The cross-country ski area nestled in a high valley of Champagny-en-Vanoise, is a hidden gem of Savoie cross country skiing. It boasts 23km of meticulously prepared cross-country trails but unlike other resorts that tend to double up on runs, Champagny's trails are divided into five distinct loops, each marked with a different grading system, including green, blue, red, black, and a small yellow loop. The gradings may not differ significantly in terms of difficulty, but each loop offers a unique challenge.
The red loop, for example, boasts a steep climb that is shaded, which poses a risk of hard descents. On the other hand, the black loop features a couple of long drags and a fast but not too steep descent back to the ski lodge. Meanwhile, the green loop is flat and winds through the charming village, offering a scenic and leisurely skiing experience. The blue loop, which crosses over to the left bank, follows the river before heading back to the chalet, and if you're feeling adventurous, you can detour off for another 2km on the Pierra Neva red loop.
What's great about the trails is that they are not too long, allowing skiers to return to the chalet and car park if they need to grab a drink or clothes. You can also picnic at le Laissonay, which provides stunning views of the peaks of the Vanoise above. Additionally, the trails are marked with signs giving information about the environment, which provides an educational aspect to the skiing experience.
Before the Covid lockdown kicked in, I decided to visit Champagny, where the trails were relatively flat after all the recent climbing I'd been doing. Starting at 9 am, I planned to tackle the pistes in order of difficulty, twice if possible. The green loop was flat and wound through the village before heading out on a 5km loop on the right side of the valley. The blue loop crossed over to the left bank and followed the river back to the chalet. However, the Pierra Neva red loop, with a steep climb on the way back and a few shady descents with hard snow, provided a greater challenge.
Next up was the black loop, which climbed up the valley to the summer village of Lionnasay. At the village, there was a final loop that included a waterfall and avalanche debris under the Cascade du Py. The descent wasn't too steep but was quite fast with no real technical challenge, sweeping back to the chalet via the village of Friburge. I did another tour round but missed the Red and the Champ du Pont as I was now getting tired and the snow was getting sticky. Overall great value at 7.50 euros for the morning to 14h.
