The wonderful Isère region in the Southern French Alps has some fantastic ski resorts. It also one of the easiest ski regions to reach by train — from the UK and other countries too. The closest train station to most of the ski resorts there is Grenoble – giving you access to 21 ski resorts from there. Grenoble is just three hours from Paris by TGV train, with multiple departures per day. Here's how to travel to Isère from the UK by train - in four steps.

Step 1: Take a Eurostar to Paris

Sit back, relax, read a book, look at the scenery gliding by, go to the cafe bar, have a conversation with a fellow passenger. Before you know it, you are arriving at Paris Gare du Nord.

Step 2: Change from Paris-Nord to Paris-Lyon

Next you switch station from Paris-Nord, where the Eurostar arrives, to Paris-Lyon - the station from where the TGVs depart, to head to Isère. The easiest way to do this is with a pre-booked taxi. The driver waits for you at the end of the Eurostar platform, holding a placard with your name. Or, you can just turn up at the taxi rank,50 metres to the right of the Eurostar platform.

You can also use the RER (part of the Metro) which is pretty simple to do. When you get to Gare de Lyon, you can have lunch if there is time, or bring some food onto the TGV (which also has a cafe bar).

You can find all about these options in our guide to changing station from Paris-Nord to Paris-Lyon

Step 3: Whizz to Isère on the TGV

The TGV journey from Paris to Grenoble takes just three hours, passing through some splendid French countryside en route. The seats are comfortable and there’s a café bar on board TGV trains, too.

You may also want to see our guide to what the TGV is like.

Step 4: Transfer to resort

To reach your ski resort, there are two options: bus or taxi. The bus station is next to the train station and most bus Transaltitude schedules are timed to connect with arriving or departing trains. Journeys by bus don’t take much longer than by taxi, but if your accommodation is located far from where the bus arrives, you might prefer a taxi.

Ski resort	Bus duration	Taxi duration
Alpe d’Huez	1h 45m	1h 30m
Chamrousse	60 mins	50 mins
Le Collet	TBC	TBC
Les 2 Alpes	1h 45m	1h 15m
Les 7 Laux	60 mins	60 mins
Oz 3300	1h 30m	1h 30m
Vaujany	1h 30m	1h 10m
Villard-Corrençon	1h 10m	60 mins

Transaltitude - Isère bus timetables

©KLIP_VFD, Transaltitude bus en route

The bus company that runs buses from Grenoble to the surrounding ski resorts is called Transaltitude. Here are the bus timetables to seven of the ski resorts that we feature in this guide. In each case you can click below to opena and view the bus timetable PDF

Isère-by-train film

Last year, Snowcarbon Founder Daniel Elkan created a film about how to travel to Isère’s ski resorts by train. Here it is.

<p><strong>Snowcarbon London – Grenoble Journey Planner</strong></p> <p>To get an idea of the kind of timings that exist, here are some recommended journeys from London to Grenoble for the 2022-23 winter season. These journeys are hand-researched based on timings for the forthcoming season.</p> <p><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 600px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ex/journeyplanner?display=so&destination_name=grenoble&loco2&transfer=1&layout=responsive&logo=none&filter=off" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">

You can visit the Isère Attractivité website here: Isère Attractivité

Eight resorts in Isère

Ski journalist and Snowcarbon writer Rupert Mellor has created resort reviews of eight resorts in Isère, to give you more idea of what they are like. Here they are.

ALPE D’HUEZ

Alpe d’Huez has long been renowned as an exceptional destination for families and newbies

due to its generous selection of easily accessible beginner slopes and great-value lodging and dining offers. But this lively resort in the Grandes Rousses massif has plenty to put a full-beam grin on the face of downhillers of every stripe.

For a start, there’s an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, earning the south-facing village the nickname ‘the island of sun’. Then there are the 250km of slopes that put an ear- popping 2,200m of total vertical drop at your ski tips, topping out at Pic Blanc’s spectacular 3,300m summit. Not to mention some 70 off-piste routes, and five epic itineraries including the legendary Sarenne, at 16km the longest black piste on the planet.

Niche needs are amply served by 50km of cross-country skiing trails, skijoring – being towed on snow by a horse – two snowparks, one of which, the 20-hectare Snowpark des Jeux, is one of the Alp’s biggest, and a freestyle park. And from this season, it’s even easier to access all this alpine awesomeness, with two new high-speed lifts further fine-tuning the ski area’s stellar infrastructure. The resort has been working hard on its eco credentials too, and this season introduces its first hydrogen-powered groomer and hydrogen-retrofitted bus.

