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Vaujany Ski Resort
Vaujany was just a tiddly farming village until the late eighties; then the EDF hydroelectric plant bought a chunk of its land and the locals sensibly decided to invest the money they’d made into a ski lift... They connected the village up with Alpe d’Huez and all of a sudden it was part of one of the biggest, best ski areas in France.
Looking out to the Grandes Rousses massif, you still get the authentic character of centuries past – with an old church and farmhouses of timber and stone along roads that slope down to the valley floor. The hamlet of La Villette, a kilometre up the road from Vaujany, is even more gloriously rural.
Meanwhile, modern additions have been put in place to make things convenient. A 160-man cable car sets off from the village centre, whisking skiers and snowboarders to L’Alpette and Pic Blanc (3330m) in a matter of minutes. Other lifts from the village connect to the nearby hamlets - L’enversin d’Oz and Villette. For afters, the new leisure centre has an Olympic sized ice rink, children’s day care, spa, bowling alley and restaurant.
With lift passes, you can choose between the Vaujany – Oz ski area and the Grand Domaine. The former gives access to 30 pistes shared with neighbour Oz en Oisans, covering (left to right on the piste map) the lifts from Montfrais over above Vaujany to Alpette Rousses and Poutran just before you get to Alpe d’Huez. You’ll need the full Grand Domaine pass if you want to ski over around Alpe d’Huez, Auris en Oisans and the Sarenne glacier – the whole area covers a whopping 135 slopes totalling 250km.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Southern Alps, France
Established:
Open: December - April
Downhill: 30 runs (Vaujany-Oz) 135 (GD)
View our detailed Vaujany snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Vaujany snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Grenoble (GNB) | 96km, 1.5 hours |
| Lyon Saint Expury (LYS) | 143km, 2 hours |
| Geneva International (GVA) | 200km, 2h40 |
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| Top Altitude: | 2800m (Vaujany-Oz) 3330m (Grand Domaine) |
| Bottom Altitude: | 1130m |
| Resort Altitude: | 1250m |
| Longest run: | 16km (Grand Domaine) |
| Slope Orientation: | |
| Vertical Drop: | |
| Skiable Vertical: | |
| Night Skiing: | No |
| Glacier: | Yes |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 30 runs (Vaujany-Oz) 135 (GD) |
| Beginner slopes: | |
| Intermediate: | |
| Advanced slopes: | |
| Lift Pass Price: | €168 (Vaujany-Oz adult 6 day) €259.50 (Grand Domaine adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: Alpe d'Huez | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Vaujany
The local Montfrais area has a gaggle of easy-going terrain, with gentle greens like Ecureuils and a magic carpet to nudge you up the beginner’s slope. Take the Vallonnett chair to reach the lovely Edelweiss blue run that streams down to link up with the Vaujanete run to La Villette – a gorgeously wide stretch through trees.
Early intermediates will find some brilliant reds, a favourite being the Belvedere from Dome des Rousses which is wide and cruisey, forking off onto Bartavelle for more easy skiing. The Alpette is another good ‘un, leading from the mid station down into Oz en Oisans.
La Fare is a pisted black taking you into L’Enversin, with speedy sections where you can really go full throttle, and a small, flatter bit where you might need your poles. If you prefer your runs powdery, Roche Melon branches off from blue Edelweiss, taking you along ungroomed terrain down through the treeline and onto the Vaujaniate blue. There’s more easy to reach tree skiing around Montfrais under the cable car.
For freestylers, the Montfrais area has a beginner’s snow park where you can learn new jumps and techniques.
In the wider Grand Domaine area, 16km La Sarenne is famed as the longest black piste in the world, but not as scary as it sounds (confident intermediates usually manage it with ease). In the same area, Le Tunnel’s an excellent run to have a crack at and it’s possible to ski a whopping 2205 vertical metres from Pic Blanc to Oz.
There are oodles more runs for early intermediates too, who can ski down into Villard Reculas from the Signal lift and tackle the Olympique on the other side of Alpe d’Huez.
Vaujany Apres Ski
Anyone with a full area lift pass simply has to stop off at Folie Douce in Alpe d’Huez, if just to get an eyeful of the ‘sweet madness’ it’s so famous for.
Closer to home, the atmosphere is more peaceful than party-full, but you can still find a couple of good watering holes like Arsen’s Café Pub (with big screens showing sporting events) and Table de La Fare (super sun terrace) near the lift station. The Belgian L’Etendard bar does happy hours, and Le Shooters stays open latest until 2am with live music and games tables.
Restaurant-wise, Steif’s is a favourite for burgers and Belgian brews. La Remise does lovely fondues while L’Aigle Royal’s worth a stop for good old fashioned crepes and galettes (try the raclette galette).
There are plenty of activities, many housed in the L'Espace Loisirs leisure centre which has a main pool, kids pool, water slide, wellness facilities, gym, ice rink, bowling lanes and a toboggan area.
Best time to go
Best time to ski Vaujany
Best time to visit & ski Vaujany
32.9km of local pistes and 75km of the slopes in the Grand Domaine can be covered by snowmaking, providing a decent man-made layer of snow to assist the natural cover. With the full area ski pass, you’ve access to the Sarenne glacier and top heights of 3330m where you’ll find the best snow in the area. Closer to home, there are some gorgeous tree-lined runs in Vaujany where you’ll find shade and good visibility.
Peak Dates
Shows on the ice rink, events for children, slalom competitions and appearances of Santa and his reindeer have been some of the best things about Christmas in Vaujany in recent years.
Locals usually put on a big firework display to mark the New Year in Vaujany, and parties can be found in the likes of Steif's.
Being a quieter base than Alpe d’Huez makes Half Term in Vaujany a super choice if all you want is quick access to the lifts and ski area.
The Grand Domaine tends to be gloriously sunny for those spending Easter in Vaujany, and with high-altitude skiing within reach, the slopes should be in good nick too.
Families in Vaujany
In recent years, under 5’s have been able to ski free here which is brilliant for young families. If yours aren’t big enough to ski yet, there’s a day nursery for 6 month to 3 year olds where they’ll be well looked after while you enjoy the mountains. The same building has a kid’s club for 3-11 year olds, which works with the ESF ski school to provide a mix of skiing tuition and fun activities.
The fabulous family offerings don’t end there, with L'Espace Loisirs lending out books, games and DVD’s and the tourist office sometimes running free horse and cart rides in the school holidays. It’s no wonder the resort has the Famille Plus label – they really do look after all age groups here.
GroupsGroup Holidays Vaujany
A huge, great ski area and a small ‘backdoor resort’ to explore it from can make Vaujany perfect for groups. While neighbour Alpe d’Huez has more choice of bars and nightlife, there are still some decent options in this neck of the woods – watch the Six Nations on the screens at Arsen’s, gobble down burgers and beer at Steif’s or play pool at Shooters.
If you’re a mix of beginners and more experienced skiers and snowboarders, learners can pick up the basics on the Montfrais slopes, while the rest of the group clock up the mileage with the Grand Domaine pass.
The chalets and apartments can work wonderfully for group trips – pick a catered option if you fancy lazy evenings together, or self-cater, save money and take turns in the kitchen.
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