La Grave

La Grave Ski Resort

For legendary off piste, huge vertical and some of the world’s finest freeriding, look no further than the cult resort of La Grave.

Don’t come here unless you’re intending to ski or board some serious terrain – there is nothing here for beginners, intermediates or those with little off piste experience. But for those with the skills, La Grave is arguably the world leader for lift-accessed off piste. The couloirs, powder fields and glaciated terrain offer up some spectacular descents, dropping over 2000m from the top of the iconic gondola to Les Ruillans.

A mountain guide is recommended for anyone without real local knowledge, so why not let Ski Club Freshtracks take the strain and join one of the seven guided trips heading out to the resort this season? There are three long weekend trips and four week-long holidays heading out this winter – but book up quickly as spaces fill up fast.

Our La Grave Resort Ratings

• Beginner ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Intermediate ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Advanced ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Snow Reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Fast Lifts ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Resort Activities ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Après ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Value ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

La Grave Skiing and Snowboarding

This is a true expert-only resort. Whilst advanced skiers and boarders could tackle some of the marked itineraries from the top of the gondola, to really make the most of what’s on offer you need to be confident on all slopes in all conditions. Hiring a guide or booking on to a Ski Club Freshtracks holiday will make the experience even more special.

Long descents drop either side of the gondola line, either through the Vallons de Chancel or les Vallons de la Meije. Good snow is usually guaranteed on the upper parts, just be aware that in bad weather the gondola may not run. Short ascents on touring skis or on a splitboard then opens up an even wider array of options – again make sure you have a guide.

• Marked Ski Routes: 19km
• Lifts: 2
• Altitude: 1470m – 3534m

La Grave Piste Map

The local area piste map can be downloaded here.

La Grave Resort

The resort itself is small and quaint, with no frills and no distractions. Other than a few cosy bars and local amenities, there is not much in the way of après or off-snow activity, but after a long day of skinning, conquering couloirs and skiing powder, there’s no need for much else!

How to get to La Grave

Grenoble airport is the closest, with the transfer taking around an hour and a half. Lyon and Chambéry are both around two hours drive from La Grave.

• Grenoble airport: 1.5 hours
• Chambéry airport: 2 hours
• Lyon airport: 2 hours
• Calais: approximately 11 hours driving (586 miles)

La Grave Contact Details

• Website: www.la-grave.com
• Email: Via online form
• Telephone: +33 04 76 79 91 09
• Facebook: @telepheriquelagrave
• Instagram: @telepheriquelagrave
• Twitter: @satg05320