4 Best Sights in Lyon and the Alps, France

It has a reputation as one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the French Alps, and Courchevel doesn't do much to dispel that notion. Ski shops glitter like designer boutiques, and ski valets place your skis and poles outside on the snow so you don't have to carry them. But it turns out that Courchevel is also one of the area's most inviting towns. None of the locals seem stiff or snooty. The sommelier in the restaurant written up in all the food magazines is happy to give you a tour of the wine cellar, even when the dining room is crowded. Leave behind your voltage converter, and the front desk staff might just give you one for free.

And the skiing itself is amazing, with a huge variety of slopes that cater to skiers of every skill level. It's heaven for intermediate skiers, and beginners will find plenty to keep them occupied (including a run that has a great view of Courchevel's postage-stamp airport). The lifts are unusually speedy, keeping lines to a minimum. What's more, the scenery just doesn't get better than this in the French Alps.

Méribel's first ski lift was built in 1938, and within a year construction had started on the accommodations that would turn this into a world-class ski resort. But because it sits inside Vanoise National Park, Méribel never experienced a period of rampant growth. Done up in the traditional Savoyard style, its rows of gorgeous chalets make Méribel feel like a village that's been here for centuries.

Back in 1992, the Winter Olympics were held in nearby Albertville. Méribel was the site for women's alpine skiing events, a testament to its world-class slopes. There are 150 km (93 miles) of ski trails, serviced by more than 50 lifts. There are some gentle green runs, but most of the slopes here are best for intermediate skiers.

One of the joys of Val d'Isère is that the easy slopes aren't concentrated at the bottom of the mountains. Beginners can take the gondola to the top and ski for hours at the upper altitudes. Val d'Isère and neighboring Tinges form the Espace Killy, a massive ski area with 154 runs of various ski levels extending for a total of 300 km (186 miles).

Wish the ski season didn't have to end? Val d'Isère's Pissaillas Glacier and Tignes's Grand Motte Glacier both offer summertime skiing. And there are plenty of other activities in both resorts during warmer weather.

Europe's highest ski resort, Val Thorens has such a lofty position that you see nothing but snow-covered mountains in every direction. The landscape is so iconic that the three adjoining peaks that grace every bottle of Evian are found here. The season here lasts longer than at resorts down the mountain, often from mid-November to early May.

High-speed lifts of all types transport you up to 68 runs of various ski levels. More than 50 are best suited for intermediate-level skiers, but there is also a handful for beginners or experts. Val Thorens is connected to the Trois Vallées ski area, so you have access to more than 600 km (373 miles) of slopes in nearby Les Menuires and elsewhere.

It was first built in the 1970s, so Val Thorens isn't the loveliest resort in the French Alps. But it buzzes with energy day and night, thanks to a clientele of couples enjoying romantic getaways and groups of friends challenging the slopes and taking advantage of a wild après-ski scene.