Molines - Saint Véran Ski Resort France

Molines - Saint-Veran ski resort in the Queyras (vaguely pronounced key-rah) is one of those quirky delights that simply must be experienced by any self-respecting powder hound. The impossibly gorgeous village of Saint Véran is a major drawcard in this laidback, cruisy Queyras ski resort. Reasonable skiable verticals, high-quality freeride powder, breathtaking views, serene quiet, uncrowded slopes, super-cheap lift passes & incredible restaurants are all hard to ignore! Even the drive up the valley is intriguing with its remote feel and many tunnels, gorges, mountains & castles.

Pros & Cons for Molines - Saint Véran Ski Resort

Pros

• A ski bucket list region that you simply MUST visit!
• Largest ski area in the Queyras.
• Nice skiable vertical of 1,090m.
• High elevation maintains crisp snow quality.
• Very quiet slopes & zero lift lines.
• Wonderful top to bottom piste trails for beginner & intermediate skiers.
• Vast freeride terrain including larch glades on the front & ‘backside’ of the ski area.
• Extensive backcountry ski touring options nearby.
• Incredibly cheap lift pass price, and multi-day passes are valid at other Queyras ski areas.
• Saint Véran is an exceptionally gorgeous village in an extraordinary location.
• Fantastic local restaurants & bars, if they are open!!
• Extraordinary views everywhere.

Cons

• A stiff walk is required to get to the base of the ski lifts in Saint Veran village (although there are a few alternatives).
• Old, slow ski lifts.
• Limited on-piste trails for advanced riders (you will just have to go super-fast to get the ‘buzz’!).
• Snowboarders may be challenged by the long J-bar tows.

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

• High number of J-bar surface tows - but that means crowds are not a thing here!
• Snowmaking mostly limited to beginner trails.
• Accommodation standards vary markedly with some exceptional fine places to spend a night, and some incredibly basic ones too.
• Majority of pistes are on sunny, south-aspect slopes & could get cooked quickly later in the season.

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

The Molines - Saint Veran skiing & snowboarding terrain rises from 1,740m up to a lofty 2,830m. It is mostly on a gentle south to southwest aspect, and bright & shiny when the sun is out. The exception is a small but steep zone of north-aspect on-piste terrain off the top of Beauregard 1 that includes the resort’s only black runs. For freeride, a vast swathe of off-piste terrain including larch glades are on the sunny ‘frontside’ amongst the ski trails, AND steeper stuff across the entire shaded ‘backside’ accessible from the top of Cassettes chair & Grand Serre J-bar. Exiting requires long traverses, but hey everything worth doing requires some effort!

Long easy pistes running across the entire vertical are the norm, with the whole 1,090m vertical skiable top to bottom by combining a series of trails over 5km long. See the ski trail map below.

Molines - Saint Véran Ski Trail Map

The ski lifts at Molines - Saint Veran are an intriguing mix of tradition and very limited modernity. J-bars rule the roost with up to 11 in motion on a good day, including a couple running alongside each other but ending at different points - something we can laugh at having been caught out. The Beauregard tows do require some knowledge of the piste map as the Beauregard 1 (the one on the left) goes significantly higher than the adjacent Beauregard 2 - not that you can tell from the bottom!

Despite its many J-bar platter tows with a vintage of the 1960s to 80s, there are plans to replace the perfectly serviceable, but nearly 40-yr-old, Burge quad chair with a new high-speed, hooded quad. Let’s hope it goes higher up the mountain than the current iteration, otherwise the Burge replacement is even more of head-scratcher?

Lift Passes

Lift tickets at Molines - Saint Veran are super-affordable & pawesome value for what is on offer. The only catch is that children from 11yr-old are classed as adults for the purposes of the lift pass rates. The good thing is that the adult pass is only a meagre handful of euro more than the child’s rate.

All lift passes of 2-days duration or more are the wonderful Queyras Ski Pass, valid in all the local ski areas including Abriès-Ristolas, Ceillac, & Arvieux.

Where is Molines - Saint Véran France?

The Molines - Saint Veran ski resort is in the Queyras ski region of the Hautes Alpes, south-east France. Located north of Marseilles & south of the vast Via Lattea cross-border ski resort and Briançon's Serre Chevalier, it is also close to the Italian border. The closest villages are Saint Véran at the base of the upper lifts, and Molines-en-Queyras a short distance from the lower lift base.

