Disclosure: We were invited to Chamrousse Ski Resort for the purpose of this post.
Let me introduce Chamrousse, a small ski resort, just an hour uphill from Grenoble, in the French Alps. It’s a small resort, purpose built around the snowy winter slopes of the mountains. With the base at 1600m, it’s at a good height for snow throughout the winter. Which makes it excellent for skiing!
But what do you do when you arrive as a group of both skiers and non-skiers, or you are a beginner family of skiers? Is there enough to do to keep everyone happy? In my opinion, yes! Read on to find out why.
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Chamrousse Ski Resort
Chamrousse ski resort is located above Grenoble and consists of 3 separate main areas, Chamrousse 1650, 1700 and 1750. The numbers relate to the altitude of each area. 1700 and 1750 are in easy walking distance of each other, we walked along the path many times, however to get to 1650 it’s easier to take the free shuttle bus.
The main area for restaurants is 1700 in the middle of the resort, there is a small shopping centre here if you are looking for outdoor clothing and equipment or souvenirs. 1750 is mostly accommodation, but at the bottom of the Bachat Bouloud chairlift there are several restaurants and ski hire shops. 1650 is a mix of restaurants, shops and accommodation, located at the bottom of the gondola, great for experienced people looking for red and blue runs.
Ski Slopes
With 15 lifts connecting over 41 different runs across the mountain, there are definitely plenty of choice for skiing and snowboarding. We stick to green and blue runs as we aren’t proficient enough for red runs, well the 12 year old would probably be fine. However, I certainly don’t have his confidence or as good knees!
Some resorts have runs that you need to stay on the entire time from the top to base. However the good thing about Chamrousse ski resort is that you can chop and change over several different runs to combine them into a new route each time. There are plenty of blue runs so you can easily do this as a beginner too. For this reason I highly recommend taking a map from the tourist information. They fit in your pocket and can easily be taken out when you’re trying to work out which chairlift you want to end up at!
There are also several locations with viewpoints, picnic benches and some photo ops. I particularly like the area of benches at the very top of the Croix gondola and the views from the Chamrousse sign at the top of the Bérangére chairlift. You can find signs showing the different runs at the top of most chairlifts, which helps with working out which route to take next. But don’t rely on these, get a pocket map, as the signs could be covered in snow or ice!
Don’t worry if you don’t have the gear or don’t want to travel with skis and boots. There are plenty of ski hire shops on the resort, book in advance so they can prepare your gear. Especially during busy school holiday seasons. We hired our ski equipment from SkiLead, just down the hill from our accommodation.
Nordic Area of Chamrousse Ski Resort
The Nordic area is just below Chamrousse 1750, walkable from this side of the resort. However, there is also a free shuttle bus that can take you to 1700 too. There are a variety of activities in the area, including Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, husky sledging and horse drawn carriage. We visited the area a couple of times to try different activities, and also visited both the bar with attached restaurant (great hot chocolates!) and the indoor picnic area opposite. So there’s plenty of places to eat, drink and take a break during your visit.
Nordic Skiing
The day we tried Nordic skiing it was snowing heavily, so we couldn’t see the lines in the snow as well as normal. But on days with better weather it would be much clearer and easier to learn!
We spent some time on the easy runs, attempting to slide along the tracks in the snow. Almost getting the hang of it! It’s definitely a different way of skiing compared to alpine skiing. I think we were all particularly impressed at how easy it was to go uphill, due to the grips under the skis.
This is a good sport to try if you are looking for a good workout or would prefer to try skiing on flatter areas. Or just try it for fun, because why not?!
Ski hire is available across the resort for Nordic skis, they are different to alpine skis, but easy to get used to.
Snowshoeing
Another option is trying out snowshoeing. We happened to be there when EVVO was having a demonstration of their snowshoes, which are light and made of rubber, rather than the common plastic snow shoes worn by most people. They are easy to walk in and just feel like a slightly heavier shoe (attaches to your snow boots).
Again, it’s definitely a walk out when you walk uphill in the snow, but the snow shoes grips do make it much easier. We went for a good walk around the forested area of the Nordic Park and enjoyed it. Snowshoeing is great for those days when there has been a heavy snowfall, as it’s a lot easier to walk in deep snow!
