La Grave ski resort lifts you up to 3200 m above sea level where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Alps and a vast all off-piste ski area in an absolutely spectacular high mountain setting.
La Grave La Meije, a unique off-piste ski resort
La Grave is a small, traditional alpine village, located at an altitude of 1500 m (4921 feet) and offering an exceptional view of La Meije, mythical peak of the Ecrins Massif. The La Grave La Meije Ski Resort is an entirely off-piste resort, unique in the Alps, with a single groomed slope on the glacier and up to 2150 m (7054 feet) of vertical in varied terrain – from the high mountains to the river at the bottom of the valley.
Freeride skiers and powder skiing enthusiasts come from all over the world to enjoy this exceptional off-piste spot where the mountain is left in its natural state. At the end of the day, a myriad of languages can be heard on the sunny terraces of La Grave. During the winter season, you have as much chance of meeting an American or a Swede as a Frenchman because in the freeride community La Grave is a living legend.
The classic ski routes of La Grave, a skier’s dream in powder snow, start on a rocky ridge between the glacier and La Meije. Below, there are open snow fields, bowls, gullies, natural half-pipes shaped by moraines, clearings and couloirs, forest skiing, steep skiing and more mellow terrain. For good skiers the route options are endless.
The freeride ski routes that start on the Girose Glacier are an integral part of the legend of La Grave. The routes continue through open powder fields, steep shoots and rappels down to the road at the valley bottom. The mountain guides will guide you on these mythical glacier runs when the conditions permit.
Some days you will ski the off-piste routes of La Grave in powder, sometimes in cold and compact snow and sometimes in difficult snow or in changing conditions. In La Grave, the mountain demands respect and you need to know how to deal with the current conditions. Every run down the mountain is a new adventure and every time you stop there are marvelous mountain views galore.
La Grave, la Mecque de freeride
Skieurs freeride et passionnés de ski poudreuse viennent des quatre coins du monde pour profiter de cette station unique où la montagne est laissée dans son état naturel. A l'heure de l'après-ski, les terrasses ensoleillées de La Grave résonnent d’une multitude de langues. En saison, vous avez autant de chances de tomber sur un Suédois ou un Américain que sur un Français car dans le monde du freeride La Grave est une légende vivante.
Un rêve pour le ski en neige poudreuse, les descentes hors-pistes classiques de La Grave démarrent sur une crête en roche entre le glacier de la Girose et les vallons de la Meije. Il y a des champs ouverts, des combes, des « half-pipes » naturels formés par les moraines, de la forêt, des clairières et des couloirs, des pentes raides et des pentes plus douces. Pour les bons skieurs les possibilités de descente sont infinies.
Les itinéraires de ski hors-piste qui démarrent sur le glacier de la Girose et qui continuent par grands champs de poudreuse, couloirs raides et rappels jusqu’à la route en fond de vallée, font partie intégrante du mythe de La Grave. Les guides de haute montagne proposent des sorties sur ces itinéraires glaciaires légendaires quand les conditions le permettent.
Selon les jours, vous allez skier les itinéraires de ski hors-piste de La Grave en neige poudreuse, en neige douce compactée ou avec une neige plus changeante, voire difficile. À La Grave, la montagne impose respect et il faut savoir gérer les conditions du jour. Chaque descente est une nouvelle aventure et à chaque pause les vues montagne sont majestueuses.
Freeride ski guides
Here you will quite simply ski the mountain. Apart from a single piste on the glacier, this freeride ski resort is neither groomed nor secured. There are no marked runs and practically no boundary ropes. You need to adapt your itinerary to your technical level and to the conditions, as well as find your way. It is strongly recommended to explore the La Grave ski area in the company of a mountain ski guide or a ski instructor. The guides and the ski instructors offer a first day skiing La Grave La Meije where you will join a group to discover the classic ski routes of La Grave, with ski pass and security equipment included in the price, as well as freeride skiing on all the off-piste routes of La Grave.
A ski lift to reach Alpine glaciers
On your way up in the gondola lift you will have an amazing view through the lift cabin windows. Underneath you the moraines of forgotten glaciers form gullies and natural half-pipes. Right across from you, below the rock faces of La Meije and the Râteau, a few cracks in the snow and here and there a glint of polar blue reveal the presence of glaciers: the Meije Glacier, the Enfetchores and the Râteau Glacier.
At the top, the Girose Glacier lies at your feet. A drag-lift, open depending on snow and weather conditions, makes it possible for skiers to reach 3550 m (11647 feet). A single groomed slope leads back down to the top station of the lift. The mountain guides lien can take you skiing on the glacier. When off-piste skiing on glaciers there is always a risk of falling into a crevasse, therefore we strongly recommend exploring the glacier runs equipped and in the company of a guide.
You can buy your lift tickets online.
Contact information La Grave Ski Lift: 04 76 79 94 65 - info@la-grave.com
Discover the glaciers in summer
In summer, pedestrians, hikers, mountaineers and mountain bikers use the lift to reach the glaciers. Glacier walks, visits to the ice cave, introductions to mountaineering, mountain biking on high mountain trails and walks on panoramic paths are on the summer vacation menu in La Grave.
