Pralognan-la-Vanoise is the centre of hiking and mountaineering in Savoie.
In the winter it is a warm and welcoming ski resort village, with wonderful ski slopes that reflect its reputation as a place for those that love the wilderness with a little comfort thrown in.
The ski slopes of Pralognan stretch from 2350m to 1400m above sea level and offer a complete range for skiers of all levels. Ski through a natural landscape, home of the chamois and the ibex, a truly magnificent setting to put your best turns in. It lies at the foot of Grande-Casse and in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, a place of outstanding beauty and snow cover is very good thanks to the nearby Vanoise glaciers. In addition, artificial snow cover is maintained by 70 snow guns, from 2350m to the resort. It is a small ski area although the runs are good and varied. I haven’t skied this resort yet and I intend to put that right this season with an off-piste run from Val Thorens.
It is very different to the mass marketed resorts such as the Espace Killy and a skier needs to also be interested in other winter sports such as Nordic skiing and raquette walking to make the most of it, and yet it is a commercial success and provides a strong return on rental properties.
The resort is surrounded by several summits of over 3000 metres above sea level. At 3855m high, Grande-Casse is the highest peak in the Vanoise massif. Like Chamonix it is also extremely busy in the summer, indeed throughout the year.
The resort has many stunning glaciers to explore; Réchasse Point is easily accessible to all, or if you’re an experience mountaineer then try the famous Italian Corridor on Grande-Casse. Discover and perfect rock climbing techniques on different natural sites in the village: Fraîche Rock Face, the Isertan bouldering circuits, Lanches Hollow and Gerlon Bridge, Singe Rock or explore some high mountain sites: Arcelin, Moriond, Grand-Marchet.
For the walkers amongst you, once you’ve explored the valleys, forests and high mountain meadows discover glacier walking and enjoy the panoramic views from Polset Dome (3501 m), Grande-Casse Pass (3100 m), Chasseforêt Dome (3586 m). There is a very active Mountain Guides Office who can introduce you to all the most beautiful summits in the Alps both locally and further afield, winter and summer.
Other activities include via ferrata, tree-climbing adventure course, canyoning and paragliding or try angling and fly fishing in the Doron-de-Pralognan River lying between 1200m and 2000m above sea level (brown trout and brook trout), or ‘No Kill’ fly fishing at Prioux. There is also well-being, tennis, swimming pool, ice rink and everything you need for a summer holiday in the mountains.
This resort has been welcoming tourists for over one hundred years as a place for visitors to pursue all sorts of interesting pastimes. Over the century, the resort has been an innovator in numerous mountain activities and is one of the oldest mountain villages with the most ancient constructions dated from the 12th century – it is quite unique.
The village itself has many bars and restaurants, something to suit everyone. There are many events, musical, family, cultural, environmental ......all year and especially during the winter season.
Pralognan-la-Vanoise is occupied all year round and tourism has not been allowed to affect its natural appearance. Above all, it has remained an authentic mountain village with enduring traditions. These traditions are kept up year after year thanks to festivals and cultural events taking place during summer and winter.
Visitors tend to be interested in more than “just” the skiing experience; they are also cultural experts and enthusiasts for the mountain and natural parkland: just one of the reasons for the exceptional loyalty of the Pralognan clientele.
