Montgenèvre

Montgenèvre (; oc, Montginebre; Italian: ''Monginevro'') is a commune on the Italian border in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. In 2018, it had a population of 456.

Geography

Montgenèvre is located in the French part of the Cottian Alps. It is on the France–Italy border at the top of the Col de Montgenèvre, after which it is named. The source of the river Durance.

Ski area

Montgenèvre is a ski resort. It is linked to the Via Lattea ("Milky Way") ski area, which has 410 km (254.7 mi) of pistes. Montgenevre's own ski areas has 85 km (52.8 mi) of pistes comprising 8 green, 13 blue, 17 red and 10 black slopes. The 2006 Winter Olympics were held in the Via Lattea. The resort is famed for its sunshine and good snow records; it is renowned for intermediates with ski to door accommodation. The village is situated at 1,860 metres (6,102 feet), but the resort height begins at 1,820 metres (5,971) while its highest point is 2,600 metres (8,530 feet). It was built in 1907 and celebrated its centenary year in 2007. It claims to be one of the first ski resorts in France. The town lacks night life, which makes it family friendly.

Snowboard facilities include a half pipe, a snow park and two border-crosses. There are 23 lifts: 1 gondola, 2 telemix, 11 chair lifts, 8 drag lifts and 1 magic carpet. There are 49 slopes in Montgenèvre. There is also more than 70 km (43.4 mi) of cross-country skiing terrain. In the Monts de la Lune ski area which is the connection between Montgenèvre and Claviere-Cesana, there are 31 lifts and 94 slopes including 9 green, 25 blue, 45 red and 15 black runs.

Montgenevre SaintRoch.jpg, Chapelle Saint-Roch in March 2008
Vue aérienne de Montgenèvre.jpg, Montgenèvre in February 2014

Climate

Montgenèvre has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification ''Dfc''). The average annual temperature in Montgenèvre is . The average annual rainfall is with October as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Montgenèvre was on 20 August 2012; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 6 March 1971.

Winter activities

The winter season starts in late November and closes in late April.
* Alpine Skiing - 85 km in the resort with many lifts and snow-making facilities.
* Snowboarding - There is a half pipe and many wide slopes for the boarders.
* Slaloming - There is a slalom course, which has regular competitions.
* Cross Country Skiing - 70 km of terrain where the French national team train.
* Heli-Skiing - There are trips organised for the powder on peaks in both Italy and France.
* Telemark Skiing - Involves walking up the mountain on skis and skiing back down for the super fit.
* Snow-shoeing - There are numerous beautiful walks across the mountain-sides if you don't feel like skiing.
* Snowmobiling - every night there are octane-fuelled adrenaline rides through the mountains.
* Sledging - There is a moving walkway to take you up the beginner slopes in the day. Many people sledge during the evening.
* Ice Skating
* Ski Tuition

There are two ski schools in the resort. They are ESF and A-PEAK.

APEAK ski school has a team of 15 instructors all fluent in English, Italian and even Dutch for some of them. They all provide tuition and guiding adapted to the skills of their students.

ESF has 900 instructors, and offer alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and heli-skiing activities as well as trips to Serre Chevalier and to the Olympic facilities. There is a snow garden when 4-year-olds and children older can experience skiing.

Summer activities

* Golf - An international 18 hole golf course on the beginner slopes. This border golf course has nine holes in France and nine in Italy. There is also a driving range.
* Mountain Biking - Three lifts are open in the summer for bikers and there is a bike park which has recently been built.
* Kayaking/Rafting - Down stream on the Durance towards Briancon there is a gorge where clubs from Briancon use the river. Many clubs which offer rafting/kayaking trips on the local rivers.
* Walking - Discover the forests, lakes, forts and the source of the mighty River Durance. You can see the flora and fauna of the mountain side. This includes eagles, marmottes, rabbits, chamois and deer.
* Fishing - There are numerous lakes at the bottom of the resort and up in the mountains. The main fish are trout.
* Canyoning - In the local gorges and torrents.
* Via Ferrata - Climbing and zip wires in the forest.
* Swimming - There is a swimming pool in the village.
* Tennis - There are six courts in the resort.
* Horse Riding - In Les Alberts there is Cheval Montagne, which take horse rides up the Claree Valley.

Demographics

Transport

Roads

The RN94 which climbs up the Col de Montgenèvre runs through the village. A tunnel was built before the Turin Olympics back in 2006 to divert through traffic under the village, making the resort more peaceful. The road runs to Briançon and Oulx. There is a road to Grenoble from Briançon on the RN91 over the Col du Lautaret.

Calais Ferry Port is a 10-hour 30 minutes drive away on French Motorways.

Aeroplane

The nearest international airport is Turin International Airport, 1 hour and 20 minutes drive (101 km) away. Grenoble-Isère Airport is 222 km away and a 2-hour 25 minutes drive away from the resort.

Train

There is a bus to Oulx Railway station in the Susa Valley. This station serves the TGV line between Milan - Turin - Modane - Paris. Paris is hours away from Oulx.

There is an SNCF train station in nearby French town of Briançon. Which has a train service to Gap, Valence TGV, Lyon and Paris.

Bus

There is a bus service which connects the resort to Briançon and Oulx railway station.
There is also a village bus for skiers so that they can return to their accommodation which runs between 8.30 and 18.00.
There are 3 buses a day to the village of Les Alberts at the foot of the Col de Montgenèvre in the Val Claree.

Linked resorts

It is a part of the Via Lattea Milky Way ski area in Italy, where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held.

Pragelato - the resort is part of the Via lattea(Milky Way), is connected to this area by the new cableway Pattemouche - Anfiteatro built in 2006; in Pragelato there is also a cross country courses. There is a wide variety of activities for tourists, who can enjoy any kind of sport, in summer there is also a golf course 9 hole. Pragelato is a natural paradise for cross-country skiing, you have the chance to try the Olympic course supplied with planned snow-making system over 10 km as well as the tourist course that winds along the gorgeous scenarios of the Val Troncea Natural Park.
The jumping hill stadium present the Olympic heritage, which highlights the tourist-sport development of this resort

Claviere - This small resort is just over the border in Italy and is included in the Monts de la lune lift pass. It is where the Olympic cross country ski teams practised in the Olympics in 2006.

San Sicario - They held the Biathlon and Alpine skiing events here in the 2006 winter Olympics. They also held the Bobsleigh and luge events here. You can attempt the Olympic women's super G and downhill courses.

Sestriere - This resort was founded by the owner of Fiat. It has been recently sold. The resort held the downhill skiing events and the Olympic village is situated in the village for the 2006 winter Olympics. You can attempt the men's Olympic downhill and super-G courses.

Sauze d'Oulx - Free Style Skiing Olympic events held here in 2006. The resort is acclaimed for its lively apres-ski.

Serre Chevalier - Nearby French resort with over 250 km of skiing. There is a free day of skiing here on your lift pass.

See also

* List of ski areas and resorts in Europe
*Communes of the Hautes-Alpes department

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