Forecast today: Mainly fair
Many of these are equipped with snowmaking to counterbalance the sunny, south-facing aspect. The high-altitude slopes off Le Drouvet reach higher than 2700m and in good conditions offer up some great, underrated off piste terrain.
Unfortunately, none of the slopes are located within the tree-line, so the resort can be a little bleak in bad weather. The village of Orcières itself is located at 1450m and has some limited accommodation. Instead, basing yourself up in the purpose-built village at Merlette will ensure reliable snow, maximum convenience and access to the resort’s best bars and restaurants.
Here, there’s good value apartment accommodation and many are slopeside, enabling you to ski in and out of your door each day. The small airport in Grenoble is around two hours away, or Lyon is a three hour drive.
Resort website: www.orcieres.com
Tue 19 Mar | Wed 20 Mar | Thu 21 Mar | Fri 22 Mar | Sat 23 Mar | Sun 24 Mar | Mon 25 Mar | Tue 26 Mar | Wed 27 Mar | Thu 28 Mar | |||||||||||||||||||||
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AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Generally clear | Mainly fair |
Generally clear |
Generally clear | Generally clear |
Mainly fair |
Mainly fair | Generally clear |
Generally clear |
Mainly fair | Snow shower |
Occasional snow |
Light snow shwr | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Generally clear | Generally clear |
Partly cloudy |
Generally clear | Occasional snow |
Occasional snow |
Mainly fair | Mainly fair |
Generally clear |
Broken clouds | Occasional snow |
Occasional snow |
Broken clouds |
Wind | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 4.2 cm | 1.7 cm | 1.1 cm | 0.3 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.4 cm | 1.8 cm | 3.4 cm | 1.7 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.6 cm | 0.6 cm | 0.4 cm | 1.2 cm | 0.2 cm |
Max temp | -0.3°c | -0.3°c | -2.5°c | -0.1°c | -0.1°c | -2.2°c | 1.5°c | 1.5°c | -1.5°c | 2.5°c | 2.5°c | -0.9°c | -1.7°c | -2.4°c | -5.9°c | -7.7°c | -7.7°c | -9.5°c | -5°c | -5°c | -6.8°c | -5.5°c | -5.5°c | -6.6°c | -3.9°c | -3.9°c | -5.2°c | -4.2°c | -4.2°c | -5.2°c |
Min temp | -2.3°c | -2.5°c | -3.9°c | -4.1°c | -2.2°c | -3.6°c | -2.6°c | -1.5°c | -3.1°c | -1.9°c | -0.9°c | -2.2°c | -3.3°c | -5.9°c | -9.9°c | -11.1°c | -9.5°c | -12°c | -12°c | -6.8°c | -8.6°c | -8.4°c | -6.6°c | -7.8°c | -8°c | -5.2°c | -6.9°c | -7.3°c | -5.2°c | -6.9°c |
Feels like temp | -2.3°c | -0.3°c | -2.5°c | -4.1°c | -0.1°c | -2.2°c | -2.6°c | 1.4°c | -4.5°c | -1.9°c | 2.2°c | -0.9°c | -6.7°c | -6.1°c | -10.5°c | -16.8°c | -12.8°c | -14.7°c | -12°c | -5°c | -6.8°c | -8.4°c | -5.5°c | -10.3°c | -8°c | -3.9°c | -5.2°c | -7.3°c | -8°c | -8.8°c |
AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Generally clear |
Wind | |||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
Max temp | -0.3°c | -0.3°c | -2.5°c |
Min temp | -2.3°c | -2.5°c | -3.9°c |
Feels like temp | -2.3°c | -0.3°c | -2.5°c |
AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | Mainly fair |
Generally clear |
Generally clear |
Wind | |||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