Alpe d’Huez has also gained fame as a daunting stage of the Tour de France, and even in deepest winter there’s loads to do when it’s time to unclip your skis or snowboard. There are two dedicated tobogganing areas, ice climbing, outdoor laser games, curling, an outdoor skating rink, escape games, paragliding, a large sports centre and even an art gallery in an ice cave at 2,700m. And the resort’s alpine coaster, a rail-mounted toboggan ride, comes with a unique high-tech twist, letting guests ride either au naturel, or through a wild digital environment courtesy of a virtual-reality headset.

Good-value accommodation of every style is an Alpe d’Huez hallmark, and the choice has never been more varied and characterful. As of this season, those partial to post-piste plushness have luxurious new four- or five-star lodgings to choose from in the Odalys Prestige Apart-Hotel l’Eclose. Another standout is the three-star PopAlp, a hotel/art gallery hybrid which celebrates funky 1960s aesthetics through sculpture, paintings, murals and quirky interior design.

Big enough to host 28,000 guests, Alpe d’Huez has always been an enjoyable place to party – a rep sealed in 2014 with the establishment of an outpost of La Folie Douce, famously France’s premier on-slope venues for bubbly-spraying, Ibiza-style indulgence. In the village après appetites are well served by the likes of New Sphere Bar, Free Ride Café (complete with slide-accessed loos) and Smithy’s Tavern, with L’Igloo and Les Caves de l’Alpe serving up wee-hours options. Then again, for a cosier social of an evening, you can book your crew a fondue dinner in an igloo through the local Bureau des Guides.

On top of all this, the resort stirs in a diverse and dynamic annual events calendar, which this winter ranges from the Moguls World Cup in December to The International Comedy Film Festival in January to March’s weeklong banging beats fiesta, Tomorrowland Winter.

CHAMROUSSE

Just 30km from Grenoble in the Belledonne range, Chamrousse has 90km of varied pistes, including the famous Casserouse, where French ski legend Jean-Claude Killy bagged Olympic gold in 1968. Gnarly world-class skills are not required though: here intermediate skiers and snowboarders with a penchant for pacy reds and cruisey blues are best served of all. Beginners meanwhile will find lots of gentler terrain above the Chamrousse 1750 hub. And black, red and blue routes all funnel down from the Croix de Chamrousse, at 2,250m the resort’s highest point and an unmissable vantage point for a 360-degree panorama across the Oisans, Vercors and Chartreuse ranges. Fun zones include two snowparks and for families the play slope La Montagne de Téo in the middle of forest, two tobogganing areas and a snowtubing piste. Several lifts open for DJ-soundtracked sunset skiing every Saturday evening.

The adventurous have plenty of off-piste terrain to explore – and guides who always know the best powder stashes are available to hire – plus ski touring trails including a dedicated

3km night route. The Arselle plateau meanwhile is a magnet for cross-country skiers, who find here 44km of tracks of all levels criss-crossing lush spruce forest at 1,600m. A pristine alpine wetland, it’s also classified an ‘espace naturel sensible’ (sensitive natural area) for its unique ecological make-up. The local passion to protect the local environment is no surprise – Chamrousse is one of only 20 resorts to be awarded the coveted Flocon Vert for its commitments to sustainability. Coming soon is a new hydrogen station that will power the resort’s shuttles and official vehicles.

Great value, across lift passes, lodgings and dining is a hallmark of Chamrousse, which falls into three village bases. Hotels with fitness and swimming facilities, private rental chalets, apartments and motor home pitches are all available, and the resort’s website bristles with promotional deals. As of last season, a stylish option for large groups is l’Étincelle, twin rental homes for 12 and 14 guests respectively. Smartly renovated in 2021 and formerly a youth hostel for almost 50 years, this is one of Chamrousse’s oldest buildings. When it’s time to dine, don’t miss a lunch at La Croix de Chamrousse, which serves free side orders of breathtaking views with every meal.

Nor do you need to ski or snowboard to get your outdoor kicks Chamrousse-style: the slopes also host snowshoeing, dog-sledding, ice diving, winter mountaineering, snowmobiling and a 2.1km toboggan run that’s also open during Saturdays’ night skiing sessions. Gentler pursuits include themed, guided hikes to discover local birdlife, and aperitif-boosted horse-drawn sleigh rides in the Nordic ski area.

