Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Savoie (73) > Maurienne > Le Corbier
Apartments at Le Corbier
The ski resort of Le Corbier is situated in the Maurienne area of the Savoie department in the Northern Alps region. It is part of the Les Sybelles ski domain. The lift served area extends from 1550 metres to the summit of Mont Corbier at 2265 meters. With the les Sybelles links it is possible to ski to 2600 metres giving over 1000 meters of vertical. There are 310 km of lift served runs. There are 28 km of cross country trails located between 1450 and 1550 meters. The resort has a snowpark.
Le Corbier with Mont Charvin behind
Le Corbier is typical of the third generation of French ski resorts. The accomodation is in tower blocks although these feature large, comfortable south facing appartments most with balconies. The appartments are arranged along a front neige with the bottom of ski pistes and lift system is found. The appartments are linked by a covered gallery featuring around 40 shops and restaurants. The appartments have names linked with space exploration such as Baikonour or Ariane. It is also possible to eat on the restaurant terraces arranged along the bottom of the pistes. Extensive free car parking is available on the other side of the appartment blocks which gives the resort a certain calm.
View from the front neige
The ski domain features many wide, cruising style north facing pistes. The new Sybelles Express 6 seat high speed chair carries skiers to the top of the ski area in 8 minutes and also links into other parts of the les Sybelles ski area. Le Corbier is oriented towards families with the convience of skiing to the front door and the learner area taking children from 3 years old is overlooked by the front neige. There is a garderie for children from 6 months old. Prices are also much more reasonable compared to the Tarentaise. The area is pretty much snow sure from December through to mid-April although we've ski toured the principal summit: l'Ouillon, at the start of September and toured in the area through to the end of May. At the time of our last visit on the 9th April, 2006 there was snow to resort level although some of the pistes were a bit bare. The resort has snowmaking for the bottom of the main ski runs.
The architecture is striking
Nearest Airport(s): Chambèry Aix les Bains (90km), Grenoble St Geoirs (120km), Lyon St Exupery (190km)
Road: A43 to St Jean de Maurienne
Rail: TGV Neige, direct from Paris : 3h30 to St Jean de Maurienne then Bus transfer
There are some very reasonable prices on off-season appartment rentals available from the tourist office.
It has to be said that the front neige with its large tower blocks is not the most inspiring spot however facing the slopes on a sunny day is still extremely pleasant. If the weather is poor we suggest the Restaurant Bar Les Roches Blanches in the Galaxie block (tel: 04 79 56 75 14). This is a large restaurant that overlooks the ski slopes and serves a good range of Savoie wines with traditional food such as Diot sausages or Tartiflette. In the back of the bar is a large open fire. It is all very James Bond circa 1970. I half expected to Telly Savalas sitting in one of the leatherette sofas with a white cat to greet me with "I've been expecting you". There are also three bar restaurants on the pistes.
There is the usual array of ski and gifte shoppes and a well stocked news agents although we didn't notice if they had English language newspapers. There is a photographic store, bakers, butchers and a shop selling traditional Savoyard cuisine as well as a small supermarket.
The area is home to some quite well known guides such as Patrick Col, author of a number of guide books for the area and Claude Rey Vice-président of the UIAGM.
Contact the Maurienne guides office for more details of these and other high mountain guides:
Bureau des Guides de Savoie- Maurienne
Website: http://www.le-corbier.com/
email: info@le-corbier.com
Category: Ski Areas
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