The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes

Les Saisies. Photo: C. Martelet. Rhône Alpes Tourisme. The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes.

The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes

Here I have put together the must-read guide to the Rhône Alpes. It is pretty inclusive so I’ll do it as a bit of a bullet point. But it is a good start where to see all their ski resorts and which ones could tempt you for your perfect ski holiday.
The Rhône Alpes is an extensive area in the Central West of France. From west to east it offers the Auvergne Volcanoes to Lyon and the French Alps and Mont Blanc. This is the roof of Europe at 4,810 meters.
Pointe d'Ireuse. View on Mont Blanc. Chablais Massif. Photo: Christian Matelet. Auvergne Rhône Alpes Tourisme. The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes.
Pointe d’Ireuse. View on Mont Blanc. Chablais Massif. Photo: Christian Matelet. Auvergne Rhône Alpes Tourisme. The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes.
 

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How to get there: The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes. 

 

By Air:

 
  • Paris Airport- transfer to Lyon is 45 minutes.
  • Geneva Airport
  • Chambery Airport
  • Grenoble Airport
 

By Train:

 
  • Paris – TGV (fast train)
  • London with the Eurostar
  • Brussels with the Thalis
 

By Car:

 
  • Lyon airport: 1-3 hours
  • Geneva airport: 1-3 hours
  • Chambery airport: 1-1.5 hours
  • Grenoble airport: 1-1.5 hours.
Sunset on the Grandes Jorasses. Mont Blanc Massif. Photo: Carmen Villa/Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Tourisme. The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes.
Sunset on the Grandes Jorasses. Mont Blanc Massif. Photo: Carmen Villa/Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Tourisme. The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes.
 
 

The French Alps – The Must-Read Guide to the Rhône Alpes

 
The French Alps are the most renown ski mountains in the world. Here are some specs to explain why:
  • It has been three times host of Winter Olympic games:
    • Chamonix in 1925 (first edition)
    • Grenoble, 1968
    • Albertbille, 1992.
  • The 3 Valleys is the world’s largest ski area, with 600 km of ski slopes and more than 200 cable cars. Most of the terrain is above 1800 m altitude.
  • There are different connected ski areas, or if you prefer to call them ski carousels.
    • Les 3 Vallées
    • Paradiski
    • Val d’Isère- Tignes.
  • It has the longest snow season in Europe, from November (October for Tignes this year!) to May.
  • It offers summer skiing from June to August at
    • Val d’Isére-Tignes
    • Les 2 Alpes
 
This guide will pinpoint the unique particularities of the different main ski resorts.
 

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Avalanche kills two in French Alps near Les 2 Alpes

Col de Sarenne - Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans-France. Photo: Nicolas Outh- Unsplash. What Will Happen to the English Consumers of the French Mountains after March 29?

Avalanche kills two in the French Alps near Les 2 Alpes

From: AP – The Sun Herald and Le Dauphine –

French officials say two have died after an avalanche in the Alps near the Deux-Alpes ski resort.

St Christophe-en-Oisans. Photo: Quentin Lagache- Unsplash. Avalanche kills person in French Alps; another missing.
St Christophe-en-Oisans. Photo: Quentin Lagache- Unsplash. Avalanche kills person in French Alps; another missing.

The police unit in charge of setting up the rescue operation and authorities in the Isere region said the avalanche struck late Tuesday morning.

The avalanche struck in on off-piste sector near the small town of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans.

Update from Le Dauphine:

14 H 05  : The accident occurred outside the landscaped area of ​​Les Deux-Alpes, on an area on the Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans side of La Toura, downstream and south of the Grand Creux breach. (2804 m). Côté Deux-Alpes (on the northern slope), several lifts lead to this sector of off-piste skiing: the chairlifts of Toura and Lac Noir. 

Many rescuers are currently working alongside Civil Safety and FAS helicopters. A dog team from the CRS Alpes, two from the resort of Les Deux Alpes and a dog team from Huez are on site. A dozen police officers from the CRS Alpes, trackers and station staff are involved in the research. 

Meteo France, in its bulletin snow and avalanche, reports for Tuesday of a risk 3 (scored) on a scale of 5.

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What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

Winter at Les 2 Alpes. Photo Nils Louna - Les 2 Alpes. Skiing amongst friends. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season – Les 2 Alpes season is well underway and the resort will be opened until 27th April 2019. This young, dynamic and international resort has guaranteed snow with ski-in/ski-out accommodation. Located at 1650 m with slopes from 1300 m to 3600, it offers a great vertical drop of 3000 m. Les Deux Alpes is home to 2,100 inhabitants, 3,000 seasonal workers and 29,265 tourist beds. The French make more than half its clientele, with 55.9% total visits while Britain is the leading non-French source of guests with 18.8% visits. This is followed up by Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic and Canada.

These tourist beds include 29 hotels, with two 4-star, eight 3-star, eight 2-star hotels amongst others.

Winter in Les 2 Alpes. Photo b Yoann Peisin. Les 2 Alpes. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.
Winter in Les 2 Alpes. Photo b Yoann Peisin. Les 2 Alpes. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

To get to Les 2 Alpes you can go by plane to Grenoble Alpes Isère airport (1h30m away), Lyon Saint Exupėry (2 hours) or Geneva airport (2h30m away). If you come by train, from Grenoble train station, it is one hour by car or 1h30 m by bus.

What is new in terms of investment and future projects:

A number of these long-term development projects have started in May 2018. Les 2 Alpes is positioning as benchmark and market leader amongst French ski resorts. Over the next five years, Les 2 Alpes’ large-scale projects represent an investment of almost 500 million Euros (ski lifts, ski run equipment, expanding the artificial snow cover, leisure properties and public infrastructure).

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Skiworld launch flash sale with big discounts on range of resorts

Darcy Conover skiing fresh corduroy down a steep snow covered groomed slope in the mountains at Aspen Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado - Aspen Mountain Announces Bonus Weekend June 1-2, 2019. Photo Aspen Snowmass.

Skiworld launch flash sale with big discounts on range of resorts

Flash sale on array of properties in wide selection of resorts, starting today and ending 12th October 2018.

Madeleine, Chalet in Val D'Isere, France, Firepace. Photo: Skiworld. Skiworld launch flash sale with big discounts on range of resorts
Madeleine, Chalet in Val D’Isere, France, Firepace. Photo: Skiworld. Skiworld launch flash sale with big discounts on range of resorts

Details of flash sale:

  • Save up to £400per person on selected European chalets. Dates include Christmas, New Year and 12th January. Prices as low as £499pp including flights, chalet board and transfers.

One of the best deals we have is 7 nights in catered Chalet Chanterelle in La Plagne, departing on the 22nd December 2018. This was £899pp and is now £599pp, saving a massive £300pp.

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