You can find various different routes around the Nordic park, just make sure you follow the signs and stick to snow shoes paths. Never walk along the ski tracks!
Dog Sledding
Our final activity in the Nordic Park was dog sledding. Unfortunately you don’t get to control the sled, but you do get a great tour around the Nordic area. As we were later in the day, around 5pm, the rest of the Nordic area was closed and empty of skiers and snowshoers. So this made it feel rather magical riding through the falling snow with nothing but the sound of the dogs. If you take an earlier trip there will be other people around.
The dogs are very loud and love to bark excitedly when they know a sledge is going out, hoping they’ll get chosen! We also found out that they use a mix of breeds, not just huskies.
Other Activities Available At Chamrousse Ski Resort
As I mentioned earlier, Chamrousse has a lot of activities available for non-skiers or just days when your legs need a rest from alpine skiing. From sledging to the luge coaster, there is plenty to keep you occupied on non-ski days.
Sledging Track
The children’s second favourite activity, after alpine skiing, was the 2.1km sledging track. It’s a lot of fun, although I can guarantee you will crash a few times!
The sledges have metal bars to pull back for braking and also turning. However, it’s very easy to try to turn too hard and roll. It’s simply a bar that digs into the snow on the track, so later in the day the track does become more difficult to navigate with lots of ruts and gouges. Do be careful of people and sledges lying randomly (crashed)in the track!
Most of the track is for sledging only, although you do have to cross a couple of ski tracks and the last section to the end is on a shared track with skiers also using it. You need to get tickets for the sledging at the ticket office near the Gaboureaux chairlift. Helmets are also provided if you don’t have one.
Once you have your ticket you take the luge entrance to the chairlift, you sort of squeeze into the queue between skiers. Then at the top you need to run off the lift (they might slow it down if you have kids!) and collect a sledge on your right. Have fun racing each other down the slope! At the base you need to replace the sledge with the others (they get lifted up separately on the chairlift) and then go back up again for the next run!
Luge Coaster
The Luge Coaster is also near the Gaboureaux chairlift. It’s almost a kilometre long, where you drive a sledge attached to rails incredibly fast, braking if you choose to! It’s a lot of fun! To get to the top you sit on the sledge as it is pulled to the top of the rails.
You can also pay for a photo of yourself on the luge, which you receive as both a digital and physical copy. As you can see below, we bought a picture of each of the kids on the luge coaster. We all loved this!
Snow Tubing
Another fun snow activity is snow tubing, located inbetween ski runs. It’s a lot of work walking with the snow tube, so I recommend that you don’t wear too many layers! You use a towline that pulls you to the top and then slide down to the bottom of the run. You do need to walk from where you stop to the towline, but it is tiring walking in the snow! It had been another heavy snowfall when we were there, it’s probably easier on a less snowy day.
There is also a snow tube jump, where you need to walk to the top and then slide down onto a ramp, dropping onto a giant inflatable pillow. You can go pretty high on the ramp if you time it right!
Chamrousse Explor Games
A rather unusual activity, which is great to explore the area and learn a bit about history is the Chamrousse Explor Game. This a free app that you download onto your phone and follow the commands, with quizzes, games and history. It follows a storyline about trying to rid Chamrousse of a polluting smog by going back in time.
Although it is free to play the game, you will need a gondola ticket to get to the top of the resort to complete the quest. It can be played all year, although check that the gondola is open before you visit.
If it’s snowy then you may need some extra effort to find the QR codes, as they get covered in ice! DOn’t forget to check underneath things when looking for the QR codes! The game is a great way to spend some time at the summit, visiting the cross, viewing platform and also the Himalayan bridge. It takes around 1 hour and a half to complete the game. In the summer there is a slightly longer route available.
Himalayan Footbridge and La Croix Chamrousse
If you have a gondola ticket you can also use this to explore the top of the resort. There are various information boards to read and of course a visit to see the La Croix de Chamrousse. Nobody knows the origins of the cross, but it was once made of wood and roman medals have been uncovered near it’s base.
