Author: Romain Boisaubert

A piece of Courchevel's history is about to change hands. On Saturday 24 May 2025, the resort is organising an auction like no other: 160 legendary gondolas, those of the Chenus and Ariondaz, will be offered for sale from €300 each. It's a rare opportunity to walk away with a piece of suspended history, somewhere between nostalgia and mountain design. The Alpinium hall in Courchevel Le Praz will be hosting this unusual event, which is just as much for mountain lovers as it is for interior design enthusiasts and collectors. ALSO READ: Exceptional offers in the boutiques of...

It's a world first: a board game transformed into an immersive, fun, life-size course in the heart of an Alpine resort. From 2027 onwards, the Les Sybelles ski area in Savoie will be home to a unique tourism experience inspired by the successful Trek 12 game. The aim is to offer a new way of discovering the mountains, accessible all year round, combining sport, contemplation and adventure. Launched in 2020 by French studio Lumberjacks, the Trek 12 series quickly won over board game fans. This strategy game in a "roll & write" format (roll the dice + take notes) plunges players into the...

Inflation, climate, energy costs: the mountains could be shaking in their boots. And yet, skiing is doing well. Very well indeed, according to the latest annual report by consultant Laurent Vanat, presented this week at the opening of the Mountain Planet trade fair in Grenoble. The 2025 edition takes a comprehensive look at the 2023/2024 season, confirming an unexpected trend: in an uncertain world, snow is staying the course. A sector that can withstand anything... except price rises The figures are in: 366 million skier-days were recorded around the world last winter, an increase of just...

The curtain has come down on the 25 kilometres of pistes at Hautacam. In the Hautes-Pyrénées, this small family resort, perched at an altitude of 1,500 metres, has announced the definitive end of its downhill skiing activities. It's a powerful symbol of the climate change affecting the mid-range mountains. After three consecutive winters without sufficient snowfall, the figures have finally spoken. The Syndicat Mixte du Hautacam, supported by the Communauté de Communes Pyrénées Vallées des Gaves and Lourdes Town Hall, can no longer make up the shortfall. Once again this year, 1.44 million euros would have been needed to keep afloat a...

The 2024-2025 winter season is coming to an end at Val Thorens... but not without a last hurrah. On 3 and 4 May, Europe's highest ski resort is organising "La Grande Dernière", a weekend of entertainment, skiing and festivities to celebrate the end of the season in style. Last turns, last laughs, last runs full of momentum before putting away the skis: here, winter comes to a close in an explosive atmosphere. The highlight of the weekend is "La Big Der" on Saturday 3 May. It's a 'derby' format race, with waves of four skiers starting from...

In Courchevel, you don't put your skis away without panache. On Monday 21 April, the Savoyard resort will bring the winter season to a close with the return of the Derbike, an event as crazy as it is festive, where the mountains change gear. How does it work? A derby-style mountain bike descent from the summit of La Saulire (2,700 metres above sea level) to Lac du Praz, 1,300 metres below. A mass start, a free route on snow, earth or ice depending on the whims of spring, and a supercharged atmosphere from the first light of day. READ ALSO...

On the mountainside, a new attraction is about to see the light of day in Superdévoluy. From mid-July 2025, winter sports fans will be able to discover a state-of-the-art 4-season toboggan, "La Dévoluge", which has been under construction since last autumn. This spectacular infrastructure is designed to enhance the appeal of the resort in both summer and winter, and to diversify activities outside the ski season. With its 1,565 metres of descent, 121 metres of vertical drop and 20 bends, this toboggan on rails promises a fast-paced, adrenalin-fuelled ride with a panoramic view. LIRE AUSSI : Le Dévoluy: resort, ski area, ski passes, activities... Le...

As the fine weather arrives in the valley, Courchevel remains clinging to the mountains, true to its tradition of high intensity. In April, the Savoyard resort continues to build on the momentum of the winter season by hosting two flagship events, tailor-made for fans of skiing, physical challenges and high altitude entertainment. Winter Legacy by Alexis Pinturault: skiing in all its forms On 12 April, Courchevellois champion Alexis Pinturault returns home to orchestrate one of the most spectacular events on the calendar: the "Winter Legacy". This atypical competition, devised by the skier who has won several...

Forget the noisy main roads, the hurrying pelotons and the hellish mountain passes. Here, cycling is experienced differently. On the "P'tites Routes du Soleil", cycling is synonymous with contemplation, freedom and encounters. This 900km route, from Thonon-les-Bains to Nice, invites you to take a gentle plunge into the world of the French Pre-Alps, between lakes, hilltop villages, lavender fields and secret belvederes. Although the name evokes the warmth of the south, this is a real Alpine journey, with over 17,000 metres of ascent and descent. But whether you're a seasoned cyclist or a mountain biker...

What if winter were to go on a bit longer? In Méribel, you don't turn the page on the cold season without one last festive flight. In the heart of the 3 Valleys, the Savoyard resort is getting ready to rock its lanes, slopes and bars one last time before the big spring fade. From 4 to 19 April 2025, there will be one DJ set after another, themed evenings and gourmet buffets. Here are our top picks for a great end to the season! 4 April: DJ battle in the centre of Méribel Soundclash! On Friday 4 April, head for the Route...

