Les Orres Village Guide 2026

Les Orres at a glance

Photos via Google. Contributed by Station Les Orres, Tom Pierrot, Sandrine DIDIER, Brnice Perez.

What Les Orres is really like

Les Orres is a relaxed, sunny family resort that flies under the radar of most international visitors, which is a large part of its charm. The two purpose built levels, 1650 and 1800, are compact and functional rather than picturesque, but they put you right on the snow with everything you need within a short walk. The big difference here is the setting and the light: the resort faces south above the Serre Poncon lake, so it gets long days of winter sunshine and wide views that few resorts can match.

It is firmly a French domestic favourite, busy in the school holidays and quiet the rest of the time, with a warm, unhurried feel and prices that reflect its lack of pretension. For the full mountain breakdown and how the slopes ski, see our Les Orres ski resort review.

Where to stay in Les Orres

Both levels work well, and the choice comes down to feel. Les Orres 1650 is the original, larger base with more shops, restaurants and the main lift access, while Les Orres 1800 is higher, smaller and quieter with newer apartments and slightly more snow security. Both offer genuine ski in ski out, and a week here sits comfortably in the value bracket, with self catered apartments widely available under $2,000 per person and smarter chalets reaching the $2,000 to $4,000 band.

Families tend to prefer being close to the ski school meeting points and beginner lifts, which are well placed at both levels. If sunshine and views are the priority, the higher apartments looking out over the Serre Poncon lake are hard to beat. Because the two levels differ in atmosphere and convenience, the main decision before booking is which suits your group best. Use the short form below to have your dates and group priced quickly.

Get chalet and lodging quotes

For a faster quote on where to stay in Les Orres, send the short form below and operators who know the Southern Alps will price your dates and group, including whether the busier 1650 or the higher, quieter 1800 best suits how you ski.

Skiing from the village

The skiing at Les Orres is a pleasant, well rounded 100 km that punches above its modest reputation. Both village levels sit on the snow, so you ski straight from the door, and the area is mostly tree lined, which makes it one of the better Southern Alps resorts for a flat light or snowy day when higher, more open resorts close in. The runs are predominantly blues and reds, with long, confidence building descents that suit beginners and improving intermediates perfectly.

Stronger skiers get a respectable handful of blacks and some open off piste between the trees after a fresh fall, enough to keep a good skier happy for a few days, though the area is not large or steep enough to satisfy a committed expert for a full week. The forested terrain is the standout feature, sheltered and scenic, and the lack of crowds outside French holidays means you rarely queue. For mixed ability families this balance is close to ideal.

Apres ski and evenings

Evenings in Les Orres are low key and family centred. Each level has a few bars, restaurants and a supermarket, enough for a relaxed drink, a pizza or a fondue after skiing, but there is no real nightlife and the resort winds down early. Most guests are families, so the atmosphere is gentle and easygoing rather than rowdy.

If a lively bar scene matters to you, this is not the resort for it. But for parents and couples who want a calm, affordable evening and an early night before another sunny day on the snow, the quiet suits the place perfectly.

For families and non skiers

Les Orres is a genuinely strong family resort. The ski in ski out layout keeps walks short with small children, the beginner areas and ski schools are gentle and well placed, the south facing slopes mean sunny, warmer days on the nursery slopes, and the prices keep a family week affordable. Non skiers have a quieter time than in a big town, but there are snowshoe and winter walking trails, sledging, a small leisure centre and the spectacular lake views, plus the option of a day out to the Serre Poncon lake itself. For how the area compares, see our guide to the best family options in the Southern Alps and the wider best family ski resorts in France.

Getting around

Les Orres is compact and easy to get around on foot once you are based at either level, with a free shuttle and lift link connecting 1650 and 1800 through the day. You do not need a car day to day, but one is genuinely useful here because the resort is remote, the airport transfers are long, and a car opens up a day trip to the lakeside town of Embrun or to neighbouring resorts like Vars and Risoul. Plan your base around which village level suits your group.

Getting there

Les Orres sits deep in the Southern Alps, so transfers are longer than for the northern resorts. Grenoble and Marseille airports are both roughly 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes by road, and Turin is a similar drive over the border, while the nearest train station is at Embrun a short distance below the resort. Arrange a transfer or hire car through our transfer partner, and put cover in place through our travel insurance partner before you travel. For the wider picture see our guide to the Southern French Alps region.

Lift passes, lessons and ski hire

The Les Orres day pass runs around $45, one of the better value prices in the French Alps for a 100 km area, and multi day passes bring the daily cost down further. Compare current pass options through our lift pass partner, book lessons through our lessons partner, and sort skis or a board through our ski hire partner before you arrive to skip the queues. Because the resort is family focused, the ski schools here are used to teaching young children and nervous first timers.

When to go

Les Orres skis from December to April. Being south facing and in the sunnier Southern Alps, the resort leans on its altitude, its tree cover and a solid snowmaking network to keep the slopes in shape, so the higher pistes toward 2,720 m and the shaded forest runs hold up best. January and February bring the coldest, most reliable snow and are the safest window. March and April offer long, warm, sunny days and softer spring snow, which is a lovely time to enjoy the lake views, though the lower south facing runs can soften quickly in the afternoon sun.

The honest bottom line

Les Orres is one of the best kept secrets in the French Alps for a sunny, affordable family week, with ski in ski out at both levels, a pleasant forested 100 km of slopes and unbeatable views over the Serre Poncon lake. For families, beginners and intermediates who value sunshine, quiet and value over scale and glamour, it is an easy resort to recommend and a refreshing change from the crowded headline names.

The honest trade off is that the area is modest in size, the purpose built levels lack old world charm, the nightlife is minimal and the airport transfers are long. If you want a vast linked playground, a beautiful village or a buzzing apres scene, look further north. If you want this trip priced by specialists, tell us your dates and budget below and we will route your brief to operators who know the Southern Alps.

Common questions