Chamonix or La Plagne?
They split the categories 3–3. This comes down to the kind of week you want rather than which resort is better.
France
Chamonix
A real town with the most serious mountain terrain in the Alps and the shortest transfer from Geneva. The ski areas are separate and bus-linked, which makes it a poor choice for families and a superb one for everyone else.
Worth knowing. The ski areas are separate and bus-linked, which costs an hour a day.
Choose it if
A non-skiing partner
About £1,215 a week from London
France
La Plagne
Eleven linked villages and probably the best family skiing in France — ski-in/ski-out is the norm rather than the exception. Choose the village carefully; they vary enormously in character and altitude.
Worth knowing. Eleven villages of wildly different altitude and character. Pick wrong and the week is wrong.
Choose it if
Families with young kids
About £1,161 a week from London
Side by side
| Chamonix | La Plagne | |
|---|---|---|
| Snow reliability | 66/100 | 70/100 |
| Size of the ski area | 155 km | 225 km |
| Top lift | 3842 m | 3250 m |
| Cost before travel | €1190 | €1120 |
| Families with young kids | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Snowboarders | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| A non-skiing partner | 9/10 | 4/10 |
| Budget and après | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Off-piste | 10/10 | 7/10 |
Bold marks the winner. Rows where neither is bold are close enough that the difference would not change a decision. Cost excludes travel, which depends on where you leave from.
Piste kilometres, lift counts and prices are indicative and compiled from public sources — they have not yet been checked against the resort's own figures for this season. Costs are planning estimates, not quotes. Spotted one that is wrong? Tell us.