Snowsure: 4.8
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Villard-Reculas is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Villard-Reculas 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 08, 2013
Chris Gill from
France
Chris Gill from
France
A tour of downtown Villard Reculas by Chris Gill editor of Where to Ski and snowboard. 23 January 2013
Wednesday brought cloud and snow to the Alpe d’Huez area, creating the perfect opportunity to explore the minute satellite village of Villard-Reculas in the company of Michael Baldwin, year-round resident and owner-operator of La Source, a 200-year-old stone barn converted into a charming catered chalet.
In the course of touring the densely built village, in the middle of the day, we encountered one pedestrian, three cats and one moving vehicle. If you’re looking for a ski resort that is nothing like a typical ski resort, this place is for you.
The forecast for Thursday is better, and we have the slopes of another satellite, Auris, on the agenda.
February 14, 2012
Judith Phillip from
United Kingdom
Judith Phillip from
United Kingdom
We have stayed in Villard-Reculas for two consecutive seasons, having enjoyed the peace and tranquility of this unspoilt village and the personal service offered by the private chalet La Source, that we found through Where to Ski and Snowboard. The village of Villard-Reculas is truly unspoilt. It has wonderful views of the mountains and the patchwork quilt of the town of Bourg D'Oisans below. The accommodation is limited to one hotel but there are charming chalets and apartments to be found, all in very traditional mountain style.
The main ski area of Alpe d'Huez is superb, offering skiing for all abilities with its wide range of challenging blacks, reds, blues and greens. La Sarenne is the longest black run in Europe at 17km, coming down from 3330m to 1510m with an excellent restaurant at the bottom. But if something gentler is more your style then you will certainly find it in this resort. Snowboarders are also well catered for with the snowpark in the centre of Alpe d'Huez.
The lifts from Villard-Reculas quickly and efficiently transport you up to the main resort area where you will find fast, comfortable chairs to take you up and over Le Signal. There is now a free ski shuttle bus which operates in season, taking skiers from the chalets to the bottom of the escalator lift, or the drag lift, but if you are staying in Chalet La Source, you will be able to take advantage of their free mini-bus service. Michael will also gladly show you around the ski area and direct you to one of the charming villages on the lower slopes. He will also recommend one of the many excellent restaurants which are to be found on the mountain, or in the villages.
The run back from Le Signal can be made on a variety of runs from the challenging La Foret, a choice of wide reds, or if your legs are tired, on the blue. The snow was excellent throughout the area while we were there this year. In times of poor snowfall, Villard-Reculas and the main resort of Alpe d'Huez can manage to keep their slopes operating through the use of their many snowmaking machines.
If lively apres-ski is your scene, then Villard Reculas is not for you, but if you are looking for a peaceful village, set away from the main resort with excellent skiing, superb views and a charming friendly ambiance then you can do no better than trying Villard-Reculas.
December 14, 2011
Jonathan Poole from
United Kingdom
Jonathan Poole from
United Kingdom
Villard Reculas (Villard-Reculas) is an unspoilt tiny picturesque old village with many original buildings made from local stone and wood scattered on a high shoulder above Bourge. It is a one hour drive from Grenoble, the last few kilometres up a steep hair-pinned alpine road. The setting is beautiful and the view of the mountains and down the ]valley is quite stunning.
The ambiance is local and French with few foreign visitors. Accommodation is mostly in private houses and apartments although there is a small hotel and one catered Chalet run by an enthusiastic English ex pat. There are a couple of bars and restaurants serving simple meals in the village centre as well as the hotel. However there is no 'nightlife' to speak of.
The slopes are Just 150 metres from the village centre which provide a high speed quad chairlift into the main Alpe D'Huez Ski circus as well a number of button lifts serving the beginners area. The village slopes themselves are all above the tree line offering a range of red blue and a few green runs. The run back down into the village from the top of the chairlift is a delightful and normally quiet end to a heavy day in the rest of Alpe D'Huez.. These slopes also offer wonderful off piste skiing in new snow.
The local ski school is run by a young English speaking Frenchman called Alex and only operates in peak season offering private lessons out side these dates.
Much of the accommodation is over 500 metres from the slopes but a free bus service is now available in peak season and the Chalet La Source provides transport for its guests.
Overall Villard is a charming and quiet alternative to the noise and bustle of Alpe D'Huez whilst retaining quick access to one the Alps major ski areas. It must have something as we have returned every year with a mixed assortment of expert intermediates children and even walkers for the last 12 years staying in the La Source chalet.
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