La Rosiere Ski Resort

La Rosière and its satellite hamlet Les Eucherts have been purpose-built in an attractive chalet style high up the mountain at 1850m. Almost all the accommodation is within a few minutes walk of the lifts and pistes, and there is a free ski bus service as well. La Rosière’s snow record is one of the best in France, but it faces south, so expect sunshine and glorious views, but also some slush if temperatures rise.

La Rosière Ski Area

La Rosière is just one part of the Espace San Bernardo: unless winter storms close the connecting lifts, you can ski over the Col du Petit St Bernard and onto La Thuile in Italy. Once you cross the Col you’re on predominantly high, north-facing slopes and it can be very cold and windy at the top, so take an extra layer. The area’s highpoint is Mt Valaisan where a new sector was opened in 2018, with lifts ascending to 2800m. In total there are about 90 runs and 40 lifts, and between 150km and 200km of piste skiing depending on how you measure it. This makes the San Bernardo domain just big enough for most skiers for a week, especially if they are prepared to spend some of their holiday doing other activities like ice skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing, kite skiing or simply spending time soaking up the sunshine in the bars and restaurants. Strong, keen piste skiers will find the ski area a bit small, though. Villaroger, part of Les Arcs, is just across the valley and only a 25 minute drive or taxi journey away, but there are no regular bus services or lift pass sharing arrangements.

For beginners, La Rosière is an excellent resort: there are free lifts in the main village and at Les Eucherts, with lots of nearby blue runs to progress onto, and good ski schools (see below).

Intermediates effectively have the whole of the Espace San Bernardo to play on, provided they can master the narrow and slightly tricky red Bosquetin run from Fort de la Redoute followed by the long Bellecombe 1 drag lift (snowboarders take note) because that is the only pisted route through to La Thuile. The blue run back is easy. Whilst there are some black runs most are not that steep and all of them can be navigated around.

Advanced skiers who want a challenge should head over to La Thuile: Piste 3 /”Franco Berthod” is a World Cup Downhill run that reaches 73% (about 37 degrees) in places, and pistes 2, 5 and 25 are also interesting. Closer to La Rosiere, the Ecureuil (black) followed by Ecudets (black) and Fontaine Froide (red) pistes form a lovely, if not particularly steep, continuous descent through the trees with a 1000m vertical, but it’s south-west facing and ends at the very bottom of the ski area at 1190m, so the last part can be closed or in bad condition.

Advanced skiers should also try the off-piste. It takes only one lift from La Rosière to reach the Zittieux Freeride area which is avalanche controlled. It is south-facing however, so it needs to be skied quickly after a fresh dump of snow. There are runs in all directions from Mt Valaisan; the north-face hosts Freeride competitions and is easily accessed – look for the Piste Hors sign off the 2800 red piste – but only a guide can tell you whether it’s safe to ski or not. Guides can also show the off-piste runs from Fort de la Redoute, Mont Belvedere and below the resort to the old Montvalezan villages. Ski touring is also encouraged, and La Rosiere is one of the few ski resorts in France with heliskiing (you have to be dropped off in Italy).

Boarders and freestylers have three snowparks to choose from.

Accommodation in La Rosière and Les Eucherts

Where to stay in La Rosiere

La Rosière and Les Eucherts are both compact and have been well designed with attractive chalet-like buildings. Of the two, Les Eucherts is smaller, quieter, more traffic-free and has a higher percentage of ski-in, ski-out accommodation but La Rosière has more bars, restaurants and shops. But don’t worry too much about which one you’re staying in because you can walk between them in about 10 to 15 minutes, and it’s a pleasant stroll through the woods on a well lit path.

The resort is not particularly lively when the slopes close – it’s too small and family-oriented for that – but there are enough restaurants and bars to have fun, particularly near the centre of la Rosiere. For a bit of variety, you can also have dinner inside an igloo on the lower slopes or at a mid-mountain restaurant reached via a ride on a piste-basher. The main apres-ski activity though is just relaxing with a drink, admiring the scenery, which often looks stunning at sunset.

Hotels in La Rosiere and Les Eucherts

The 4-star Chalet-Hôtel Matsuzaka at the bottom of the slopes in Les Eucherts and the 4-star Hyatt Centric in the centre of La Rosiere are both well-liked by previous guests and have typical 4-star luxuries like pools and saunas. The Hôtel Alparena & Spa in Les Eucherts is one level down from this but has serviced apartments as well as rooms. Also in Les Eucherts, in a ski to the door location, is the family-run L’Accroche Coeur which is picking up good reviews. Chalet l’Aiglon in La Rosiere is a very upmarket bed and breakfast guesthouse with it’s own hammam spa that is getting near perfect reviews from its previous guests. Visitors who want hotel like services and luxuries should also consider ApartHotels in the apartments section below.

