Because there's more to Nice than the sea, Le Petit Montagnard presents three winter sports resorts less than 2 hours' drive from the Côte d'Azur city.
Isola 2000, for its exceptional snow cover
With snow guaranteed every year thanks to its altitude, one of the highest in France, Isola 2000 offers optimum conditions every year.
The only fly in the ointment is the lack of vertical drop (2000 m - 2603 m), which means that long descents are out of the question. But with ultra-fast, state-of-the-art lifts, the historic resort of Mathieu Faivre (double world champion) and Julia Pereira (Olympic bronze medallist) offers long days for beginners and sports enthusiasts alike.
With its many bars and restaurants, Isola 2000 also offers a pleasant nightlife, in addition to the various activities on offer outside skiing (snowshoe trekking, snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice circuit...).
The day Ray Ringer "accidentally" created the very first snow gun
Isola 2000 is also renowned for being Monaco's favourite ski resort. In the mid-1980s, under the impetus of Jacques Pastor, Monaco's deputy mayor for sports and technical director of the Monegasque Ski Federation, the resort, nestled at an altitude of 2,000 metres, began to welcome Monegasque families.
The reason? The creation of a training centre for young people from the Ski Club de Monaco and the Monegasque Ski Federation. This is a historic partnership between the Principality and the Mercantour resort, which today makes the Principality one of the world's leading ski resorts.Isola 2000 one of Monaco's most important landmarks.
How do I get there?
By bus: Line 92 from Grand Arénas (Nice)
By car: A8 Provençale motorway from Aix-en-Provence or Monaco, then exit 52 Carros / Nice Saint Isidore and RM6202 bis, direction Digne/Grenoble. After 30 km, take the junction for Saint-Sauveur and follow the signs for Isola. At the roundabout in the village of Isola, turn right towards Isola 2000 (17 km).
What are the rates?
Full day: €38.00
Afternoon: €30.40
Which ski area?
Auron, for the charm of its village
A resort perched on a flat plateau, with an ice rink right in the heart of an authentic village dotted with wooden chalets. What more could you ask for?
With a ski area surrounded by fir trees, the slopes of which are mainly south-facing, Auron can pride itself on being one of the sunniest resorts in France.
Starting at 1600 m and climbing to 2450 m, the Mercantour resort offers 850 m of vertical drop. Enough to delight purists.
And for those who don't ski, Auron offers a multitude of activities. From the spa and swimming pool to the ice rink, sled dogs, tobogganing and snowmobiling, there's plenty to do for young and old alike. Gourmets will also be well catered for, with a number of delicious restaurants.
And to top it all off, the resort hosts and organises a number of major sporting and cultural events every year, including the "Chefs au Sommet d'Auron" mountain gastronomy festival and the X Speed Ski Tour.
How do I get there?
By bus: Line 91 from Grand Arénas (Nice)
By car: Leave the A8 motorway at exit 51.1 Carros / Mercantour, then take the RM6202 BIS, before joining the RM6202 towards Digne / Grenoble. After 30 km, turn right onto the RM2205 towards St Sauveur sur Tinée / St Étienne de Tinée.
What are the rates?
Full day: €38.00
Afternoon: €30.40
Which ski area?
Valberg, for its family atmosphere
It is not as highly rated as Isola 2000 or Auron. And yet it is, Valberg offers the perfect compromise between an authentic mountain village and exceptional views over the Mercantour National Park.
With 90km of pistes, 23 lifts, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, Big Air Bag, snowpark and family trail, Valberg has nothing to envy its two big sisters.
Ideal for children, who can take to the slopes for the first time in complete safety, Valberg is the perfect place for families. As well as skiing, you can enjoy a range of activities in the charming village.
Once upon a time: Poma, the French ski lift specialist
There are also many walks and snowshoe outings starting from the resort, as well as the Golf Nordic ski area, a real family area with marked and groomed toboggan runs, snowshoe trails, the Golf eco-trail and a restaurant-bar.
How do I get there?
By bus: Route 670 from Nice-Ville SNCF station (Poste Thiers stop) and Nice-Côte d'Azur international airport.
By car: There are several routes to the Valberg resort, which is situated at the top of a pass: A8 motorway, exit 52 Nice Saint Isidore, then the D 6202 towards Digne, cross Touët/Var, then take the D 28 through the Cians gorges or the D 2202 through the Daluis gorges and the village of Guillaumes.
What are the rates?
Full day: €37.00
From 11am: €33.00
From 3pm: €18.00
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