brochure requestSchool ski holidays in Montgenevre
A convenient, natural ski area with a lovely old village. Next generation snow cannons and new lifts, add up to probably the best non-glacier conditions in France.
This is one of those rare resorts with everything! Montgenèvre is convenient, snowsure and extensive, with good skiing for all standards and high mileage available for those who want it. From the terrace of our ClubHotel you can see a white expanse of gently shelving nursery slopes fed by lifts. Beyond is a wide bowl, mostly above the trees, an uncrowded area with sunny, flattering runs. The ski pass includes Claviere which adds about 50% more skiing and intermediates can ski there and back. It also includes one day on the Milky Way which is a full day out but well worth getting up early for. There has been a lot of investment in recent years and the combined area offers more lifts, pistes and links every year. You can now ski north or south of the village and take advantage of cheap links to The Milky Way which was redeveloped for the 2006 Olympics. All in all this is a ski area with a big future.
Beginners have a great choice in the village and in the bowl. They can ski all the way home on a blue path to gain that invaluable sense of achievement. New, modern snow cannons guaranteeing better quality snow and the fencedoff area in the village are great news for novices. The ski school is friendly and the instructors speak good English.
Intermediates have sweeping blues, fast reds with easy moguls, some exciting paths twisting through trees, and the fantastic Colletto Verde into Italy. You reach this via a four-person chair with loading carpet which now goes further up the Rocher de l'Aigle with dramatic, craggy outcrops all the way. Then there's a steep but short black as well as a beautiful run, partially off-piste with tremendous views all the way down to Claviere. There are Napoleonic fortifications and a defunct mountain border post complete with bullet holes. The quad chair, "le Col Boeuf", greatly improves the uplift back to Montgenèvre.
Experts have three or four blacks and the cheap day extension to the Milky Way, giving over 400km of piste. Much of the Montgenèvre terrain gets unofficially pisted by skiers enjoying the gullies and trees between the piste, which almost doubles the advertised mileage.
Snowboarders will be pleased to hear that there's a board park with a double pipe (protected by snow cannons) at the base of the slopes.
Montgenèvre village is a delightful jumble of old stone buildings clustered around a church. Unlike most French resorts it's an authentic mountain community established on the pass for centuries, and it has loads of character. There's even a weekly market.
Montgenèvre was France's first ski resort and you can see the remains of the antique lift next to the old fort guarding the pass. Nightlife is friendly and fairly lively, centred on a sprinkling of bars and the ice rink. The bar of our hotel is one of the focal points. Montgenèvre village centre is now virtually traffic free thanks to a new underground tunnel for all the through traffic.
Village Facts
Traditional rural village on a high pass with a long skiing pedigree. First ski race held here in 1907. Perfect location makes it a natural ski resort. Convivial atmosphere in the little bars, shops and restaurants.
- Excursions to the Milky Way
- Bus to Briançon
- Tourist office
- Supermarket
- Patisserie
- Newsagent
- Sports shops
- Gift shops
- Ski clothing
- Doctor
- Pharmacy
- Nightclub
- Cafes
- Bars
- Skating
- Cinema (sometimes in English)
- Frequent ski races
- Torchlit descents
- Ski guiding of the Milky Way
