Le Freney-d'Oisans
Le Freney-d'Oisans is a ski resort in the Northern Alps (Isère). The village sits at 871 m and the ski area rises to 3,311 m, a skiable vertical of 1,985 m.
The area offers 32 km of alpine pistes, 52 marked pistes (33 green, 10 blue, 4 red, 5 black), 12 ski lifts. Green and blue runs dominate: terrain suited to beginners and families.
Le Freney-d'Oisans belongs to the linked Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski area: one lift pass covers the neighbouring resorts.
Measured on the OpenStreetMap map: the longest piste runs 8 km (Sarenne) and the highest lift tops out at 3,304 m.
Access: 1 h 04 by road from Grenoble and 46 min from Jarrie - Vizille railway station.
Seven criteria rated from 1 to 5 stars, in half-stars, from this page's sourced data. A rating is a rank among the 322 French resorts we cover — 5 stars means “among the best in France on this point”, not “perfect”. Nobody types these in.
- SnowCan you count on the snow?3.5 / 5
Top of the ski area: 3,311 m · Bottom of the pistes: 1,326 m · Days above 30 cm per winter, measured: 52 days · Days above 30 cm, December to March, model: 96%
- Ski areaIs there enough to ski all week?3 / 5
Km of pistes at the resort: 32 km · Km of pistes across the linked area: 136 km · Lifts: 12 · Balance between piste levels: 74%
- ValueIs the lift pass reasonable for what you get?n/a
Not rated: “adult day pass” is missing from this page.
- Families and beginnersIs it right for children and beginners?3 / 5
Share of green and blue pistes: 83% · Magic carpets: 2 · Sledging runs: 1 · ESF ski school · Ice rink, pool, rail sledge…: 0
- AccessIs it easy to get to?3.5 / 5
Average drive time from 20 major cities: 4 hr 28 · Nearest railway station: 46 min · Station-to-resort shuttles per day: 2 · Nearest airport: 1 hr 30
- Atmosphere and après-skiIs there life in the evening and off the slopes?1 / 5
Bars and pubs: 0 · Nightclubs: 0 · Restaurants: 2 · Upcoming events: 0 · Collective tourist beds: 0 — index: what the map and the listings publish
- Luxury and comfortHow upmarket is the resort?1 / 5
5-star hotels: 0 · 4-star hotels: 0 · Share of hotel rooms in 4 and 5 stars: 0% · Spas and saunas: 0 · Jewellers, watchmakers, fashion boutiques: 0 — index: what the map and the listings publish
“Atmosphere” and “Luxury” are indexes: they count what OpenStreetMap and the event listings publish within 2.5 km (bars, nightclubs, rated hotels, spas, upcoming events), not what you experience there. A zero means “nothing mapped”, not “nothing there”. Sources per criterion: snow (altitudes (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata), snow depth observed at the Météo-France station, ERA5-Land model) ; ski area (OpenStreetMap pistes and lifts, linked area (Wikidata)) ; value (the resort’s official price list) ; families and beginners (OpenStreetMap pistes, price list, ESF ski school, Famille Plus label, OpenStreetMap leisure) ; access (OSRM drive times from 20 cities, SNCF stations, GTFS shuttles, airports) ; atmosphere and après-ski (bars, nightclubs and restaurants within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap), upcoming events (OpenAgenda), collective tourist beds (INSEE)) ; luxury and comfort (rated hotels within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap) and by category across the commune (INSEE), spas and boutiques (OpenStreetMap), day pass price).
Open pistes and lifts will appear here during the season, as published by the resort. Out of season we show nothing rather than a misleading zero.
Right now at the ALPE-D'HUEZ station (1,860 m)
Avalanche danger
7-day forecast
Village 871 m · top 3,311 m
Forecast corrected for altitude; fresh snow = forecast total at the top; UV = peak of the day. Beyond 3 days, check the resort’s own report. Source:Open-Meteo.
Average snow depth by month
Good snow from December to April: a long, reliable season.
☀️ Average daily sunshine : Nov 6.5 h · Dec 5.8 h · Jan 6.1 h · Feb 7.6 h · Mar 8.7 h · Apr 10.2 h — 26 bright days in April (Open-Meteo estimate, 2015-2025).
- November20 cmInsufficient · 31%
- December73 cmGood skiing · 86%
- January110 cmGood skiing · 99%
- February134 cmGood skiing · 100%
- March150 cmGood skiing · 100%
- April123 cmGood skiing · 100%
- May56 cmVariable · 70%
30 cm on the ground: the benchmark for groomed-piste skiing. Bar = monthly average depth; percentage = share of time above 30 cm.
