An unspoilt gem with a cult following, La Grave sits on the border of the Isère and Hautes-Alpes regions and is overlooked by the iconic pinnacle of La Meije. At 1525m, the village is perched on a rocky slope above the Romance River and has five hamlets surrounding it: Les Fréaux, Le Chazelet, Les Terrasses, Ventelon, and Les Hières. Often humbling even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders, this tiny resort is not for the faint hearted - the 2,150m vertical descent is entirely unpisted, with no formal avalanche control, signage or maps. In essence, it’s a freeriders Valhalla that should be taken every bit as seriously as its name implies.

The evolution of this lesser-known resort can be traced back to the late seventies, when following the creation of the Ecrins National Park, a ski lift was added to drive tourism. Things were kept incredibly hush-hush by those in the know until 1989 when British journalist Adam Ruck (who had previously chosen not to mention the resort to keep it a secret) wrote about La Grave, saying that he’d rather share it than see it go under for lack of visitors. In the years that followed, the resort was still closely guarded, often being referred to as the mysterious ‘Valley X’ or ‘Val Terces’ - an anagram for ‘secret.’

A formidable playground of couloirs, valleys and forest, this no-frills resort is serviced by just one cable car and a few button lifts - you won’t find any high-rise hotels or luxury chalets here, just traditional stone buildings and family-run gites. It’s as close as you can get to the authentic spirit of freeriding in a modern era, and you’ll likely find yourself surrounded by others who are in pursuit of such. In a 2009 short documentary filmed for Salomon FreeSkiTV, ski-bum and La Meije carpark resident Olivier de Souza - who was doing vanlife way before it was in Vogue - described the resort as a ‘crossroad of intense vibrations.’ That should give you an idea as to just how devoted visitors to La Grave are to their sport.

The Skiing in La Grave

Before you even consider booking a trip to La Grave, it’s imperative that you are confident on all terrain, in all conditions. This wild landscape has a reputation that precedes it, with reports of even the most advanced skiers and snowboarders crying for the duration of the descent. Once you step out of the lift, you will rely solely on your expertise and experience to get down the mountain. Hiring a guide is somewhat of an imperative to get the best from your experience (and to get back down to the resort safely.)

So, suffice to say you won’t find any groomed pistes or ESF schools here - we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto. However, if you’ve come to get steep and serious, La Grave is a world leader for lift-accessed off piste where the couloirs, powder fields and glaciated terrain offer up some thrilling descents. There are some long lines of over 2000m that drop from either side of the gondola line right down to Les Rullians, taking you through either Vallons de Chancel or les Vallons de la Meije. The Vallons de la Meije side of the mountain is the classic route of La Grave and tackles a variety of terrain with breathtaking panoramas - it also doesn’t get a whole lot of sun until mid March which often means insane pockets of powder. La Voûte is also a favoured couloir route that requires a roped entry and spits you out by the river - this can be difficult to find though and so should only be undertaken alongside a guide, like most of the terrain here.

If you’re already hastily skinning up at this point, you’ll be stoked to read that short ascents on touring skis or on a splitboard can open up an even wider array of lines - just be sure to hire a guide and keep in mind that the gondola won’t run in bad weather conditions. The ‘no formal avalanche control’ we mentioned above involves a team of ski patrollers hopping on the lift when the avalanche risk is at 3 or above, and skiing the area themselves to assess the situation before attending a commission where the mayor decides if the lift will open or not. Seriously.

It’s also worth mentioning that the area is also home to the La Meije derby - an annual event that sees 800 competitors vie for the fastest time to complete a 6,000 vertical-feet downhill course riding the weapon of their choosing, with no defined route. Official categories are ski, snowboard, telemark, monoski and ‘engins de glisse’ - which roughly translates to ‘other engines’ and makes for some memorable outcomes. The 2004 event saw someone attach a rocket to a monoski. There are about 100 serious racers, but the remaining 700 will be dressed in everything from fluorescent tutus to smurf outfits, it’s a sight to behold.

Eating Out in La Grave

La Grave has been described as a ‘village with a ski lift’ as opposed to an actual resort, which means you won’t find the usual extensive offering of worldly cuisine and convenience shops, but what you will find is hearty, local fare in authentic bistros. Au Vieux Guide offers a range of varied, flavoursome dishes at reasonable prices and sits just 30 guests inside. Hotel Edelweiss, which is managed by Dutch-Scottish couple Robin and Marlon, is also well-known for its delicious dinner options and a menu that changes frequently.

Après Ski in La Grave

In a resort where riders are devoted to rising early so that they can score life-changing lines, you won’t be surprised to discover that there’s not a great deal by way of après ski and nightlife. However, the terrace at Hotel Castillon is known as the place to enjoy a sun-soaked Aperol. Le Pub K2 Bar, which is one of two pubs in the village, is where you’ll find your fix of cocktails and live rock music.

Is La Grave Good for Families & Non-Skiers?

There isn’t much to do in La Grave other than seek out the gnarliest freeride terrain, which doesn’t exactly make it a bucket-list destination for non-skiers or those with young children. However, the neighbouring resort of Le Chazelet (which can be accessed via shuttle bus during January and February) offers a much more family-orientated environment with marked, groomed pistes and ESF tutoring. Ice climbing is another huge draw, with countless frozen waterfalls attracting climbers and their crampons from all over the world.

Accommodation Options in La Grave

La Grave is known for its hospitable, family-run hotels and gites which adds to the overall authenticity and charm of your experience. Hotel Castillan is a crowd-favourite, with a central location just a stone’s throw from the lift and delicious food. Also in the center of the village, Hotel Edelweiss has a cosy atmosphere, great wine selection and freshly-baked pastries every morning.

The Skiers Lodge, which is run by legendary Per “Pelle” Lang, offers packages that include food, accommodation, and guide services. Gîte le Rocher also provides a warm welcome and often plays host to some legendary parties.

Environment and Sustainability in La Grave

La Grave boasts a low environmental footprint, thanks to the lack of piste grooming and snowmaking. However, there has been talks of adding an energy-intensive cable car lift, as opposed to the existing T-bar to the upper section of the resort, in order to allow more people to visit the receding glacier, which has understandably drawn mixed reactions from both businesses and visitors.

Pros & Cons of La Grave

Pros

• World-renowned off-piste
• Good coverage until late April
• Authentic village experience

Cons

• Limited in terms of nightlife & accommodation
• Only suitable for experts
• Gondola will not run in bad conditions