Is Montgenèvre Good for Beginners?
Whether you are a complete skiing novice or have tried it out once before, snow-sure Montgenèvre is THE resort to take this winter sport to the next level.
Montgenèvre sits naturally at 1,860m and is the only French village that connects to the famous Italian ‘Via Lattea’ or ‘Voie Lactee’ Milky way ski territory. Located in the Hautes-Alpes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, it is THE original high altitude ski resort of the area, dating back to the early 1900s.
Beginners Luck
As luck would have it, Montgenèvre is unquestionably one of the best-mixed ability resorts in Europe, so you don’t have to be a pro to take to the slopes. The real bonus for rookie skiers is that it is one of the best places in the Alps to learn to ski. It is the ideal ski destination for families and particularly good for beginner skiers, of all ages, to take to the snow.
The #1 Alpine Responsibility Code is ‘always stay in control’, and that is what Montgenèvre had in mind when creating the extensive beginner areas of the resort.
The main areas and features for beginner skiers are varied and purposeful. The layout of the slopes and the roomy, gentle runs will give every unsteady beginner a confidence boost, making it the ideal place to start. There is an impressive separate beginners area (50ha/50,000m2) alongside the village ‘front de neige’ as well as an easy-to-use conveyer-style people mover, known as the ‘magic carpet’ and five ski lifts serving the nursery slopes. In addition, there are seven green slopes and a number of easy blue runs to progress to. What is even more alluring is that some of these beginner-friendly runs are at the top of the resort, so beginners too can get a kick out of the pure alpine bliss of cruising through the trees as a newbie skier. Just be aware, some of the pistes are shared blue and red runs!
The Les Gondrans ski area, which is well suited to the early days of skiing, is accessible to beginners by the Telemix lift.
The cherry on the icing (or the snow) for beginners is the condition of the runs. The snow surface is groomed to ‘ultra-smooth’ by the snow tractors on a daily basis.
It’s worth mentioning too, that the authentic, relaxed vibe and sunny disposition that ‘Monty’ radiates (300 days a year of sunshine, no less – oh yes!) helps to ease the tension of the most nervous of novices, enabling inexperienced skiers to ease into it and take to the slopes.
Speaking of which, we recommend that you learn the basics from the professionals. There are specific ski areas allocated to the ski schools and the skilled instructors will get you up and running quicker than you might think! Let us organise lessons for you.
Once you have graduated from the safety of the nursery area and green slopes, the ‘Via Lattea’ beckons. Because Montgenèvre is right on the cusp of the Milky Way there are several areas beginners can be bold enough to venture to and explore.
The terrain and lift pass that connects Montgenèvre to Clavière is very manageable for beginners. Other areas of the ‘Via Lattea’ that are also suitable for beginners are, for example, the beginner area in Clavière (aided by a people mover) and the easy slopes and valley runs of Sauze d’Oulx.
Contact the team now and we will help organise your trip no matter what ski experience you have.