- Good skiing: 30 cm on more than 8 days in 10
- Variable: 30 cm on 5 to 8 days in 10
- Insufficient: 30 cm less than one day in two
Snow actually measured, winter by winter
18 complete winters measured, from 2000-2001 to 2018-2019 — on average 52 days a winter with at least 30 cm on the ground.
- 1-15 Dec13 cmInsufficient · 20 %
- 16-31 Dec23 cmInsufficient · 40 %
- 1-15 Jan29 cmInsufficient · 43 %
- 16-31 Jan39 cmVariable · 58 %
- 1-15 Feb44 cmVariable · 69 %
- 16-29 Feb38 cmVariable · 60 %
- 1-15 Mar27 cmInsufficient · 43 %
- 16-31 Mar8 cmInsufficient · 13 %
- 1-15 Apr1 cmInsufficient · 1 %
- Best winter of the series
- 2005-2006 — 118 days at 30 cm or more
- Worst winter of the series
- 2000-2001 — 0 day at 30 cm or more
How much snow actually falls — 272 cm a winter on average, spread over 31 days of snowfall. Measured over 40 complete winters, from 1980-1981 to 2019-2020.
- Biggest 24-hour snowfall
- 48 cm — 2007-2008
- Snowiest winter
- 1983-1984 — 466 cm
- Leanest winter
- 1992-1993 — 87 cm
The ski area
Compare with another resort →52 pistes, by level — 32 km
- Skiable vertical
- 1,985 m (1,326 m → 3,311 m)
- Lifts
- 2 gondolas, 5 chairlifts, 3 drag lifts, 2 magic carpets
- Cross-country skiing
- 1 named trail — 2.1 km of marked loops, 5.1 km from the resortOpenStreetMap, lengths measured on the geometry, surveyed on 12 September 2026. A trail with no difficulty tag is shown as "n/a" — never guessed.
See the trails(1)
Trail Level Length Boucle rochette n/a 2.1 km - Without skis
- 1 sledging run
- Piste aspect
- N 28% · E 36% · S 10% · W 26% (descent direction of 56 OSM pistes, terrain model)
- Mountain restaurants
- La Bergerie Kanata (1759 m) · Le Shakisky (1660 m) · La Patate (1659 m) · Le Petit Charbon de Bois (1659 m) · L'Adret (1658 m) · Le Panorama (1657 m) · L'Eli's (1656 m) · TriBeCa (1655 m)
Pistes and lifts surveyed on OpenStreetMap within 4 km of the resort — for a resort in a linked area, the figure may include neighbouring pistes.
Lift passes detail →
The price list for this resort is being collected: most resorts publish winter prices between September and November.
The ski area in figures
Measured on 9 September 2026Measured on OpenStreetMap (altitudes: IGN RGE ALTI), not taken from the brochure. The vertical above is that of one piste, not of the whole ski area. Population: INSEE municipal population via geo.api.gouv.fr.
Staying and hiring gear in Le Freney-d'Oisans
We compare the partners that cover this resort. Some links earn us a commission — never at the expense of the price or of the data.
Stay & accommodation
Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski ski area webcams
All webcams (8) →Official cameras of the neighbouring resorts on the linked Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski ski area.
Official players of the resort, live image.
Piste map
Open on OpenSnowMap ↗Pistes coloured by level, lifts as lines. The resort’s official map is the reference in season.
Base map © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA) · pistes © OpenSnowMap (CC-BY-SA) · data ©OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Getting to Le Freney-d'Oisans
From Paris: 6 hr 53 (633 km) by road.
By road
- From Grenoble: 1 hr 04 · 61 km
- From Chambéry: 1 hr 43 · 120 km
- From Valence: 2 hr 00 · 150 km
- From Annecy: 2 hr 12 · 167 km
- From Lyon: 2 hr 16 · 163 km
From other major cities (15)
- From Genève: 2 hr 42 · 205 km
- From Saint-Étienne: 2 hr 49 · 212 km
- From Marseille: 4 hr 04 · 288 km
- From Montpellier: 4 hr 07 · 354 km
- From Dijon: 4 hr 08 · 364 km
- From Clermont-Ferrand: 4 hr 09 · 332 km
- From Besançon: 4 hr 27 · 394 km
- From Nice: 5 hr 23 · 396 km · avoids Col de Restefond, closed in winter
- From Perpignan: 5 hr 29 · 502 km
- From Nancy: 6 hr 15 · 575 km
- From Toulouse: 6 hr 25 · 589 km
- From Strasbourg: 6 hr 50 · 632 km
- From Paris: 6 hr 53 · 633 km
- From Bordeaux: 8 hr 07 · 718 km
- From Pau: 8 hr 19 · 779 km
Excluding traffic and winter conditions; passes closed in winter are avoided.