New this winter is an adrenalising world-class attraction, the planet’s biggest pylon- supported zip line. Nearly 2km long, the ride plunges one or two riders at a time down 600 vertical metres, reaching speeds of up to 90kmh, with stunning views of Grenoble as a backdrop. New too is the free Chamrousse Explor Game, a phone-driven outdoor treasure hunt that teaches players about the area’s history, flora and fauna.

LE COLLET

Sitting high above the ancient glacial Grésivaudan valley, just 50km from both Grenoble and Chambery, Le Collet offers a gentler kind of snowsports holiday that’s firmly aimed at families. With 35km of piste, the ski area is compact, but varied, including four black runs, two of them through scenic alpine forest. As of this winter, there’s also a new fun zone, the Tétras Délire Park, with cute animal mascots that introduce young skiers and snowboarders to local wildlife.

But this little resort is designed for more than just mileage, and after dark every Tuesday and Friday, Le Collet hosts the biggest illuminated nightskiing playground in Europe, its ten floodlit runs accounting for half of the whole ski area and stretching the downhilling day to 10pm.

Nor are all Le Collet fans taking it easy. This is one of the few resorts to offer a slope dedicated to the spectacular sport speedriding, the skiing/paragliding hybrid that uses a small sail to let skiers ‘fly’ for short sections of their descents. It’s great to watch, and

qualified instructors are on hand when you’re ready for lift-off. Paragliding is also available here, as are electric fat biking, ice skating, skijoring, an outdoor escape game and airboarding – gliding downhill on inflatable bodyboards. And you can test these out – along with Yooners, a kind of seated ski scooter, and the multi-rider ‘snake-gliss’ sledge – for free with Le Collet’s entertainment team, when the ski lifts stop for the day.

Le Collet’s small size has allowed it to tread lightly on its environment, and local guides are proud to show guests around their pristine surroundings and share their knowledge. Various snowshoe tours led by mountain guides take place by day and night, including an alpine- survival-themed course. Under-tens can take a nature discovery tour on small ponies, and the starry-eyed of all ages can ride the Claran chairlift by night with local astronomer Nadège Perrot, ‘La Bergère des Étoiles’ (Shepherdess of the Stars), for an evening learning about the night sky at 2,100m.

Offering well-priced lift passes and all-in packages, Le Collet has guest accommodation options ranging from hotels to motor home sites to remote refuges, and a broad range of self-catering apartments. Pampering fans love the Terrasses du Collet, a collection of 12 smart chalets with swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room – and, crucially, a cosy restaurant serving classic alpine fare. Wraparound views of the Chartreuse and Belledonne massifs are just a welcome bonus. And there’s a selection of authentic, well-priced dining options in the ski area’s three lift hubs. Two lunch spots to note are snack bar L’Écureuil (The Squirrel) and The Very, which dishes up hearty, traditional French fare at 1640m, staying open late on night skiing days.

Every Wednesday evening Le Collet puts on a show that’s free for all, featuring demos by ESF instructors, torchlight descents, fireworks and music. And while nightlife here is more cosy than crazy, you’ll find a convivial nook at the Bar Ambiance Rest’au Rhum until late.

LES 2 ALPES

When you think about Les 2 Alpes, think big. Big altitude – with its loftiest lift downloading at 3,568m on Dôme de la Lauze, it has officially the highest ski area in France, and year- round glacier skiing to boot. And with 70 per cent of runs above 2,000m, that’s about as ‘snowsure’ as it gets. Big runs – the 76-year-old resort has 220km of pistes, and you can link runs from the top to guzzle a full 2300m of vertical descent without ever troubling a lift. Nor does big mean scary, not in this town. Any blue-confident skier can drop 2,000m on linked runs, all the way from Dôme to village. And big choice – with around 32,000 guest beds, this welcoming, unpretentious, ski-in/ski-out resort has lodgings of every type and style, and a dining and nightlife offer to match.

Les 2 Alpes has always been happy to leave the highest-end trimmings to more exclusive resorts, which has shaped a versatile accommodation range that’s big on value. And while four-star establishments such as Chalet Mounier serve polished luxury with panache, a particularly wallet-friendly trend currently playing out stylishly here is for high-quality hotel/hostel hybrids such as Base Camp Lodge and The People Hostel.

