Les Orres,
Hautes-Alpes, France.
Altitude: 1650m - 2720m
Downhill ski terrain: 88km
7 Green | 4 Blue | 20 Red | 3 Black
1 Snowpark
23 Lifts:
13 Draglifts | 8 Chairlifts
Beginners/Families
Intermediates- Advanced/Expert
- Value
- Accommodation
- Dining Out
Nightlife
- • High-altitude, big mountain skiing amid dramatic scenery.
- • Terrain for everyone, including the adventurous free-riders.
- • Accommodation for most budgets, now moving upmarket.
- • High-capacity lift system.
- • Free WIFI web access in main village area.
- • Long distances for those driving from the UK.
- • Drag-lift-only access to the very highest terrain.
- • Stay in the newer, higher (and quieter) 1800 village for ski-in/ski-out convenience.
A dramatic gateway to a whole new
world of possibilities.
Sunday snow-shoers on one
of the lower, forested trails.
- Seen, tried and tested.
Résidence La Combe d'Or
Parc du Bois Méan
05200 Les Orres
Individual chalets situated above the newly established Les Orres 1800 'Le Bois Méan'. Spacious rooms with seperate kitchen area, well equipped with plenty of storage. The only WC is on the ground floor, which is slightly inconvenient. Some chalets only have pedestrian access so the Résidence offers to take luggage to the door. Ski out onto a Green-graded piste not far above the lift-pass office and nearest lift.
This residence, while a little isolated from the main village, benefits from calm surroundings and a ski-in/ski-out location. There is a free shuttle service which stops at the Résidence entrance, and a lit pedestrian route to the resort centre.
Enquiries and bookings:
Ski Collection
0844 576 0175 (UK)
or +44 (0)2392 890 960
reservations@skicollection.co.uk
La Bouscatière
Monts Du Bois D’Or
Bois Mean 05200
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 24 70 99
Situated in the main square at Le Bois Méan, La Bouscatière has a modern, welcoming feel. A huge chalk-board menu displays a tempting range of regional specialities ranging from 15€-22€ for a main dish. Reservations recommended during peak periods.
Le Chalet des Fontaines
Les Orres
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 44 05 92
This popular cafeteria-style restaurant with a huge sunny terrace is conveniently located in the heart of the ski area near the top of the Fontaines chairlift. The Chalet serves a good range of delicious food in generous portions served by a team of friendly staff. Expect to pay around 9.50€ for a main dish.
L'Orée des Pistes
Place Hodoul
Les Orres
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 44 01 98
In the centre of the resort, this restaurant offers a very French welcome and warm hospitality. We enjoyed a Fondue aux Morilles followed by Tarte Tatin.
The Tea Room
L'Espace Rencontre et Culture
05200 Les Orres (above the ice rink)
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 52 75 93
Very calm and elegant lounge with magnificent views to the Lac de Serre Ponçon. Choose from a tempting selection of teas, coffee or chocolate, accompanied by cakes and pastries. A special treat.
Embrun
Visit the nearby town of Embrun and its old centre with small squares and narrow shopping streets. After visiting the impressive cathedral, gaze up towards Les Orres and the surrounding peaks from pleasant gardens on the ramparts.
Entertainment Centre
L’Espace Rencontre et Culture
05200 Les Orres
+33 (0)4 92 66 60 60
This wonderful auditorium hosts a variety of events throughout the year. Be sure to check the programme on arrival.
Les Orres Museum
Les Orres village
+33 (0)4 92 44 00 40
Open 2pm-5pm six days a week, this small museum is a fascinating record of mountain life portrayed in displays of everyday items from the home and the workplace. Free entry.
In the Southern French Alps between Gap and Briançon and all but hidden from view above the vast Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Les Orres catches significant snowfalls triggered by the nearby presence of mountain ranges including the Massif du Parpaillon. Although a long journey for skiers driving from the UK, airport transfers are much more rapid, particularly from budget flights into Genoble, Marseille, Turin and particularly Cuneo (via the Col de Larche). Being this far south means lots of sunny weather, while the altitude and surrounding topography ensure plenty of snow — which tends to stay put. For the majority of recreational skiers it’s the perfect combination, in fact.
Whatever you were expecting, there’s real drama here, both in terms of the scenery and particularly the skiing potential. Novices and intermediates will enjoy gentle lower, mid-mountain areas, which are served by modern, high-speed chairlifts with plenty of skier capacity. There are also delightful sheltered woodland trails, including some little-used cut-throughs.
