Exceptional in France, the large ski areas linked by the slopes offer lovers of great skiing the assurance of evolving in the middle of grandiose panoramas with a single pass, of covering kilometers without taking off your shoes and the luxury of choosing your base camp among different attached stations.
Zoom on ten preserved nuggets allowing to ski all your drunk at low cost.
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Skiing and winter sports: the
Figaro
guide
Orelle, the 3 Valleys (Savoie)
A small mountain village, Orelle is nevertheless the highest point of the 3 Valleys.
OT Orelle
A modest mountain village of 500 souls, Orelle can claim to be the culmination of the largest domain in the world.
Attached to the 339 pistes, 600 km combined and 105 km2 of powder snow in the 3 Valleys, this postcard-like nugget made up of 10 hamlets located between 2,350 and 3,230 m is facing south and benefits from exceptional snow cover.
Something to delight freeriders with its wide glacial valleys, its engaged corridors and its long routes on the surrounding peaks.
Its trump card?
Its new high-comfort cable car connects the slopes of the 3 Valleys in less than 15 minutes, and Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe, on foot or on ski, in 40 minutes via the legendary Cime Caron.
Opening:
December 4.
Where to sleep
: the Hameau des Eaux d'Orelle, a residence 10 minutes from the 3 Vallée Express gondola with swimming pool and spa.
€ 1,230 for a 3-room apartment, 6 people (44 m2) for the week of Dec. 18 to 25.
The Hameau des Eaux d'Orelle 73140 Orelle.
Phone.
: 09 64 42 69 40.
88 slopes
: 11 green, 39 blue, 30 red, 8 black (Orelle-Val Thorens).
The non-ski activity to discover:
the highest zip line in the world which propels you over 1.3 km in 1 min 45 with a peak of 105 km / h.
Price: 55 € / pers.
Resort package:
€ 59 / day, € 280/6 days.
Domain package:
€ 66 / day, € 330/6 days.
Tourist office:
orelle.net
Read also 3 Vallées: how to make the most of your ski pass (and the slopes)
Champagny-en-Vanoise, Paradiski (Savoie)
Ideal base camp to enjoy Paradiski, the traditional village of Champagny-en-Vanoise at the gates of the Vanoise park.
Olivier Allamand
Listed in the top 5 of the largest domains in the world, Paradiski, in the Tarentaise valley, was born from the junction of the domains of La Plagne and Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry via the Vanoise Express cable car. It offers 425 km of slopes, a playing field stretching between 3,226 and 1,200 m in altitude and a legendary route: the Aiguilles slope, a 7 km red-black slope with 2,080 m of vertical drop. Ideal base camp to enjoy it, the traditional village of Champagny-en-Vanoise at the gates of the Vanoise park, made up of chalets grouped around shops and a charming 17th century Baroque church. In addition to access to the slopes of La Plagne in 8 minutes by cable car, the resort has a beautiful Nordic area in the valley of Champagny-le-Haut, a site classified for the beauty of its landscapes and thepreserved architecture of its hamlets, and a cinema for après-ski.
Opening:
December 18.
Where to sleep
: Skiing on the feet, overlooking the Vanoise massif, 100 m from the heart of the village, the Les Balcons Étoilés residence is ideal for cruising the slopes of La Plagne and Paradiski.
€ 1,989 for a 2-room apartment, 6 people (52 m2) for the week of Dec. 18 to 25.
Les Balcons Étoilés: Rue des Hauts du Crey, 73350 Champagny-en-Vanoise.
Phone.
: 04 57 37 31 03.
124 slopes
: 7 green, 74 blue, 35 red, 8 black (Champagny-La Plagne).
The off-ski activity to discover:
The icefall, a slightly frosty activity consisting in climbing, under the watchful eye of a guide for neophytes, an artificial structure culminating at 24 meters.
Price: from 45 € / pers.
Resort package:
€ 57 / day, € 285/6 days.
Domain package:
64 € / day, 325 € / 6 days.
Tourist office:
Champagny-en-Vanoise
Read alsoParadiski: new ski passes, unmissable slopes ... our guide
Châtel, the Portes du Soleil (Haute-Savoie)
Châtel gives access to the 600 km of pistes of the Portes du Soleil.
Photo prsse
Located 1 km from the border via the Pas de Morgins, one can easily imagine it as Swiss.
Yet Châtel, a resort in the Abondance valley which has preserved its authenticity, its wooden chalets reddened by time, its churches and chapels and its old customs house open to the public, is indeed French.
Directly linked to Avoriaz, on the Haute-Savoie side, Morgins and Torgon, on the Swiss side, it has access to 600 km of pistes in the Portes du Soleil, the largest cross-border area in Europe which hosts twelve resorts.
