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As France’s third largest ski destination, the Isère region has all the skiing you could want with 1,200km of runs across 21 resorts covering four mountain ranges; from quiet family-friendly centres to internationally-renowned resorts, with the liveliest of après scenes; from gentle beginner slopes to the wildest freeride terrain.
Its resorts range from big household names, such as Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes with their high-altitude ski areas, to more intimate, little-known centres like Les 7 Laux, Chamrousse, and Villard de Lans-Corrençon-en-Vercors. Isère is also home to high peak playgrounds, glaciers, forested valleys, three natural parks (Vercors, Chartreuse, and the Ecrins National Park), wide-open slopes, plus pretty traditional villages.
Most importantly, Isère is affordable. With so many resorts to choose from and a wide range of ski pass prices, no matter the budget, anyone can enjoy a fantastic ski holiday here in Isère.
Where are the Isère French Alps?
The Isère ski resorts sit within dramatic mountain scenery, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of south-eastern France.
Isère's resorts have superb transport links and are very easy to reach from the gateway city of Grenoble. Flying to Grenoble Alpes Isère airport is a great choice, offering visitors short transfer times - just two hours to the main resorts, but as little as 30 minutes to many smaller ones. There are direct flights to Grenoble from many UK regional airports.
And if you'd rather take the train to resort, Isère is one of the easiest ski regions to reach by rail - it's only three hours to Grenoble from Paris, and just over two hours from Geneva.
What is the skiing like in the Isère French Alps?
As varied as you like. This region really does have everything. Let's start with the big ones: Les Deux alpes and Alpe d'Huez. Both top out above 3,000m, are crowned with glaciers, and have large ski areas, each with hundreds of kilometres of runs, and a remarkable diversity of slopes, from beautifully-groomed pistes to exciting freeride. Set high on a large sunny plateau at 1,860m, Alpe d’Huez ski resort is one of the oldest in the Alps and is home to the famous Sarenne, at 16km the longest black run in Europe.
At Les 2 Alpes, you can ski an incredible vertical drop of 2,300m without taking a single lift on your way down! And at Les 2 Alpes even those taking their first turns on the ski slopes can ski from the highest point at 3,600m.
Biut there's another side to skiing in Isère. It's also home to a host of smaller, more family-friendly smaller resorts. These include laid-back Auris-en-Oisans, exciting Oz 3300 (formerly known as Oz-en-Oisans), and charming Vaujany. Or hidden gems such as Les 7 Laux with the unspoilt freeriding wilderness of the Pra valleys, family-friendly Le Collet, and Grenoble’s ‘local’ resort of Chamrousse, which hosted the alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
In the Vercors Massif you’ll find two authentic French ski villages - lively Villard de Lans and the quietly charming Corrençon-en-Vercors. Their shared ski history dates back to 1906, and between them they have 125km of wide cruising pistes, tree runs and powder fields, and 110km of cross-country skiing tracks.
The best places to stay in Isère French Alps
From 5-star luxury in one of the major ski resorts to off-the-beaten track escapism in the middle of unspoilt landscapes, try these cool lodgings in Isere, France.
Domaine de Rozan: Col de Porte, Chartreuse
Best for: an eco getaway
For a delightful retreat at the foot of the slopes, 30 minutes from Grenoble, deep in the heart of the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park, Domaine de Rozan has everything. This upscale nine-bedroom hotel has undergone recent renovations using environmentally friendly materials. There's also a separate apartment for up to 10 guests. The on-site restaurant proudly emphasises local and organic ingredients. Additionally, the Ecole de Porte offers personalised outdoor activities to enhance the experience. Lastly, the charming guinguette (a traditional café-bar) opens its doors for special events every couple of weeks.
At the Domaine de Rozan guests can opt for half board, full board or simply a meal or a drink whenever you want. The reception room welcomes you every day to eat or play board games , table football, etc. In summer, we provide pétanque, darts and molky. The rental shop offers skis, snowshoes and electrically assisted bicycles.
Price: from €114 per night for a double room.
Hotel Les Grandes Rousses, Alpe d'Huez
Best for: all-round luxury
Recharge your batteries and connect with nature in the heart of this famous ski resort. The Grandes Rousses has been cultivating its know-how for four generations, and epitomises the luxury of simplicity.
Offering 77 rooms, 18 suites, 2 mini lofts, 1 loft and 2 chalets, with breathtaking mountain views, the hotel is bright and flexible, and features a a beautiful spa area as well as offering you a tailor-made stay thanks to its concierge service, adapted to your wishes and needs. To reduce its environmental impact, this hotel installed a wood-pellet boiler to use up local unwanted wood, an action which won it a grant from ADEME (The French Agency for Ecological Transition) for an exemplary project. The use of ozonated water for cleaning eliminates the need for chemicals. The hotel’s restaurant, La Ferme d’Hubert, has limited meat dishes and offers a flexitarian menu - for which it was awarded a Michelin Green Star.
