A Girls Ski Trip To Montgenevre

Although we are heading towards summer, my latest adventure with Inghams Holidays transported me back into a winter wonderland. It was time to dust off my ski goggles and head to the mountains to discover an entirely new ski resort. Having skied in some of The Alps most popular resorts including Courcheval, Tignes, Val d’Isere and Val Thorens, I was intrigued to find out more about this lesser-known ski resort in The Alps.

I was joined by three other bloggers on the trip including Carlie from Carlie Tasker, Sabrina from Clutch and Carry On and Giulia from Mondo Mulia. Giulia and I were classed as intermediate skiers and Carlie and Sabrina were beginners. One thing that we all shared in common was that we couldn’t wait to hit the slopes, followed by the Apres Ski!

Introducing Montgenevre

Montgenevre is a small alpine village in France located only 2km from the Italian border (the closest airport is Turin in Italy). Unlike many man-made ski resorts in The Alps, Montgenevre was first and foremost a village so it has a charm and history that other resorts lack.

The biggest novelty of Montgenevre is that you can wake up in France and ski over to Italy for the day. Imagine French croissants for breakfast and Italian pizza for lunch. Dreamy! The cross-border network of pistes between Montgenevre and Italy is known as The Milky Way and can be easily accessed by cable car from the town. Some might say it’s the best of both worlds. There is a mixture of accommodation types in Montgenevre from catered chalets to boutique hotels and private homes.

Shop my Belted Ski Jacket by Topshop Sno

Stepping Back into Skis

It had been over a year since my last ski trip to Val d’Isere and after bad fall on the last run on the holiday, I felt more nerves than excitement as I stepped back into my skis. But I was determined to overcome the fear factor and build my confidence back up. On the first morning of our trip we split into two groups for private ski lessons with ESF (Ecole Ski Francais).

Giulia and I were in the intermediate group and our instructor Melanie took things slow to help us find our ski legs again. I played things very safe to begin with but after a few gentle runs I begin to loosen up and relax into the movement a bit more. Although I was concentrating primarily on my ski technique, I was struck by how beautiful the mountain scenery was in Montgenevre.

Shop mine and Sabrina’s Jardim Base Layers by Sweaty Betty

Great for Beginners

Montgenevre is known for being a great resort for beginners, which was great news for fellow bloggers Carlie and Sabrina. Sabrina had never even stepped foot into a ski boot until this trip, and by the end of the 3 days she was whizzing down green runs and even (accidentally) tackled a blue run!

In some resorts beginners can’t venture too far into the mountains and are restricted to pistes close to resort – but not in Montgenevre. I loved how the green and blue runs began right at the top of the mountain as it meant we all got to enjoy the most picturesque runs. However on the flip side, if you were a really advanced skier there may be a chance that there aren’t enough challenging runs.

Chalet Rocher de L’Aigle

Inghams Holidays have handful of chalets in Montgenevre village and we got to experience one of them as part of our trip. Chalet Rocher de L’Aigle sleeps 10-13 people and can be booked out by 1 large group or multiple smaller groups at the same time. The chalet is catered for by two chalet hosts, who cook breakfast, bake a cake for afternoon tea and serve a three-course dinner every evening.

I would describe the chalet interior and the level of catering to be quite basic. It’s not luxury but it’s perfectly functional for a ski-focused holiday. My favourite thing about the chalet was the huge sun terrace on the first floor. With sliding doors from the open plan living area, it had spectacular views of the mountains and ski runs.

Shop my Columbia Ponderay Ski Jacket

Things I Loved about Montgenevre

• That it’s beginner friendly – the perfect place to come for first timers or nervous skiiers
• Fondue to Die For at Le Maison de Claire – a traditional and charming foundue restaurant ran by a friendly French couple. A must-try in Montgenevre
• Apres Ski at Le Graal – by far the most happening bar in the village. Come for the happy hour and super casual apres ski. Every Friday there is a live band that play and the whole bar is on their feet dancing.
• The Outdoor Hot Tub at Durancia Balneo & Spa – relax tired muscles and unwind at this new purpose-built spa complex. Book a spa treatment and head to the adult-only outdoor jaccuzzi.
• Happy Hour at Le Cheval Blanc – head to the beautifully designed Cheval Blanc for happy hour in front of a roaring log fire
• The Luge Monty Express – for a different type of adrenaline in the mountains, take on Montgenevre’s 1400m luge, the longest sledge run in Europe
• The Tartiflette at Les Terrasses – a newly-built and super chic restaurant at the top of the cable car. Be sure to try their famous Tartiflette
• Gin Tasting at La Tourmente – this atmospheric underground bar serves up artisan cocktails, live music and about 50 different gins.

Things I Didn’t Love about Montgenevre

• Lack of places to eat and drink up the mountain – one my favourite things about a ski trip is stopping for lunch in the mountains. Montgenevre seemed to be lacking in mountain restaurants. Les Terrasses is the strongest offering.
• Limited apres ski – Beyond Le Graal, there didn’t seem to be much more in the way of traditional apres ski
• Distance from Chalet to Piste – With ski boots on and skis in hand, the distance from our chalet to the piste was a bit too far. I would always personally choose ski-in ski-out accommodation for convenience.

The Final Verdict

Montgenevre is a charming beginner-friendly ski resort in France. The scenery is spectacular and there is no shortage of runs to choose from. I love that it’s so close to Italy and that one ski pass can take you across two countries.

It’s much smaller and sleepier compared to the likes of Val d’Isere and Tignes, but because of this it’s much more affordable. Montgenevre would be perfect for families and friends who want to focus mainly on the skiing, rather than the lifestyle that surrounds it. But don’t take my word for it. Go and see it for yourself.

Looking for more ski trip advice? Check out my other ski posts What to Pack for a Ski Trip and 6 Ways to Find Your Perfect Ski Resort

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What did you think of my experience in Montgenevre? Have you skiied here before or are you considering it as an alternative? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the box below. Jess x 

Inghams offers a seven-night ski holiday to Montgenevre, France on a chalet catering basis staying at Chalet Rocher de L’Aigle‎ from £590 per person. Price includes return flights from London Gatwick to Turin and airport transfers.

Ski and boot hire costs from £96 per adult and a six-day Whole Area lift pass costs from £189 per adult, both can be pre-booked with Inghams.

My trip to Montgenevre was provided complimentary as part of a press trip with Inghams Holidays. As always, all views are my own.