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Visitor reviews for Villard-de-Lans Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
February 18, 2016
Nick Stephenson from
United Kingdom
Nick Stephenson from
United Kingdom
It should be noted that the town of Villard de Lans has looked very closely at the visitor infrastructure over the past couple of years.
There are now regular buses to and from Grenoble and they run into the night which they did not used to do. On our last visit in January there were more taxis running around than ever before and the tourist office is modern, helpful and informative.
Property is available for rent in the tourist office and even if you turn up on the off chance they will do everything they can to find accommodation.
More new lifts, snow cannon and fresh runs have made this an even better resort.
It is really beautiful and being situated in a National Park means that this is likely to remain the stunning location it is.
January 21, 2014
Graeme from
United Kingdom
Graeme from
United Kingdom
We're just finalising plans for our 2nd trip here in a couple of weeks or so. We first visited last year as we have friends who live in Grenoble and have an apartment in the town of Villard de Lans.
In short, it is an ideal resort for a family holiday (as we discovered taking our 2, aged 4 and 6, for their first trip).
Firstly, the town is small and largely remains a working rural hub for the area, combined with a holiday resort. Walking and cycling are as common here in summer (from what we hear from our friends) as skiing and cross-country (it's a bit of a mecca) are in winter.
A good selection of restaurants, in town, from a quick pizza to something more local and traditional. The advantage of it being a working town is that there are supermarkets and real local shops. So, if you're self-catering, as we were, you can get great food at non-'resort' prices.
A free bus takes you up to the slopes from the town but if you're visiting out of peak season, check the times very carefully, it doesn't run that often. Once up at the base, you're fairly quickly whisked up to the mountain hub where the ski school is.
From there, you have your pick of cruisy blues, fun reds and some properly challenging blacks. We would drop our kids off at ski school and then make our way across the resort and back in time to pick them up. My wife is an expert and I'm fairly advanced, so we like a challenge but also enjoy some carving. The advantage of being there in low-season, yet mid-season (early-mid Feb) is that the snow was fabulous and the place was deserted.
Eating up the mountain doesn't offer a huge choice but the food is fine and compared to the mega resorts, not badly priced.
There's a great leisure pool to loosen the limbs in after a day and this year we're hoping to catch the local ice hockey team, the Bears, for a match.
As I said, all in all, it's a great family 'resort', relaxed, friendly and unpretentious. Can't wait to get back!
PS That said, 4 weeks after this trip I'm heading to Meribel with the guys (7x 40-50 yr olds) for the annual trip. I wouldn't take them to Villard de Lans. But then I wouldn't take my kids to Meribel yet when they don't need that amount of terrain and whilst VdL offers such a 'nice' family holiday.
February 04, 2012
Louise Heath from
United Kingdom
Louise Heath from
United Kingdom
Just returned from a fantastic week at Villar-De-Lans, traveling 21st January 2012, with a party of 6 adults and 1 child. Have been to Bulgaria and Austria skiing previously and there was no comparison between the quality of skiing in Villard. Perfect snow, economical, lovely people, beautiful setting.
Booked flights to Grenoble (approx £100 per person), booked self catering apartment (Balcon Apartments £450) over looking the slopes which was basic but very spacious and could have easily fitted in 8 persons. Other expenses included lift passes (£150 per person for 6 day pass), and Ski hire (£50 for 6 days).
Food was expensive compared to the UK but you could buy food and prepare it in your room to cut costs. We often went back to the apartment for lunch and rest, returning skiing in the afternoon. In the evening the restaurants are limited and a little expensive by the slopes but the village of Villard-De-Lans is only 10 minute away if you want more variety. The customer service was very good on all occasions and the locals went out of their way to speak English, as our French was limited.
The ski runs are fantastic! Many slopes to explore for all abilities. Snow quality was exceptional, powdery, well prepared, wide, quiet runs. Many lifts with no queues and the views were outstanding although mist could make skiing difficult at times.