Higher up the mountain, though, things become significantly steeper, with the topmost descents accessible only by drag-lifts. Once up there the scary part is behind you, and you can concentrate on genuinely panoramic views and a choice of long descents back through the tree-line, all the way down to 1650 if you so desire. It’s also the gateway to an extensive off-piste area. Aiming high also means you’ll often have most of it all to yourself (even on a Sunday morning, if our experience is anything to go by).
Not one, but two. Les Orres’ origins as a purpose-built high-altitude ski area are reflected in the high-rise architecture of the original 1650 village. In recent years, though, 1800 Bois-Méan, a much more traditionally-styled village has been taking shape above the old one, offering greater comfort levels, more spacious accommodation and ski-in/ski-out convenience. Don’t write-off the original village, though, which works well, offers a good range of shops and services and has a definite buzz to it. There’s also free internet access via a WIFI network, which is due to be extended to the upper village. It’s a fun place.
While in absolute terms the groomed terrain may not appear that big, there’s plenty of varied terrain for all levels and interests, making this a very serious contender for most tastes. It’s therefore particularly suitable for families and mixed-ability groups. Non-skiers should also find plenty to do, including walking, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, dog-sledding, ice-climbing and ice-skating, in addition to exploring an assortment of boutiques, bars, restaurants (there’s even a very stylish tea & coffee lounge overlooking the indoor ice-rink), etc. Not to mention massage, reflexology and sunbathing, of course.
After driving by too many times while en-route to somewhere else, we finally leave the road near Embrun and make the long climb up to Les Orres. When we arrive the snow is already lying deep, there’s more expected overnight and we just know that we should have come much sooner.
The following morning we leave our chalet in Bois-Méan and set off down to Les Orres 1650, getting a feel for things calmly before the arrival of local weekend skiers keen to make the most of perfect late-season conditions. From here we ride Prélongis, followed by Fontaines, two of the resort’s three new high-speed 6-seater chairlifts which take us smoothly up to 2430m. Once above the tree-line we see much of the area laid out before us, and spend some time skiing the central Red and Blue graded pistes back to the Fontaines loading area. While the snow remains firm we then drop right down to Pramouton and then Champ Lacas, which at 1550m are as low as it gets in Les Orres.
The ski area is dominated by the assertive outline of Le Boussolenc (2822m)
Having got that out of our system, we head right back up — all the way, this time. Our diagonal snakes-and-ladders route across the ski area eventually brings us to the steep Marmottes drag-lift, which deposits us at the highest lift-served point at 2703m. The views from the ridge alone would justify the climb, with the added bonus of a choice of bracing Red-graded runs. We opt for Genépi followed by Grand Cabane, which between them reward us with an epic descent which throws in just about everything along the way. For distance fans, it would be simple to continue all the way back to the Champ Lacas but we have other plans, which take us all the way back up.
Away from it all on Grand Cabane, a long Red-graded scenic perimeter descent.
By now a few hours’ sunshine have softened the ice which had delayed the opening of the Boussolenc drag-lift, and we’re among the first up. No doubt it will continue to improve, but for now it's a tough one, and we get to the top (2660m) with a sense of achievement. Our reward, apart from more panoramic views, is an exhilarating Red run below Le Boussolenc (2822m) to join Myrtilles, which takes us through the forest and back to Les Orres 1650.
By now we’re ready for lunch, so stop off at the Chalet des Fontaines to recharge our batteries.
Ecureuil snakes down through the upper reaches of the tree-line.
When we emerge later than planned our legs remind us what a long morning’s skiing we’ve had, and how much distance we’ve managed to cover. So from now on we relax and take things much easier, just cruising gently around the mountain in the company of the locals up for the day. All things considered, we have to say that this really would be quite a place to have on your doorstep.
© MountainPassions.com
By car
From Grenoble follow the RN85 (Route Napoléon) to Gap. Take the direction Briançon to Embrun then turn right following signs to Les Orres. Alternatively, take the N 75 through Lus La Croix Haute then Veynes, Gap and Embrun.
From the south take the A51 as far as La Saulce then the D 942 to Tallard and the N 94 to Embrun.
By air
It is possible to fly to Grenoble (140km), Turin (195km) or Cuneo, but there are no regular transfers. The most convenient airport is Marseille (189km), transferring by the Navette Blanche for around 35€ per adult. This winter service takes about 3 hours and operates from the airport and from the TGV station at Aix. See the Navettes Blanches website for details.
By train
Travel overnight by TGV to Briançon (alight at Embrun), or by day to Grenoble or
Aix-en-Provence.
Hire a car at the train stations or catch the Navette Blanche from Aix.
Trains from London offer regular services to Paris to pick up your connection which you can book here.
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