There are plenty of places in the mountains to leave your skis and poles behind and dance – whether at clubs or festivals. Here we recommend a line-up of resorts for this season’s hottest après-ski.
Val d’Isère: temple of sweet madness
The hotspot for die-hard clubbers is of course Val d’Isère – and specifically, La Folie Douce. Those with stamina can start at lunch in the mountain restaurant of the same name (easy to remember), accessible by the new La Daille cable car. It also boasts the highest cabaret in the world (2,400m) where DJs, dancers and musicians come to perform all season. La Folie Douce is not only specific to Val d'Isère: with this year's opening on the slopes of Avoriaz, you can party at La Folie Douce in Alpe d'Huez, St-Gervais-Megève, Val Thorens and Meribel-Courchevel. Find out more on La Folie Douce website. Another must-see après-ski bar with DJs and live music is the Cocorico. Nestled at the foot of the slopes and open from 2-8pm, don’t miss it. Tip: it’s happy hour here from 2-4pm.
La Clusaz: dance with the moon
The full moon is a perfect excuse to party… not in Thailand, but in the mountains! For 15 years, the Domaine de La Clusaz has brought DJs and bands to high-altitude bars and restaurants to get their skiers to dance to the rhythm of the moon. This year, the ‘OVER THE MOON’ events will take place on 18 January and 22 March 2019, accompanied by a percussion show and Brazilian dancing at the ski lifts. Find out more about the event and ticket prices.
Les Deux Alpes: young and trendy
Bars, clubs: here in Les Deux Alpes, the list is long, with around 30 venues to party the night away. To warm up, stop for an hour or two at the Pano Bar at the end of the afternoon. Once back in resort, don your most beautiful Moonboots and your finest deer-headed sweater for bars such as Rhumerie, Kré and Brézilien. And if you still have energy to burn after that, go dancing till dawn at Avalanche, an true resort institution.
Val Thorens: from jazz and electro to volo
This is the first festival dedicated to electro in the Alps and it has been held in Val Thorens for four years already. The famous Festi Val Tho will take place this season from 17-29 March 2019. On the programme is House, Electro, Trance and many other sub-genres. On a totally different note, the Jazz à Vienne festival is also continuing the high-altitude musical experience in Val Thorens for the second year in a row. From 1pm to 2am, you can ‘chill’ on the terrace listening to jazz, bossa nova, funk, hip-hop, soul and blues.
Risoul: a party village atmosphere
Despite being the most intimate of the big resorts, Risoul has its own great party spirit. Renowned for its numerous theme nights at the Risoul Mix Club and the Grotte du Yéti, an international club at the foot of the slopes, the resort is now preparing to host the second year of its Risoul Music Festival. From 11-15 March 2019, free après-ski parties (kicking off from 4:30pm) and French electro DJ sets will have party-goers dancing on the snow. After amazing performances by Cerronne and the Ofenback band in 2018, we’re waiting impatiently for next year’s line-up.
Portes-du-Soleil: rocking rhythms
It’s official: the first three headliners have been announced. From 17-23 March 2019, Hyphen Hyphen, Charlie Winston and Gaétan Roussel will honour the 9th edition of Rock the Piste in the Portes du Soleil. The best thing about this festival? Its pop-up pistes accessible exclusively to festival-goers. A total of 35 concerts are scheduled and, as every year, they start at 1pm (or 12:45 for DJ sets). Tickets on sale now.
More information to plan your perfect French ski holiday
En savoir plus sur les stations fêtardes : - Val d'Isère - La Clusaz - Les 2 Alpes - Val Thorens - Risoul - Portes du Soleil - Châtel
By The editor
The editorial staff of France.fr follows the trends and news of destinations to bring you stories from France that reveal its innovations and traditions that make you long to (re) discover its territories.
