Orcières-Merlette Ski Resort Guide
Orcières-Merlette, France
Rated: 3/5 (from 6 ratings)
| Recommended For | Intermediates, Beginners, Snowboarders and Snowfall! |
|---|---|
| Total Piste Length | 85km53 miles |
| Highest Lift | 2,730m8,957ft |
| Resort Height | 1,850m6,070ft |
| Nearest Airports | Grenoble and Marseille Provence |
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Orcières-Merlette
Unfortunately the 15-floor buildings at this purpose built centre have won little critical acclaim, but the surrounding scenery is awesome and the weather and skiing both good, meaning slopes can be crowded.
Summary
The French ski resort of Orcières-Merlette is in the French Alps at an altitude of 1,850m6,070ft, with 85km53 miles of marked runs.
Orcières-Merlette has direct access to 85km53 miles of downhill skiing, with 44 marked pistes, served by a total of 29 ski lifts.
The ski resort itself is at 1,850m6,070ft, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With ski lifts as high as 2,730m8,957ft, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.
Skiing
Orcières-Merlette offers good sking, particularly, for Intermediate and Beginner skiers.
Snowboarding
Orcières-Merlette offers some good boarding and there are a variety of Snow and Terrain Parks in Orcières-Merlette.
Snow and Weather
When will it snow in Orcières-Merlette?
The next notable snow forecast is 2cm1in, expected on 8 November.
See our long-range Snow Forecast for the latest update, or Join our Snow Mail Here
Snow this week
| Sat | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ski Area Stats
Orcières-Merlette Ski Area
| Black Pistes Expert Trails | 6 | 10km6 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 19 | |
| Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 20 | |
| Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 9 | |
| Downhill Total Length | 85km53 miles | |
| Cross Country Total Length | 25km16 miles | |
| Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 29 | |
Altitudes
Orcières-Merlette Ski Area Heights
| Highest Lift | 2,730m8,957ft |
|---|---|
| Lowest Piste | 1,850m6,070ft |
| Resort Altitude (Orcières-Merlette) | 1,850m6,070ft |
| Max Vertical | 880m2,887ft |
Ratings & Suitability
| Intermediate Skiers | |
|---|---|
| Beginners | |
| Snowboarding | |
| Snow | |
| Apres-Ski |
Orcières-Merlette Overview
Notable Ski Runs
The most difficult run is the 'Le Gourou'.
Location and Map
Where is Orcières-Merlette?
This ski resort is in the French Alps in Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
Map
Tap 
for Full-Screen, or see J2Ski's Resort map, showing Hotels and Ski Shops.
How to get there
By Air
The nearest airport to Orcières-Merlette is Grenoble, 150 minutes drive away.
Marseille Provence, Chambery, Avignon, Lyon St-Exupéry and Lyon Bron airports are all within three hours drive.
Infrastructure
Ski Lift Capacity
The 29 ski lifts are able to uplift 22,500 skiers and snowboarders every hour.
Snow Making
Snow-making is available, on 40km25 miles of ski runs, with 33 snow cannons.
Season Dates
When is Orcières-Merlette open?
Open from : December 12, 2020.
Closes : April 17, 2021.
Usual opening is mid December, and usual closing is Mid April.
NOTE:- Ski area, lift and piste opening is subject to Current Snow Conditions.
COVID-19 / Coronavirus
We don't yet have specific details of the COVID-19 precautions being taken in Orcières-Merlette, but they are likely to include most of the following :-
- Face masks required on lifts, and in shops.
- Social distancing in public areas.
- Reduced lift capacity.
- Extensive disinfection / sanitization.
French Ski Resort COVID-19 Measures describes further measures that may also be applied.
Visit the Orcières-Merlette Tourist Office for the latest.
Talking about Orcières-Merlette
Mentions in recent J2Ski News Items and Snow Reports from our users...
