Montgenevre - introduction

Located just 2km from the Italian border, Montgenèvre is the only French resort linked to the vast Italian Milky Way ski area (400km of pistes) and typically receives the most snow of all the resorts in the area.

Montgenèvre became France’s first official ski resort back in 1907 and enjoyed its heyday as the destination for the Paris jet set in the 1930s. British skiers first arrived in the 1990s, nicknaming the resort “Monty”. 

Thanks to the opening of a tunnel in 2006 that diverts heavy cross-border traffic from the centre of town, Montgenèvre has regained its peaceful, authentic, mountain-village feel. With the introduction of a luxurious new hotel in 2008 and the hotly-anticipated launch of an upmarket apartment development, Monty is looking forward to a renaissance. 

Montgenèvre is an ideal resort for families: accommodation is inexpensive and located near the slopes; the 2 ski and snowboard schools are affordable, instructors are friendly and most speak English. Along with excellent nursery facilities, there is a ski club for 3-5 year olds and a good choice of non-ski activities.

Montgenèvre’s nursery slopes are accessed directly from the village and its predominantly gentle and relatively uncrowded ski terrain, combined with inexpensive tuition and ski rental, make it a good choice for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders. 

Highlights

• Inexpensive lift passes, ski hire, tuition, accommodation and on-mountain dining in comparison with most other French resorts
• The attractive, quiet village is family-friendly and has a good range of non-ski activities
• High altitude and north-facing slopes mean Montgenèvre has the best snow record in the Milky Way ski area
• Easy access to nearby Serre Chevalier

Lowlights

• Limited challenging skiing for advanced skiers 
• Ski links to neighbouring Italian resorts are slow  
• If you miss the last Tremplin chair from Claviere to Montgenèvre at 4.30pm, it’s an expensive taxi ride home