Sporty and gourmet, Châtel still has around thirty producers of Abondance, a distinguished cheese with a PDO essential for the preparation of berthoud, the local specialty which puts the most exhausted of skiers back on their feet.
Opening:
December 18.
Where to sleep
: At L'Escale, at the top of the slopes accessible only by Super-Châtel gondola, an ideal address for lovers of great skiing who want to be the first on the slopes.
€ 1,588 per double room with breakfast and dinner for the week from 18 to 25 Dec.
L'Escale, Super Châtel, 74390 Châtel.
Phone.
: 04 50 73 64 38.
72 slopes
: 10 green, 29 blue, 27 red, 6 black (Espace Liberté: Châtel-La Chapelle-Torgon).
The off-ski activity to discover:
Grooming, during a visit to the “dré dans l'pentu” area with a snow groomer in the company of a pro who will tell you about the undersides of the slopes.
Reservation required: 04 50 73 22 44 or 04 50 73 34 95. Price: 40 € (about 1 hour).
Espace Liberté package:
€ 44 / day, € 209/6 days.
Ski area pass:
€ 55 / day, € 278/6 days.
Tourist office:
Châtel.
Read alsoTen confidential and authentic village resorts
Morillon, Grand Massif (Haute-Savoie)
Morillon gives access to 265 km of slopes in the Grand Massif.
Photo prsse
If the Morillon sector (20 slopes of 75% blue and green), a village resort in the confidential Haut-Giffre valley, is perfectly suited to future champions - this is where Antoine Dénériaz started -, experienced skiers will benefit especially its connection with the Grand massif. Connected to Samoëns, Les Carroz, Flaine and, by road, to Six-Fer-à-Cheval, the area immediately becomes more attractive with 265 km of trails including the essential Cascades trail. The interest of this 14 km (sometimes too) gently sloping route (1700 m of vertical drop), from the summit of the Grandes Platières in Flaine to Six-Fer-à-Cheval, is its route in the heart the Sixt nature reserve and its funny intercom at the edge of the slope to call the Gers lake refuge,who will dispatch a snowmobile to tow you to its tasty regional cuisine.
Opening:
December 18.
Where to sleep
: At the hotel Le Morillon in the center of the village.
A 3 * near the shops and the lifts appreciated for its welcome, its pool and spa area and its breakfasts (€ 18).
€ 1,800 per double room with breakfast for the week from 18 to 25 Dec.
Hotel Le Morillon 74440 Morillon.
Phone.
: 04 50 90 10 32.
84 slopes
: 16 green, 39 blue, 22 red, 7 black (Vill4ges: Sixt, Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz).
The off-ski activity to discover:
Paragliding in a two-seater version, during a flight over the snow-covered valley during which you think you are a majestic eagle.
Price: from 80 €.
Villages package:
€ 46.20 / day, € 241.20 / 6 days
Ski pass
:
€ 50.90 / day, € 267.60 / 6 days.
Tourist office:
Morillon
Vaujany, Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski (Isère)
Vaujany gives access in particular to the Sarenne, the longest black in the world.
Press photo
Authentic mountain village facing the Grandes Rousses massif, Vaujany is appreciated for its view of the surrounding peaks and its village atmosphere. Cultivating a certain slow attitude, it is nonetheless sporty, willingly going beyond the 53 km of pistes of Oz-Vaujany, to take advantage of those of the Alpe d'Huez Grand domaine Ski. That is to say 240 km of tracks, summits flirting with the 3,350 m of altitude, 4 mythical descents of approximately 2,200 m of vertical drop including the Sarenne, the longest black in the world (16 km) and some 70 off-road routes. track. A white paradise accessible in 7 minutes thanks to the opening, this winter, of a new lift allowing skiers to access, from Vaujany, the Alpette plateau, the gateway to the entire area.The resort is also home to an international ice rink and a multi-sport area (indoor climbing, basketball, handball, volleyball, badminton, etc.) and water fun.
Opening:
December 11.
Where to sleep
: Au V de Vaujany, the first 4 * in the resort which offers 25 rooms with a view including 4 suites, a locavore restaurant, a library, a swimming pool and a Pure altitude spa.
From € 760 per double room with half-board (weekend offer).
V de Vaujany: 469 place du Rissiou, 38114 Vaujany.
Phone: 04 76 80 71 00.
30 slopes
: 6 green, 12 blue, 10 red, 2 black (Oz-Vaujany).
The off-ski activity to discover:
curling, this strange Olympic discipline which vaguely evokes petanque on ice, in the company of the Vaujany club "Les Pierres de feu" which offers, once a week, a free initiation.