Attention thrill-seekers and big beats: from 10 to 12 April 2025, the Dévoluy massif will be the setting for an unprecedented high-altitude electro festival. Known as the Dévoluy Mix Festival, this event, organised in partnership with NRJ, promises three days of skiing, partying and live music, in a setting as grandiose as it is festive. Imagine dancing in the middle of the slopes, facing the immensity of the Southern Alps, in the spring sunshine... From 2pm, the first bass notes will echo across the ski area, with an open-air DJ set, skis on, to electrify your...

On 5 April, Courchevel 1850 will be swapping its ski poles for amplifiers, sharpened vocal chords and hot turntables. With "Live on the Slopes", the Savoyard resort is launching a brand new festive and musical event, designed to be accessible, popular and full of sound. A stage at the heart of the snow front, live open-air concerts and breathtaking artistic performances: that's the promise of this first edition of Live on the Slopes, a 100 % mountain and 100 % culture event, bringing together locals, seasonal workers and holidaymakers on...

From alpine cheeses to haute cuisine, Savoie continues to shine in the firmament of French gastronomy. The Michelin Guide 2025 has just unveiled its list of stars, and the verdict is clear: the mountains have great taste. With 18 starred restaurants this year - including a major promotion - the Savoie region has confirmed its status as a culinary mecca. What's behind it? Inspired chefs, sublime local produce and Alpine villages that have never been better at combining chic with local charm. Courchevel: the gastronomic capital of the Alps This is the big winner of...

As the end of the season approaches, Méribel is playing the long game... under the sun and at rock-bottom prices! From 22 March to 21 April, the Savoyard resort is offering unbeatable conditions to make the most of the last snow in the 3 Vallées area. Fewer people on the slopes, longer days and unbeatable prices... It's the perfect time to take in one last breath of mountain air. To celebrate the end of the season in style, Méribel is offering unprecedented discounts on the whole holiday. Ski passes, accommodation, equipment hire and even ski lessons... Everything has been thought of to...

Nestling in the heart of the French Alps, the villages of Montricher-Albanne, Les Chapelles and Saint-Véran stand out for their ability to combine mountain traditions with innovation, offering unique experiences to visitors in search of authenticity and modernity. LIRE AUSSI: These 5 mountain villages in the Alps to discover as soon as possible Montricher-Albanne: a green resort looking to the future In Savoie, perched between 700 and 2,500 metres above sea level, Montricher-Albanne embodies a unique model. This village collectively manages Les Karellis, a family resort founded on the values of social tourism and all-inclusives. Here, the land...

Val d'Isère is closing the season in style with the "Last Tracks" package, an exceptional offer to enjoy skiing at reduced prices from 19 April to 4 May 2025. Away from the hustle and bustle of the school holidays, this is the ideal time to enjoy the last runs on a ski area still covered in snow, under a spring sun. This exclusive package offers exceptional discounts on the whole stay: And for those who want to extend the pleasure, a week package is also available at -40%. ALSO READ: Val d'Isère: the new Vallon de l'Iseran gondola lift, "a more...

On 5 April, Serre Chevalier is set to experience a special moment, where sport, humanity and the mountains meet. On the Chantemerle stadium, the Hautes-Alpes resort will be hosting the handi-valide race, an event like no other, where able-bodied and disabled people will meet on the same starting line for a giant slalom under the banner of sharing. Organised by the association Sport et Handicap en Briançonnais, and sponsored by Arthur Bauchet - triple gold medallist at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games - this race embodies a strong message: on the snow,...

It's a page that's being turned... only to be written again. After more than 55 years of loyal service, the legendary Chenus gondola lift, which links the Courchevel 1850 snow front to the peaks of the same name, will be bidding farewell. In the winter of 2025/2026, it will be replaced by a new state-of-the-art installation designed by POMA, which promises to reinvent the skier's experience thanks to a smooth, comfortable ride. We tell you all about it. The project, led by the Société des 3 Vallées (S3V) with the support of Courchevel town council and several design offices, aims to completely transform the ski area...

Once simple, rudimentary shelters for mountaineers and hikers seeking protection from extreme conditions, mountain refuges have evolved considerably over the decades. From their necessary austerity to ever greater comfort, these emblematic high-altitude sites now oscillate between tradition and modernity, while retaining their essential role of welcoming and sharing in the heart of the mountain ranges. Historically, the first mountain refuges were first and foremost emergency shelters, built to offer minimal protection from the elements. Made of wood or stone, and often devoid of amenities, they were used as stopping places...

If the figures are anything to go by, winter 2025 was fairly stable on the summits of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Despite a winter holiday season marked by uncertainty - capricious weather, tight bookings and a less favourable calendar - the mountains managed to stay on course. And as is often the case, it was foreign visitors who were the driving force, offsetting a slight dip in the number of French visitors. This is the first finding to emerge from the Orange Flux Vision data, relayed by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme: foreign visitor numbers are up 10.2 % on the previous winter....