One of the lesser known resorts of the Tarentaise region, La Rosière truly is a gem waiting to be discovered. Some people are too quick to dismiss this resort as too small, too quiet and too family orientated but three colleagues from the London office and I spent the opening weekend of the season discovering what this resort really has to offer.
The whole resort benefits from amazing views, and when the sun shines it really is an incredible place to be. You can see across to Les Arcs one way, along to Val d’Isère and Tignes the other, and down to Bourg St Maurice. Known as the balcony resort, you don’t have to be on the slopes in La Rosière to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Add to that some stunning chalets, fantastic pistes and an all-round welcoming atmosphere, and you instantly have a fantastic place to spend a week!
The Interactive girls enjoying a blue sky day in La Rosiere
We were lucky enough to stay in chalet Chantelauze, which has to be one of the best chalets in La Rosière. Not only is it simply stunning, with cosy bedrooms, a spacious living area with floor to ceiling windows and a hot tub on the terrace, but the food is absolutely delicious and of the highest standard. Our chalet host, Tony, was excellent, and Chris, our ski host, knows the area like the back of his hand and was a brilliant guide. Chantelauze may not be ski in/out, but with a private minibus to take you to and from the slopes it couldn’t be more convenient.
Although the first day of the season dawned cloudy, with snow beginning to fall, we made it out on to the slopes to find them in perfect condition. The wide open blues just above the resort centre were a joy to ski on, and as the sun began to break through we discovered some amazing red runs. Some were a nice step up from the blues, others were more challenging, and we rounded the day off with a bit of après-ski in Le Petit Danois. The fresh snowfall meant conditions were just perfect the next day, and with the sun shining brightly we had an even better day. More challenging reds to start and then the incredible amount of untouched powder meant we could all try our hand at a bit of off-piste. Few people know that many ESF instructors from the bigger and more popular resorts actually come to La Rosière to do their off-piste training; the terrain and conditions are that good! Even on peak weeks, both the pistes and off-piste areas are uncrowded, and once you cross the Italian border into the adjoining area of La Thuile, there is another even more exciting domain to discover. More tree runs make this ideal in bad weather, and more black runs cater for the more advanced skiers. So who was it who said the resort is just for children and beginners?
And who also said there is no nightlife in La Rosière? So there may not be as much choice as in Val d’Isere or Meribel, but who needs 20 different bars when you have Fusion and Le Petit Danois?! The latter certainly provided us with a great couple of nights out!
All in all, La Rosière can certainly compete with its more high-profile neighbours, and with the added bonus of having kept its traditional charm and character, more and more people should go and discover how much of a gem La Rosière really is!
