The affordable, family-friendly French ski resort that has stayed under the radar of British skiers

“Can we do this again tomorrow?”, asked Sam, my six-year-old son. We had just completed the Itinéraire de l'écureuil, the Squirrel Route, in the French ski resort of Les 7 Laux and he was buzzing with excitement.

“Actually, can we do it again now?” he asked impatiently. And so we headed back up the mountain to complete the two-hour themed ski loop for the umpteenth time. Along the route of multiple chairlifts, green and blue runs, there is a series of tunnels, arches and obstacles to manoeuver through. It’s the perfect run for those finding their ski legs or, as in our case, the ideal run for an increasingly confident young skier who thinks that time on the slopes is “the best thing ever.”

The purpose-built ski resort of Les 7 Laux is located in the heart of the Belledonne mountain range in the Isère department of southeastern France – it was established in the 1970s and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. Made up of three stations: Prapoutel, Pleynet and Pipay, the area has long been a popular choice for French families, particularly those looking for a weekend getaway or day trip from the nearby cities of Grenoble and Chambéry. So far, however, it has remained under the radar of British skiers.

We were staying in Prapoutel, the largest of the three stations. Located in the Grésivaudan valley, it is home to the majority of the resort’s accommodation and, while there are no hotels, its wide choice of apartments – the majority of which are ski-in/ski-out – makes it an ideal spot for families. The slopeside convenience, unlike resorts such as Chamonix, is a gift for families with recalcitrant children unwilling to carry their own skis.

The small station of Pipay is also positioned on the Grésivaudan side but boasts little more than a car park, restaurant and ski school, and is used primarily by day-trippers to the resort. Pleynet, located in the neighbouring Haut-Bréda valley, enjoys the morning sunshine and is a good spot to grab lunch and to access the excellent Wiz Luge, a thrilling bobsleigh-style ride on rails. In all, the three form a well-crafted resort for families eager to escape the crowds of the Tarentaise or Haute Maurienne, for a fraction of the price.

On our first morning in the resort, we met our instructors from the Ecole du Ski Francais (ESF). Christiane, a kind but firm monitor, took charge of Sam and I headed off with her colleague Marie to discover what the ski area could offer grown-ups. Les 7 Laux, named after the seven lakes situated to the west of the resort, boasts 120 kms of slopes with runs to suit all levels, including some challenging off-piste options – enough to keep both mother and son happy for a week.

We started our morning with some gentle blue runs, all impeccably groomed, before moving onto Mataru, a long, wide-open red run that was totally empty of other skiers. Before the morning was up, we had skied from the summit of Le Gypaète, the highest point in the resort at 2,400m (on a clear day you can see Mont Blanc in the distance), down an off-piste run with moguls the size of small igloos, without a single queue or bottleneck.

“There is something for everyone in Les 7 Laux,” said Marie, who was born and bred in the area and spends the summer months working on her own farm. “But one of the things that people love most is the value for money.”

A seven-day lift pass here during peak weeks costs €211 (£186) for an adult, €157 (£138) for teenagers, and €108.50 (£96) for children aged 13 and under. Children aged six and under ski for free. These prices are undeniably more wallet-friendly than in the big-name resorts. By comparison, a seven-day lift pass for Courchevel in Les 3 Vallées costs €375 (£330) per adult and €300 (£264) for children aged five to 13 years old – and the glitzy resort’s local ski area is only marginally larger than Les 7 Laux, with 150 kms of pistes.

In the afternoon Sam and I skied the Squirrel Route for the first of many times. Half-way around we passed the HO5, an eight-hectare snow park designed by uber-cool ski brand Oakley. The freeride park is divided into four zones with varying difficulty levels including a series of gentle jumps that even beginners can enjoy. Having successfully landed a series of small jumps, we headed back towards our base. Skiing along the Taupe Route, a beginner’s run in Prapoutel, revealed some secret paths hidden among the trees that I only discovered by following Sam down the mountain; young children seem to have an innate ability to find ski trails where you thought there were none.

Away from the pistes, Les 7 Laux is just as family-friendly as its rivals – increasingly important when you have young minds to entertain for a week. On our first evening, Sam and I headed to the Domaine Nordique de Beldina, the cross-country ski area – a 15-minute walk from Prapoutel centre. Much to Sam’s relief – he found trying to stay upright on pencil-thin skis more of a challenge and less thrilling than downhill pursuits – we were only able to sample a fraction of the resort’s 20 kms of tracks in a one-hour session.

He was, however, much more enthusiastic about the Snake Gliss – an evening activity that is pure, scream-out-loud fun. All participants are handed a plastic sled that can be clipped onto another, creating an articulated luge that then whizzes down the mountain. Up to 20 vessels can be attached at any one time, and after trying a first solo attempt we joined a group of 10 French friends to twist, turn and nearly capsize as we sped downhill. Costing just €5 for a 45-minute session, the thrill is a bargain compared to resorts such as Tignes, which charge €25 for the same experience.

On our final night we joined Pascal Paper Lépine from Alp’in for a sunset snowshoe walk. As the sun dipped behind the mountains and the stars revealed themselves in the inky black sky we walked into the forest, following a gentle path up through the trees. With the mountain to ourselves, we spent the evening playing in the untouched powder snow laughing out loud as we slipped down banks together into deep piles of soft snow.

“Can we do this again tomorrow?” asked Sam. His unwavering seal of approval was evidence enough that we’d cracked the French secret to a top-value family ski holiday.

How to do it

Katja and her son stayed with Peak Retreats at Les Granges des 7 Laux in Les 7 Laux. Seven nights self-catered in a two-bedroom apartment costs from £276 per person based on five sharing. Price includes return Eurotunnel crossing, with free FlexiPlus upgrade.