The ski resort of Orcieres is located opposite the Ecrins National Park in France, 40 km northeast of Gap. Orcieres Marlette offer a great range of slopes for beginners and intermediates making it a great choice for families and the resort’s southern orientation means that there’s plenty of sunshine all day on all of the slopes.
In total Orcières-Merlette ski resort offers 100 km of marked trails with 55 km of the total trails ideal for beginners, 38 km of the total trails being suitable for intermediate skiers and 7 km for the more advanced and expert of level skiers and snowboarders. This is all easily accessible with their 30 ski lifts.
The terrain is predominantly graded intermediate level with mostly blue and red runs and a handful of greens, making things look potentially demanding. In practice, though, it’s mostly far less daunting than the piste map might suggest. There’s lots of cruising potential, on pistes which are generally wide enough to provide everyone with plenty of room to go at their own pace, rather than feeling pressured to leave their comfort zone. The occasional long, smooth undulations, though, are best tackled with a bit of speed to keep up the momentum. The altitude currently tops off at a healthy 2725m at the Col des Freissinières, where snow quality can be exceptional and which has a real sense of above-it-all remoteness.