By train
Jarrie - Vizille station
halt · then 46 min drive (46 km)
Nearest main station: Grenoble, 1 hr 04 by road.
- From Grenoble station (stop “Gare Routière”): line 55 — 55 _ BRIANCON - GRENOBLE via SERRE CHEVALIER (ZOU ! Express Bus), 1 hr 20 to the “Village” stop — 2 departures a day on weekdays · first 10:45, last 15:45 · timetable from 15 December 2026 to 28 January 2027 · official timetable ↗
Direct journeys read from the official timetable files published on transport.data.gouv.fr — no connections.
By plane
- Grenoble-Alpes-Isère (GNB): 1 hr 30 by road · 103 km
- Chambéry-Savoie (CMF): 1 hr 54 by road · 127 km
Take me there
These links open the app with Le Freney-d'Oisans as the destination. Your starting point is never sent by us — the app asks you for it, if you agree.
Charging an electric car
1 charging station within 2 km
2 charging points · up to 24 kW
- Freney d'Oisans - Auberge du Freney · EASYCHARGE · 2 points · 24 kW · 0.2 km
Freely accessible charge points read from the French national EV charging database (data.gouv.fr ↗, operators’ own declarations), checked on 9 September 2026. Check availability before you leave: the database says what is installed, not what is free tonight.
Road conditions
From 1 November to 31 March, snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory in most mountain areas (French “Loi Montagne II”).
Driving times computed on the OpenStreetMap road network (OSRM), SNCF stations (open data), airports (Wikidata). Indicative, not a timetable: allow extra time in snow.
Off-piste & ski touring
The resorts for off-piste skiing →Named itineraries: Ancienne piste noire "Vallée Blanche 5" · ancienne piste intermédiare "Bons"
Itineraries surveyed on OpenStreetMap within a 4 km radius (7 September 2026): “marked” means an itinerary exists on the map, not that it is open or safe on the day.
Ski touring routes described
Resorts for ski touring →12 ski touring routes documented within 10 km of Le Freney-d'Oisans — up to 1,080 m of climb.
| Summit and route | Ski grade | Climb | Altitude | Aspect | From resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croix de Cassini · Face SW | 4.3 · E2 · D+ | 1,060 m | 1,310 → 2,373 m | SW | 1.8 km |
| Les Grandes Buffes · Versant SW | 1.2 · E1 · F | 630 m | 1,530 → 2,164 m | S | 2.1 km |
| Signal de l'Homme · Combes SE | 1.3 · E1 · F+ | 650 m | 1,530 → 2,176 m | SE | 2.6 km |
| La Grande Aiguille (2 Alpes) · Couloir NE | 5.1 · E2 · TD- | 930 m | 1,247 → 2,181 m | NE | 2.9 km |
| Les Grandes Buffes · Couloir NW | 4.1 · E1 · AD | 515 m | 1,649 → 2,164 m | NW | 3.1 km |
| Croix de Cassini · Combe SE de la Grande Roche | 3.3 · E2 · AD+ | 1,080 m | 1,292 → 2,373 m | S · SE · E | 3.2 km |
| Croix de Cassini · Versant W | 2.3 · E1 · PD+ | 900 m | 1,530 → 2,373 m | SW | 3.3 km |
| Pied Moutet · Versant E | 4.1 · E3 · D- | 1,020 m | 1,317 → 2,339 m | E | 3.7 km |
| Le Mais · par les pistes | 1.2 · E1 · F | 450 m | 1,650 → 2,106 m | E | 4.3 km |
| Tête des Rachas · Face N des Rachas et déversoir du lac du Plan | n/a · PD | 52 m | 2,696 → 2,748 m | NW | 4.5 km |
| Col du Jandri · Clot de Chalance | n/a · PD- | 1 m | 3,150 m | NW | 5.1 km |
| Montagne du Gay · Face NW | 1.3 · E1 · PD- | 390 m | 1,560 → 1,947 m | NW | 5.5 km |
Source: Camptocamp.org topo guide (CC BY-SA), routes starting within 10 km, read on 13 September 2026. Descriptions and photos are on Camptocamp; an empty cell is a field nobody has filled in. Camptocamp ski touring routes ↗
Beyond skiing at Le Freney-d'Oisans
Ice rink
- Patinoire des Deux Alpes · Les Deux Alpes · 3.8 km away
- Patinoire à ciel ouvert · Huez · 6.9 km away
Swimming pool
- Piscine des 2 Alpes · Les Deux Alpes · 3.7 km away
