Val Cenis Beginners
Val Cenis is a good place to learn to ski or board. All of Val Cenis’s green runs for beginners flow into either Lanslebourg or Lanslevillard and the 10km L’Escargot is the longest green piste in Europe.There are two areas in Val Cenis dedicated to children aged between six and ten accompanied by their parents – at the Déboule Parc in Lanslevillard and the Estiv’Parc in Lanslebourg. There are also magic carpets with dedicated areas for beginners in Lanslevillard, Lanslevillard Le Haut and Lanslebourg.
Some of the best nursery slopes are just above the base area at Termignon, where the Girarde and Tannes lifts allow skiers and boarders the opportunity to test themselves on several green runs before tackling the Girarde blue. The area is quite exposed, however, and young children may be better served in Lanslevillard.
The best lifts for beginners to aim for are the Val Cenis Le Haut gondola and the new Colomba chair in Lanslevillard. Both lifts share a series of inter-connected green runs, with the opportunity to progress to the Vieux Moulin gondola which links to a short blue piste and the celebrated L’Escargot.
The L’Escargot run is perfect for skiers to progress from nursery slope skiing; it provides beginners with a real feel of travelling around a mountain and will enable them to gain confidence. The views of the towering mountains of Dent Parachee, the Pointe D’Andagne and even the Grand Paradis are majestic as you glide down the full 10km run. It really is one of the best beginner runs in the Alps, but not quite as good for boarders, however, as parts of the run are quite flat.
Once you have got the L’Escargot under your belt, other beginner runs to try in good snow conditions are the Flambeau and Traverse blues from Termignon to Lanslebourg, while the Tetras and Familiale will take more adventurous beginners back down to Lanslebourg, via L’Escargot, from the top of the Mont Cenis drag at 2,300m.
The skiing down from Replat des Canons in Termignon is superb, as the Forestière blue offers a beautiful, wide piste which winds through the pine forest into the village.
Another good place to learn to ski is in the cross-country haven of Bessans, where there is a dedicated south-facing beginners’ area with a slow drag lift, a perfectly groomed slope, and 3km of gentle slopes to aid progression.