Chalet accommodation in the Southern French Alps

Simply put we are in a walking paradise, where the majority of outdoor activists are mountain hikers. In our valley there are over 740km of marked paths, and in the Hautes Alpes a total of 6,800km. The trails vary from a family circuit taking less than an hour through to major multi-day routes. The season runs from April until November and with 300 days of sunshine good weather is almost guaranteed! On our doorstep is the Ecrins National Park (30 times larger than the Chamonix Valley) with a huge range of wildlife including Chamois, Ibex and Golden Eagles, and 1,800 varieties of plant life and flowers including Edelweiss and alpine orchids.

click here for walks in Gerendoine, Ailefroide and Ecrins National Park

From AlpBase you can access a total of over 1000 km’s of downhill pistes, and almost unlimited off-piste action; we are in the middle of the Hautes Alpes, one of Europe's top ski and board destinations. The skiing is VERY snowsure, the pistes are normally quiet, the locals very friendly, and its much cheaper than the Northern Alps!
Pelvoux - 5 minutes drive away - 25Km of downhill pistes
Puy-St-Vincent - 10 minutes drive - 75Km of downhill pistes
Serre Chevalier - 20 minutes drive - 250Km of downhill pistes
Vars/Risoul - 30 minutes drive - 180Km of downhill pistes
Montgenèvre/Milky Way - 40 minutes drive - 400Km of downhill pistes
La Grave - 1 hour away - Off-piste capital of Europe!

Here in the Hautes Alpes Mountain Biking is now very developed. From early April until mid November you can access thousands of kilometers of specialist lift-assisted downhill courses, all day All Mountain trails, multi-day X-Country itineraries and gentle family routes that take as little as 30 minutes!
The variety of terrain is huge including high altitude trails, forest roads, and big gutsy descents, and other than July or August you won't see a soul! We mountain bike regularly as a family, and so we have explored most of the area's gems. We are always on hand to offer advice and trail topos, and from most of our chalets and apartments you can ride straight out onto a waymarked trail.

Coming soon. Please be patient!

AlpBase is surrounded by mountain cols and beautiful cycling tours, the most famous of which is the Col de Lautaret (2,057m) regularly used in the alpine section of the Tour de France, as well as local events such as the Giro d'Italia, and the Luc Alphand Sportive. Other killer cols around us include the Col du Galibier (2,642m), one of the highest in France, and the very long Col d'Izoard (2,360m) – enough to satisfy the leanest and meanest!
I have ridden every month except December and January here in the Hautes Alpes. It's a huge area and the centre of Alpine road cycling. That's why the Tour de France comes through this region every year. Enjoy!

Snowshoeing in Winter is the perfect way to experience the mountains. Whether it's a gentle walk on a snow covered path to areas that are simply unreachable by car, or an easy stroll along the marked trails by the side of X-C ski pistes, snowshoeing will guarantee you amazing beauty, a real sense of alpine Winter and a huge appetite!
All you need are a pair of snowshoes and ski poles, available for hire at any of our local outdoor gear shops. If you stay in one of our chalets or apartments you can literally walk from your doorstep.
Snowshoeing is for anyone, no matter what your age. It is great for couples, groups and families. If you have children take some sledges and have a walk to find the best slopes or someplace special for that giant snowman. It's a hoot and a grand day out!
Check the tab NOTES below for ESSENTIAL INFO!

In the words of the European crag climber’s bible - The Jingo Wobbly “Europe” guide book:
“The (Durance) Valley makes power climbing here a soft summer recreation, with beer intervals! 300 days of sunshine a year = a wobbly paradise”. These words inspired me to relocate our family to the Southern French Alps in 2003. And I am happy to say this area has just got better and better each year as new crags, sectors, routes and multi-pitch playgrounds continue to be developed. Currently there are 80+ actual climbing sites (crags). Most of which have at least 3 different sectors and each sector has between 10 and 20 actual routes. Plus there are 6 different rock types – Limestone, Granite, Conglomerate, Gabbro, Quartzite, and Gneiss and the grade range runs from Fr.3 routes just for children to Fr.8c+. Route length is anything from 2m. high boulders to 650m. Big Wall routes!