Our home, Briancon is connected to Serre Chevalier, one of the biggest French ski resorts. That makes Cloud Citadel an ideal place to spend an extended period of the time remote working and skiing/snowboarding. The gondola connecting Briancon is located in the lower part of the town, around 15 min walk from the house.
If 250 km of ski slopes in Serre Chevalier is not enough other close by ski resorts are Montgenèvre ( 20 min drive), Puy St Vincent ( 30 min drive), famous off-piste ski resort La Grave ( 50 min drive), 2 Alpes (1h10min drive), L’Alpe d’Huez (1h40min drive). More than enough to keep you entertained during the entire ski season. 

If you have doubts about which ski pass to choose, the best ways of renting equipment, transportation within the Serre Chevalier valley or just simply which swimming shorts are acceptable in french thermal baths, this is an article you have been waiting for. 

SKIING/SNOWBOARDING

1. Which ski pass to choose?

This depends on many variables such as how long and in which period you are staying in Cloud Citadel, and how much do you plan to ski during your stay here.
We have gathered information about all possible ski passes, their prices and what do we find to be the best option.

BACK TO BACK SKIING
In the table below you can check prices for half-day, full day and prices if buying passes for a consecutive number of days.
*5/7 means you buy a pass for a period of 7 days but you only can ski 5 out of those 7 days

HoliSki Pass

HoliSki is a pay as you go system for ski lift access. It is ideal if you plan to ski less than 15 non-consecutive days this season. It works at 11 resorts near Briancon, including Serre Chevalier, Les Arcs, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes. You need to buy a subscription for €29 (or €23 if you use a sponsor discount), then you collect your card either by post or at your chosen Ski Lift, and simply scan it at the lift each day you want to ski. You’ll be charged that day’s rate, which is cheaper than a normal ski pass day rate. There are also many discount days, including weekends. This option offers 1€ days ( every 9th, 14th, 19th day and every 5th after).

Super promo :

– on Saturday and Sunday, January 16 & 17, 2021: €32.00 / day

– on Saturday and Sunday, January 23 & 24, 2021: €32.00 / day

– on Saturday and Sunday, April 3 & 4, 2021: €21.50/ day

– on Saturday and Sunday, April 10 & 11, 2021: €21.50/ day

– on Saturday and Sunday, April 17 & 18, 2021: €21.50/ day

To get a pass, head to https://www.skialacarte.fr/FrontOffice/newaccount?id=1, select Serre Chevalier – Briançon to collect at the Briancon ski lift. Then follow the form. On the summary page, if you use the email address jelena@cloudcitadel.co as the “sponsor” you’ll get a €6 discount.

SEASON PASS 

For unlimited access to the Serre Chevalier area, the ideal option is getting a season pass. If you plan to ski more than 15 days, a season pass is for you! There are 2 different season passes, Serre Chevalier Basic Season Pass which offers unlimited access to the Serre Chevalier ski resort and Serre Chevalier Addict Season Pass that comes with a lot of extra benefits. This year if you buy a basic season pass before 15th of October you get the Serre Chevalier Addict for the same price.

Serre Chevalier Addict Season Pass perks: 

• CANCELATION AND REFUNDS 

If you change your mind before the season starts your pass will be fully refunded and if you decide to stop using it during the season you will receive a refund on a pro-rata basis

• FAST TRACK on 20 different lifts, very useful during school holidays
• ACCIDENT INSURANCE INCLUDED
• 2021 SUMMER PASS
• SPECIAL TREATS:  1 ticket to thermal baths Grand Bains de Monetier, 2×1 daily ski passes with -50% discount, 2 pedestrian passes 
• EVEN MORE SKIING:  3 days ski passes to 2 Alpes, Puy St Vincent and                           Alpe d’Huez, 25% reduction for La Grave and 1 nordic skiing session 

We believe the best options are HoliSki pass or Serre Addict Season Pass. For the Addict pass keep in mind you can ask for a refund for the days after your ski season is finished. 

2. Where can I store my ski/snowboard equipment?

If you don’t feel like carrying your stuff until the house there are a couple of options available for you. You can store it at a locker at one of the shops underneath the Prorel gondola Lift. The cheapest option we’ve found so far is at Go Sport, which charges €2 per day for storing the whole equipment; plus the shoes are disinfected and dried every night. However, the equipment is not placed in a private locker, instead, they are stored in shared spaces that are constantly watched by staff.

Otherwise, for a proper locker, Francis Sports charge €3 per day.

Alternatively, sport 2000, rent lockers for €8 which have space for 4 sets of ski’s poles and boots, but you’ll only get one key to share!

3.  What is the best option for renting the equipment?

Intersport Espace Sud is the cheapest Ski rental available. Expect to pay about €50 for ski’s and boots for three days, and €100 for 14 days. You can get an even better price if you use the code PlanetSKI and sign up for their free discount card (this might have changed since last year). DO NOT FORGET TO BOOK YOUR SKIS ONLINE before picking them up at the store cause that can save you up to 30€.

4. What is the best waxing and/or edge sharpening place?

Sport2000 at the base of Prorel charges 20 euro for waxing + edge sharpening. They may be able to do it in 15 min or you just leave it with them overnight. Or alternatively if you keep comfortable you can use the house wax/sharp equipment and DIY. 

GETTING AROUND

1. BUS

There is one bus company that goes around the town, BusTub. They have a website which shows the current timetable and where the busses are: https://pysae.com/info/#/bustub/routes
Line 3 (Green) connects the roundabout at the bottom of the hill (Sainte-Catherine stop, 2 min walk to ski lift) to the top of the hill, just outside of the citadel (Porte d’Embrun stop, 2 min walk to the house).
We offer a free town bus passes to all our guests during their stay in Cloud Citadel.

2. SKI BUS

Serre Chevalier runs a bus that connects the villages at the bottom of the pistes (Briançon / Chantemerle / La Salle les Alpes / le Monêtier les bains) 

More info: https://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/the-resort/mobility-and-transport/moving-in-the-resort/ski-bus.htm

3. LOCAL UBER

WiiLiiK is the Uber of the area with very reasonable prices, you can download the App Store. If you plan to use it often it pays off to take the annual subscription for 18 euros and get discounted rides.

https://www.autocars-resalp.com/wiiliik-take-it-easy/ 

4. LITTLE TOURISTIC TRAIN ( PETIT TRAIN TOURISTIQUE)

This summer, a free touristic train (on wheels) connected the upper part to the lower part of the town. One could take the train in front of the house, and it would go to the bottom of the ski lift. We heard it was a touristic success (10 000+ people took it) and that the company operating it will also run it in winter, so great news, but still waiting for an official confirmation from the city.

https://www.facebook.com/Le-petit-train-touristique-de-Brian%C3%A7on-127995748994358

GOOD TO KNOW:

Fatmap is a very good map for all the possible activities in the area but especially good for off-piste skiing and free ride. There is an app version of it with some free content but to unlock the rest there is a yearly subscription. Available for many different areas, not just Serre Chevalier.

Thermal baths are located in Le Monêtier-Les-Bains, one of the villages connected to Serre Chevalier ski resort. You can access them directly from the slopes, 5 min walk from the bottom of the ski lift. There is a locker at the entrance where you can leave your ski equipment for 1-2 euros you get back once you free the locker. Wiiliik from the coliving house will cost ~5€ for one way. 

IMPORTANT:
Dress code for French baths and swimming pools
ttps://www.thegoodlifefrance.com/speedos-versus-trunks-in-swimming-pools-in-france/

The towels are rented for an extra cost of 3 euros but you can bring your own.