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| There are no half measures in La Grave: the glaciers are enormous, the skyline is dominated by sharp, jagged peaks, and the landscape criss-crossed with blue seracs extending down towards the valley. |
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A harvest of snow and ice |
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| La Grave… The name is Gaulish in origin and refers to the bank of pebbles and rubble left behind by the turbulent Romanche, the torrent which traverses these wild slopes. Boasting a landscape shaped by avalanches, La Grave proudly asserts its true identity: that of an unsecured, unpisted ski area. A country for free men! No signs, no grooming, no warnings, no nets, or any of the other safety features found at any other ski resort. Here freeride reigns supreme... pure and unadulterated. This is La Grave's distinguishing feature. For those who come here the mountains are perceived as a place of freedom where one ventures at one's own risk. The imposing peaks pressing down on all sides command immediate respect. Getting off the gondola at 3,200 metres, one is greeted by the sight of La Meije, the imperial Goddess of l'Oisans, flaunting its 3,983 metres of uninterrupted granite. |
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One of the last montains in the Alps to be conquered |
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| This particularly stubborn summit was eventually conquered in 1877 by a robust quadragenerian by the name of Pierre Gaspard. Our man--a chamois hunter--was peeved at the multiple Alpine conquests claimed by English mountaineers, and refused to accept the idea that HIS Meije could be conquered by foreigners. At the age of 40, therefore, he decided to take the bull by the horns, went about becoming an alpinist and mountain guide, and simply conquered the summit, settling one of the last problems in the Alps. The full story of the expedition is recounted in a book. |
| Summit conquered in 1877 |
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"Unpatrolled high altitude zone: you ski at your own risk" |
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La Grave is not about groomed slopes. Rather, it offers some of the most amazing off-piste conditions anywhere in Europe, and probably in the world. As with all off-piste areas, a shovel, an ARVA beacon and a probe are compulsory items of equipment, and a harness is also recommended if you plan to venture into glacial zones. Obviously, you should be familiar with all of these accessories. Never go skiing alone, and never follow tracks in the snow unless you know where they lead.
On the glacier, you can ski on the marked routes. If you venture outside the ropes bordering the routes, you run the risk of falling into a crevasse. If you choose to ski in the unsecured part of the glacier, you will have to take the route via the Col du Lac to get to the Chancel refuge.
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| Signposting: No; Freeride: Yes... |
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When skiing off-piste, your choice of itinerary depends on several factors, including the level of snow, weather conditions, your own level of proficiency as a skier, and any details gleaned from patrollers at the bottom of the slopes, near the ticket booths. If you are unfamiliar with the site, it is highly recommended that you engage the services of a High Mountain guide. Bear in mind that there are no ski patrols outside the marked glacier routes.
Because of the high altitude (3,200 metres), there can be sudden changes in weather conditions.
The conditions at La Grave could not be further from those found at popular ski resorts in that it is a universe entirely devoted to freeride, in the noble sense of the term, i.e., with the emphasis on "free", with all that that notion implies in terms of responsibility and risk-taking.
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| ... provided you do so responsibly |
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Mountain patrollers at La Grave |
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Ski patrollers were first introduced in 2002. Their job is to provide skiers with as much information as possible about the area so as to heighten their sense of responsibility and ensure the preservation of this amazing site. They are able to inform skiers about the risk of avalanches, the weather, and the most appropriate routes. They are posted in the "Info risques" chalets, just opposite the ticket booths. All of the patrollers are qualified High Mountain guides and/or Pisteurs-First-aiders.
After each episode of heavy snowfall, the pisteurs and guides, together with other professionals, decide whether or not the cable-car lift should be opened.
Every day, the patrollers prepare a snowfall and weather bulletin, which is displayed at the ticket booths. |
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Unparalleled routes |
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Taming La Grave's rebellious slopes is no easy matter: imagine a 2150 m, non stop, vertical descent, with no marked runs.
In fewer than 30 minutes, the cable car will deposit you on the Col des Ruillans, at an altitude of 3200m, for a ride that only heliskiing can rival. In fact, La Grave is like heliskiing, but accessible to all budgets, and with a smaller carbon footprint.
Apart from the valleys, you can choose either Le Pan du Rideau or Les Trifides. These steep corridors require a high level of skiing proficiency and very good knowledge of the area.
The Chancel route is more accessible, but like the others, is a real mountain route, with all that that implies.
"Only two marked slopes on the glacier. As for the rest, use your imagination...". This phase, inspired by the La Grave web site, says it all. |
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A bit of history: the La Grave-La Meije cable car |
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| The original idea, which dates back to 1934, was to build a cable-car system operating between La Grave, the Pic de l’Homme and La Meijette. The project also entailed lowering the summit by 25m and building a restaurant. Many detractors saw the project as a grave violation of the Goddess of l’Oisans' souvereignty. The site was subsequently listed, nipping the project in the bud. All the same, work was begun in 1975, and completed one year later. The La Meije valley cable car system was born, under Meije's impassive gaze. In the night of November 16th, however, the cable-car departure station was destroyed in an explosive attack. But despite those ill omens, and some economic setbacks, the adventure continued, and today the installation serves one of the most spectacular off-piste areas in the world… |
| Much faster than on foot |
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The La Meije Derby |
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Organised for the first time more than 20 years ago, the Derby is the only international ski and snowboard event which brings together, over a 3-day period, more than 800 competitors for a race in the mountains.
The race starts at the Dôme de la Lauze, at an altitude of 3550m, and the aim is to reach the finish line as quickly as possible. All types of ski and snowboard equipment are accepted. There are no imposed routes, apart from a few compulsory check-points, and certain areas are prohibited for safety reasons. The best competitors complete the descent in under 10 minutes, while others take up to one hour… In 2009, Nicolas Anthonioz, a skier from Les Gets, won the event for the second time in an amazing 5'29'', just a few seconds short of the record for the 1850-metre vertical descent between the Dôme de La Lauze and les Chalets de Chal Vachère. |
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Curiosities and events |
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LA GROTTE DE GLACE
Hollowed out near the restaurant at Les Ruillans, at an altitude of 3200m, the Grotte de la Glace--an exploit in itself--reveals the internal workings of the Girose glacier through an amazing voyage 30m below the surface, along deep, natural crevasses inhabited by ephemeral figures sculpted on-site by a team of artists. Open from the end of June to the beginning of September. www.grottedeglace.com
MONDIAL DU MONOSKI, from 8 to 10 MARCH, 2010
The French Monoski Association will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year by hosting the 10th edition of the world's largest meeting of monoskiers. The event will now be known as the "Mondial du Monoski", and will take place in La Grave from 8-10 March, and in Auris en Oisans/Alpe d'Huez from 11-14 March.
The Mondial du Monoski is the highlight of the Monoski Test Tour 2010, which includes 11 events held throughout the Alpes and the Pyrenees. During the tour, the association runs introductory courses in monoskiing, as well as tests, competitions (derby, slalom, moguls, KL, bordercross) and various other events (KL, big air, concert ...). |
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Practical information |
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Getting there
By road: 77 km from Grenoble, or 38 km from Briançon on the N91.
By bus with Meije coaches: +33(0)476 799 209
Cable car
The first gondola leaves at 8 a.m.
Open in in winter from 31 March to 2 April, 2010.
Open again in July and September.
La Grave cable car: +33(0)476 799 465
Tourist Information Office: +33(0)476 799 005
Website: La Grave-La Meije |
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Accommodation |
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Winter-sports.com invites you to tour 9 rentals in La Grave accommodating up to 12 guests.
Click here to visit them now. |
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