Auvergne: Ideal For Beginners; Short Lift Queues
Nestled in central France, Auvergne is a mountainous region with peaks reaching heights of 1885 metres. The region is home to a handful of quiet, relaxed ski resorts, which are particularly popular with families and locals. The high-altitude resort of Mont-Dore (1890 metres) has 43...
Full OverviewAuvergne: Ideal For Beginners; Short Lift Queues
Nestled in central France, Auvergne is a mountainous region with peaks reaching heights of 1885 metres. The region is home to a handful of quiet, relaxed ski resorts, which are particularly popular with families and locals.
The high-altitude resort of Mont-Dore (1890 metres) has 43 kilometres of pistes served by 20 lifts. Its 33 pistes are particularly well suited to intermediates (15 green runs, nine blue, seven red, and two black). Mont-Dore is linked to the resort of Super Besse, which offers a further 43 kilometres of pistes. Together, the resorts combine to form the Mont-Dore - Super Besse Ski Area with a total 86 kilometres of terrain.
Mont-Dore boasts reliable snow cover thanks to its lofty position; skiing back to your hotel is often possible. The village features a good choice of après-ski facilities too with a collection of shops, an ice rink, cinema, and bowling alley.
The neighbouring resort of Super Besse (1350 metres) has 27 runs (five green, nine blue, nine red, and four black). Snowboarders can enjoy the freeride area and boardercross.
Chalmazel (1100 metres) is a small ski resort and popular with families and locals. It is known for its gentle runs, short lift queues, and panoramic views. Chalmazel has 10 pistes and a snowpark. The resort boasts eight lifts including a bubble lift and a high-speed quad chair lift equipped with covers for windy days. Skiers can reach a height of 1634 metres altitude. Traditional French food is served in the resort centre.
Le Lioran (1250 metres) is one of the largest resorts in Auvergne with 40 pistes offering a total length of 60 kilometres accessed by 22 lifts. Skiers can reach a height of 1850 metres. Le Lioran is best suited to beginners but there is some terrain for intermediates and advanced skiers. You'll also find 140 kilometres of cross-country ski trails.
Chambon des Neiges (1150 metres) - a small ski station on the northeast slopes of the Puy-de-Sancy - unfortunately closed at the end of the 2001/2 ski season due to lack of snow.
The Auvergne region is approximately five hours by car from Paris. The nearest airport is Clermont-Ferrand and the nearest train station is Le Mont Dore; there are direct trains to and from Paris.
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