Thu, 23 December 2021
Minimum altitude: 1,376 meters
Distance: 36.4 km
Slope Aspect: North-West
Vertical Climbed: 4,334 meters (14,220 feet)
Vertical Descended: 4,334 meters
Resort Description
Lans en Vercors is a traditional village situated at the northern entrance of the Vercors plateau (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) just above Grenoble. The main ski resort is above the village at the Montagne de Lans. When there is sufficient snow there is a learner area in the village but this is not connected to the main ski area except by shuttle bus.
There are 24 slopes for a mix of abililities with panoramic views of the Grenoble (ugh !) and the surrounding mountain ranges: 1 black, 6 red, 10 blue and 7 green. The black is more reddish but some of the reds (Ours etc.) are more blackish and the blues are also a mix of levels and might suprise some beginners. The slopes are oriented West-North-West so see the sun from around midday in the winter. The lifts are largely drags (pomas) with a couple of magic carpets. The drags are well maintained and fast but you gotta like drag lifts. The Virets sector is the easiest with the harder slopes and lots of off piste in the Roche Rousse. As ever with off piste in the Vercors you need to watch out for rocks, gulleys and pot holes. The whole ski area is forested so ideal in poor weather. There are charming long, narrow blues that wind down through these woods such as the Belvédère in the Virets sector, however the narrowness might surprise beginners and to reach the start there is a steep, but wide, descent. The area would suit beginners for a week's skiing, allowing them to progress but unless there is bottomless powder advanced skiers would be bored after a day.
Max Altitude: 1807 meters
Min Altitude: 1420 meters
25km of ski runs
Trip Report
We'd not skied the Montagne de Lans before. It is quite hard for us to reach as it involves a slow traverse across Grenoble but we had business in the area and this was an opportunity to try it out. The access road is very steep, you'll need chains if the weather is bad, snow tires probably won't cut it. There is ample parking, we started at the lower Viret lifts and traversed across the mountain. The area is very pleasant with a good range of skiing and even the blues that zig-zag through the woods are fun to ski. It lacks a bit of vertical, just 400 meters, but the lifts were efficient. No sitting on a cold chair if the weather is bad. Over in the Roche Rousse we skied a bit of off piste but the conditions were not really great today. There is a lot of potential as much of the area hasn't been exploited with ski runs. On a powder day it would be excellent but of course the area is well known to the local freeriders so don't expect to have the mountain to yourself. There is an easy ski tour to the Pic St Michel, snow shoeing and a nordic ski area.
Sunny, fairly warm. Excellent on piste. Mix of hard or chalky snow off piste.