The remote valley of the Queyras is only accessible via the town of Guillestre in winter, as the high alpine Col Agnel pass into Italia is closed until late Spring. The largest village in the Queyras valley is the centrally located Aiguilles, but with a permanent population of less than 450, the term ‘largest’ is relative! Molines/St Véran ski resort is 15km (20min drive) from Aiguilles.

By road, Aiguilles is 306km (4hr) south of Geneva, 310km (4hr) west of Milan & 174km (2¾hr) west of Turin. The Mediterranean coastal city of Marseilles is 259km (3hr) to the south & makes an interesting starting point for a ski trip.

Gateway airports for intercontinental travellers are Milan (MXP),Geneva (GVA) & even Lyon St Exupery (LYS). Due to the proximity of the TGV train line in nearby Oulx, Paris (CDG) is an option as well. The regional airports of Turin (TRN) & Marseilles (MRS) are options for travellers from UK & European flight origins.

The region can be accessed by train to the Montdauphin-Guillestre SNCF station via Gap (from Grenoble), Briançon or Marseilles. Buses to the various ski resorts leave directly from the station, but services are relatively limited. Take the S27 to Molines/St Veran with a journey time of around 1hr. Specific bus shuttles make the journey from the TGV stations in Oulx and Marseilles, but usually only on weekends (Saturdays!).

Search & book here for train tickets to Mont Dauphin - Guillestre near the Queyras.

Whilst we love the idea of using public transport (& endorse it wherever possible), international guests visiting the Queyras are probably best using a private transfer coupled with local buses or taxis once there; or a rental car direct from the airport. Be wary of any car rentals from Italy & France as they often are NOT winterised. Ensure they at least have snow-chains, but preferably winter tyres AND snow chains.

The drive into the valley is wonderful and varied, with several single lane sectors along cliffs. Day car parking at either Molines or St Veran is free, whilst overnight car parking in Saint Véran does come with a cost payable at a local machine.

Once in the valley, a free local bus network connects all the ski areas and villages, but regularity may be an issue for anyone in a hurry and from our experience, may not run every day. Perhaps this is a valley where one needs to relax, take it all in and go slow……… plus have a rental car at the ready!

Molines - Saint Veran Accommodation

The accommodations available at Molines - Saint-Véran ski resort are in the villages of Saint-Véran or Molines-en-Queyras, plus at the base of the ski lifts in the Molines sector, and the hamlet of La Chalp.

Saint-Véran, at 2,042m, is the highest altitude village in France (not including big new ski resort villages!), and also one of its most quaint & picturesque. The sunny disposition on the mountainside provides sweeping views that marry perfectly with the authentic local architecture of the village. A handful of excellent restaurants are in Saint-Véran including the fabulous L’Aigue Blanche restaurant & bar. Other services are limited to a small market & other shops with limited opening hours during winter. There is limited parking in the village, with most opting to park (for a fee) before the road narrows too much. The road through the main part of the village is effectively one lane so take care if driving too far in, particularly if it is icy (which is likely).

Staying in the village is almost a must, but not necessarily easy. Aside from a plethora of fully self-contained holiday chalet rentals, one can try the centrally located, but imperfect, Les Chalets du Villard. We overnighted here and found the bedding arrangements quite odd, but in the end acceptable for the sake of a stay in a such a gorgeous location. A better alternative is lower down before the entrance to the village at the Auberge l'Estoilies.

Down valley from Saint Veran, but before the Molines ski lift base, is the hamlet of La Chalp. The base for the cross-country ski network, there is also the highly-rated La Baïta Du Loup, providing superb rooms & meals.

At the Molines ski lift base, the 3-star Hotel Spa L'Equipe provides way more comfort & convenience than may appear from the outside, plus an extensive pool & spa area. And it is just a few steps away from the Burge quad chair & two ski rental locations.

Beyond the ski resort, Molines-en-Queyras village sits discreetly off the road a short drive from the ski lifts. The place to stay is Hotel Le Chamois Logis.

Search & book a place to stay via the Molines - Saint Véran Ski Accommodation Listings.

Reviews & More Info

The Powderhounds reviewed Molines / Saint Véran in January 2026. What a stunningly gorgeous place to spend a few days. We highly recommend it as a place to relax, enjoy and remember what skiing is all about. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.

See how Molines - Saint-Veran compares to the rest of the French ski resorts on the France ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.

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