Les-7-Laux travel guide

Visit Les-7-Laux (Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, France)

When the weather is nice and it’s the winter sports season, many of the citizens of Grenoble can be found on the slopes of Les Sept Laux. This Alpine ski resort is just over a 30 minute drive from the city and is the third largest ski area in the Dauphiné Alps region, in the Isère department.

Explorer Les Sept Laux ski resort

Created in the early 1970s, Les 7 Laux has gradually established a reputation for quality on and off-trail skiing and snowboarding. Its 120 kilometers of runs are situated in the Belledonne chain of mountains and offer a variety of difficulty levels for a range of alpine activities.

There are three base areas that make up Les 7 Laux: Prapoutel, Pipay, and Le Pleynet. Prapoutel and Pipay are on the Grésivaudan valley side of the mountain, while Le Pleynet is in the Haut-Bréda valley. Prapoutel has the most commercial areas, rental stores, restaurants, and places to stay, as well as an ice-skating rink, whereas the other two areas are mainly for accessing the slopes.

Though downhill skiing and snowboarding dominate the main slopes, there are also three cross-country skiing paths of moderate difficulty at Prapoutel and snowshoeing trails are also available. Ski schools on both sides of the mountain host individual and group lessons in skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.

Many snowboarders come to Les Sept Laux for its snowpark which has four different difficulty levels. The pro-area boasts rails, big air, and varied terrain, while the difficult, intermediate, and beginner areas are less intense although still present their own tricks and challenges. The snowpark has a lively atmosphere and attracts some of Europe’s most-talented snowboarders.

Special events are frequent during the winter season and a highlight is the World Snowboard Day in December, an international day of snowboard demonstrations and events held at several resorts simultaneously. The ski station also hosts half pipe and boardercross competitions, as well as ski and snowshoeing events.

From the top of the mountain above Les-7-Laux there is a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding Vercors, Bauges, and Chartreuse mountain ranges that can be appreciated at the cafes and restaurants that dot Les 7 Laux.

While gazing at the snow covered mountains, visitors can try a “Green Chaud,” a mix of Chartreuse and hot chocolate sometimes provided free on the mountain by the Les-7-Laux tourism office. Most people return to Grenoble at night so Les 7 Laux is often quiet after the lifts close down for the day.

Other information and access

Les 7 Laux attracts visitors between June and September with its hiking, mountain biking, paintball, tennis, rockclimbing, and canyoning. There is also a bikepark in the summer with wooden ramps and jumps that provides warm weather thrills equivalent to the winter snowpark.

The closest train station and airport are in Grenoble, about an hour away. Buses run regularly from Grenoble to Prapoutel as well as Pleynet. Les 7 Laux is a short drive by car from Grenoble and Chambéry and about an hour and a half drive from Lyon.

You can find more travel ideas in the Isere guide and the Rhone-Alpes guide.