The largest of five French resorts in the Grand Massif ski area, Flaine offers family-friendly convenience, with pretty tree-lined runs and traditional villages just a few minutes away.

Walking uphill on skis to the refuge de Bostan above Samoëns, I'm in the heart of the Grand Massif ski area in France's Haute-Savoie region. Using skins on the base of my skis for traction ...