The diverse internationalism of the resort’s visitors meanwhile has rubbed off on an exceptional food offer that ranges from hearty alpine staples to Michelin-starred modern French fine dining at Le P’tit Polyte to health-forward vegan-friendly fusion spots like the hip Yonder Café.

Culture’s big here too. Today’s modern resort rubs shoulders with the quaint historic village of Venosc, whose cute, centuries-old pedestrianised streets and alleys are lined with high- quality artsy shops and stir a charming traditional aesthetic into the mix. In the many entertainment venues, shows range from orchestral concerts to comedy nights to exhibitions to musical theatre.

And to everything it does, Les 2 Alpes brings big energy. This year, its proven form in putting on large-scale on-mountain sporting and music events won it hosting rights for four years for both FIS’ Ski and Snowboard Cross World Cup events. And the season had hands-in-the- air lift-off with the eighth edition of the weeklong Rise Festival, which draws crowds of 6,000 to see artists that have included Bicep, Craig David, Sister Sledge and Annie Mac. A packed calendar continues with events including kids’ sporting challenges, firework-lit skiing demos and nighttime downhill racing. You can feel it too in the resort’s many late-night clubs, among which l’Avalanche and Smithy’s Tavern are time-proven troupers.

Back on the mountain, that energy’s everywhere you look, from the vast, feature-packed freestyle area Les 2 Alpes Snowpark to the ski schools giving lessons after lifts have closed so their clients don’t miss an on-mountain minute to the gaggles of whooping skiers and snowboarders ripping up off-piste powder to the raucous afternoon revelry at Pano Bar, which was rocking the slopes before La Folie Douce was a twinkle in its founder’s eye. And it runs through a broad range of non-ski activities, from electric mountain biking to paragliding to snowshoeing and trail running. Just as well the town has an excellent pedigree in restorative relaxation and wellness facilities too.

LES 7 LAUX

Les 7 Laux is a mini off-piste Mecca to those in the know. Rich in couloirs, jumps and silky powder runs, it has taught generations of locals their backcountry basics, and is blessed with a geography that lets freeriders of all levels test their limits within easy reach of lifts, and with a wealth of expert instructors on hand to keep them safe. There’s also the pristine, protected Vallons du Pra wilderness area to explore.

Not that the 120km of marked pistes, linking the three villages Prapoutel, Pipay and le Pleynet and packing in 1050m of vertical drop, don’t have plenty to keep every kind of downhiller busy. The adventurous are particularly well served, by seven black runs plus seven black freeski trails. Cross-country afficionados can feast here too, with 25km of Nordic trails in the Beldina area, and a stunning 3km loop at 1,950m at the top of the Pincerie lift, with a 360-degree peak-packed panorama for a selfie backdrop. Ski touring passes here, accessing three chairlifts, give exceptional value. And ski tourers can even start their sporting day at sunrise on a dedicated trail from Prapoutel that’s open from 5am.

Young guests are key to the on-mountain offer here, and Les 7 Laux lays on special wildlife- themed fun pistes, as well as Warrior Mole Camp, an off-ski entertainment village for four- to 12-year-olds, with games, play trails, activities and a maze. And Wiz Luge, an alpine coaster that curves, twists and turns down 700m of vertical descent, brings out the kid in everyone. There’s an eight-hectare snowpark too, with features for all levels and a 3km boardercross course.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, Les 7 Laux is adding a series of special events themed ‘Joie de Vivre’ to its regular hospitality offer, which is homespun, well-priced, and warmly welcoming. Simple holiday apartments make up the majority of accommodation, which along with most restaurants and bars is centred around Prapoutel. Quirkier, more characterful digs are to be found at, among others, the charming, lakeside former farmhouse Gîte de l’Ancolie and the remote, snowshoe-to Habert d’Aiguebelle, a highly recommended high-altitude overnighter, away from it all. And for a special meal, Le Rocher Blanc (watch out for the free shots!) and Le Mélèze are worthy candidates.

Back on the mountain, when you’ve carved your fill you can explore nature trails on showshoes, paraglide above it all, take a night-time ride in a piste groomer or make like a musher on a dog-sledding ride in Le Pleynet or nearby La Ferrière. Relaxation is a religion here too, and as well as yoga classes and the indulgent, Japanese-themed treatments at the Bédina spa, you can sample ‘cardiac coherence’, a breathwork-based wellness practice taught out in the crisp alpine air.

And while nightlife here is low-key, many Wednesday and Thursday evenings feature public entertainments including torchlight descents, fireworks and ‘soirées ski floor’, where you can ski to a disco-themed sound and light show and the sonic stylings of DJ Benjy.

