Champagny en Vanoise France

Idyllic ski resort for those that like to ski rather than party!

This quiet peaceful Savoie village is located in the Tarantaise region of the French Alps. Nestling at the gateway to the oldest National Park in France, the Vanoise, Champagny is an idyllic rural destination for those who like access to a wide ski area but want a mellow time of it back in resort.

This resort hasn’t yet been over run with British tour operators and you could equally find yourself lodging next to a bona fide alpine farmer as to a fellow skier.

This is a beautiful little corner of the Alps, with sun-drenched south facing slopes and alpine forests where if you’re lucky you may spot an Ibex (a wild mountain goat with huge curved horns).

Champagny Skiing

Champagny doesn’t just attract skiers and boarders; cross country skiing and Nordic activities are pretty big here with beautiful peaceful trails meandering through woods and past the 16th century baroque style church.
With 225km of runs and 108 lifts (quite a few drag lifts though) Champagny en Vanoise is a respectable size. However, take the double decker Vanoise Express over to Les Arcs from La Plagne (very easy ski away) and you can access the Paradiski area with  425km of piste, 3 glaciers and 2 summits of over 3000m opened up to you.

Getting to Champagny has never been easier with budget airlines going to four nearby airports. Choose between Chambery (103km), Grenoble (170km), Geneva (181km) and Lyon (180km). Otherwise take the train to Moutiers-Salim which is 18km away. Courchevel is only a 21km drive away if you fancy a day skiing the famous Trois Vallees. See ski holidays Courchevel

Skiers will find a good selection of blues and reds, experts will be disappointed here, better to head over to Les Arcs for something a bit more challenging.

Beginner ski enthusiasts will find the nursery slopes at the top of the cable car with wonderful mountain views to distract them from the inevitable bruises. A big plus here are the secure ski lockers at the top of the gondola, making life very simple for those not wanting to ski the red run down into the village.

Intermediate snowboarders will enjoy the quiet sunny slopes, there is a half pipe to play on but again Les Arcs is where the best parks are. See snowboarding holidays for great deals this season.

Off piste enthusiasts will get a real buzz doing the Cul du Nant on the Bellecote glacier, this is an advanced route and a guide is definitely recommended.

If Apres Ski is as much a part of your holiday as the skiing then this resort is definitely not recommended. There’s a small selection of restaurant and a couple of quiet bars, the local nightclub ‘Le Galaxy’ caters for the local late night revellers. Bozel three mile down the road has more to offer in terms of entertainment.

Paragliding and ice climbing are alternatives, in fact Europe’s biggest 20 metre artificial ice climbing tower is based in Champagny, please note this is not available for under twelves.

All in all, this is a great resort to visit if you like peace and quiet, a dash of local flavour and easy runs. Not particularly good for the more advanced or for any party animals.