Max temp | -0.1°c | -0.1°c | -2.2°c |
Min temp | -4.1°c | -2.2°c | -3.6°c |
Feels like temp | -4.1°c | -0.1°c | -2.2°c |
Tue 19 Mar | Wed 20 Mar | Thu 21 Mar | Fri 22 Mar | Sat 23 Mar | Sun 24 Mar | Mon 25 Mar | Tue 26 Mar | Wed 27 Mar | Thu 28 Mar | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Generally clear | Mainly fair |
Mainly fair |
Mainly fair | Generally clear |
Generally clear |
Mainly fair | Generally clear |
Mainly fair |
Mainly fair | Occasional rain |
Light rain shwr |
Snow grains | Partly cloudy |
Partly cloudy |
Mainly fair | Mainly fair |
Partly cloudy |
Generally clear | Snow grains |
Occasional snow |
Mainly fair | Generally clear |
Partly cloudy |
Rather cloudy | Occasional snow |
Snow grains |
Snow grains |
Wind | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0.4 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.5 cm | 0.7 cm | 0.8 cm | 0 cm | 0.1 cm | 0.2 cm | 0.1 cm | 0 cm | 0.2 cm |
Max temp | 8°c | 8°c | 3.6°c | 8°c | 8°c | 4.2°c | 9.4°c | 9.4°c | 4.8°c | 10.3°c | 10.3°c | 5.8°c | 6.2°c | 6.2°c | 0.9°c | 0°c | 0°c | -3.7°c | 2.8°c | 2.8°c | -0.9°c | 2.8°c | 2.8°c | -1°c | 4.2°c | 4.2°c | 0.8°c | 3.9°c | 3.9°c | 1°c |
Min temp | -1.7°c | 3.6°c | -0.1°c | -1.8°c | 4.2°c | 0.9°c | 0.2°c | 4.8°c | 1.1°c | -0.2°c | 5.8°c | 1.7°c | 0.4°c | 0.9°c | -3.7°c | -5.3°c | -3.7°c | -5.4°c | -7.4°c | -0.9°c | -4.2°c | -5.1°c | -1°c | -4°c | -4.6°c | 0.8°c | -2.1°c | -3°c | 1°c | -1.8°c |
Feels like temp | -1.7°c | 7.3°c | 3.3°c | -1.8°c | 7.4°c | 3.9°c | 0.2°c | 7.8°c | 4.5°c | -0.2°c | 9.3°c | 5.3°c | 0.4°c | 3.9°c | -2.2°c | -9.3°c | -4°c | -7.3°c | -7.4°c | 2.4°c | -0.9°c | -5.1°c | 0.3°c | -3.7°c | -4.6°c | 3.7°c | 0.7°c | -3°c | 1.3°c | 0.9°c |
AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | |||
Wind | |||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
Max temp | 8°c | 8°c | 3.6°c |
Min temp | -1.7°c | 3.6°c | -0.1°c |
Feels like temp | -1.7°c | 7.3°c | 3.3°c |
AM | PM | Night | |
Weather | |||
Wind | |||
Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
Max temp | 8°c | 8°c | 4.2°c |
Min temp | -1.8°c | 4.2°c | 0.9°c |
Feels like temp | -1.8°c | 7.4°c | 3.9°c |
Snowfall | Last Snowfall | 18/03/2024 |
---|---|---|
Next 3 days | 0.2 cm | |
Depths | Upper piste depth | 170 cm |
Lower piste depth | 80 cm | |
Snow conditions | Snow quality | Hard packed |
Lifts | Lifts open | 23 out of 28 |
Resort opening date | Sat 16 Dec 2023 | |
Resort closing date | Sun 14 Apr 2024 |
France gets off to a slow start over the weekend with cold temperatures and minimal snow and a freezing line sitting around the 2000m mark. High pressure dominates the weekend until Monday meaning lovely blue bird days for a great weekend of skiing. This then turns to low pressure which results in a return of snow.
As we move into the next week, there is an early flurry of snow, most notably in Chamonix and for most of the northern French Alps getting 30-40 cm’s of snow early next week. Temperatures seem to stay around the -3 degrees mark and the creeping up to -6/-7 overnight.
The most up-to-date avalanche forecasting for the French Alps can be found on Meteo France’s website
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