Nearest resorts to AlpBase

Puy-St-Vincent/Pelvoux | Serre chevalier | Risoul/Vars | Mongenevre
La Grave | Les Deux-Alpes | Alpe-d’Huez


Risoul / Vars

Distance from AlpBase: 40 minutes drive

Mountain data:
Altitude: 1,660 - 2750m
Vertical Drop: 1100m
Lifts: 56
Pistes: 180km
Green: 20%
Blue: 40%
Red: 30%
Black: 10%
Artificial snow: 30km
Cross Country: 25km of trails
Recco detectors used

What’s it like?
We like this place. Unknown to the Brits this place is often uncrowded, and offers big open skiing and snowboarding. Very sunny and warm even in midwinter, has the feel of a local resort rather than a big league one, yet offers a huge amount of terrain for the money. Lift operators have time to chat and we always find people are extremely friendly, polite and helpful.

For snowboarders its great – off-piste couloirs, open terrain, powder bowls and yes even a jib park, bordercross and half pipe. The World Snowboard Guide 2001 rates it 6 out of 10 and says, “it’s a cool place to ride”. We love the guide’s note on the nightlife – “head to the Yeti (little Holland), where you must drink more booze than the Dutch dude, then leave him on the floor and take off with his girlfriend.”

Risoul has a flying kilometre run for speed skiing so if you fancy some 100kph action go for it! Observing speed skiing freaks is another positive experience that is absolutely free.