OZ 3300

Formerly Oz en Oisans, this cluster of ten tranquil mountain hamlets has been rechristened this season to celebrate its ski area’s highest lift-linked point – the spectacular 3,300m summit of Pic Blanc, via Alpe d’Huez. Ski-in/ski-out, and characterised by small-scale traditional buildings in timber and stone, this unique, car-free destination lets you ski as big – or small – as you please. Go large via cable car to Alpe d’Huez and spank 250km of pistes, or take it nice and easy on the 70km of scenic local slopes shared with neighbouring Vaujany, and serving up an impressive 1675m of vertical descent. You’ll find plenty in their varied terrain to challenge you there too, if challenge you seek, and night skiing with torchlight descents every Wednesday.

Even if you stay local, you’ll not be short of alpine thrills. A signature Oz experience is a sunset descent, accompanied by a guide, from the imposing, 2,800m Dôme des Rousses peak. And as host since 1997 of the world-famous ski mountaineering race La Pyramide d’Oz, Oz has an ace up its sleeve for ski tourers – its 2.5km course at an altitude of 2,000m on the Plateau des Lacs des Petites Rousses. Other activities include ice climbing, Nordic walking, ski touring on dedicated routes, a nature-themed outdoor escape game, snowshoeing, telemarking, outdoor yoga at 2,100m and more. There’s a 35-route indoor climbing centre too, and you can even learn biathlon, the Nordic sport combining cross- country skiing and rifle shooting.

Nuzzled by thick fir forest, Oz’s villages set a mellow, back-to-nature tone which has become even more peaceful this season with the opening of the Eau d’Olle Express, the French Alps’ first new-generation, low-impact valley lift. Linking Allemond in the Olle Valley below to Oz 3300, the new lift now allows thousands of visitors to leave their cars in the valley, saving more than 230 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Memorable activities when skis are stowed include a trapper evening, offered by the team at Ranch de l’Oisans, snowshoeing at sunset with huskies into the forest for a dinner cooked on a wood fire in the open air. And to the familiar ski-resort dog-sledding formula, these canny handlers have added a specially designed kid-friendly dog-sled that lets three- to eight-year-olds safely take their first steps into solo musherdom. Another unique Oz activity is watercolour-painting workshops, capturing the Belledonne massif’s captivating peakscapes, hosted by local artist Emeline.

Among Oz’ mountain restaurants, chic L’Aventure offers something a little different, with sunny seafood recipes that reflect the chef’s roots in the south of France rubbing shoulders with refined takes on classic alpine dishes. Simpler – but no less delicious – are the wood- fired pizzas at the well-loved La Grange off the Alpette lift.

And whether you prefer a smart hotel with pool, sauna and spa treatments, a luxurious private chalet or simple traditional guesthouse, Oz’ versatile accommodation offer has you covered.

VAUJANY

Access to a whopping, world-class ski area wrapped in traditional charm is the hallmark of Vaujany, a historic village of 350 residents at the foot of the Grandes Rousses massif. This 1,000-year-old community only welcomed its first skiing guests in 1989, and has since taken care to cultivate a mellow, family-oriented vibe with high-quality services, refined lodging and dining offers and imaginative activities. And its tiered topography and strict, chalet-style architectural codes beam wraparound views of towering cliffs, jagged peaks and the spectacular La Fare waterfall into every sight line.

For adventurous and mileage-minded skiers and snowboarders, state-of-the-art lift links stand ready to whisk you into Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine’s 250km of wildly varied slopes. But the 53km of local pistes, shared with neighbouring Oz 3300, are also well worth exploring – as noted by the FIS, which this season brings the Alpine Skiing European Cup’s women’s slalom event to town. And while the lion’s share is tailored to leisurely intermediate skiing spiced with some long and pacy red runs, there are also a couple of black-graded thrillers, notably the famous La Fare run, which delivers 800m of vertical drop as it hoons between snow-laden firs and steep cliffs. The high-altitude cross-country skiing area is a corker too, comprising 30km of scenic trails, while the gentle snowpark at Montfrais is a boon for L-plated junior jibbers.

Vaujany’s freeride game too is strong, with Perrins Sud and Épaule two of the many local guides’ favourite recommendations. Guided ski touring courses are also available at various skill levels. All downhillers are welcome to sign up for ‘first tracks’ descents with ski patrollers before the lifts open, and confident skiers and snowboarders can join guides as lifts close for a high-altitude twilight tasting of regional products, before a sunset descent from the 2,800m Dôme des Rousses. The ESF also offers guided sunset snowshoe hikes.

