Les Sybelles is the name of a skiing area in the French Alps, made up of several small towns, villages and resorts. Combined, the region offers over 300 kilometres of ski runs, from an altitude of 1500 metres and higher. Snow cover is good all winter, thanks to this high altitude, though Les Sybelles does have the usual snow cannons on the lower slopes in case of unseasonably good weather! The region is doing its bit to attract tourists in the summer months too, offering extreme sports, guided hikes and world-class mountain biking trails.
In summer, the downhill slopes become the domain of mountain bikers rather than the skiers, with many of the ski lifts and cable cars used to carry them and their bikes to the tops of the trails. There are several places where you can hire mountain bikes, if you haven’t brought your own. Visitors can still choose to descend the slopes in a more adventurous way, as Les Sybelles starts to expand into the extreme sports market. Mountain boarding is available at Saint-Sorlins, a kind of warm-weather snowboarding, while kids and teenagers can try their hand at descending a ski run in a motorised kart at Corbier. Hiking is still the most popular way to explore the stunning scenery around Les Sybelles, with many tourist offices organising guided hikes so you don’t miss out on the best sights.
This area has featured regularly on the route of the Tour de France, thanks to the Col de la Croix de Fer, a challenging road ascent. Many amateur road cyclists can be seen on the road in the summer having a go themselves, while the hill itself is the starting point for a great hike to the Trois Lacs and Etendard Glacier.
Les Sybelles doesn’t just feature a selection of downhill runs, for skiers of all abilities, but is also home to some great off piste skiing areas and cross-country skiing trails. Beginners, whether children or adults, are well catered for on the nursery slopes in the villages, with ski instructors on hand if you want to work on your style. The snowpark in Les Sybelles has plenty of jumps and specialist runs for snowboarders, while the more adventurous can try descending on more unusual ski equipment, like the skibike or the seated yooner. There is even a short luge run in Les Sybelles, though this isn’t always open to the public.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Les Sybelles? Then below is a selection of gites in Les Sybelles and villas in Les Sybelles that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
