Superdevoluy Ski Holidays

Together with La Joue du Loup, Superdévoluy’s part of a 100km ski area in the Dévoluy valley of the Hautes-Alpes.

This was the first of the two Dévoluy resorts, having come to be in the sixties. Practicality rules over prettiness in this half of the valley: buildings are mostly tall and boxy, none more than the original main block - Bois d'Aurouze - which almost resembles a sheet of corrugated cardboard from the mountain it looks out to. You don’t come here for the cute architecture though, you come here for the fact that accommodation (mostly self-catered), shops and lifts are hardly ever more than a short walk - or ski - from each other.

That said, traditional looking lodgings have been cropping up more recently, with new chalets being built slightly further out. And if you’re ever craving an eyeful of old-school alpine charm, there’s always Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy further down the valley.

When it comes to getting here, the nearest airports are Grenoble, Marseille and Lyon – all about a 2 - 2.5-hour drive away. If you’re travelling by rail, Veynes-Dévoluy is 25km away and has connections to Paris, Marseille, Grenoble and Briançon.

ESF and ESI are the main ski schools here, where instructors will guide all stages of skier and snowboarder from first timers through to powder hounds. The Combillon and Cros lifts serve a gaggle of short greens, perfect for practicing those first turns on.

Blue piste skiers have the run of the mountain, with the Sommarel streaming down from one of the highest spots, served by the Sommarel chair. Link it with Aurouze for an all-blue full valley descent. The Festoure run leads over to La Joue du Loup, where more beautiful blues await.

In the red department, you can hop off after the TSD Pelourenq and do rounds of the runs under the Clos des Martins drag, or continue up the mountain via the Sommarel lift – here you’ll find the longest run of the region, Draille, and a handful of other trails to fill the day with.

Expert terrain hogs the highest point of the ski area, with the Pierra lift serving the steep Etoiles and Galaxie runs from 2500m. Continue on reds and blues back to the base for a thigh-burning 1000m of vertical. For freeriders, the Ratin Combe can’t be missed (reach it with a guide from the Bure plateau). If you prefer park time to powder, head to the Pré du Renard lift for the snow park, which has kicks, rainbows and all manner of other modules.

Cross country skiers have 35km of trails, through woodland and across open pastures for wonderful variety.

If you’re looking for a week of skiing and bar-crawls, SuperD isn’t that super, but for ski-filled days and a relaxing drink here and there, it’s spot on. The Red Cap is an umbrella bar with music for après ski, while Le Sans Souci is a favourite for drinks and crepes.

Chez Dédé makes a handy meeting point, over from the ESF area with south facing outdoor seating and a choice of drinks, pizzas and mountain favourites.

Accro'Pâtes at the bottom of the ski slopes is a real people pleaser, serving pasta dishes, burgers, chips. We like La Table du Yeti for fondues, and Pronto Pizza does free deliveries or takes table bookings for pizzas and cheesy local dishes.

Snake gliss, paragliding and skijoëring are three of the alternative activities you can try here. The Le Centre Sportif de Superdévoluy has a gym, children’s play area, 180m climbing room and squash courts for indoor fun.