Val Cenis Ski Resort

The faces of family skiers arriving at Val Cenis for the first time say it all. This is an excellent family-friendly resort that isn't nearly as well known to the British market as it should be, and as such is a wonderful discovery for first-timers. Those who already know it tend to return regularly.  

The Val Cenis ski area enjoys a sheltered position in the Haute-Maurienne Vanoise valley close to the Franco-Italian border, where the ancient route to Turin via the Col du Mont-Cenis meets the legendary Route des Grandes Alpes.

The valley runs north-east from the town of Modane, where there's a convenient train station on the TGV line from Paris to Milan. It means easy access of about 25 minutes for the string of villages that make up the resort of Val Cenis. They're friendly and unpretentious, and linked to each other, and the train station, by shuttle bus and a secure hitch-hiking system.

In a typical season Val Cenis receives substantial snowfalls (stats show it regularly has over 150cm snow depth throughout the season), a factor that has seen it growing steadily in popularity. It's also helped by the fact the resort is spread over year-round, working village communities, ensuring it's a ski area that maintains a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and whose prices remain refreshingly down-to-earth.

Despite the pricing, the lift infrastructure shows clear signs of continuing investment, and you’ll also find a snowpark, a boarder-cross run and an ‘Easy Park’, combining boarder/skiercross with a timed-run system.

Val Cenis is an attractive option, with plenty to keep skiers and snowboarders of most abilities entertained – but if you want to explore a change of scenery, Bonneval-sur-Arc (officially classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France) is half an hour's drive up the valley and is an exceptional, high-altitude and off-the-beaten-track resort; a real find for nature lovers.

In the opposite direction are the family ski resorts of Aussois, La Norma and Valfréjus. If you buy a six-day lift pass you get a day's skiing in each of the Haute Maurienne Vanoise's other resorts (Valfréjus, La Norma, Aussois and Bonneval-sur-Arc), plus unlimited cross-country skiing at Bessans and Val Cenis-Aussois.

Highlights

• Varied terrain among dazzling, unspoilt scenery.
• Friendly year-round village community, with affordable food prices - even on the mountain.
• Healthy snow record, with extensive snowmaking.
• Self-catering accommodation for most budgets.
• Short transfers from high-speed rail services into Modane.
• A six-day lift pass includes access to a further four nearby ski areas, linked by shuttle buses (free to Pass holders).

Lowlights

• North-facing slopes mean colder days and less sunshine than south-facing neighbours like Aussois
• Nightlife is decidedly on the quiet side
• Few black runs (but lots of off piste options available in the valley)