Hidden between the mega-resorts of the Three Valleys and Tarentaise, and the sunny, popular l'Alpe d'Huez, the ski resorts of the Maurienne Valley are a secret worth exploring. Often overlooked in favour of the better known areas, the 24 resorts that dot the valley have come a long way in the last few years, and offer great skiing at affordable prices, without the mass crowds.
Les Sybelles sparkles as a stand out in the ski area, with 310 km of pistes and six resorts making it one of the biggest ski domains in France. The giant ragged needles of Aiguilles dominate, towering above this beautiful area, which runs from the east of Chambery to the ‘Arc' water springs and glaciers past Bonneval. The area offers the best of both worlds, with the snow of the northern Alps, and the sun of the Southern Alps. Most of the resorts have tried to keep their small and friendly character, and if you like skiing huge amounts of piste, in beautiful settings, away from massive crowds, you'll love it here.
Try Valloire, the ‘Golden Valley', a reasonably large traditional village with 150 km of pistes linked to nearby Valmeinier. Valmeinier is another great option, a sunny purpose-built ski town laid out for maximum convenience.
Beginners and intermediates are well looked after with lots of well-groomed runs, and if you're a little more daring you can take on the challenging tree-lined runs and off-piste. Close to several airports, with easy to access from a new motorway link and sporting massive new upgrades, the Maurienne Valley is a great way to sample the delights of the Olympic Savoie, French-style.
