Article courtesy of Snowbrains.com

La Grave, France is every passionate skier and snowboarder’s dream come true. La Grave is raw. It’s expansive and unbridled. There are no ropes, no boundaries, nor limits in La Grave. You do what your soul wills and your decisions are your own.

To travel to La Grave is a required pilgrimage for every die hard skier and snowboarder. The key to enjoying the raw beauty of La Grave is riding with someone who knows the place inside and out. La Grave is no place to be unsure.

The big terrain of La Grave, France.

La Grave is a raw skiers experience. The town and the lift don’t represent what North America would call a ski resort. It is wild terrain in its natural state. The skier leaves behind the comforts and conveniences of the average over priced ski resort for the most natural mountain experience a ski lift can provide. Compared to North America, the value for a lift ticket is one of the best deals on the planet. If you want freedom and some of the longest runs of your life, then La Grave represents just that.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide

The legendary Telepherique at La Grave, France.

“In La Grave, there are no marked runs, no avalanche control, and although there is a small team working for the lift that are patrollers, they are not what North American ski resorts would call patrollers. They don’t manage the mountain and they are not to be relied on for rescue. One thing is for sure, the ski patrol here won’t take your pass for skiing too fast, truth is, and they probably ski better and faster then you anyway. The mountain is to be experienced in its raw and natural state and In La Grave the skiers and Snowboarders are responsible for their own safety and decisions.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide

Wide open spaces. La Grave, France.

The La Grave pilgrimage is an experience that will change you, ruminate within you, and forever alter your life perspective. Understand that La Grave is not for everyone. There are no frills. Just snow, ice, and rock. Just mountain and myth.

“Skiers and Snowboarders should experience this place if the only thing that matters to you is the riding. If you are after a bro scene, loud clubs, flashy pros and industry propaganda along with nightlife that rivals the mountain then La Grave is not for you. If you are here because the quality of the day is more important then your accommodations and the night, then La Grave is for you. If you like to get outside of your comfort zone a little bit and truly be humbled by a tradition and style of skiing that has been at the cutting edge for decades then La Grave is for you. If the mountain culture and lifestyle is just as important as the skiing, then La Grave is for you. If you want to see a historical stone village that has a tight knit community of some of the friendliest people on the planet, then La Grave is for you. If you want to see a style and level of riding or challenge yourself that most other resorts don’t expose you to, then La Grave is for you. If you want to ski what will most likely be the longest untracked runs of your life, then La Grave is for you.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide.

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