European Ski Resorts A-Z

La Rosière, France

Resort height:

 1850m

 

Slopes:

 1175-2610m

 

Pistes:

 160km

 

 

General snow cover

 

4/5

 

Snow quality (upper)

 

4/5

 

Snow quality (lower)

 

3/5

 

Resort level snow

 

4/5

 

Powder potential

 

4/5

La Rosière is something of a snow trap and has a higher snowfall average than nearby resorts of similar height (such as Val d’Isère or Arc 1800). However, its slopes are relatively exposed to wind and sun, and snow quality can vary. 

 

La Rosière is linked to the Italian resort of La Thuile, and conditions over the border can be very different. La Thuile has a lower snowfall average, but is more sheltered and sometimes has the better snow.

Where to ski in bad weather:

La Rosière is very exposed to weather coming in from the west, and large parts of the area can close in big storms.

 

The best shelter can be found in the trees below the resort at Le Gollet, but this represents just a small fraction of the area as a whole.

 

Never count on being able to get to the trees in La Thuile if the weather is bad as the lifts linking the two resorts are the highest and most prone to closure.

Where to head in poor snow conditions:

La Rosière has a great natural snowfall record and snow cover is not usually a problem. However, because many of its runs face south-west, later in the season they do turn slushy more quickly than in many nearby resorts of a similar height.

 

If you are here in spring, or it is unusually warm, the Italian side of the area often has the best snow.