A ski resort with terrain for all levels and closeby lodging, lots of apres ski activities and a good ski school make for great vacations on snow.
The department of Doubs in eastern France is dominated by the Jura Mountains. The region is home to the ski resorts of Metabief-Mont d'Or, Val de Morteau, and Charquemont.
The Metabief-Mont d'Or is situated on the Swiss border features 42 kilometres of pistes (five green runs, eight blue, 11 red, and two black) connected by 22 lifts. The resort encompasses six villages: Jougne (1020m), Les Hopitaux-Neufs (1000m), Les Hopitauz-Vieux (1000m), Metabief (950m), Les Longevilles Mont d'Or (920m), and Rochejean (907m).
There is also a snowpark and boardercross for beginners and experts and endless well groomed cross-country tracks. The resort is located on the ‘Grande Traversee du Jura' - a 200-kilometre cross-country trail across the Jura Massif. The marked trails are well maintained and conveniently linked to many villages and railway stations. The village of Les Longevilles Mont d'Or has a well-lit night time cross-country trail.
The ski area of Val de Morteau is the starting point of the Grande Traversee du Jura cross-country trail. It also has six lifts for downhill skiing (with easy to expert runs) and 150 kilometres of cross-country trails for off-pisters and freestylers.
Val de Morteau is comprised of seven villages: Les Combes, Mont Vouillot (910-1160m), Villers-le-Lac (920-1080m), Le Chauffaud, Gardot, Chateleu, and Les Seignes (1050-1300m), and Mont Meusy (1290m).
Set on the banks of the Doubs River, Villers-le-Lac is a popular tourist town known for its waterfall and 30 kilometres of cross-country trails. Le Chauffaud is the starting point of the Grande Traversee du Jura and also offers 47 kilometres of local cross-country trails.
The family-favourite village of Mont Meusy is well suited to downhill skiing, cross-country enthusiasts, snowshoeing, and sledding. Les Combes, Mont Vouillot features 45 kilometres of cross-country trails. Non-skiers in Val de Moreau can enjoy a cinema, ice rink, fitness centre, museum, and nightclub.
Another ski resort in Doubs is Charquemont (5350-1043m) with five runs well suited to beginners and intermediates and four ski lifts.
There are two airports within two hours' drive of Doubs - Geneva and Chambery. Metabief-Mont d'Or is particularly easy to get to as TGV (high-speed trains) run from Paris directly to the resort itself.