- Piscine couverte · Huez · 6.7 km away
- Piscine de plein air chauffée · Huez · 7 km away
Paragliding
- Ecole de Parapente - Air Ailes Parapente · Les Deux Alpes · 3.8 km away
- Ecole de Parapente - Air 2 Alpes · Les Deux Alpes · 4.7 km away
- Ecole de Parapente - 2 Alpes Parapente · Les Deux Alpes · 4.9 km away
Museum
- Eco musée des Cours - Musée rural "Alice" · Auris · 3.4 km away
- Maison Départementale des Alpages de l'Isère · Besse · 4.7 km away
- Musée d'histoire et d'archéologie de l'Alpe d'Huez · Huez · 6.6 km away
- GALTA la Galerie des Trésors Alpins · Le Bourg-d'Oisans · 7.6 km away
Cinema
- Cinéma des 2 Alpes - Le Slalom · Les Deux Alpes · 4.2 km away
- Cinéma L'AgorAlp · Huez · 6.6 km away
- Cinéma Les Ecrins · Le Bourg-d'Oisans · 7.7 km away
Source: DATAtourisme (open data), within 10 km of the resort; places in a large town of the valley are left out. Checked on 12 September 2026. Opening times and prices are the operator’s — check before you go.
Practical information
Collective accommodation
- 1 hotel · 16 rooms (1 × 3★)
Commune: Le Freney-d'Oisans · INSEE tourist accommodation survey, 2026, read on 12 September 2026. Collective accommodation only — privately let flats and second homes are not counted. INSEE dataset ↗
Tourist office
Office de tourisme
Ski school
ESF Auris En Oisans
25 instructors
🇬🇧 22 English-speaking instructors — lessons in English available
🗓️ This school sells its lessons online — book ↗
Source: esf.net
In case of accident
112 — the European emergency number, free of charge, triggers mountain rescue. On the pistes, the ski patrol number is printed on the piste map and at lift ticket offices. Piste rescue is charged: check your insurance or take the option sold with the lift pass.
Nearby resorts
Frequently asked questions
How high is Le Freney-d'Oisans?
Le Freney-d'Oisans sits at 871 m at village level, and its ski area rises to 3,311 m.
How many kilometres of pistes does Le Freney-d'Oisans have?
Le Freney-d'Oisans has 32 km of pistes served by 12 lifts, within the linked Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski area (OpenStreetMap survey).
What is the longest piste in Le Freney-d'Oisans?
The longest piste is Sarenne: 8 km (black run), for 1,657 m of vertical. Measured on the OpenStreetMap map, segments of the same name and level joined end to end, altitudes from the IGN RGE ALTI terrain model — a resort sometimes advertises a longer run by chaining several pistes.
How high do the lifts go in Le Freney-d'Oisans?
The highest lift, Pic Blanc 3, tops out at 3,304 m (IGN RGE ALTI terrain model). The 55 lifts mapped on OpenStreetMap total 43 km.
How do I get to Le Freney-d'Oisans?
By road, Le Freney-d'Oisans is 1 hr 04 from Grenoble (61 km), excluding traffic and winter conditions. By train, the nearest station is Jarrie - Vizille, 46 min by road from the resort. From Grenoble station, line 55 — 55 _ BRIANCON - GRENOBLE via SERRE CHEVALIER (ZOU ! Express Bus) reaches the “Village” stop in 1 hr 20, 2 departures a day on weekdays. The nearest airport is Grenoble-Alpes-Isère, 1 hr 30 away.
How long is the drive from Paris to Le Freney-d'Oisans?
6 hr 53 for 633 km from central Paris, excluding traffic and winter conditions. Computed on the real road network (OpenStreetMap): allow more on a school-holiday Saturday.
Is the snow reliable in Le Freney-d'Oisans?
Yes: good snow through most of the winter according to ten winters of reanalysis (estimate); in season the daily report prevails.
Is Le Freney-d'Oisans good for beginners and families?
83% of the pistes are green or blue: a very accessible area.
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