The youngest in our group was 5 years old and he was enrolled into the Ski School (09.30am-12.00pm). The French instructors made him feel very welcome and they explained everything in English to help him settle into the class. The school had excellent facilities and lovely instructors.
In summary, I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone who goes skiing to ski and would rather relax in the evening with a bottle of wine and a book rather than Party until the early hours. We are already looking to return next year and we are going to spend time polishing up our French as the locals really appreciate any effort made to communicate in French.
January 30, 2012
The Davey Family from
United Kingdom
The Davey Family from
United Kingdom
We have been going to VDL (Villard-de-Lans) for the past 6 years and every time we don't want to go home. The best kept French secret for skiing. Tell people where you are skiing and they say "never heard of it". Great, don't tell too many people as it's a quiet location with not many English families there, so lets keep it that way. Skiing is excellent for beginners and intermediates! Ski school is fab having 3 children they really enjoy it, going again at half-term in 2012! Around 12 hour drive from Eurotunnel but with the excellent French roads and picnic/service stations it's a breeze. Again, staying in a rented accommodation with another family, they are converts now too! Enjoy!
February 07, 2009
Anthony Fletcher from
United Kingdom
Anthony Fletcher from
United Kingdom
What can I say – Villard-de-Lans is probably the best kept French secret from the rest of the world. Fantastic resort, lovely people and superb skiing. Stayed in a fantastic little hamlet called Saint Julien en Vercors a few kms away from the main resort; fantastic and peaceful. Would really recommend this fantastic blissful place, once you have been to Villard-de-Lans you will not want to go back to the over subscribed ‘Benidorm’ type ski resorts.
December 07, 2008
Nick S from
United Kingdom
Nick S from
United Kingdom
Great family skiing. The resort of Villard-de-Lans offers a good range of piste for all levels of skiing. Linked to Correncon, which is delightful, it has over 132 km of well groomed skiing. The food and facilities on the mountain are very good but do get a bit busy at the weekends. the longest lift queues on the busiest days are about 1/4 of the time you would experience in the bigger resorts and you will not be listening to English voices whilst you wait.
The village is quiet, but there are some gems of restaurants which offer some high quality food. There is even a Michelin star to be hunted down (Hotel du Golf). The local ice hockey team is in the top flight of the French leagues and you can see some of the very best players in Europe (when they play Rouen and Grenoble).
There is loads to do if you do not want to ski, and if you want to get a change of scenery then Autrans and Meudre in the next valley offer some very pretty runs in an amazing hidden valley.
Most important - it's not expensive - about 2/3 of the average cost across France.
Ski hire is reasonable too.
Highly recommended for a family of new skiers - or those wishing to experience a more laid back time on the piste. If you want high powered apres-ski and riot on the slopes Villard-de-Lans is not the place for you.
October 20, 2008
Tim from
United Kingdom
Tim from
United Kingdom
We went with another family to V de L Easter 07. Part of the resort runs had been closed just that what they do later on in the season. The snow was excellent fresh powder at the start of the week. The most people on the slopes at one time was about 20 we had the place to ourselves. No lift queues and ski pass was 17 Euro a day! Restaurants are cheap; food 10 Euros for 'plat de jour'. Not much English spoken so brush up. Slopes good for beginners to good intermediates. Black runs good, fun scenery, amazing and loads of trees and canyons. Village has true French markets, awesome nearby underground cave system that is well worth a visit. Would return before it gets spoiled. Only heard one English voice in a week, bliss. Unlike Tignes that was like Little Britain.
January 02, 2007
Ian from
United Kingdom
Ian from
United Kingdom
I took a party of 16 to Villards-de-lans mainly non skiers, the ski school is very good. The skiing is good for beginners & intermediets & the slopes are very quiet even though we went at French half term also the lift pass & ski hire is really cheap. The village is very pretty but very quiet not the place to go if you want to go clubing although there is a bowling alley, swimming pool, ice rink & cinerma if you speak French.
We drove down it is a 15 hour drive including the euro tunnel but the roads are good.
If you want good cheap skiing but not much excitment & you dont want to meet any other English people this is the place for you.
Cheers
Ian
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