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A week’s ski holiday in the French Alps for a UK family of four can cost anything from around £4,000 to well over £10,000, depending on when you go, how you travel and where you stay. This guide breaks the cost down item by item, with budget, mid range and premium examples, so you can build a realistic budget for 2027.
The short version
- Biggest costs: accommodation, lift passes and getting there.
- Easiest savings: travel outside school holidays if you can, self cater, book lift passes and hire online, and take picnics.
- Our illustrative totals for a week in February half term: about £4,200 (budget), £6,450 (mid range) and £10,650 (premium) for a family of four.
Important: how to read these figures
Lift pass prices below are published 2026/27 adult prices. Every other figure is an illustrative assumption, not a quote. Prices change daily and vary hugely by date, resort and how early you book. Use the table as a planning framework and replace each line with real prices for your trip. Euro costs are converted at roughly £0.85 to the euro, also an assumption.
The example family is two adults and two children aged 8 and 11, skiing for six days in a French resort during February half term.
Example budget for a family of four
| Item | Budget | Mid range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there (flights and bags, or driving) | £800 | £1,200 | £1,800 |
| Airport transfers (return) | £250 | £500 | £600 |
| Accommodation, 7 nights | £900 | £1,600 | £3,500 |
| Lift passes, 6 days, family of four | £1,050 | £1,150 | £1,300 |
| Ski and boot hire, 6 days, four people | £350 | £500 | £800 |
| Ski school for the children | £300 | £500 | £1,000 |
| Winter sports insurance | £60 | £100 | £150 |
| Food and drink | £500 | £900 | £1,500 |
| Illustrative total | £4,210 | £6,450 | £10,650 |
| Per person | £1,053 | £1,613 | £2,663 |
All figures are assumptions except the lift pass basis, explained below.
Lift passes
Published adult six day prices for 2026/27, from Alti Mag:
| Ski area | Adult 6 day pass, 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Paradiski (Les Arcs and La Plagne) | €412 |
| Portes du Soleil (including Avoriaz) | €373 |
| Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine | €336.50 |
| Les 2 Alpes | €333 |
Children’s passes are cheaper, and very young children often ski free, but age bands differ between resorts. Our family totals assume children’s passes cost roughly 80% of the adult price, which is an assumption: check the resort’s own website for family rates and online discounts. Our lift pass guide explains how to pay less.
How this compares with on the mountain costs elsewhere
The Post Office Ski Report 2026 prices lift passes, ski hire, ski school, lunches and drinks for a family of two adults and two children aged six and eight. Its best value family resort was Passo Tonale in Italy, at £1,796.78 for the week. It is a useful benchmark: compare it with the lift pass, hire and ski school lines in our table, which together make up a large share of a French ski week.
Getting there
Flights in February half term are at their most expensive, and hold bags and ski carriage add up quickly. Driving can be cheaper for a family of four, especially with lots of kit. Compare the options in our guide to getting to the French Alps.
For transfers, the SeeAvoriaz guide gives indicative Geneva to Avoriaz prices of about €33 to €45 per person each way for a shared transfer to Les Prodains, and €280 to €335 per vehicle each way for a private transfer (September 2026). See our guides to Geneva to Avoriaz and Grenoble to Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes.
Accommodation
Accommodation varies more than anything else. A compact self catered apartment in a less central building sits at the budget end, while a large residence with a pool or a catered chalet sits at the premium end. See our guide to where to stay on a ski holiday.
Search half term accommodation
These are affiliate links: if you book through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
These searches open with February half term 2027 dates for four guests as an example. Change the dates and group size to match your own trip. We have used Vrbo for self catered apartments on our own trips.
Vrbo: self catered apartments
Prices and availability change often, so always check the latest details before you book.
Ski hire and lessons
Booking ski hire online before you travel is usually cheaper than walking into a shop. Children’s group lessons fill quickly in half term, so book early. See our guide to ski hire and lessons.
Food and drink
Self catering and taking picnics up the mountain can cut the food bill dramatically compared with eating out every day. Our guide to finding a cheap lunch on the mountain has ideas.
Ways to cut the cost
- Travel outside school holidays if your children’s school allows it, or compare both weeks if your half term falls early.
- Book accommodation as early as possible.
- Buy lift passes online and check for family deals.
- Pre book ski hire online.
- Self cater and take picnics.
- Borrow or buy second hand children’s ski clothing.
Our February half term guide has more ways to save in peak week, and our guide to package or DIY ski holidays explains how to compare the two fairly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a family ski holiday cost?
For a family of four in the French Alps in February half term, our illustrative examples range from about £4,200 to over £10,600 for a week. Your total depends mainly on dates, travel and accommodation.
What is the most expensive part of a ski holiday?
Usually accommodation, followed by lift passes and travel. In peak weeks, all three rise sharply.
Do children ski free?
Very young children often ski free or at a reduced price, but the age limit varies by resort. Check the resort’s own website.
Is it cheaper to ski outside half term?
Usually, yes. Accommodation and flights are often much cheaper in term time, although taking children out of school during term can lead to a fine.