Price: from €202 per room per night
The Auberge Nemoz: The Belledonne Mountains
Best for: Traditional hospitality
Deep in the secret and untamed valley of Haut Bréda, in the Northern Alps, on the Belledonne range in the Massif des 7 Laux, a path leads to the Auberge Nemoz, a former mountain grange that is now a magnificent family-run stone and wood chalet.
There are 5 charming guest rooms, all with a 3 and 4 "épis" ratings from the Gîtes de France website for a cosy and comfortable place to stay.
The dining room is warm and welcoming, with a feature fireplace where you’ll see all the fabulous raclettes and other traditional mountain dishes being made. You'll also be treated to vegetable terrines, fresh goat’s cheese, foie gras and the season’s meats are served with a wide range of vegetables and a gratin dauphinois for a local touch… Here, the food is home-made from carefully selected local ingredients for wonderful authenticity.
For fans of wellness, there is a storwatt (a Norwegian bath tub made of beautiful red cedar wood, with water heated to a toasty 37°C) sheltered from view on an outdoor terrace overlooking a nearby mountain stream. The storwatt is open both in summer and winter, so whether in the sunshine or under the stars, this is a great way to relax after a day’s skiing or hiking.
Price: From €99 a room for 2 people, breakfast included.
The Daria I Nor Hotel: Alpe d’Huez
Best for: Luxury
The Daria I Nor is a luxurious 5-star hotel in a great location, right in the heart of Alpe d’Huez, with direct access to the ski slopes in the Eclose area of this wonderful ski resort.
The hotel has 46 tastefully decorated luxury rooms and suites, featuring beautiful natural materials such as wood and stone, perfectly adapted to suit the surrounding mountain environment.
Foodies will be especially at home here with two in-house restaurants with two very different styles to enjoy. The gastronomic delight, L’Améthyste, specializes in gourmet food in a stylish, contemporary setting with huge glass windows looking out over the stunning Isère Alps for a dining experience to remember.
For something a little different, the second restaurant, Table de Daria, offers rustic yet modern cuisine focusing on local ingredients and putting twists on traditional recipes, plus a new dinner menu each day based around 5 dishes. The laid-back lounge bar area also invites guests to take it easy and share time around the fireplace or enjoy the live concerts on offer 4 times a week.
Wellness is also a priority here. There is a beautiful 800m2 spa, including two swimming pools, two saunas, a hammam, a jacuzzi, a salt wall, sensory showers, a relaxation area, ice fountain and a solarium for guests to enjoy and unwind after a long day on the slopes.
Price: From €423 for a double room including breakfast.
Zecamp: Corrençon-en-Vercors
Best for: Sports enthusiasts
This new and innovative form of accommodation, only having opened this Autumn, has been designed and developed by top athletes, Marie Dorin-Habert, Robin Duvillard and Loïs Habert, three Vercors champions who found fame in the world of French skiing. With a focus on mountain sports, Zecamp provides accommodation for international sports teams, amateur athletes, businesses or holidaymakers who just love the mountains.
The hotel founders have put their top-level experience to work on behalf of their guests, offering optimum comfort and specialized services with everything taken care of to ensure residents make the most out of their stay and are able to improve their skiing or boarding.
Zecamp is located near the start of the Nordic skiing area in the stunning nature reserve of Hauts-Plateaux du Vercors. It can cater for any type of active guest and provides loads of tips and expertise, especially through the courses offered in the Zecamp Academy.
The site is open to everyone all through the year and has 15 rooms, a restaurant and a weights and recovery room, as well as a storage-drying area and equipment-repair room to keep your kit in top condition.
Price: From €88 a room for 2 people.
Les Cabanes de Chartreuse: Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse
Best for: Nature lovers
To take a break from daily life and get back in touch with nature, there is nothing like a night in a hilltop cabin, close to the stars... These two charming, cosy and comfortable cocoons are a haven for visitors to unwind in, above it all at an altitude of 1,350m.
Accessible only by snowshoe or touring skis, these are not for your average ski holiday. They are right at the heart of the Chartreuse regional nature park, nestled in the sprawling pine and spruce forests. It’s an ideal spot for a genuine mountain experience and for exploring all the local riches of the area.
The two delightful cabins are open all the year round and are ideally located at the foot of the ski slopes in winter and at the start of numerous hiking trails in summer. With stunning views over the soaring Chartreuse summits, this is a magical place to spend some time.
Price: From €160 a room for 2 people, breakfast included.
The People Hostel: Les 2 Alpes
Best for: The modern experience
The People Hostel, a new-generation hotel with 364 beds, opened in 2018 and is just a few steps away from the ski slopes. The People Hostel - Les Deux Alpes belongs to the France Hostels group, which also has a hotel in Lille among other locations, with loads more openings planned in the next few years.
The hostel has 45 private rooms and 41 shared rooms with 4, 6 and 8 beds. And all from only €19 a night! The hostel also has a public restaurant and bar, a gorgeous sun terrace and a chill-out room with a mini-cinema. Plus, they offer equipment hire to make staying and skiing as hassle-free as possible.
All these great features come together to ensure a great stay at a bargain price in a super friendly atmosphere perfect for meeting new people and enjoying your time in the mountains.
Price: From €19 a night.
