New services from Monarch Airlines (monarch.co.uk/ski) to Grenoble in the French Alps will open up intriguing possibilities for skiers and boarders this winter.
Grenoble, a former Winter Olympic host city, is the gateway to the southern French Alps. Home to some of the best French ski areas, the new flights will put skiers and boarders within a few hours’ transfer of these.
But Grenoble has many advantages over Geneva for skiers heading to the northern French Alps, too – roads from the Swiss airport to the French Alps are invariably clogged up, whereas the lack of congestion when approaching from the south means quicker journey times, even though distances may be slightly greater.
Now, you can opt to use the Grenoble flights to access Les 3 Vallées, La Plagne and Les Arcs, Chamonix or, indeed, any resort in the French Alps.
Big In The South
The southern French Alps offer lots of sunshine, a laid-back atmosphere and, in many cases, lower prices than their northern neighbours. Furthermore, many resorts in the region are still among the world’s largest, with huge ski areas and vast verticals. Being that bit closer to the Med isn’t a problem for snow cover either as several destinations have glacier-capped ski slopes stretching above 3000m.
Les 2 Alpes is a world-class resort with one of the largest ski areas in the Alps – 220km of piste, incorporating Europe’s largest glacier summer ski area. Its 2268m lift-served vertical is one of the biggest on the planet. Add to this a huge range of après-ski options, and a reputation as one of the most family-friendly ski areas in France, and you have an all-round winner.
Another of the world’s top resorts, and only 99km from Grenoble, is Alpe d’Huez, which also offers one of the greatest unbroken verticals in the world (2230m). Built above the original village of Huez, the resort has expanded in all directions over the past 20 years. There is a huge beginners area directly above the resort; and on a clear day, those who venture to the top station of the lifts will be treated to a view of one-fifth of France.
Serre Chevalier (with 250km of runs, one of the ten largest ski areas in France) has been growing in popularity with Brits over the past few years. Now run by the same company that operates many of the top French resorts, it offers traditional village charm and the option of being based in the atmospheric ancient city of Briançon. In fact, “Serre Che” is made up of 13 villages (three main ones) spread out for 6km along the Guisane Valley floor from Briançon. The north-facing larch-lined slopes above (most over 2000m ) are lift-linked all the way from the town.
Located 90 miles from Grenoble, 1800m above sea level and only a few hundred metres from the Italian border, Montgenèvre is one of the original altitude ski resorts, with a century of snow-sports heritage. It is also the only French resort on the giant Milky Way ski area that stretches, by lift and piste, for 440km (one of the world’s five biggest ski areas) to link to Italian resorts such as Sestriere and 2006 Winter Olympic host Sauze d’Oulx. Huge investment over the past few years has seen Montgenèvre transformed into one of the most pleasant, well-equipped and family-friendly resorts in France. A busy border road (the same one Hannibal and his elephants used 2000 years ago!) is now buried in a tunnel on the outskirts of the village, making the now semi-pedestrianised snow front home to great resort facilities and putting skiers only steps from the slopes.
Close To The Airport
Chamrousse may not be a name you’re familiar with but perhaps you should be – this was the venue for the Grenoble Winter Olympic downhill, where the great skier Jean Claude Killy won gold for his nation. Killy is the man behind the famous Espace Killy of Tignes and Val d’Isere to the north, another possibility from Grenoble. Chamrousse has 90km of piste, is one of the most affordable and family-friendly ski areas in the French Alps, and, for those who like a very short transfer, is a mere 56km from Grenoble airport.
So whether you want a mid-sized resort close to the airport, a world-class resort within a couple of hours’ transfer in the southern Alps, or a lower-stress route to the big-name ski areas of the northern French Alps, Grenoble is the perfect choice. The new Monarch flights, up to three times a week from Leeds, London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester, will make getting there this winter much easier.