Oz-Vaujany package:
40 € / day, 184.50 € / 6 days
Ski area pass:
€ 56 / day, € 283.50 / 6 days.
Tourist office:
Vaujany.
Read also Vaujany, discreet little sister of Alpe d'Huez
Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves, Les Sybelles (Savoie)
Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves is the highest point of the Sybelles domain.
Press photo
A resort-village in the Maurienne valley, Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves is one of the six destinations in Les Sybelles. The culmination of the young area created in the early 2000s, it cultivates a certain softness in skiing in a mellow setting, slopes carved like boulevards like the beautiful panoramic red that leads from Ouillon to the village with view of the Meije and the Aiguilles d'Arves, good-natured entertainment and a jealously preserved heritage. Renowned for its quality / price ratio, its off-piste for all levels and its exceptional panoramas, its vast area (310 km of slopes from 2,620 to 1,100 m) pampers beginners invited to ski on the Ouillon massif. , highest mountain pasture in France at 2,431 m. A central area that connects the 6 stations, now accessible in 5 minutes,thanks to the new Gaston Express chairlift.
Opening:
December 18.
Where to sleep
: On the heights of the resort, 50 m from the slopes, 250 m from the ski lifts, in one of the 5 brand new Les Choseaux chalets.
€ 399 / person, 6-day package included, based on accommodation for 4 people.
Chalets Les Choseaux 73530 Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves.
41 runs
: 11 green, 16 blue, 9 red, 5 black.
The off-ski activity to discover:
The Sybelle Explor'Games, a free adventure game guided by an app on the scale of the domain, ideal for discovering the different sectors.
Free.
Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves
ski pass
:
€ 39.90 / day.
Ski pass
:
€ 47.50 / day, € 237.50 / 6 days.
Tourist office:
Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves.
Read also Raclette season is open: what you need to know about this winter feast
Montgenèvre, the Milky Way (Hautes-Alpes)
The resort offers 95 km of slopes between 1,800 and 2,600 meters offering a great variety of difficulties.
Press photo
A small rural town 2 kilometers from the Franco-Italian border, Montgenèvre was enrolled in skiing in 1907 via the first international ski competition organized by the Alpine club and supported by the army. Today, it offers 95 km of slopes between 1,800 and 2,600 meters offering a great diversity of difficulties, and a nice range of après-ski activities with a balneotherapy & spa center, Durancia, a cinema, or even a toboggan. summer / winter monorail, the Monty Express. Above all, it is part of the 5th largest ski area in the world, the Milky Way, which links 5 other all Italian resorts and provides access to 410 km of slopes between 1,372 and 2,789 m above sea level, some of which have hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006. Under Italian influence, the resort has 300 days of sunshine per year,has a few tasty tables and spoils the bambino (nurseries, children's clubs, snow garden, play areas, etc.) thus honoring its Famille Plus label.
Opening:
December 4.
Where to sleep
: in the heart of the village, opposite the 50,000 m2 beginners area on the snow front, at the CGH Le Napoléon residence (54 apartments and Ô des Cimes wellness center).
€ 1,978 per week in a duplex for 4 people (30 to 35 m2).
CGH Residence Le Napoléon Route d'Italie, 05100 Montgenèvre.
Phone.
: 04 50 33 10 96.
41 runs
: 11 green, 16 blue, 9 red, 5 black.
The non-ski activity to discover:
The toboggan on the Monty Express rail, departing from the Chalvet gondola for a descent of 1,400 m and a vertical drop of 300 m.
Price: from € 7.50 per descent.
Montgenèvre ski pass:
€ 41 / day, € 255/7 days.
Ski pass:
€ 47 / day, € 240/6 days.
Tourist office:
Montgenèvre
Read alsoSki and sanitary pass: Austria, Switzerland, Italy ... What are our neighbors doing this winter?
Hauteluce, Espace Diamant (Savoie)
Hauteluce enjoys an impressive view of Mont Blanc.
Somelet
Postcard village hanging at an altitude of 1,200 m on a sunny side of the Beaufortain massif, Hauteluce has many assets: an impressive view of Mont Blanc, a preserved heritage (do not miss the baroque church), a valley labeled country of art and history among the most preserved in the Alps, two gourmet restaurants, varied accommodation and 64 downhill ski slopes.
The icing on the Savoy cake, this little white paradise gives access to two areas!
The Espace Diamant and its 192 km of very open family slopes, via the chairlift located in Chozal which leads to the Col des Saisies and the 120 km of slopes of Contamines-Montjoie, more technical, by free shuttle.
Opening:
December 18.
