Short answer
Montgenèvre is a ski village at 1,860 metres on the pass between France and Italy, twelve kilometres from Briançon. The beginner slopes are in the middle of the village, and from the same lifts you can ski into Italy and the Via Lattea ski area with 400 kilometres of pistes. The village often gets snow from the Italian side, and the night train from Paris goes to Briançon, a short bus ride away.
Quick facts
- Country / region
- France, Hautes-Alpes
- Ski area
- Via Lattea (Montgenèvre, Claviere, Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx and others)
- Altitude (village – top)
- 1860 – 2789 m above sea level
- Pistes
- 400 km
- Lifts
- 69
- Season
- late November – mid-April
- Nearest airports
- Turin (about 1 h 30) · Grenoble (about 2 h 30)
- Train
- Night train Paris–Briançon, then bus or taxi (about 20 min)
- Price level
- ●●●●● (1 = cheap, 5 = expensive)
Family rating
3,8 / 5
- Beginner slopes A beginner slope with a conveyor belt in the middle of the village – but most of Via Lattea is red and black.
- Snow reliability The village sits at 1,860 metres and often gets snow from the Italian side.
- Distance from accommodation to lifts A small village along the road over the pass, where the lifts start from the village.
- More than skiing Ski lunch in Italy and the fortified town of Briançon a short bus ride away.
The rating is our overall assessment for families with children based on the criteria above – not a paid placement.
Montgenèvre sits up on the pass between France and Italy, just twelve kilometres from Briançon. The village is small – basically one street with houses on both sides of the road over the pass – but it has a long history. As early as February 1907 a big ski competition was held here, with French mountain troops and Norwegian ski jumpers, and it made Montgenèvre one of the first ski resorts in France.
Today the village is the gateway to Via Lattea, one of the largest ski areas in Europe, which stretches into Italy.
The beginner slopes in the middle of the village
For families, the best thing about Montgenèvre is that the beginner slopes are in the middle of the village. The children learn on the easy slopes with conveyor belts below the houses, and the parents are never far from where they are staying. Around the village there are also wide, easy slopes in larch forest – more than enough for the first few days.
Via Lattea – skiing into Italy
From Montgenèvre the lifts cross the border to the Italian village of Claviere, and from there Via Lattea continues towards Sansicario, Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere, where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held.
| Difficulty | Kilometres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Blue and green | 96 km | 24 % |
| Red | 220 km | 55 % |
| Black | 84 km | 21 % |
The whole of Via Lattea has 400 kilometres of pistes and 69 lifts, between 1,540 and almost 2,800 metres. Most of it is red and black, so the whole area suits families where the children already ski confidently best. Keep in mind:
- ID documents – bring a passport or ID card for the whole family.
- The right lift ticket – buy a ticket for the whole of Via Lattea if you are going far into Italy. For young children, a cheaper ticket for Montgenèvre only is often enough.
- The time – check when the lifts back to France close.
Snow from Italy
Montgenèvre sits at 1,860 metres, and its position on the pass gives the village an advantage: when bad weather comes from Italy, the snow gets caught here, while resorts further into France can go without. That makes Montgenèvre one of the more snow-sure resorts in the southern Alps.
Montgenèvre with kids
- Beginner slope with a conveyor belt in the middle of the village.
- Ski schools in the village, close to where you stay.
- Ski lunch in Italy – an outing the children will talk about afterwards.
- The lift pass is available for the whole Via Lattea and cheaper for Montgenèvre only.
If it is your first ski trip, everything about ski school, equipment and daily rhythm is in the guide to the first ski trip with kids.
How to get to Montgenèvre
- By train: the night train from Paris goes to Briançon, and from there you take a bus or taxi the twelve kilometres up, about 20 minutes. The whole journey from Sweden is in train to the Alps.
- By air: Turin is about an hour and a half away by car, Grenoble about two and a half hours.
- By car: the road over the pass is kept open in winter, but winter tyres and snow chains are required.
Montgenèvre or its neighbours?
On the other side of Briançon lies Serre Chevalier with four villages and warm baths, and further south Vars and Risoul with lower prices. Montgenèvre is best for the beginner slopes in the village and the skiing into Italy. We compare all the French resorts in skiing holidays in France.
Packing for Montgenèvre – easy things to forget
Frequently asked questions
Can you ski to Italy from Montgenèvre?
Yes. The lifts cross the border to Claviere, and from there the Via Lattea ski area continues towards Sansicario and Sestriere. Bring ID documents for the whole family and buy a lift ticket for the whole of Via Lattea.
Is a lift ticket for Montgenèvre only enough?
For families with young children, often yes. The area around the village has easy slopes and beginner areas. The whole of Via Lattea is big and mostly red and black, so it suits best when the children ski confidently.
Is Montgenèvre snow-sure?
The village sits at 1,860 metres, and because it is on the pass it often gets snow from the Italian side when other French resorts go without. The pistes in Via Lattea reach almost 2,800 metres.
How do you get to Montgenèvre?
With the night train from Paris to Briançon and then a bus or taxi the twelve kilometres up. By plane, Turin is closest, about an hour and a half away.
Why is Montgenèvre known in skiing history?
In 1907 a big ski competition was held in Montgenèvre, with French mountain troops and Norwegian ski jumpers among others. It made the village one of the first ski resorts in France.
