Grenoble Ski Region - The Resorts
- Nearby guides:
- Grenoble
- Alpe d’Huez
- Les Deux Alpes
- Courchevel
- Lyon
- Geneva
- Sauze d’Oulx
- Sestriere
- Courmayeur
- Provence
Les Deux Alpes
Les Deux Alpes is located in the heart of the Oisans massif, where the Northern and Southern Alps meet. This is one of France’s oldest and most prestigious ski resorts. It used to be home to two small villages where the first ski lift was built in the 1930s. The resort was officially created in 1946.
Whether you are a beginner or expert, Les Deux Alpes offer a vast area that ranks amongst the highest (up to 3 600 metres) peaks, with guaranteed all year round snow for everyone. Internationally renowned for free riding, free styling and carving spot, the resort features a permanent snow park and the largest glacier in Europe. With its 220 kilometres of ski slopes, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy fresh snow in beautiful scenery, on the doorstep of the Ecrins National Park.
Les Deux Alpes welcomes you in a lively and especially friendly atmosphere. With its variety of shops and boutiques, a heated outdoor pool and ice rink plus a myriad of lively bars and restaurants, be prepared to have fun from early morning till late night.
Slope Life
Les Deux Alpes’s ski system is equipped with a wide range of high-performance ski lifts. The 54 ski lifts, including the highest funicular in France, take you up to the glacier at an altitude of 3600 metres! The resort features 102 runs for all levels. Snowboarders and free riders will enjoy the “Slide”, a 200 hectare Snow Park located between 2600 and 3200 metres. The resort also continues to improve its artificial snow coverage to ensure decent skiing for the entire season.
Your ski pass can easily be booked on line and it will be shipped to you for free! A week (6 days) pass costs €182 for adults and €145,60 for children. Discounts apply for seniors and for selected areas (if you don’t want to ski on the entire network). More information and online booking:
+33 4 76 79 24 38
www.2alpes.com
All levels and all age skiers and snowboarders can take lessons at the following schools (prices depend on time, level, size of group. For details, contact the ski school). Here is a selection:
Ecole du Ski Français (ESF)
+33 4 76 79 21 21
www.esf2alpes.com
Ecole de Ski et Snowboard Internationale St-Christophe (ESI)
+33 4 76 79 04 21
www.esi2alpes.com
European Ski & Snowboard School
+33 4 76 79 74 55
www.europeanskischool.co.uk
Guide Office for the adventurous off-piste ski & sowboard, freeride, mountaineering ski enthusisats.
+ 33 4 76 11 36 29
Those who need to rent their equipment will find plenty of good shops in town. Prices depend on equipment performances and lenght of rent. Following is a selection of the two major rental providers:
Intersport Rent
www.interlocation.com
Skiset
www.les-deux-alpes.skiset.com
For those who want to warm up or simply try out their equipment, the resort offers 4 totally free ski tows at the foot of the slopes (1300 metres). Then, from the bottom up to the glacier, Les Deux Alpes offers plenty of recreational runs adapted for all levels, whether you’re looking for family skiing or more action, at any altitudes. Between 2 600 metres and the Glacier is the so called “Slide” area, a paradise for the freestyles. More information for free riding and experts:
www.2alpes.com
Alpe d’Huez
Located in the central Northern French Alps, just an hour drive from Grenoble, Alpe d’Huez is one of Europe’s premier ski destinations. Created in the early sixties, it gained huge popularity when it hosted the bobsleigh events of the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics.
Originally a relatively small resort, its expansion to higher altitudes and surrounding villages boosted the quantity and quality of intermediate grade slopes. Today’s Alpe d’Huez reputation is founded as a free skiing Mecca, drawing many steep skiing enthusiasts to its high altitude terrain. The Pic Blanc, reaching 3 330 metres at its highest point, offers and impressive and reviving panaorama. From there, you’ll enjoy a 2 230 metres vertical drop, including one of the world’s longest black run, the Sarenne, with a length of 16 km!
In addition, the resort offers all commodities to enjoy your “après-ski” time, including a great nightlife and excellent local gastronomy from the Oisan region!
Slope Life
Alpe d’Huez’s is considered as a good all-round resort with a modern ski lift system and great slopes that should challenge all levels of skiers. The ski area offers 220 km of Alpine ski runs, 87 ski lifts, which makes it as one of the world largest. Boarders will find their own park, which has a very good half pipe. Off-piste skiing is also excellent, with added beautiful scenery. Disabled skiers can benefit from easy access to ski lifts, the Sports and Convention Centre, swimming pool, Bergers shopping centre, specialist instructors and adapted equipment.
