La Rosière

...sun block!

La Rosiere, named so because of its gorgeous pink sunsets, is a smaller and upcoming resort which both benefits and detracts in its appeal. Basically it is a fine place for beginners and intermediates to learn and improve but if you are a seasoned skier there are only about 7 blacks in the whole France/ Italy ski area and even those cannot be regarded as real blacks being narrower rather than steep to gain this title. The ...
...Les Arc's is directly opposite La Rosiere on the other side of the valley and from the Fort you can see the tip of Mount Blanc the tallest mountain in the area.

Fontaine Froid is one of the nicest runs in resort. It is a lovely rolling red that goes right down below resort level through the trees. Tetras is a nice wide blue, the main run into resort and good for beginners to get started on. Those of you with good French will notice ... more

Great snow conditions in this resort normally between mid February to mid march for the best powder. A southerly facing resort means it benefits from plenty of sunshine too so make sure to take your sun block!

La Rosiere, named so because of its gorgeous pink sunsets, is a smaller and upcoming resort which both benefits and detracts in its appeal. Basically it is a fine place for beginners and intermediates to learn and improve but if you are a seasoned skier there are only about 7 blacks in the whole France/ Italy ski area and even those cannot be regarded as real blacks being narrower rather than steep to gain this title. The views you get here are breathtaking, you can see right up the valley to the dam in Tignes, Les Arc's is directly opposite La Rosiere on the other side of the valley and from the Fort you can see the tip of Mount Blanc the tallest mountain in the area.

Fontaine Froid is one of the nicest runs in resort. It is a lovely rolling red that goes right down below resort level through the trees. Tetras is a nice wide blue, the main run into resort and good for beginners to get started on. Those of you with good French will notice that a lot of the runs are named after game birds and other things that the French hunt in the summer. Look out for Marmottes from early March to April (on your way up or down to resort, not on the pistes). They look somewhat like fury gremlins but uglier, no doubt you will see some marmotte skins on the walls of restaurants etc.

For advanced skiers take a taxi to Sainte Foy just fifteen minutes away, once voted the second best off piste ski resort in the world, it only has three lifts but is challenging at least. You can also get a reduction on the day pass there with your La Rosiere 6 day pass.

The opportunities to go off piste in La Rosiere are vast, although again not particularly challenging, more suited to intermediates. The best off piste can be found around the "fort" area. The downhill ski run and snow park don't tend to open until the middle of January. The park normally has three blue jumps, three reds, one black, one hip and three rails.

The lift system has recently (opened 2004) been upgraded to include two new six man chairs but is still strongly reliant on its button/drag lifts, which are all pretty antiquated giving you quite a kick at the start. The Roc Noir button is the longest and slowest, really painful if you board. Also I need to add that although the six man chairs are pretty new they are not the sort that have roof/head covers and it can get pretty wind swept on them. On the good side though being a smaller resort means you hardly ever have to queue at lifts even during school holidays.

The resort town is pretty compact and does not attract too many party hard revelers, so with plenty of different restaurants and a couple of bars it makes this resort ideal for families. L'ancolie is possibly one of the nicer restaurants where traditional dishes such as tartiflette, fondues and brasieard? (where you get a hot stone or grill and a selection of different meats to cook at your leisure). Other good restaurants are Le Plein Soleil and Le Petit Danois, the former being open in the evenings only for two sittings one at seven and one at nine. Le Petit Danois often have entertainment such as bands on throughout the week, as well as serving great food and plenty of offers on cocktails. Near to there is a club called Le Pub which is usually open to 4 am if you can stomach it. Beers are pretty pricey though at five euros a pint. There is a pizza/chip/kebab shop near the doctors that is open until 11pm if you get hungry that late. The French inhabitants are extra friendly although its well advised to make sure you keep an eye on your coat/bag, lock your equipment up at night, don't keep cash in your chalet or hotel room and split your skis when making a stop off on piste, Its not bad for crime but opportunities do get taken in every resort every season.

Also in resort there is a cinema, look out for (vost) which means that that showing is in English, I think normally on a Thursday. There is a gym that has a Jacuzzi. There are three equipment shops, two supermarkets which are evenly priced, two ski schools (ESF is probably better quality of teaching) and various other shops. For board equipment I recommend a trip to the town of Bourg saint Maurice to the "Tip Top board shop", it's a little cheaper and a better range.

There is one doctor in resort who is private and one mountain rescue service so my last tip is to get a carte neige from the lift pass office. This is a kind of rescue guarantee card because basically your E111 means nothing to the private doctors and hospitals in the vicinity. Plus if you get hurt in Italy and are staying in France you will have to travel for 8 hours around Mount Blanc to get back, so best to make sure you prepare for every eventuality.

happy hols, it really is a gem of a ski resort just avoid early or late season coz the snow is patchy.

 

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