How to get to Risoul
Risoul is 750 miles drive from London, excluding the Channel crossing. It is motorway to Grenoble, then Route Nationale via Briançon or Gap to Guillestre. I recommend the Gap route - it is more beautiful and less crowded in high season, and avoids the high Col de Lauteret.
The mountain road up from Guillestre to the resort at Risoul 1850 is now a good one, but snow chains are still advisable if it has been snowing recently. You really need one and a half days for the outward journey, unless you drive overnight, or are prepared for a really early start. Risoul is three hours drive from Grenoble, in reasonable driving conditions. |
By train
With Eurostar, you can now travel to Risoul in a single day - by TGV leaving Paris late morning, changing at Valence and arriving in Risoul at about 17.30. There is also a non-stop sleeper from Paris to Montdauphin, leaving Paris late evening and arriving about 8.00 a.m. in plenty of time for a full day's skiing. Buses meet the night train at Montdauphin and take you straight up to the resort. Couchettes must be booked well in advance in high season.
Coming back, day trains leave Montdauphin at mid-day, or the night train at about 9.00pm, so you can ski all day and then take the bus down for a quick meal in the station hotel - the service there is designed to get you to your train on time.
Coming back, day trains leave Montdauphin at mid-day, or the night train at about 9.00pm, so you can ski all day and then take the bus down for a quick meal in the station hotel - the service there is designed to get you to your train on time.
By plane
The closest airports are either in Turin or Marseille – both are about two and a half hours drive away in good weather, though the Turin trip involves climbing the Col de Montgenevre. Ryanair and EasyJet fly to Turin, and Ryanair, EasyJet and B.A. fly to Marseille. It is difficult co-ordinating flights with public transport (virtually impossible from Turin) so this option will usually involve car-hire.
If you can find the right connecting flights, however, there is now a cheap Saturday only ski-bus service operating direct from Marignane (Marseille airport), or from the Aix-en-Provence TGV stop, to the resort - for details look here for the Navettes Blanches.
If you can find the right connecting flights, however, there is now a cheap Saturday only ski-bus service operating direct from Marignane (Marseille airport), or from the Aix-en-Provence TGV stop, to the resort - for details look here for the Navettes Blanches.