Risoul, France

Ben Scales from FRANCE writes:

If you look at the piste map of Risoul you could be forgiven for thinking that it was a fairly poxy little resort. It is however, taking in Vars next door, deceptively big - not on the scale of eg Val d'Is?re/Tignes or Les Tois Vall?es, but it is certainly big enough for all standards for a week.

I would disagree with Ady's comment suggesting it is not a lot of bottle for experts. True, the piste skiing is, with the exception of a couple of tasty black runs, fairly intermediate, but off piste opportunities are spectacular if the snow is right.

Even over new year the queuing is very light and there are also 'quick lines' at almost all lifts so you can bypass the masses if you don't mind making up the extra man on a chairlift of random punters.

The drawbacks are as follows:

1. The lift system is basic, comprising button lifts and chairlifts with only one t?l?cabine system taking you up out of Vars. This is not in itself much of a problem, provided the weather is OK!

2. As has already been said, the night life is not exactly belting, but there are a few good bars, which cater for the unwashed boarding hoardes, who incidentally would do everyone a favour if they kept off mogul fields which 9O% of them can't get down other than on their backsides (thereby shaving off the tops of the bumps and wrecking them).

4. Quite a lot of Italians ;)

Plus points:

1. Relaxed southern Alps atmosphere; few English.

2. Easy access from Marseille: 3 hours, mostly of autoroute (don't bother with Turin). Also winter flights to Marseille are cheap.

3. Compared to the well-trodden Britpack resorts like Val d'Is?re, Risoul is very good value for the lift pass, accommodation and food up the mountain.

2004-01-16