Villard De Lans

Set on the edge of the Vercors plateau, Villard-de-Lans operates as a year-round working town that happens to have a large ski area attached. It lacks the steep crags of the northern Alps, trading them instead for rolling limestone plateaus, pine forests, and wide gullies that feel distinctly different from the Tarentaise or Savoie. Skiers from Grenoble head here on weekends to carve through the trees of the Espace Villard-Corrençon domain, making it an active, lived-in community rather than a purpose-built winter outpost.

Mountain culture & milestones

The town officially gained recognition as a ski resort in 1906, long before the post-war ski boom. It hosted the French bobsleigh championships in 1934 on the Clots track, establishing a sliding sports reputation that peaked three decades later.

During the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics, the Olympic committee separated the luge and bobsleigh events, sending the luge competitions to Villard-de-Lans. A 1,000-metre concrete track was poured at Le Bois du Frier, handling the events before eventually being retired from competitive use.

Valley bases: where to stay

The layout separates the main town from the high-altitude lift bases. You choose between village life with a bus ride to the snow, or staying directly at the lift stations.

Ski sectors at a glance

The Espace Villard-Corrençon domain offers 125 kilometres of trails spread across four main zones. Navigation relies on 19 lifts, which include older fixed-grip chairs mixed with updated gondolas.

The mountain & skiing

The terrain skews heavily toward confident beginners and intermediates. With 12 green and 12 blue runs, novices have plenty of room to progress without ending up accidentally stranded on a sheer face. Intermediates get 16 red runs, many of which follow the natural contours of the limestone ridges before dipping into the spruce forests.

Advanced skiers might find the 10 black runs short on vertical drop compared to the mega-resorts. However, the off-piste potential through the trees off the Grande Moucherolle provides technical lines when the snow is fresh. Because the entire area sits below 2,100 metres, you do not get massive high-alpine glacier bowls, but you do get weather-protected skiing when storms shut down the higher exposed resorts.

The village & après-ski

If you expect dancing on tables in ski boots at 4 PM, you will be disappointed. Villard-de-Lans operates at a slower, more domestic pace. Après-ski revolves around bakeries, regional cheese shops selling local Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage, and relaxed pubs around the Place de l’Ours.

The town centre retains its historic feel, untouched by the brutalist ski architecture of the 1960s – which was sensibly kept up the hill at Côte 2000. Families use the leisure centre, which houses an ice rink and a wave pool, rather than hitting nightclubs.

Snow & season

Because the maximum altitude is 2,050 metres and the village sits at 1,050 metres, snow reliability heavily depends on weather patterns coming off the Atlantic. The Vercors acts as a first barrier to incoming western weather fronts, meaning it can receive massive dumps of snow in a short window. Conversely, mild spells can degrade the lower return runs quickly. The season usually runs from mid-December through to early April, with February generally offering the most consistent coverage across the whole domain.

Summer & year-round

The Vercors Regional Natural Park draws huge crowds in summer for hiking, mountain biking, and road cycling. The lift system partially runs in July and August to provide access to high-altitude trails. The area is also famous for caving and canyoning in the porous limestone gorges, such as the nearby Gorges de la Bourne.

Safety & mountain etiquette

While the tree-lined slopes feel safe, the Vercors plateau features sudden limestone cliffs and sinkholes (scialets) that disappear under powder. Venturing off-piste requires a local guide, as the topography can easily funnel unwary skiers over steep rock bands. Always respect the boundary ropes.

Who it suits best

Families, intermediates, and skiers who prefer forested runs over barren high-altitude bowls do well here. It works for anyone who values staying in an authentic French market town rather than a sterile resort block. Hardcore mileage-hungry skiers looking for endless steeps and raging nightlife should probably look elsewhere.

Getting there

Grenoble Airport sits around 67 km away, while Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is approximately 115 km distant. Geneva Airport is further at roughly 188 km. The nearest rail hub is Grenoble train station.

Written by the Alps2Alps editorial team.

External links

• Villard de Lans / Corrençon en Vercors Tourist Office
• Alpski Resort Guide
• Villard-de-Lans on Wikipedia
• Espace Villard Corrençon piste details