 By Eve Hartridge, follow Eve on Twitter
I would imagine that most of my readers have never heard of Pra Loup, unless you were one of the lucky few on my school ski trip in 1994 as this was when I first discovered this lovely resort in The Southern Alps. Pra Loup is around 100km from Nice Airport, but with limited public transport to the resort the best way to get there is to hire a car. Pra Loup is in the Alpes-de-Haute- Provence region and 3 miles away from the small town of Barcelonnette. The resort has two base points Pra Loup 1600 and Pra Loup 1500 (Les Molanes) less than two miles apart with the highest point of the resort measuring a summit of 2600m. There are 83 runs (a total of 165km) serviced by 53 lifts which vary in difficulty to suit an intermediate standard skier or snow-boarder.
Pra Loup is a very French resort and I found that the majority of visitors had come from the surrounding area, many of the bars and restaurants have limited English speaking staff so it's worth brushing up on school level French and taking along a pocket phrase book. The resort can also get busy at weekends with day trippers due to the accessibility and the very reasonably priced 30 Euro day ski pass, many French families head to Pra Loup as the child friendly facilities are excellent including a great nursery slope. In the village there is a small shopping arcade with cafes, bars, restaurants, boutiques and facilities to hire equipment at a reasonable price, it is also easily accessible from the main lifts in case of an emergency.
Chalet Hotel Les Blancs is a charming place to stay, a traditionally build wooden chalet in Pra Loup 1500 with just 30 rooms all with stunning views. The chalet is at the base of the slopes so you are able to ski to the door which is so much more convenient than doing battle on a shuttle bus. The rooms are well appointed and most are able to pick up the free Wifi signal, those looking for luxury may be a little disappointed, however, comfort is guaranteed and this chalet offers excellent value for money. The food is traditional hearty French cuisine with Fondue and Raclette available by prior request, the restaurant opens onto a sunny terrace which is perfect for sunbathing in the late season. The chalet has the added benefits of free parking, a sauna, fitness centre and large indoor pool, once again with glorious sunny views.
Pra Loup is best enjoyed in the late season, there is still snow in early April and with bright blue skies and warm sun you'll enjoy being on the piste all day.
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