Our Playgrounds – the Ecrins National Park

In the first of a short series showcasing the areas we operate in, we take a look at the Ecrins massif. This range encompasses the Oisans, Briancon and Valbonnais areas. The next article will cover the Mont Blanc range and our home in the Chamonix valley.

In the Southern French Alps lies a mountain paradise to rival the most popular areas of the Alps. The Ecrins region hosts wild and beautiful hiking, sun-kissed rock climbing, classic Alpine mountaineering and world-class ski resorts. Villages like La Berarde, La Grave and Ailefroide are woven into the fabric of mountaineering history. Alongside these renowned names, there are many more picturesque and unspoilt villages to discover.

Trekking and climbing in the Ecrins

The range holds the only 4000m peaks in France outside the Mont-Blanc massif. During the golden age of Alpinism in the mid-nineteenth century, famous climbers of the day travelled here to scale Mont Pelvoux and the Barre des Ecrins. The biggest prize, La Meije, held out until 1877 and was one of the last great Alpine peaks to be conquered. At the foot of the high peaks lies the Brianconnais region, celebrated for rock climbing on warm limestone. There is good rock climbing all around the Ecrins range, but the Brianconnais crags provide the highest concentration of easily accessible sport climbs.

For our summer courses and trekking, perhaps the best thing about this area is the lack of crowds. Aside from certain tourist hotspots, the trails tend to be empty. There are hundreds of kilometres where you will rarely see another hiker. As a result, there are multiple opportunities to spot the local wildlife.

The GR54 Tour des Oisans/Ecrins makes a circuit around the entire massif in 10-12 days. Considered one of the hardest long distance treks in France, the route is also notable for the remoteness of the southern section. It is a very different experience from the crowds and infrastructure on some other long-distance trails.

Skiing in the Ecrins

See also our resort profiles on Les Deux Alpes and Chazelet

Les Deux Alpes

Before we moved to Chamonix, Les Deux Alpes was home to White Marmotte for a number of years. We still offer products in the region and visit regularly. While not the most picturesque ski village, the resort lies in a beautiful corner of the world with a lot to offer anybody who loves mountains. The town is perched on a high plateau on the edge of the Ecrins National Park. On the pistes, a vertical drop of over two kilometres can be skied from 3520m down to 1294m in Mont de Lans. The resort is often described as being ‘upside down’ due to having some of the easiest terrain at the top. Steep lower slopes hold challenging black runs, plus a blue and a red. In contrast, above 3200m the glacier hosts cruising blues with a spectacular view.

In summer the glacier brings international athletes from around the world to train on guaranteed snow. Meanwhile the lower slopes turn into a downhill mountain biking paradise. Beyond the lift served area there is easy access to the wild high mountains and glaciers that the region has to offer.

Geographically, the ski area forms part of a long, broad ridge which rises from Bourg d’Oisans to Le Rateau and La Meije. This terrain gives a wide selection of long and involved off-piste routes and ski tours. The biggest will take you from the high reaches of the ski area to the remote valleys and picturesque villages of the Veneon or the steep north facing slopes of the Romanche.

Surrounding resorts

Aside from Les Deux Alpes itself, there are several other ski areas close by. These range from big name resorts to tiny farm villages with a pair of lifts in a field. This is a region where tiny, unspoilt ski stations like Chazelet and Col D’Ornon stand alongside the world-class resorts of Alpe D’Huez and Serre Chevalier.

For some, the biggest draw in the region is the freeski mecca of La Grave La Meije. The Telepherique runs from the village at 1450m to the glacier at 3200m. Here you have access to a huge playground of ungroomed and unpatrolled off-piste terrain. Above, a unique drag lift takes skiers to 3600m and the tenuous link to Les Deux Alpes. Avalanche safety equipment is essential and an off-piste instructor or mountain guide is highly recommended. There are many dead ends here. Consequently, following tracks can easily get you into trouble in an area with a large population of extreme skiers. That said, it is a truly amazing place to ski and a descent of the Vallons de la Meije should be on every skier’s must-do list.