5 Best Ski Resorts in Isère

Alpe d’Huez is a prominent ski destination in the Central French Western Alps. It has around 250 km of marked ski slopes that are accessible via 84 ski lifts. The mountain regularly serves as a stage of the Tour de France cycling race. When it comes to winter activities, Alpe d’Huez appeals to just about everyone.

Thanks to its high-altitude terrain, Alpe d’Huez is very popular with experienced skiers and snowboarders. Those who love a challenge can tackle the 16-km-long Sarenne piste, which starts from Pic Blanc (3,300 metres) to Alpe d'Huez (1,860 metres).

Les 2 Alpes sits at an elevation of 1,650 metres, offering high-altitude skiing with expansive views of the French Alps. This long-standing ski resort has 96 runs (223 km in total), 2 snowparks, and around 800 hectares of challenging off-piste terrain. 

Beginner-friendly slopes in the resort are high up in Les 2 Alpes, while blue and red runs are concentrated around the mountain’s middle. One of its popular pistes involves a 2,300-metre vertical drop to the village of Mont-de-Lans. If you’re up for a challenge, backcountry skiing is very popular in neighbouring communes like Alpe d’Huez, La Grave, and Serre Chevalier.

Chamrousse offers great alpine skiing in the Belledone mountain range. The resort is widely known as the venue for 6 skiing events in the 1968 Winter Olympics. You can enjoy over 90 km of groomed ski runs across a 125-hectare terrain, along with 37 km of cross-country skiing trails. There’s a free shuttle bus to take you to different parts of the ski resort.

A popular piste for experienced skiers is the 1.75-km-long Couloir de Casserouss, which has a vertical drop of 440 metres. Visit Chamrousse in February to enjoy night skiing at the floodlit Gaboureaux run. The resort also offers thrilling adventures such as snowmobiling, paragliding, and snowshoeing.

Vaujany is a high-altitude village with over 30 km of ski runs facing the Grandes Rousses massif. It shares a modern cable car system with Alpe d’Huez, one of the largest ski destinations in the French Alps. The commune is around 95 km east of Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport.

Skiers and snowboarders of all levels can have lots of fun in Vaujany – its diverse terrain consists of 7 green, 11 blue, 9 red, and 3 black runs. The resort has an ice-skating rink, indoor swimming pool, and bowling alley, as well as a wide range of dining options.

Oz en Oisans lies between Vaujany and Alpe d’Huez, giving you plenty of skiing and snowboarding options in France. This traditional ski resort also offers excellent wintertime activities for families, such as snowshoeing, ice skating, and Nordic walking.

Oz en Oisans is part of the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine ski area, where advanced skiers can tackle a 2,205-metre vertical drop or a 16-km-long black run. Beginners can enjoy over 70 km of gentle pistes at the Oz/Vaujany skiing area. After a day on the slopes, you can enjoy authentic French cuisine and hospitality at one of Oz en Oisans’ many restaurants.