The choice between modern ski resort and traditional village for winter holidays

Choose between a ski station modern and a traditional village for your mountain vacation in winter is not just a question of architecture!

But it is true that the architecture of a ski resort can change your impression of having had a good or bad time. ski holidays.

It depends of course on the projection we make of the snow vacation! And it's very personal.

The most common comment you hear from tourists returning from a ski holiday is "the skiing was great, but the station was ugly! » .

And yes, it is a very French reality. ski resorts The buildings that emerged from the ground at the time of the Snow Plan in the 70s (especially) were designed with an architecture very far removed from the small village of chalets nestled around the bell tower. It was necessary to cram tenants in during their ski holidays, we therefore chose a very urban architecture, with buildings, bars and towers.

Fortunately, later, around the 2000s, the last ski resorts, or the new hamlets of the old resorts reintegrate this idea of human warmth which is so lacking in these blocks of flats which unfortunately have made our mountains ugly.

When it comes to winter mountain holidays, the choice between an authentic mountain village and a modern ski resort greatly influences the experience of the stay. If the traditional alpine villages seduce with their timeless charm and friendly atmosphere, the ski resorts modern ones rely on the diversity of activities and the quality of infrastructure.

In this article, we will explore the benefits and specific features of these two styles of destinations your winter vacation. You will also find suggestions of ski resorts for each type of experience to help you choose the one that best suits your expectations for successful mountain vacation.

The benefits of choosing a modern ski resort do the job

The modern ski resorts, often built in the 1960s and 1970s, favour functional and bold architecture. They are designed to meet the needs of large flows of holidaymakers, which gives rise to imposing buildings, sometimes controversial on an aesthetic level, but optimised for skiing. These are often car-free resorts. Which is great if you are going to skiing holidays with your children.

Modern resorts are also known for their nightlife and events. They are suitable for holidaymakers who want to mix skiing with festive evenings and varied après-ski activities. These resorts are ideal for those who want to enjoy a dynamic and social holiday, where every evening can be an opportunity to party or attend an open-air show.

Although very lively in season, ski resorts that feature modern architecture unfortunately often remain quite ugly! I'm not going to hide this truth from you, since the goal of this article is to give you the keys to choosing your destination.

But always keep in mind that these stations, more concrete than necessary, are often also the most beautiful ski destinations, those with incomparable ski areas. Hence the interest in knowing the information, but making your choice according to the criteria that are important to you.

So, sorry for the managers of the stations that I am going to name and who have a very urban look, made up of tower blocks and shopping malls, but I have to inform my readers objectively. And I will even find beauty where there is not much…

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't choose them, but just that you shouldn't expect a small Swiss postcard village....

In Haute Savoie, Flaine, which is nevertheless registered as an architectural heritage site, is very concreted. Well, in the end, the buildings, grey and rough, fit into the landscape, and the whole thing is digested quite quickly. So don't be put off by your first impression, you'll see, you'll end up finding it pretty.

Avoriaz is adored by some because of its strangely shaped buildings covered in we are shingling (small wooden tiles) that give it a mysterious appearance, are integrated into the cliff that overlooks the resort, but it is hated by others who see it only as an artificialization of the soil that has disfigured a plateau once intended for pastures. Frankly, come to this car-free ski resort during a beautiful snowstorm, in the evening, and you will be surprised by the magical aspect of the site. In any case, there is always a lot of snow in Avoriaz, and with the snow the site becomes really very pretty.

AlpAddict in Avoriaz — Avoriaz in winter, one of the snowiest resorts

In Savoie, this is where the big resorts were built. So there are some ugly spots. The new residential hamlets, on the other hand, are often better integrated into the landscapes.

Take for example La Plagne. If the site of Plagne Center is not very pleasant to look at, that of Like 2000 looks like a ship wrecked during the universal flood, and that of Plagne Bellecote a replica of a suburban bar of a big city, there are some very nice little hamlets. Belle Plagne is very pleasant in its snow fields, Sun Plagne et Plagne Village lack soul but have an architecture that remains very correct with a predominance of wood, and Plagne 1800 brings together chalets at the entrance to the resort. You can therefore find the most suitable hamlet, and always with skis on your feet!
- To Les Arcs, the architecture is surprising. The buildings seem to be embedded in the mountain, so much do their silhouettes extend the slope and hide in the forest. While being very modern, the two historic stations of the Arcs 1600 and Arcs 1800 are finally well integrated into the landscape. Arcs 1950 with the appearance of a small village are doing well. Arcs 2000, on the other hand, join the club of resorts that are excessively concreted, perhaps also because the altitude (above 2000 meters) prevents trees from growing and covering the very urban side. In this very closed club, we also find Tignes, of which the part Val Claret is functional, close to the slopes, but not very photogenic.
- There are also two stations in the Belleville valley. The Menuires, a real composition of unsuccessful apartment blocks (but with a fantastic ski area) and Val Thorens which is trying to give itself a makeover by building new buildings covered in wood.

