Skiing in Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp

Valmorel is the first ski resort you come across in Tarentaise when you come from Chambéry and Albertville. Similarly, Saint Francois Longchamp is the first station in Maurienne when arriving from Chambéry. Wedged between the Lauzière and Vanoise massifs, these two stations Savoie share a common ski area that passes through the Col de la Madeleine, a road pass that connects Saint François Longchamp to Celliers in summer, in the valley parallel to that of Valmorel. Celliers is also part of the ski area. It is the Large Estate.

Small stations compared to their neighbors Three Valleys or Maurienne, but pleasant ski areas, suitable for everyone and very easy to access from the plain, avoiding the traffic jams found when approaching the large resorts.

Valmorel ski resort

The small ski resort of Valmorel has developed around the central town district. It is a small pedestrian street decorated with a fountain, a few arches and a small square that give the impression of being in a real old village. In reality the resort is modern, but the fact that the street is pedestrian and the roofs are well laden with snow maintains the illusion. The entrances to restaurants and shops follow one another, giving the impression that the village of Valmorel is much larger than it appears.

A small cable car goes back and forth, the telebourg, connects the village center, the Bourg, another district, the Mottet. An almost exclusively residential district composed of small buildings with harmonious architecture. Between the two, the district of planchamp, accessible by a series of stairs, most of them covered. The district of the Forests was built at the Bourg level but a little offset, close to the ski slopes. Finally, the latest addition, the Bois de la Croix district is occupied by the luxurious Club Med complex. The slopes cross these different districts and at least by ski lift you can leave from each of the districts to attack the ski area.

Further down the valley, on a small hill, the small station of Combelouvière, just above Doucy, which can be reached in a few turns from the Isère valley and the Aigueblanche motorway exit, is a less expensive alternative for skiing in the area. On the other hand, you have to plan for a long climb with a chairlift and two ski lifts, in the forest before reaching the heights of Valmorel.

The village of Celliers

The valley next to Valmorel is the Celliers valley. Very busy in summer because the road that crosses it climbs to the Col de la Madeleine, a circuit very popular with motorcyclists who pass from Tarentaise to Maurienne. A small village of a few houses clinging to the slopes of the mountain, Celliers offers access to the Valmorel area by a cable car for the ascent and descent. This is more of an access for locals than for holidaymakers on the Valmorel site.

Skiing in Valmorel — The central street of Bourg de Valmorel

The Saint François Longchamp ski resort

On the other side of the Col de la Madeleine, closed in winter to make room for the Grand Domaine ski slopes, we find ourselves in Mauritian. The ski resort of Saint Francois Longchamp lies in a vast cirque of mountains at the end of a winding road that goes up from the Arc valley at the level of La Chambre and Saint Etienne de Cuines. There are several levels for this station built in stages.

The first site we come across is a small hamlet of a few houses. It is Saint Francis Longchamp 1450. A chairlift and a blue run allow you to reach a first real departure of the slopes in a first district of the central part of the Saint François Longchamp 1650 resort. This second hamlet is located on the road which goes up to the central town, at an altitude of 1550 meters and at the level of the departure of the Marquis chairlift which allows you to really enter the Saint François Longchamp ski area. It is a district of buildings in a rather old style, not too urban but not in mountain style either. We feel the artificial side of the place, dedicated to skiing and possibly hiking in summer.

The center of the station, Saint Francis Longchamp 1650, stands a little further and higher. The style of buildings does not vary. Scattered, separated from each other, they allow a glimpse of a beautiful landscape both on the Maurienne side and towards the peaks. The trees are mainly leaves as one would expect at this altitude on a southern slope in Maurienne. Beyond, in summer the road continues in bends towards the Col de la Madeleine while in winter it gives way to large snow fields.

Saint François Longchamp offers all amenities, and due to its proximity to major cities and its sunny ski area, the resort is popular with residents of neighboring departments.

Skiing in Saint François Longchamp — The ski slopes leading down to the Saint François Longchamp resort

The Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp ski area.

Le Large Estate, that is to say this ski area shared between the snow fields of Valmorel and those of Saint François Longchamp offer in total 165 kilometers of slopes. A large part of which is easy to access, such as blue runs and beginner areas. The passage from one side of the area to the other is via the Col de la Madeleine, on large, easy and sunny blue runs.

This is a ski area that is very popular with children and families. It is the ideal area in Savoie for the first years of learning to ski. There are not too many people, the landscapes are beautiful and the slopes allow you to progress.

The fact that it is a ski area suitable for beginners and families does not mean that there are no sportingly challenging slopes. On the contrary!

The red and black slopes of the Gollet sector are very sporty although short. The red Lanchettes run warms the thighs well, just like on the Col du Mottet sector. Above the Col de la Madeleine, on the Saint François Longchamp sector, good skiers can enjoy the very airy layout of the runs that descend from the slopes of the Pic de la Lauzière: Colombe, Reverdy and the black of La Lauzière. On the opposite slope, the Soleil Noir chairlift allows you to ski on the Samouraï, a beautiful red run that is quite long compared to the other runs of Saint François Longchamp. For the pleasure of saying "I skied on a black", there is a very short and very well-marked one, Loup, on the Roc Noir sector.

Skiing between Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp — La Lauzière above the slopes of Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp

Finally, the Madeleine Valley, which follows the route of the pass road on the Celliers valley side, allows you to test beautiful fast and steep slopes for all levels. The area should not be overlooked. We go back up to Valmorel by the Roset chairlift and to Saint François by the Madeleine chairlift.

So there is a whole variety of slopes whose summits are generally between 2200 and 2400 meters. In general, we can say that the Valmorel sector is sunnier in the morning, that of La Madeleine all the time, and the Saint François side is very sunny from midday. So you can ski all the time in the sun.

As there are many children and families, very often between noon and two o'clock, between one lesson session and another, the high slopes empty. Even in high season you ski almost alone at this time on the Arenouillaz, La Valette, la Grande Combe, la Madeleine, La Platière, Le Frêne and Longchamp slopes, blue slopes on which you can make big turns and ski in complete peace in the company of your shadow.

What other activities can you do in Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp?

On the side of Valmorel, you can enjoy the snow on foot, on snowshoes, on skis but pulled by a horse (ski-joering in Doucy), by bike (fatbike), in carts – Swincars –, mountain karts, scooters, etc.

You can slide on the snow in a Snowtube or Airboard, and it's fast, faster than a sled!

And there is even a zip line, accessible from 6 years old, to cross the valley at full speed!

Of course, if you like animals you can also go dog sledding!

A moment of relaxation is also possible in all the resort's spas.

As for Saint Francois Longchamp, there are also many activities to do.

A descent in Snakegliss, a sort of sled train led by an instructor who, at each turn, makes the participants endure enormous jolts, especially those on the last sleds.

If you like speed and thrills, you'll love rail luge.

Children will enjoy riding an electric snowmobile or dog sled through the snowy landscapes. Older children can try the Segway.

In any case, sledding is always possible, as are snowshoe outings or hiking.

For relaxation, count on the spa area.

Ideal for family holidays, the Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp ski area is easily accessible from the plain. Whether on one slope or the other, you will ski in the sun, on beautiful wide slopes that are never crowded. The resorts are not large and the advantage is that they are rarely overcrowded.

Between Lauzière and Vanoise, have fun in Valmorel and Saint François Longchamp!

Happy skiing!

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