Are you planning a family ski getaway? If you’ve got children, then you’ll know how popular school holidays, especially February half term, is with skiing families – this is also when the French are on holiday! Whilst this makes for a few busy weeks, the benefits for this time include dedicated family-friendly events and activities. The weeks of Christmas and Easter school holidays often have some special peak date deals, which we update regularly in the run up to the season. All school holiday dates tend to be popular, so it’s best to get booked in quickly before accommodation sells out!
French school holidays use a very different system to the UK, with different zones of France having their holidays at slightly different dates. The dates listed below are correct at the time of writing.
UK School holidays 2024/25
Christmas and New Year Holidays
Christmas - Saturday 21st December - Saturday 28th December 2024
New Year - Saturday 28th December - Saturday 4th January 2025
February Half-Term Holidays (One Week)
Saturday 15th February - Saturday 22nd February 2025
Easter Holidays (Two Weeks)
Saturday 5th April 2025 - Saturday 19th April 2025
OR
Saturday 12th April 2025 - Saturday 26th April 2025
(Some private and state schools may also be on holiday w/c 29th March 2025)
French School holidays 2024/25
Christmas Holidays
All 3 zones: Sunday 21st December 2024 - Sunday 4th January 2025
February Half-Term Holidays
Zone B: Saturday 8th February – Saturday 22nd February 2025
Zone C: Saturday 15th February – Saturday 3rd March 2025
Zone A: Saturday 22nd February – Saturday 8th March 2025
Easter Holidays
Zone B: Saturday 5th April – Monday 21st April 2025
Zone C: Saturday 12th April – Saturday 26th April 2025
Zone A: Saturday 19th April – Saturday 3rd May 2025
PLEASE NOTE: School holidays do vary depending on education authority, so it’s always best to check with your children’s school before booking anything!
French Zones include the following cities:
A: Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse
B: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg
C: Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles
Peak Dates for the 2024/25 ski season
Christmas Skiing
The main Christmas week skiing starts Saturday 21st December 2024 and ends Saturday 28th December 2024
New Year Skiing
The main New Year week skiing starts Saturday 28th December 2024 and ends Saturday 4th January 2025
February Half-Term Skiing
February Half-Term skiing commences Saturday 15th February 2025 and ends Saturday 22nd February 2025 - as this is when some French school holiday weeks are too, these dates will get booked up very quickly!
Easter Skiing
Easter skiing will mainly fall between Saturday 5th April 2025 and Saturday 26th April 2025 – although some private and state schools are from the week commencing 29th March 2025!
These dates are increasingly popular times to ski and with other European countries also on holiday these weeks will book up very quickly. To avoid disappointment, get in touch with us today to check availability and get your ski holiday booked!
How long is Christmas break in France?
Christmas holidays in France last for around 2 weeks, and encompasses Christmas and New Year.
What age can kids learn to ski from in France?
Whilst it's the individuals parents' call on whether a child is ready, the ESF (Ecole de Ski Francais), French ski school, will teach children from age 2. There are many different levels of teaching for children, with Piou Piou aimed at the younger age band.
What are the busiest weeks to ski in France?
Busiest weeks usually coincide with the peak school holiday dates, meaning February half term and the Easter holidays. Christmas and New Year can also be a busy week for ski holidays.
Best time to ski in France without children?
January is normally the quietest time to go to the French Alps, directly after Christmas/New Year and before the rush of February half term. Late April has also been a good choice in the past previous seasons, due to late season snow, ideally after the Easter holidays finish.
~ Lucy Aspden-Kean, Commissioning Editor for the Telegraph Ski writing on Telegraph.co.uk
If you're ready to explore your options for a wonderful winter break, our expert and award-winning team can help with planning the perfect holiday for you. Call us on 023 9283 9310, email on reservations@peakretreats.co.uk, or you can request a quote and we'll be in touch.
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