Sometimes one just has a special day in the mountains. La Norma provided us with just that. A sensational vertiginous feel from the top, it is as though one is skiing right into the centre of Modane, far, far below. From first to last turns were on sensational fresh powder at La Norma. Riding untracked powder inbounds on the last run of a weekend day is indicative of the quality of experience here. A certified Powderhounds Gem, La Norma is one for the ‘must-do on a powder day’ list.
La Norma benefits from having most of the ski terrain up high above 1800m elevation. Also, whilst the village below is shaded, the ski terrain has a more westerly aspect, attracting some sunshine, even in mid-winter, on most slopes. On-piste, several long zig-zagging trails from top to bottom are dreadful for anyone except beginners and families, but make for superb off-piste returns allowing descents from just about any point on the mountain with an all-but guaranteed exit onto a groomed trail. Nearby Val Cenis has a similar set-up.
With fresh snow on the ground, we spent the morning cutting amazing laps from the highest lifted point off the Norma II chair. Slashing through couloirs & gorgeous rolling alpine terrain before plunging into gullies & intricate tree runs, there was way more whooping, yipping & laughter than we could have ever anticipated. Worth remembering that much of the mid-mountain forest (which we enjoyed immensely) is out of bounds for skiers as it is protected wildlife habitat.
Exploring La Norma is such fun. After a well-deserved lunch at the hut on Plateau de la Repose, we changed to the Clot side of the mountain & were not disappointed. Following our nose across a short wind-affected entry to the skiers’ right of the Clot chair led into sensational freeride terrain with jumps, pillows, meadows, steeps and trees. Crossing the Arlette piste trail, more trees were as perfect as one gets in the Alps, before ending abruptly onto another obligatory piste. This beautiful high-alpine zone is the go-to area for fresh snow, days after an event.
Aside from amazing skiing, La Norma is also soooo easy to get to. Just off the motorway (though it is a pèage toll road), it is only 2km off the main Haute Maurienne Vanoise road and a simple 5-minute drive from Modane. La Norma advertises itself ‘the Cosy Ski Resort’ (they call it Cosy Station – but it amounts to the same thing!). On first appearances that is absolutely true. Ample free parking & toilets at the bus stop (thankfully becoming more usual in France) are a good start. The free undercover parking for day visitors is nice, but if the weather is clear, park outside in the first area on the left as you enter the village and enjoy the short walk to the lifts. The compact village splendidly overlooks the Haute Maurienne valley & has everything one would need for a few days stay. Ski lifts are within 200m of just about all accommodation & include a chairlift, aging gondola, two surface tows & numerous conveyors providing useful novice slopes in the sheltered location. The Repose chair and Melezet gondola (an older-style clunker that you will probably only ride once in a day) go up to separate mid-mountain bases. A wide variety of ski rental/retail outlets, bars, restaurants & shops (including bakeries, markets, clothing etc) are arranged usefully around the base area. Lots to like in this simple family-friendly arrangement.
The ‘not so cosy’ thing about the village is that the sun’s rays do not reach it for almost the entire day in mid-winter, so it’s cold – just the way we like it. Thankfully, there is only one set of totally eyesore apartments in the village, with the remainder being reasonably pleasing to one’s peepers. Nevertheless, our German ski partner remained unimpressed by the village. It is fair to say that very few French ski resort villages impress the German ski fraternity. The main reason is that their usual haunts are in Austria or Switzerland. Most French Alps ski villages simply cannot compete with classic Swiss & Tyrolean alpine style!
La Norma’s combination of sensational off-piste, numerous family friendly novice trails, lifts & super cheap lift pass makes for a cracking ski destination. It is by no means perfect, but what is? Combined with the other local resorts at Val Cenis, Aussois & Bonneval, every ski & snowboard permutation is covered. To say we loved it is an understatement. And we didn’t even leave the resort boundary …… wonder what the backcountry is like?
You can see our thoughts on the pros & cons on the La Norma overview page and also see our European ski resort ratings regarding how we score it compared to other skiing areas.
