Notre Dame de Bellecombe, France

Phil from BELGIUM writes:

I went to Notre-Dame de Bellecombe the first week of January 2005 and will go back there during the same week of 2006, largely due to my family desires. For extreme riders or all-night parties lovers, it's probably not the best place to go, but for families with a range of skiing levels, it is one of the best place I know in France. First, NDDB is located in a very pretty place, with lots of trees, beautifull views on the Mont Blanc and other summits. The scenery, the village and all the surrounding chalets spread around reminds me of Austrian Tyrol, with no high rise at all. So, the atmosphere is great. Regarding skiing facilities, it was good last year and it promises to be even better this year since the link with neighbooring Les Saisies will completed. The new Espace Diamant (NDDB, Flumet, Les Saisies, Crest-Volland) will totalise some 140 km in total. The runs are not very long, but you can find beautifull "reds" for intermediate skiers and reasonnable off-pistes. The "greens" for beginners, at Les Saisies in particular, are very nice as well. Another positive point is the the prices are very reasonnable if you compare to other French resorts. Off season, there are nobody on the pistes and you can follow "collective" courses at the ski schools with 2 ou 3 persons classes.
Of cours, as you can't have everything at the same place, there is one "black point": the altitude. The highest "summit" you can reach is 2000 m high. We were lucky last year with the snow, but I'm sure that it will stress me again in the weeks preceeding our departure there... But I'm sure that if you liked Les Gets in "Les Portes du Soleil", NDDB will also become one of your favorite, a excellent compromise between good skiing, nice atmosphere, beautifull location and cheaper prices.

2005-09-16