Whilst at the panoramic park you will also want to visit the Himalayan bridge, with its great views to the valley below. If you’re lucky you may even some wildlife!
We had hoped to try out the Zipline, which is just below the gondola station, a fast route back down to Chamrousse 1600! This is only open during good weather and requires advance booking.
Other activities available that we didn’t try include ice skating (rink is in 1600), snowmobile driving and ice diving.
Restaurants at Chamrousse Ski resort
There are many restaurants across the whole resort. It’s impossible to feature them all here, so I will just mention a few that we visited. There are plenty more places to visit, or visit the Sherpa shop to buy and make your dinner back at your apartment.
Le Chalet, pictured below, is a great restaurant in Chamrousse 1750. With a variety of typical French mountain cuisine. I shared a fondue with my 14 year old, which was delicious! I’m glad my eldest is interested in trying different types of food now. If anyone is going to try local food it’s him! He also has the blaeberry tart, which is a local delicacy too.
Next we visited Hue Cocotte in Chamrousse 1700. It’s a lovely restaurant with mountain vibes and delicious choices of cuisine. There were several vegetarian choices as well as some interesting meat options. I had a tasty cheesy pasta dish, the eldest had tartiflette and duck stew for my husband. I’m ignoring the youngest as he keeps ordering a burger every place we eat out!
We had brunch out one day at a new brunch cafe located at Place du Vernon. The name wasn’t even on the building when we visited, it’s that new! But it’s a great option for brunch, with pastries, fruit, bread with egg and meat. Plus coffee, orange juice and other drinks available.
Our final dinner was at Restaurant La Bachat, this is in the style of a food court. You use the QR code on the table to order food from one of the several restaurant options. We chose burgers from one of the restaurants and helped ourselves to the free water available in the centre.
On our other evenings we cooked in the apartment. There are various options available, including plenty of cheese and meat options, as well as frozen food such as pizza and chips. We also bought pastries, bread and cheese every morning from our local Sherpa. Pastries for breakfast and bread and cheese for lunch (along with a side of crisps and biscuits!).
Accommodation At Chamrousse Ski Resort
There are a variety of accommodation options available on the resort. There are mostly apartments available, along with a few hotels. An apartment worked well for us as we could easily cook meals in the evening if we didn’t want to eat out and a bit more space to relax with the kids.
Our accommodation was in the Villages du Bachat, with a balcony and view out to the mountains. We had some rather stunning sunsets and sunrises to watch!
Our apartment had two bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other with twin beds, perfect for a family. We also had a small living area with sofa, table and chairs, and a kitchenette. The balcony was a good size and we often went out to look over the Nordic park below and admire the view.
Swimming Pool
As part of our accommodation we were also able to use the heated swimming pool with sauna. It wasn’t quite as warm as we expected, but I believe that’s because of the cold wind blowing over the pool. We could definitely see the steam!
We decided to go between the pool and sauna several times before we left. It’s a nice way to refresh after a day skiing!
How To Get To Chamrousse
It’s really easy to get to Chamrousse by train. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then a TGV from Paris to Grenoble. The bus to Chamrousse leaves Grenoble from just outside the station, so it’s an easy trip overland. It also means you can easily take ski equipment without additional costs.
There are also flights to Grenoble from various UK airports. However, the amount of time waiting around for the plane is not really worth it when trains are more reliable and quicker to London when you include the time waiting around and delays.
Getting Around Chamrousse Ski Resort
As I mentioned earlier there is a free shuttle bus available to everyone using Chamrousse. Just hop on and off at the different bus stops. There is no bus that covers the entire resort, instead you can use the green route between 1750 and 1700 or the orange bus between 1700 and 1650. Swapping over buses if you are planning to go from 1650 to 1750.
So Why Did We Love Chamrousse So Much?
It’s a small resort and very family friendly. It’s not a loud party town, which suits us well. We really enjoyed how the whole town was accessible via the free bus or walking.
With a variety of green and blue runs to choose from it was a really nice resort to ski and try different routes each day. And there were plenty of other activities to keep us busy when we had a break from skiing.
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