These two stations are certainly not the ones you would choose if you were designing the snow vacation like a moment of walks in the forest or strolls through alleys lined with chalets. On the other hand, for skiing it is by far my favorite ski area. It's just fantastic.

Finally, to complete the club of concrete stations, let's go to Maurienne, on the side of Corbier and The Toussuire, for which we will ignore the low architectural interest but concentrate on the extent of the fourth largest French ski area, The Sybelles. A preference for La Toussuire nevertheless, which allows walks on a vast plateau.
Further south, most of the high-altitude resorts are also very concreted and lack charm. However, the sun, the larch forests that partly cover the views of the buildings and the good snow cover make them beautiful destinations despite everything. We find the buildings of the Plan Neige on the side of Superdevoluy, Risoul 1850, Orres, Sauze,Insulated 2000These stations are nevertheless smaller and less dense than those in the Northern Alps, which integrates them more into the landscape.

In short, the higher you go, the more concrete the resorts are, but the better the skiing. The lower you go, the more traditional the villages are, but the less snow there is...

This makes the choice difficult, but at the same time opens up perspectives depending on the type of stay you want.

Choose a ski resort that resembles a traditional village

You will understand, the ski resorts Modern ones are often perched at high altitude, offer remarkable landscapes and allow skiing on large ski areas.

But maybe you prefer small villages nestled in the middle of a forest at the bottom of a pretty valley. Then you should turn to small traditional villages.

Stay in a traditional mountain village often provides a warm and personalized welcome. Although the facilities may be more limited than in larger resorts, the atmosphere is more intimate. The services are designed for vacationers looking for calm and authenticity, with small local restaurants and traditional shops. The experience is focused on comfort without ostentatious luxury, with an approach closer to nature and mountain traditions. These are still very present there, with local festivals, markets and activities around mountain culture. The pace is slower, ideal for vacationers looking for relaxation, far from the crowds.

To visualize this type of resort, look at photos of Châtel, Chamonix, La Clusaz, Morzine, Val d'Isère, Bonneval sur Arc, La Foux d'Allos, Vars, Serre Chevalier.

Often these ski resorts in the valleys are often at low altitude, around 1000 to 1200 meters (Morzine, Chatel, Chamonix, Megève, La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand, Les Gets, Praz sur Arly, Les Contamines-Montjoie, Arêches-Beaufort…). Access is generally easy, but snow can sometimes be lacking in the village.

The most beautiful landscape in the Alps according to AlpAddict — Combloux

This is the kingdom of wooden chalet or the stone house, the slate roof, the flagstone roof or the shingle roof. The rusticity of the village gives it an almost luxurious charm in these times when modernity often rhymes with concrete, glass and steel.

The sunshine is weaker there because of the shadow cast by the mountains surrounding the habitat. At night it is often colder there. The forests are close by and often remain snow-covered, the roofs of the hamlets in the shade remain white while the districts on the southern slope are often bare.

If the snow conditions have been good, you will have the pleasure of discovering a picture-postcard landscape upon your arrival.

Fortunately, there are also villages of this type, at altitude, between 1500 and 1800 meters, which allows to combine good snow cover with a pretty typical architecture. This is the case of Bonneval sur Arc, Bessans, Val Cenis, Valloire, Serre Chevalier, the villages of Queyras and on the more modern side, Val d'Isère and Montgenèvre.

Finally, special mention to a traditional village, overlooking one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Alps: Combloux, from where you can admire magnificent sunsets over the Mont Blanc massif in the evening after a day of skiing.

The atmosphere of the resort where you will spend your ski holidays is one of the key elements for the success of your stay. It is not the only one, you must also think about the activities you like to do, the ski area, the ease of access, etc.

To learn more about how to choose your ski resort based on your criteria, you can download this little complete guide !

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