Winter in France isn’t just about freezing your baguette off in the Alps. Oh no. It’s a full blown seasonal experience with twinkly lights, mulled wine, frosty adventures and just the right amount of smug Instagram content. Whether you’re après-skiing like a pro or simply mastering the art of wrapping scarves the Parisian way, France in winter is tres magnifique.
So, pop on your fluffiest coat, grab a hot chocolate and let’s explore the top 10 winter activities to enjoy in France.
1. Skiing & Snowboarding in the French Alps
🎿 For when you want to fall down a mountain in style.
Whether you’re a powder pro or someone whose idea of “snow sports” is falling over in ski boots, the Alps have you covered. Hit up legendary resorts like Chamonix, Val d’Isère or Les Trois Vallées which is the Europe’s largest ski area.
Bonus: French ski instructors have the charm of James Bond and the patience of saints.
🔥 Après-ski tip: Order a vin chaud (hot wine) and pretend you skied more than you actually did.
2. Visit the Christmas Markets (Marchés de Noël)
🎄 All I want for Christmas is cheese. And mulled wine. And crafts I’ll never use.
Head to Strasbourg, the self-declared “Capital of Christmas,” for the oldest Christmas market in France. Picture fairy lights, timbered houses, carols and enough festive spirit to power a sleigh.
🛍️ Must-try: Hot pretzels, gingerbread and handcrafted ornaments you’ll lose by January.
3. Soak in a Thermal Spa in the Pyrenees or Alps
💦 Because your muscles deserve better after that ski lesson from hell.
After all that swooshing and sliding, soak away your sins in a steamy thermal spa. Towns like Cauterets or Brides-les-Bains offer outdoor hot springs with mountain views, so you can sit in bubbly bliss while it snows around you.
👑 Feels like: Being a Roman emperor, but with better hair and spa playlists.
4. Explore Paris in the Snow
🗼 Like a snow globe, but real and with better pastries.
Paris in winter is pure magic. Fewer tourists, cosy cafés and the Eiffel Tower doing its sparkly thing against a pale winter sky. Walk the Seine in a coat, not a crowd. Pop into Shakespeare & Company, eat too many galettes des rois and fall in love with the City of Light all over again.
☕ Top tip: Parisians live for hot chocolate in winter—head to Angelina for the thickest, richest cup of joy known to humankind.
5. Ice Skating at Iconic Locations
⛸️ Where else can you triple axel next to a cathedral?
Cities across France set up dreamy outdoor rinks in winter. Glide past the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, twirl under fairy lights in Lyon or wobble wildly while clutching a child’s penguin skating aid in Reims.
🎶 Bonus: There’s always music. And usually a churro stand.
6. Try Dog Sledding in the Alps or Jura Mountains
🐕 Because walking is so last season.
You don’t have to be in Canada to live out your sled dog dreams. Book a ride with a team of adorable, enthusiastic floofs through the French Alps or Jura region. Bonus: the views are breathtaking and the dogs are better-behaved than most humans.
📸 Tip: Bring gloves. And maybe tissues. The cold will make your nose run, not your mascara.
7. Go Wine Tasting in Burgundy or Bordeaux (Indoors, Merci!)
🍷 Because nothing says “winter survival” like a good red.
France isn’t just about rosé on sunny terraces. Winter is red wine’s time to shine. Head to Burgundy, Bordeaux or even the Loire Valley for cosy cellar tastings, firelit vineyard tours and learning how to swirl a glass like a sommelier without spilling.
🥖 Pro tip: Always accept the cheese pairing. Always.
8. Attend the Festival of Lights in Lyon (Fête des Lumières)
💡 Like New Year’s Eve… but classier.
Held every December, this 4-day event transforms Lyon into an interactive light show with massive installations, lasers and illuminations projected onto historical buildings. It’s like walking through a futuristic dream—without the need for VR goggles.
🎉 Timing: Usually around the 8th of December. Pack your beanie and your sense of wonder.
9. Eat Every Winter Treat in Sight
🍰 Calories don’t count when it’s cold. That’s the rule.
From tartiflette (cheesy potato goodness from the Alps) to raclette (melty cheese scraped over everything you love), France pulls out the culinary big guns in winter. Don’t miss galette des rois in January or crepes on Chandeleur in February.
💬 Translation: Winter in France = a food coma in a cashmere jumper.
10. Stay in a Cosy Chalet or Castle Hotel
🏰 If you’re going to hibernate, do it in style.
Snuggle into a charming chalet in Megève or go full fairy-tale with a winter stay in a snow-dusted château. Imagine roaring fires, thick duvets and possibly some ghost stories. (Optional. but very French.)
🛏️ Romance level: 10/10
🧤 Cosiness level: Off the charts
✨ Final Frosty Thoughts:
Winter in France is equal parts elegant, exciting and extremely delicious. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline in the Alps or chasing pastries in Paris, there’s something magical about France when it’s wrapped in snow and fairy lights.
So go ahead, book the ticket, pack the thermals and remember: you didn’t come this far to diet. You came to live your best, baguette filled winter life.
