One of the most picturesque and traditional ski resorts in France, Puy St Vincent charms visitors with its magnificent religious heritage and stunning views. The skiing is fantastic as well, as evidenced by the village being chosen to host the English Ski Championships in 2002.

Families flock to Puy St Vincent due to its laid-back atmosphere and quiet, charming ambience. Children are especially well catered for, with a wide range of quality nurseries, ski kindergartens and clubs. Staying in the village is like stepping back in time, with accommodation provided by traditional wooden and stone chalets and cabins. There are several excellent restaurants as well as a few cosy bars to choose from.

Puy St Vincent ski resort has a good mix of runs, with 13 blue, six green, 10 red and two black runs making up the 67kms of pistes. The slopes are serviced by 16 lifts, including a fast quad chair, so there are rarely any delays in getting to the tops of the runs. The vertical drop is a staggering 1,350m, while the longest run is a little short at just three kilometres. Snowboarders are catered to with a fun park and half-pipe, and there are lots of challenging off-piste routes to discover. Cross-country skiers have a vast range of trails, totalling 100kms.

Après-ski options are not very extensive at PSV, in keeping with its reputation as a relaxed, peaceful, laid-back, family-friendly resort. Taking advantage of its historical heritage, the village puts on some interesting exhibitions in its medieval churches. Apart from that, visitors will have to make do with ice-skating, tobogganing and skidoo, or else head to a nearby valley for a more extensive range of non-ski attractions.

Puy St Vincent’s ski season begins in early December and runs until late April, with the resort boasting some of the cheapest ski rates in this area. The best snowfall is in February and early March.

Turin International Airport is the gateway airport to Puy St Vincent, with a range of hire vehicles and transfer services available to take you the 130kms to the ski resort. Alternatively, you can catch the high-speed TGV to L’Argentiere Les Ecrins from Paris, leaving you 10kms and a short bus ride away from the resort.