Down in the village the standard of accommodations, from simple apartments to swishy four-star hotels, is surprisingly cosmopolitan Zermatt-worthy V de Vaujany hotel is the town diva. This year the historic, three-star Hotel Les Cîmes unveils a plush new facelift, as does Résidence de l’Etandard, offering smart, modern rental apartments.

When it comes to dining options, little Vaujany punches above its weight, with Le Stou and Le Vyonnais favourite purveyors of staples, and the stylish Ida a standout, showcasing local produce in inventive ways and Instatastic surroundings. Once a week, the mountain restaurant Les Airelles stays open late to host a Savoyard fondue evening, with rides home by piste groomer. Another signature evening experience is a fondue dinner aboard the Enversin gondola, suspended beneath stars between the village and soaring Grandes Rousses rock faces.

And in Vaujany, kids are kings. An international-standard sports and leisure centre – comprising one of the village’s three spas, wellness fans – offers everything from pools with slides to curling, ice-skating, climbing wall, sports courts and bowling alley. At the cultural centre, they can even fly a plane over the local landscapes, courtesy of a high-tech, immersive flight simulator.

VILLARD / CORRENÇON

Villard Villard Correncon- pic 3 - 400px Villard Correncon- pic 4 - 400px Villard Correncon- pic 2 - 400px Villard Correncon- pic 1 - 400px

Deep immersion in nature and local culture comes as standard with every winter break in Villard-Corrençon. In the heart of the protected, 135,000-hectare Regional National Park of Vercors, this 125km ski area links the neighbouring communes of Corrençon-en-Vercors and Villard-de-Lans, and has an earthily authentic, sporty character.

Locals’ passion for protecting the spectacular landscape, characterised by vaulting cliff faces and velvety wooded slopes that evoke the grandeur of the great American national parks, is palpable. One of many notable businesses walking their eco talk is Le Clariant close to Corrençon, a lovely, log cabin-style restaurant in the woods that serves almost exclusively organic local fare without using running water or grid electricity, rather powering their work with recycled rainwater and solar panels.

A similar proposition is offered at the Malaterre auberge, with traditional costumes and storytelling about local lore thrown in. And a stay at Zecamp, established by three Olympic and World Cup athletes, lets you live lighter in stylish modern comfort, while rubbing shoulders with supersporty clientele – as the large gym, cold recovery bath, healthy menus and frequent courses in biathlon and cross-country skiing attest. Or shrink your carbon footprint still further by building and spending a night in an igloo, with local guide Xavier Mulatier.

The 116-year-old, family-oriented ski area is today one of the Vercors massif’s largest, and with 900m of vertical drop divides its runs evenly across all skill levels. Wide-open, cruisey pistes and panoramic powder fields set the tone, but there’s real variety here, and those seeking a heart-in-mouth challenge can pit themselves against black runs Le Grand Couloir, Chamois and the Rhodo moguls. And the 2,150m Petit Moucherolle peak gives access to many excellent off-piste lines on a powder day. Beginners meanwhile can drink in big alpine views from the runs coming down from the top of the Pré des Preys gondola. And all ages and skill levels can play in the new-this-season family snowpark off the Refuge chairlift, which has a kids’ park, boardercross and features.

You can also toboggan – notably in Villard’s Toboggan and Ski Park, with six sledding runs, bobsleigh, airboards and more – or ski tour on dedicated trails, go dog sledding, showshoe, hire a fat bike or give telemarking a try. There’s also a fun outdoor escape game themed around the mythical Yeti of Vercors.

And, with a total of 500km trails, Vercors is something of a Mecca for cross-country skiers, and Villard-Corrençon puts a cool 155km of these at your ski tips. Biathlon is big too, and everyone from rookie to expert can take a shot at Corrençon’s Biathlon Area du Vercors’ twin shooting ranges.

There’s a vast and varied range of guest accommodation in the area, which reflects its 100-plus years as a destination for mountain wellness tourism. And after all that sport, you can treat your muscles to a well-earned recharge at the spas at Corrençon’s Hôtel de Clarines or Villard’s charmingly old-school Grand Hôtel de Paris.

More Ideas

Travel to Isère by train

Lille stopover journeys to the Alps

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