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ISERE
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IT HAS TO BE
The name Isère is perhaps not one that’s too familiar to many British skiers, but it ought to be!
©OTLES2ALPES ©JOCELYNCHAVY
The name Isère is perhaps not one that’s too familiar to many British skiers, except as part of the name of a rather well-known ski resort. But it ought to be! The Isère region is home to four mountain ranges containing no less than 21 mountain resorts, making it France’s third-biggest mountain destination. Beyond those bare facts, Isère really is a spectacular winter playground. Easy to reach from the Winter Olympic city of Grenoble, there’s an exceptionally diverse range of resorts here from some of the biggest names in skiing, boasting huge ski domains and among the planet’s biggest verticals. But there are also smaller, off-the-radar resorts that offer a very special, intimate feel and a wonderful traditional French ambience. Whichever you choose, access from the UK is easy – fly to Grenoble Alpes Isère airport, take the train to Grenoble or make the easy drive from Calais.
HIGH ALTITUDE SKIING
Two of Isère’s best-known destinations are Les 2 Alpes and Alpe d’Huez, neighbouring world-class resorts in the Oisans Massif. Both offer summits above 3,000m, crowned with glaciers, and opening up vertical descents of more than 2,000m – both in the world’s top 10 by this measure. Unsurprisingly, they’re Isère’s two largest ski areas, each with hundreds of kilometres of runs, but also a remarkable variety of slopes, a mixture of both perfectly prepared pistes and exciting freeride terrain. In Les 2 Alpes you can ski an incredible 2,300m vertical drop without taking a single lift on your way down! Also, 70% of the ski slopes here lie above 2,000m altitude, and with Europe’s largest glacier ski area at the top of the slopes, this is one of the most snow-sure destinations in Europe. Alpe d’Huez is set high on a south-facing plateau at 1,860m, but despite its altitude it’s not really a purpose-built resort, having a long history stretching back more than a century. There has been lots of modern development over the past 60 years though, and ski-in/ski-out convenience (or very close to it) is widely available. The Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine Ski area also has a host of smaller, family-friendly sized villages dotted around the vast ski region, that all enjoy the same excellent slopes. These though are smaller and more family-friendly sized. The options include peaceful Auris-en-Oisans, bustling Oz-en-Oisans and charming Vaujany with its superb facilities on and off the slopes.
THE PISTES LESS TRAVELLED
Alongside those famous-name resorts, Isère boasts more off-the-beaten-track ski areas, especially for British skiers, where you can experience the Alps in a more fully French atmosphere. Les 7 Laux offers a wide variety of skiing alongside safe, secure access to the unspoilt freeriding wilderness of the Pra valleys. For freestylers, the resort’s terrain park is particularly highly regarded with multiple lines aimed at different ability levels. Above Grenoble is the resort of Chamrousse, which played host to all of the alpine skiing events at the 1968 Winter Olympic Games. It’s only 30km from the city so very quick and easy to reach. The resort enjoys stunning, panoramic views of the city below and the surrounding massifs. Not far from Les 7 Laux, at the tip of the Belledonne massif, you’ll find Le Collet, a family resort on a small scale with exceptional panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. In the Vercors Massif, one of the four mountain ranges that make up Isère, you’ll find more authentic French ski villages in the shape of the lively Villardde-Lans and charming Corrençon-en-Vercors. As they say, in Isère, your place is here; you just need to decide which resort you’ll discover this season.
Peak Retreats (023 9283 9310) is an awardwinning French Alps specialist featuring a selection of hand-picked charming resorts and authentic villages in Isère.
Arc 1950 Le Village has built a welldeserved reputation for being ultra-family-friendly, with comfortable, spacious ski-in/ski-out accommodation, fabulous food options, spa access and great childcare options. But we shouldn’t forget that this is part of the vast Les Arcs ski area, itself part of one of the world’s three biggest ski areas, Paradiski, with loads to challenge those looking for more of a high-octane week in the mountains, on and off the slopes. Arc 1950 Le Village sits below the cable car up to the Aiguille Rouge (3,226m), for example, accessing terrain only suited to good skiers and boarders including one of the most epic descents in the Alps, descending over 2,000 vertical metres to the valley floor below. And that’s just for starters when it comes to vast volumes of challenging terrain. Out of your ski boots too there’s plenty to entertain. The resort’s thrilling zip-line descent passes over the old Flying Kilometre run, which held the world speed skiing record for many years at more than 250kph; you’ll reach 130kph riding solo or tandem. There’s much, much more. Very grown-up high-speed toboggan runs, the highest altitude pedestrian suspension bridge in the Alps to wobble out on. If you really want to splurge, you can even invest in a Premium lift pass that, among its numerous benefits, allows you to queue jump. It doesn’t get much better than that!
