difficult to enjoy the viewpoints at the top of the area like Bellevarde or Solaise, but the valley still leaves enough large untouched spaces to give the impression of getting lost in white universes.

The valley of Cuff which gently slopes away from the frenetic activity of “Val” and rises to over 2000m in a calm space where white is the dominant colour.

Walks to the hamlet of Furnace, follow the forest and the Isère river to end up in a small modernized hamlet which has managed to retain its traditional appearance.

A Val d'Isere, as in most of the village resorts of the French Alps you can enjoy winter through several activities even when you are not skiing: horse riding in the snow, fat-biking, sledding, snow car driving, ice climbing, snowshoeing, etc.

And of course all these activities, and even diving in a frozen lake, will be possible at Tignes a few kilometers away.

Val d'Isere is a village that is very oriented towards snow sports, but which has managed to preserve its charm and develop many activities for non-skiers. Great experiences await you.

Bonneval sur Arc, a high-altitude village accessible even to non-skiers

La Upper Maurienne ! Without a doubt a high mountain universe. Bitter cold and dry and snow are present here for the pleasure of young and old.

The entire valley has managed to protect itself from rapid development that is too focused on "all things skiing". The villages have remained authentic, most often made of stone. The forests are preserved and the activities here are oriented towards nature.

The altitude of Bonneval sur Arc at 1800m, but also from its neighbor Bessan at 1700m, ensures a quality snow cover, a sunny climate – 300 days of sunshine – and dry which is very invigorating and Nordic activities in a very exotic setting.

Here, nature dominates, so for your activities, we will mainly offer hiking or snowshoeing.

From Bonneval on Arc, we will go back up the Arc valley on foot or on snowshoes, towards the Ecot, a lost hamlet buried under snow in winter but in a very sunny position, and beyond the Ecot you can discover other calm, flat valleys, nestled between the mountains and under a pure blue sky.

From Bessan, it's the whole valley of Avérole awaiting you. Solitude, silence and candor will envelop you in a cozy atmosphere during your walk.

A Bonneval sur Arc, outdoor activities await you, for an invigorating and stress-free stay.

Villard de Lans, a village before being a resort

Villard de Lans is located in the heart of the Vercors. This immense plateau, which allows for activities and experiences of the Great North and transforms you into a trapper for a few days.

The elevation gain is generally low, which makes it possible to cover long distances on snowshoes, fat bikes, dog sleds, on foot, or by mountain bike.

Inhabited year-round, the Vercors plateau allows you to reach several villages from Villard de Lans. You will be able to discover Lans en Vercors, Autrans, Meaudre et Corrençon in Vercors.

The forests smell good and the air is sometimes perfumed with the scents of the South, when the South wind sweeps the plateau. The views are magical, on its eastern edge, looking towards Grenoble, Oisans and the chain of belledonne.

Easy to access, at an altitude of around 1000 m in general, which allows for regular snow cover, and nighttime cooling which allows the snow cover to be preserved despite sunshine which finds no obstacle in the relief, the Vercors is the ideal region for a winter mountain holiday when you are not skiing.

There you can breathe the pure air of the altitude, recharge your batteries thanks to the sun, and live in a familiar environment of small villages and accessible hamlets while having within reach an immense space of wild nature in the Natural Park.

Briançon, a town in the French Alps

And yes, a real city in this list… of villages!

More Briançon, it is a city at an altitude of 1300m, snowy, sunny and surrounded by magnificent mountains.

A real historic fortified city center to discover and other fortifications in the surrounding mountains to reach by hiking. A cultural and historical break in a grandiose environment.

And above all, many opportunities in the surrounding area, the Brianconnais, in the Hautes Alpes, to fully experience the winter mountain experience.

Enjoy the silence of the Clarée Valley, get closer to Italian gastronomy after the Col du Montgenevre, in Clavière, or enjoy the setting of the Guisane valley, going up the villages making up the resort of Serre Chevalier towards Lautaret and stopping, why not, at the thermal baths of Monetier the Baths for a relaxing day.

Not forgetting the nearby valley of Brains, and its very wild Fonds de Cervières for walks in the heart of nature.

So many resorts and villages within reach of public transport or car that will make you discover a whole soul, very mountainous, but already sunny with the Provençal colors that go up the Durance to Briançon. And no need to ski to enjoy it in winter.

Another advantage? Briançon is accessible by train from Valence and from Marseille.

The authentic villages of Queyras

In the region of Queyras It is difficult to choose one village over another as they all offer activities to fully enjoy this sunny geographical enclave.

If you like altitude, a change of scenery, traditional wooden chalets, then this will be Saint Veran.

The highest municipality in Europe, at an altitude of over 2000m, inhabited all year round, will offer you unusual discoveries such as the tour of the sundials or the site of theChâteau Renard Observatory. Astronomy enthusiasts, your happiness is found in the starry nights of Queyras.

Its unique and preserved traditional architecture is worth the detour in itself.

If you prefer wooded valleys and forest walks, then you will head towards the valleys ofAbries, Arvieux et A cell. Villages with a crazy charm, in flat valleys where your walks will be easy in the middle of beautiful mountains with wooded slopes.

Mandatory stop at the fort of Chateau-Queyras, which dominates the valley and protects Queyras from invasions... of tourists, for the well-being of its population and of the travelers who venture there as well as downstream, the citadel of Mont Dauphin, which plays pretty much the same role!

Barcelonnette

Barcelonnette is not strictly speaking a village resort for winter sports, although its altitude of 1100m allows it to regularly receive abundant snowfall.

The ski resorts, the areas, the fun activities in the snow are just opposite, looking up at the sun which is omnipresent here: The Sauze-SuperSauze et Pra WolfThey can be seen to the south of the city, in the forests where the ski slopes converge.

More Barcelonnette, capital of Ubaye, has a soul of its own. Latin in its Provençal village aspect, and Latin also in its culture which was enriched with Mexican tones, when the villagers who had emigrated to Mexico returned after having made their fortune across the Atlantic. They built sumptuous villas which no longer have anything of the sober and functional mountain architecture but which have an extraordinary charm especially when the snow whitens their roofs and the gardens which surround them. Mexico has left traces, here… it’s up to you to find them!

A Barcelonnette you can practice all kinds of activities: ice karting, snow horse riding, dog sledding, sledding, Segway, etc.

And of course you can walk along Ubaye Outside the city, go back up to Jausiers, and enjoy the surrounding larch forests.

Winter in the mountains, in the sun, surrounded by snow-capped mountains? Barcelonnette offers you all this!

This list is of course not exhaustive. There are many other villages in the French Alps who deserved to be included there.

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