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La Rosiere Club Med

Club Med La Rosiere is in a ski-in and ski-out location. It has a swimming pool and spa and offers all-inclusive luxury family holidays for a relatively low price, given what’s included – not only full-board accommodation with gourmet food and an open bar, but also ski passes, ski lessons, childcare and other activities like yoga. Check latest offers and availability >>>

Apartments in La Rosiere and Les Eucherts

There are apartments for almost every budget and some of the smarter ones are now classified as ApartHotels because they have hotel-like level of services and comfort. The CGH-managed 4-star Lodge Hemera in La Rosiere and Les Cimes Blanches in les Eucherts not only have swimming pools, jacuzzis, saunas, spas, wellness centres, gyms and a cosy reception area with an open fire, pool table and a kids corner, but also can arrange for fresh bread and croissants to be delivered to your door every morning and your fridge to be stocked with food ready for your arrival. The Chalet des Marmottons near the top of La Rosière has similar levels of service: it lacks the pool and wellness centre but has the largest apartments. But there are also plenty of more basic self-catered apartments as well.

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Chalets and Chalet Holidays in La Rosiere and Les Eucherts

Specialist UK travel agency Alpine Answers has a good selection of chalet holidays in La Rosiere. Currently they are offering Ultimate-Ski readers a £20 discount per group booking so make sure you mention Ultimate-Ski on their enquiry form if you want to claim this. Search their La Rosiere chalets here >>>

There are also some chalets without catering and without any flights that you can book directly if you’re prepared to book the whole chalet. Search these chalets here >>>

Getting to La Rosière and Les Eucherts

Flying / Nearest airports

• Chambéry airport (135km away; about 1 hour 45 mins drive).
• Lyon Saint Saint-Exupéry airport (210km away; about 2 hours 30 mins drive).
• Geneva international airport (215km away; about 3 hours drive)

Getting to La Rosière from the Airport

You can hire a car but you’re unlikely to use your vehicle in the resort so the most convenient way is by private transfer – Alps2Alps and  Ski-Lifts do private transfers from all the surrounding airports are are easy to book online. Altibus runs a public bus service between the nearby airports and La Rosiere. This is cheaper than a private transfer for an individual or small group but takes much longer (usually you have to change at Bourg St Maurice) and there are only a handful of departure times to choose from on most days. If you have to change at Bourg St Maurice, you complete the 20km journey to la Rosière or Les Eucherts by local bus on the T12 line.  For further details see the Altbus and MobiSavoie/Savoie Express websites.

Getting to La Rosière by Train

Bourg St Maurice station is just 30 minutes by taxi or 50 minutes by bus from La Rosière and has SNCF, TGV, Thalys and Eurostar services. The easiest way to get from the train station to La Rosiere is by private transfer arranged online through Ski-Lifts.

Driving to La Rosière

La Rosière is about 10 hours drive from Calais. Take the motorway to Albertville, then dual carriageway to Moutiers then the A-road (N 90) to Bourg Saint Maurice. The final drive up to La Rosière is on the D 1090. If you are travelling from Italy remember the Petit Saint Bernard pass is closed in winter.

Ski and Board hire in La Rosiere and Les Eucherts

There are plenty of ski and board rental slopes. Most are congregated in the centre of la Rosiere, or close to its main lift area, or in Les Eucherts. Ultimate-Ski partner ALPINRESORTS.com works with several shops in the resort and also gives discounts if you book here. Sport 2000 near the centre of La Rosiere is also recommended.

Ski Schools, Instructors and Mountain Guides

The main ski schools are Evolution 2 (tel +33 4 79 40 19 80) and the Ecole du Ski Francaise (tel + 33 4 79 06  81 26 but there are also private instructors and mountain guides. To compare prices, see classes and lesson times and check availability, you can use CheckYeti.

La Rosière Pros & Cons

+ Attractive, convenient, quiet resort
+ Ski area big enough for most family holidaymakers
+ Excellent child-friendly beginners’ resort
+ High, snowy and sunny
+ Very few lift queues
+ Lovely views in the resort and on the mountain.

– Snow deteriorates on south-facing runs
– Ski area not quite big enough for really keen piste skiers
– Drag lifts will annoy boarders, especially Bellecombe 1
– No lift pass sharing with nearby French resorts.

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