Where to sleep
: In one of the 2 new “Olympic” or “Route des Grandes Alpes” junior suites at La Ferme du Chozal **** at the foot of the slopes, its table marked Maitre restaurateur, its wellness area and its library .
From € 230 per night in a double room, € 19 for breakfast.
La Ferme du Chozal ****: 361 Les Combes, 73620 Hauteluce.
Phone.
: 04 79 38 18 18.
64 slopes
: 11 green, 30 blue, 16 red, 7 black.
The off-ski activity to discover:
a visit to the Hauteluce ecomuseum to dive into the history of the valley and its inhabitants before it becomes a major ski resort.
Free entry.
Hauteluce-Les Saisies
ski pass
:
€ 37.40 / day, € 195.80 / 6 days.
Ski pass
:
€ 42.60 / day, € 223.20 / 6 days.
Tourist office:
Hauteluce.
Loudenvielle, Pyrénées2Vallées (Hautes-Pyrénées)
Loudenvielle is the ideal base for exploring Pyrénées2Vallées.
Peyragude Soule Delaffont
It is not strictly speaking a domain. Pyrénées2Vallées, the largest ski destination in the French Pyrenees with 250 km of cumulative slopes, includes 4 resorts in the Aure (Saint-Lary and Piau Engaly) and Louron (Peyragudes and Val-Louron) valleys, accessible with a single pass and linked through the valley thanks to daily shuttles, free for holders of the Pyrénées2Vallées pass (allow 55 minutes between Loudenvielle and Saint-Lary). Ideal base camp for discovering this “ski destination”, Loudenvielle, a charming and characterful village made of old stones and lively alleys nestled on the edge of a mountain lake which hosts the first spa complex in the massif. And which, thanks to the new Skyvall gondola, is directly connected, in less than 10 minutes,60 km of sunny slopes in Peyragudes, a Family Plus labeled resort 1,600 m away.
Opening:
December 4.
Where to sleep
: In the new and 2nd 4 * hotel in the French Pyrenees located in the heart of the village, next to the Skyvall and the Balnéa center.
From € 3,295 per week for 2 adults and 2 children including a family pass (1 day Val Louron, 1 day Piau-Engaly, 2 days Saint-Lary and 2 days Peyragudes) and an entry to Balnéa.
Hotel Mercure Chemin de Rioutor, 65510 Loudenvielle.
Phone.
: 05 36 30 30 30.
49 slopes
: 6 green, 22 blue, 17 red, 4 black (Peyragudes).
The off-ski activity to discover:
the Snooc, a playful hybridization between a ski touring and a paret, allowing you to hurtle down the snowy slopes.
To be tested on the new XXL toboggan course open on track 007. Price: € 10.
Peyragudes package:
€ 42 / day, € 220/6 days.
Ski pass:
€ 240/6 days (no day pass).
Tourist office:
Pyrénées2Vallées
Read also In the heart of the Pyrenees, five experiences in a grandiose and unspoiled nature
Le Mônetier-les-Bains, Serre-Chevalier Valley (Hautes-Alpes)
Le Mônetier-les-Bains gives access to the 250 km of slopes in the Serre Chevalier Vallée area.
Zoom
Don't be fooled by its peaceful village appearance. Oriented due north, perched at 1495 m at the gates of the Ecrins National Park, Le Mônetier-les-Bains displays a strong mountain character and unison slopes that attract die-hard skiers in search of authenticity. A sector oriented off-piste and ski touring that quieter skiers will abandon to find their happiness on the some 250 km of slopes of the Serre Chevalier Vallée area (80 years old this year), to which Le Mônetier is attached, just like Briançon ( magnificent Vauban fortifications to discover), Chantemerle Saint Chaffrey and La Salle les Alpes. Everyone will meet at the Grands Bains du Mônetier, a spa complex supplied by natural hot springs renowned since the Roman Empire.
Ouverture : le 11 décembre.
Où dormir : à l'Alliey & Spa, un appart'hôtel entièrement rénové qui propose 15 appartements de 2 à 6 personnes, une maison d'hôtes dans le village et un spa Yonka. À partir de 1 620 € l'appart-hôtel pour 2 personnes.
Alliey & Spa : 320 Rte de Grenoble, 05220 Le Monêtier-les-Bains. Tél : 04 92 24 40 02.
81 pistes : 13 vertes, 26 bleues, 29 rouges, 13 noires.
L'activité hors ski à découvrir : le Mountain Kart, un bolide à trois roues sans moteur pour dévaler, depuis le sommet du domaine, en toute sécurité une piste dédiée de 2 km et 300 mètres de dénivelé. Tarif : à partir de 14 €.
Forfait domaine : 54 €/jour, 277 €/6 jours.
Office de tourisme : Le Mônetier-les-Bains.
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