France
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Region: Southern Alps
Le Grand Puy (1400m-1800m) is located in the Alpes de Haute Provence, in the heart of the Vallée de la Blanche (among Digne-les-Bains and Lake Serre Ponçon), 5 minutes from the village of Seyne-les – Alps. Located in a natural environment of virgin mountains, the ski resort is surrounded by the magnificent landscape of the Aiguillette, Roche Close and Pic des Têtes mountains.
A family resort per se, a true paradise for children. The resort extends over 170 ha and 25 kilometers of alpine ski slopes, served by 5 lifts, with more than 500 meters of combined vertical drop. The resort has a modern network of artificial snow cannons.
Le Grand Puy ski resort features
The resort is nestled near the town of Seyne, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. This villa has the Alpine ski resort Le Grand Puy and a Nordic ski resort on the Col du Fanget. During the 2016/2017 season, the municipality completely restructured its ski area by building a new 4-seater chairlift and two new ski lifts. Investments made in the artificial snow network were quickly recovered.
Nowadays there is a project to build a high mountain refuge and develop a via ferrata on Roche Close Mountain, to complete the list of activities that the station offers. Formerly the villa had two lifts for the Col Saint-Jean, it has a hiking route that connects Sainte-Foy-la-Grande with Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye.
In the heart of the Blanche valley, in the city of Seyne-les-Alpes (in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), we find the Grand-Puy ski resort. Easily accessible and with a cozy atmosphere to enjoy a pleasant holiday with family or friends.
About 45 minutes from the cities of Digne-les-Bains, Gap and Barcelonnette, Le Grand-Puy is the quintessential family resort; A true paradise for children, its ski area covers 25 kilometers of alpine ski slopes, served by 5 lifts and adapted to each level of ski.
Layout of the slopes at Le Grand Puy
The 14 ski slopes that make up the Grand Puy ski resort are arranged between 1400 and 1800 meters above sea level; meandering between steep slopes, mountainous landscapes and flat areas that allow you to learn to ski.
Experienced skiers will presumably head for the 3 black slopes (Rocheclose, Les Drailles and La Blanche) and the 5 red slopes (including Bernardez’s long run) perfect for carving; intermediate skiers will find in the 2 blue slopes (Tourtourel and Plan Vallon) their particular playground where to improve before daring with the toughest ones. As for beginner skiers and snowboarders, the Ribambelle sector; ideally designed to take the first steps in the wonderful world of skiing in excellent conditions.
You will find on the area all the necessary services for your skiing holidays: ski school (ESF), two sports shops that offer equipment rental (skis, boots, snowboards, snowshoes, sledges …), as well as a restaurant (Le Chalet) to eat after a good day of skiing.
Finally, for Nordic ski enthusiasts, Le Grand Puy also offers 20 kilometers of cross-country ski trails for classic and skating.
A destination to disconnect and enjoy the mountains
Ideal to relax and unwind from stress, this family resort has numerous activities and hobbies for the entire family to enjoy. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced skier, the Grand-Puy ski area will satisfy the ski thirst. It offers a warm welcome and invites you to discover its domain for beginners and athletes.
The Ribambelle sector is a vast snow field reserved for beginners and with snow coverage guaranteed by the artificial snow canons network. The Ribambelle sector offers 8 hectares of marked and safe trails, ideal for beginners’ progress.
On the sled run, adults and kids can enjoy the snow in all its splendor without any futher complications. On the sled run we will be under our own responsibility, so if we go with children we must watch for them.
In the snow garden, the area for children, they learn to slide with an instructor. This area is fully secured and managed by the ESF of Grand Puy. Access is included within the forfait.
The resort has a special trail for yooners, a very fun mix between skiing and sledding. This yooner trail is only opened until 13pm, when the resort offers the best snow powder and the crowding is not as much as during the day. We can jump into any ski lift carrying the yooner. The two shops at the resort rent this equipment.
Le Grand Puy offers activities for everyone
Introductory telemark courses and talks at the resort are offered every Tuesday during the season from 14 pm. to 16 pm. Initiation and material loan is included on the forfait (material courtesy of the Loup Sport store).
For people with reduced mobility or disabilities, the Catholic rescue service offers a free ski chair, so nobody is left willing to enjoy the mountains. If we do not have someone to push, the ESF has qualified monitors to handle ski chairs. For more information about this service, it is recommended to contact the station’s tourist office directly.
To complete our visit with a cultural approach, we can visit the surroundings of the resort. We found a fortress, very close to the resort where the facilities were originally planned to be built; It was functioning until the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which joined the Ubaye Valley with France, and which allowed Spain to lose the territory of Gibraltar, among other territorial changes in Europe.
During the restoration period he added an advanced tower, rebuilt the gate (1821), added casemates with outposts, and a remodeling of the building. It was demilitarized in 1866. Later it happened to be maintained by a single caretaker from 1887 to 1907, and was later sold as property. Passed from hand to hand, the city bought it in 1977, and since then it has begun modernization work. Nowadays it is a historical monument recognized as French national heritage.
