best for ESCAPES
France’s in-the-know ski resort is budget-friendly, great for beginners and lies at high-altitude, ensuring snow all season. What’s not to love?
TRAVEL SNAPSHOT
Oz (its official name’s Oz-en- Oisans) lies in the shadow of Alpes d’Huez Grand Domaine, part of France’s south-eastern Isère region. Built around 50 years ago, it’s a petite resort an hour’s transfer by road from Grenoble (or two from Lyon). If you’re a sucker for traditional Alpine architecture, you’ll find Oz charming, with its scattering of sloped-roof buildings, cute ESF ski school and handful of shops and restaurants. This isn’t the place for dancing on the tables aprés ski, but it’s a dream for families and beginners, with a starter slope just a one-minute stroll from the resort centre.
INSIDER’S GUIDE
There’s plenty to do besides skiing. Snowga (yoga in the snow!) takes place at 10am every Tuesday during the Winter season – think downward dog in full ski gear. I went on a four-kilometre guided snowshoe hike, starting at Dôme des Rousses (2,800m), which was way more fun than I’d envisaged. It felt intrepid walking on top of high drifts and reaching remote areas that aren’t usually accessible, even to skiers. I’d never experienced such calm in the mountains and realised it’s because previously I’ve always been hurtling down them. Stop by the Tourist Office (oz-en-oisans.com/winter) on your first day to check out all the free activities on offer, such as whizzing down the beginner’s slope on an Airboard (inflatable sledge) or Uno (bike sledge). There are also torch-lit evening walks around the village ending with marshmallow toasting, and trips to mountainside restaurants by snowplough.
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