La Grave vs Pra Loup: which should you book?
Book Pra Loup if you want a sunny, family friendly week of groomed cruising in a big linked ski area, which is almost everyone. Book La Grave only if you are an expert off piste skier who wants one of the most serious freeride mountains in the world and a guide to ski it safely. These two resorts could hardly be more different, so for most travelers this is an easy call rather than a close contest.
By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026
The short answer
Pra Loup wins for nearly everyone on groomed skiing, family value and a sunny, easy week. La Grave wins only for expert off piste skiers chasing a legendary, ungroomed mountain.
La Grave and Pra Loup sit in different corners of the southern French Alps and serve completely different skiers. La Grave is a famous freeride mountain beneath the towering La Meije, reached by a single old gondola, with almost no pisted runs and vast ungroomed terrain that demands real skill and a guide. Pra Loup, up in the Ubaye valley, is a sunny, purpose built family resort linked with neighboring La Foux d'Allos into the Espace Lumiere, with around 180 km of well groomed pistes for cruising.
For a traveler who loves wild, empty mountains, La Grave is one of the most atmospheric places in the Alps, a stone village staring up at a glacier with no lift queues and no pretense. But it is honest to say that La Grave is not a holiday resort in the usual sense. If you want a relaxed week with groomed runs, sunshine and an easy base for a family or a mixed group, Pra Loup is the obvious and far safer choice.
The numbers side by side
| La Grave | Pra Loup | |
|---|---|---|
| Resort altitude | around 1,450 m | around 1,600 m |
| Top lift | around 3,200 m near the glacier | around 2,600 m |
| Ski area | mostly ungroomed, only a couple of marked routes | around 180 km in the linked Espace Lumiere |
| Terrain character | Serious off piste and freeride only | Sunny, groomed, family cruising |
| Village style | Tiny, authentic stone hamlet | Purpose built base plus an old village below |
| Evening scene | Very quiet, a few mountaineer bars | Relaxed family bars and restaurants |
| Day pass | Around $50 to $60 | Around $45 to $55 |
| Nearest airport | Grenoble or Lyon, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours | Nice or Turin, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours |
The skiing
These are not really comparable, and that is the point. La Grave is a single, enormous off piste mountain with around 2,000 m of vertical, no grooming to speak of, exposed terrain and real hazards, magnificent for expert freeriders with a guide and dangerous for anyone else. Pra Loup, linked into the Espace Lumiere, offers around 180 km of varied, sunny, well groomed pistes that suit beginners through to confident intermediates beautifully. For pisted skiing and a normal week, Pra Loup wins outright; for serious off piste, La Grave is in a league of its own. Winner: Pra Loup for most, La Grave for experts only.
The village
Both have real character, in opposite registers. La Grave is a tiny, unspoiled stone hamlet that feels like a mountaineering outpost, beautiful and authentic but with very little going on. Pra Loup pairs a practical purpose built base with the pretty old village of Pra Loup 1500 below, set among larch, and offers far more in the way of shops, ski schools and life. For wild atmosphere, La Grave, while for a livable, convenient base, Pra Loup. Winner: a split, La Grave for romance, Pra Loup for usefulness.
Cost
Both are good value and sit comfortably in the under $2,000 to $4,000 per person band for a week. La Grave is cheap to access but you will likely pay for a guide, which is essential, while Pra Loup gives a lot of groomed terrain and family infrastructure for a modest price. Winner: a near draw, Pra Loup better value for a family, La Grave cheap but with guiding costs.
Families
Pra Loup wins this without argument. It is a genuinely family friendly resort with gentle greens and blues, a good ski school and a sunny, easy going feel. La Grave is emphatically not for families, with no real beginner terrain and serious mountain hazards just beyond the gondola. For anyone traveling with children or mixed abilities, Pra Loup is the only sensible choice. Winner: Pra Loup.
Apres and evenings
Neither is a party resort. Pra Loup keeps evenings relaxed, friendly and family suited, with a decent spread of bars and restaurants. La Grave is quieter still, a handful of unpretentious bars where freeriders compare lines over a beer. For choice and warmth, Pra Loup, while for a low key mountaineering mood, La Grave. Winner: Pra Loup on choice.
Access
Pra Loup edges it but neither is quick. La Grave is roughly two to two and a half hours from Grenoble or Lyon, on scenic but winding mountain roads. Pra Loup is a little further south, around two and a half to three hours from Nice or over the border from Turin, also on mountain roads. Both reward an unhurried transfer. Winner: La Grave slightly closer to a major airport.
The verdict
Book Pra Loup if you want a sunny, relaxed, family friendly week on around 180 km of groomed pistes in the linked Espace Lumiere, which describes most ski trips. Book La Grave only if you are a strong off piste skier who wants one of the world's great freeride mountains, and you will hire a guide. They are opposites, so the decision is really about whether you want a holiday resort or a serious mountain. For more in this sunny region, see Pra Loup vs Risoul, Pra Loup vs Serre Chevalier or La Grave vs Vars.
If you want this trip priced by specialists, tell us your dates and budget below and we will route your brief to the right operators.
Common questions
Is La Grave suitable for beginners or families?
No. La Grave is an expert off piste mountain with almost no pisted runs and serious hazards. Beginners, intermediates and families should choose Pra Loup, which is genuinely family friendly with gentle groomed terrain.
Do you need a guide at La Grave?
Yes, effectively. La Grave is ungroomed, glaciated and exposed, so a qualified mountain guide is essential for safety unless you are a very experienced off piste skier who knows the terrain.
How big is Pra Loup's ski area?
Pra Loup links with neighboring La Foux d'Allos to form the Espace Lumiere, with around 180 km of pistes. La Grave, by contrast, is essentially one vast off piste mountain with only a couple of marked routes.
Which is better value, La Grave or Pra Loup?
Both sit in the under $2,000 to $4,000 band. Pra Loup is the better value for a family with its groomed terrain and infrastructure, while La Grave is cheap to access but usually needs a paid guide.
Which has more snow sure skiing?
La Grave reaches over 3,000 m near the glacier, so its high terrain holds snow well, but it is off piste only. Pra Loup is sunny and lower, with good snowmaking on its groomed runs.
How far are they from an airport?
La Grave is roughly two to two and a half hours from Grenoble or Lyon. Pra Loup is around two and a half to three hours from Nice or over the border from Turin, both on scenic mountain roads.