Perched at 1,860m on the French side of the expansive Milky Way ski area, Montgenevre is extremely popular due to its reliable snow, reasonable prices and ability to ‘ski to your door’. Weekends see the resort filled with French and Italian skiers, so book for weekdays if you want a more relaxed skiing atmosphere.
Montgenevre is a quaint village set amid tall Alpine forests. The beautiful ancient church dominates the centre of the ski resort, with old stone buildings radiating outward from it. The ski resort was France’s first, begun hundreds of years ago, and the villagers are proud of the traditional charming ambience that has remained unaffected by the passing of centuries.
Hotels, chalets, apartments and holiday villages make up most of the accommodation options in Montgenevre, and prices are quite varied. The larger hotels boast some excellent restaurants, while spread around the ski resort are quality establishments serving traditional French and Italian cuisine.
Bars form the most popular après-ski scene, with sipping 'vin brule' (hot wine) as one of the favourite activities. There are also a few clubs and discos adding some spice to the late evenings. If you are taking a break from the slopes during the day, you can try the gym/fitness centre, cinema or ice-skating.
Montgenevre generally caters to beginner and intermediate level skiers, with just 11 of the 59 runs being for the advanced. Thirty-eight lifts serve the 100kms of pistes, the longest of which is a decent seven kilometres. If you feel unchallenged by the slopes, a cheap day extension gives you access to another 400kms of pistes in the Milky Way, which reaches over to Sestriere and Sauze in Italy. Montgenevre also has links to Claviere in Italy, while other French ski resorts such as Serre-Chevalier and La Grave are easily accessible by car.
The ski season at Montgenevre runs from December to April, with bargains to be had during mid-January. Turin Airport (1 hour, 30 minutes) in Italy is the main gateway for those arriving by air, while car and train are also convenient methods of accessing the resort.
