Riviera Pebbles Blog: Activities on the Riviera: Skiing

Posted on 26th Nov 2015 in History

Have the slopes to yourself at the Riviera's three ski resorts

The three ski resorts of the French Riviera have been a local secret for decades. Jacques Chirac and Sacha Distel schussed down Nice’s local slopes. But the resorts of Auron, Isola and Valberg remained bereft of foreign skiers.

Until now. These South of France ski centres have embarked on a Europe-wide advertising campaign with adverts in easyJet Magazine among others. All have invested in new ski lifts, new snowboard parks and new transport links for coastal day-trippers.

Need a reason to go? We’ll give you three.

1) All the resorts are connected to Nice city centre by a 90-minute ski bus.

2) This day-trip ski shuttle only costs just €4 each way. Lift passes hover around €33 per person.

3) As each slope is traditionally for locals-only, they are deserted outside weekends and French school holidays.

So which slopes are for me?

Trendy and family-friendly? Hit Auron. Its 135km of slopes weave through deep forest and isolated canyons. Some 16 blue runs and 3 undulating greens allow for effortless skiing across miles of pristine countryside, right down to the traditional village below.

Chic and sleek? That’s Isola. Red and black runs tumble down to a party-central resort, built from scratch at 2,000m in the 1970s. Their Snowpark is justly famed. Think handrails, slides, Big Air jumps and moguls. Just tog up like a dude from Decathlon before you go.

Off-piste and off-the-beaten track? Make a beeline for Valberg. Snowshoe trails and multi-coloured runs visit Alpine peaks, some of which have a view of the Mediterranean shimmering beyond. Snow cannons and a northerly latitude keep the slopes skiable until early April.

Reading this in summer? You’re in luck. As the coast heats up, each ski station offers downhill mountain biking, meadow hikes, parascending and much more.