The one week (6 days) Visalp ski pass costs €203 and is valid for the entire Grande Rousses ski area. It includes additional activities such as cross-country skiing, night time skiing and the sled area 2 evenings every week, ice skating and much more. For more information about different ski passes, visist the website:
www.alpedhuez.com
+33 4 76 80 30 30 / +33 4 76 11 44 44
All levels and all ages’ skiers and snowboarders can take lessons at the following schools (prices depend on time, level, size of group. For details, contact the ski school). Here is a selection:
Ecole de Ski Français (ESF)
+33 4 76 80 94 23
www.esf-alpedhuez.com
International Ski School (ESI)
+33 4 76 80 42 77
www.ecoledeskiinternationale.com
British Masterclass
+33 4 76 80 93 83 / +33 6 79 67 34 56
www.masterclass-ski.co.uk
Mountain Guide Office is for the adventurous off-piste ski & sowboard, freeride and mountaineering ski enthusisats!
+33 4 76 80 42 55
www.guidesalped.hu
Those who need to rent their equipment will find plenty of good shops in town. Prices depend on equipment performances, lenght of rent. Following is a selection of the major rental providers:
Intersport Rent
+33 4 76 80 33 93
www.intersport-alpedhuez.com
Skiset
+33 4 76 11 29 61
www.skiset.com
MGM Sports
+33 4 76 80 35 03
www.mgm-international.com
Alpe d’Huez offers plenty of recreational runs adapted for all levels, whether you’re looking for family skiing or more action. The ski area covers the Grande Rousses Massif and is connected to the villages/resorts of Auris, Oz en Oisans, Villard Reculas, Vaujany and La Garde. You can go anywhere with the Visalp ski pass. Good skiers will prefer the many Off-piste and black runs opportunities that exist both from the summit of the 3 330m Pic Blanc and the 2 808m Dome des Petites Rousses.
www.alpedhuez.com
Courchevel
Located in the Savoie region in the heart of Northern French Alps, the prestigious resort of Courchevel is part of the Three Valleys, the world’s largest international linked ski area. Originally a traditional village (Le Praz), the main resort was built in higher altitudes in the 50s. Courchevel 1850 was then significant as it was the first resort in France to be constructed from scratch rather than based around an existing village. It has quickly founded its reputation as the epitome of five-star luxury and elegance, prestigious shops, restaurants, and slopes that are always superbely maintained and groomed.
Those who look for traditional and family Savoyard life with picturesques chalets will prefer the charming separate villages of Le Praz and St Bon (Courcehevel 1550) whereas the lively Courchevel 1650 appeals to the young. Wherever you stay, skier or snowboarder, the ressort offers all the facilities to accomodate your own pleasure, including a half pipe with specially eqquipped areas. And if you like to vary your slide pleasures, the huge 3 Valleys ski system needs at least a week to be fully explored.
Slope Life
Courchevel is part of the Three Valleys ski area, featuring 200 efficient and comfortable ski lifts, and 330 downhill skiing runs with an accumulated length of 600 km. Courchevel itself features 63 modern ski-lifts, and 117 downhill skiing runs with an accumulated length of 150 km. The resort offers great skiing experiences whether you’re a beginner or advanced. There is also 67 km of cross-country ski trails. Courchevel offers plenty of recreational runs adapted for all levels. Courchevel 1650s ski area consists of immense, undulating snowfields that are ideal for fine, wide open skiing. At Courchevel 1850, between Les Verdons and the beginner’s haven of Pralong you will find lots of easy, playful skiing (try the Canyons of Verdons) with plenty of enjoyable trail options for the entire family. The aficionados, confident in their technique and physical condition, will prefer the athletic runs, from the summit of La Vizelle. The Couloir de la Saulire boasts an average incline of 62° and the black slopes of Le Praz (which starts from La Loze) are approximately 3 km long and provide 930 meters of vertical.
The 6 days Courchevel ski pass costs €180 and €220 for the entire ski area of Three Valleys. For more information on Ski passes please phone or visit their web site.
+33 4 79 08 00 29
www.courchevel.com
A selection of ski schools: Ecole de Ski Français (ESF) - This is the oldest (and most renowned) school and it has branches in Courchevel 1850, 1650, and 1550.
+33 4 79 08 07 72
www.esfcourchevel.com
New Generation - British Snowboard School operating in Courchevel 1850 and 1650.
+33 4 79 01 03 18
www.skinewgen.com
Supreme Ski School - British Ski and Snowboard School operating in Courchevel 1850.
+33 4 79 08 27 87
www.supremeski.com
For the adventurous off-piste ski & snowboard, freeride, and mountaineering ski enthusisats there is the Mountain Guide Office in Courchevel 1850.
+33 4 79 01 03 66
www.guides-courchevel-meribel.com
A selection of ski rentals (prices depend on equipment and lenght): Intersport Courchevel 1850.
+33 4 79 08 39 23
www.intersport-courchevel1850.com
Intersport Courchevel 1650.
+33 4 79 08 31 85
www.intersport-courchevel1650.com
Intersport Courchevel 1550.
+33 4 79 08 24 11
www.intersport-courchevel1550.com
Olympic Sports
Courchevel Le Praz
+33 4 79 08 43 60
www.olympic-sports.fr
For more information on itineraries in Courchevel, please visit their website:
www.courchevel.com
