Ski to Saint Christophe en Oisans from La Grave

Skiing down to the small village of Saint Christophe en Oisans from the lift of la Grave-la Meije is a true journey and adventure in a high mountain environment. Starting our day from La Grave, we first reach the Gare des Ruillans (3200m / 10,498ft) and take the ski lift to the upper part of the Girose glacier at an elevation of 3568m (11,706ft). From there, a short hike allows us to reach the top of the superb slope leading into the Vallon de la Selle. The landscape is breathtaking: on one side, you can contemplate the Meije massif and the Barre des Ecrins and on the other side, the Grandes Rousses massif and Mont Blanc in the background. We begin to ride down a fairly steep slope of 1000 meters (3,280ft) vertical descent. Timing is essential because of the high elevation and the southern aspect. Once at the bottom of it, we pass by the refuge de la Selle (2673m / 8,769ft) and reach the wild Vallon de la Selle. The angle of the slope becomes more moderate as we traverse out of the valley and admire the stunning rock walls on both sides of the valley. The valley stretches over five kilometers before reaching the mountain stream of the Torrent du Diable. For the last part, we ski through fields directly leading to the village of Saint Christophe en Oisans (1440m / 4,724ft), a remote village in the high valley of the Vénéon river. We will take a well-deserved rest and lunch in La Cordée, a legendary café where time seems to have stopped. A taxi will drive us back to la Grave.