ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area–a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North Am ...
in the southern French
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
. It is located on the territory of the commune of
Isola, Alpes-Maritimes
Isola (; ) is a commune of the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.
The Alpine ski resort of Isola 2000 is located on the territory of the commune.
Geography Climate
Isola has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classif ...
. It is one of the ''Stations du Mercantour'', along with Auron and St. Dalmas, and is operated by the council of the ''Alpes-Maritimes''. It is located next to the Mercantour National Park, and is about 90 km from
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionCounty of Nice
The County of Nice (; ; Niçard ) was a historical region of France and Italy located around the southeastern city of Nice and roughly equivalent to the modern arrondissement of Nice. It was part of the Savoyard state within the Holy Roman Emp ...
Province of Cuneo
The province of Cuneo (; ) is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west, it borders the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes), to the north the ...
. In 1947 following the treaty of Paris the area was given to France.
The idea of a ski resort near the small town of Isola first came from a British Army ex-officer, and Olympic skier, Peter Boumphrey, in the late 1960s, after he discovered a basin in the southern
French Alps
The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such a ...
on a map. The local village of Isola owned the land he wanted to build the resort on – a small town located at an altitude of 900m, with poor prospects for development as citizens were migrating to the cities. As a result of this, the local mayor was happy to allow Boumphrey, and the London-based contractors he persuaded to help him, to build a ski resort above Isola, as the land required was of little value as farmland.
The regional government was concerned not too much about the resort itself, but about the road that was required to access it. Before the resort existed there was a small dirt road up the resort's location, and
avalanches
An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a Grade (slope), slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be triggered spontaneously, by factors such as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, othe ...
were constantly blocking this in the winter, as well as rockslides in the summer. Therefore, the government was interested in building a slightly longer, but safer road to the resort, that could serve Isola 2000, and also another proposed resort, called Azur 2000, that was never built. However, the mayor of Isola was adamant that the road pass through his town, and the British contractors did not want the resort to be any further from
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionlifts have been added and upgraded, such as new 6 seater and 4 seater chair lifts, as well as a new
gondola
The gondola (, ; , ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, in a scul ...
, added in 2006. More accommodation has been built around the original 70s structure, and many bars, restaurants and shops have been established.
The access road to the Mediterranean coast has also been constantly improved by removing corners and adding bridges and tunnels. It is now very possible to make the drive in less than an hour and a half from the nearest city of
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionbus
A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
service from many surrounding areas, with ticket prices very low, at around €1.00, making day trips amongst locals attractive and commonplace.
The
1993 Tour de France
The 1993 Tour de France was the 80th edition of the Tour de France, taking place between July 3-25, 1993. It consisted of 20 stages, over a distance of .
The winner of the previous two years, Miguel Induráin, successfully defended his title. Th ...
and 2024 Tour de France used Isola 2000 as a stage finish, and the 2008 Tour de France also passed through the resort.
On 23 March 2008, Isola hosted various slalom stages for the ''Championnats de France de Ski 2008'' (the 2008 French ski championships).
Ski facilities
Lifts
Isola 2000 currently has 2
gondola lift
A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate suppo ...
s, 9
chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel wire rope loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers. They are the primary on-hill tran ...
funicular
A funicular ( ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep grade (slope), slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to ...
, with a total capacity of about 20,000 pph.
Piste
The resort has over 120 km of
piste
A ''piste'' () is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports.
This European term is French
, consisting of two main ski areas. There are 7 green runs, 21 blue runs, 11 red runs, and 4 black runs. The resort is considered by ski guides to be well suited for families, beginner and intermediate level skiers.
At 2000m, the resort is one of the highest in the Alps. This, with a favourable micro-climate, ensures fairly reliable snow cover, and in December 2007, Isola 2000 was the resort with the most snow cover in France. However, when required, there are over 210 snow cannons to guarantee skiable conditions.
The resort also has a snow park, including jumps and rails, 3 km of cross-country ski piste and downhill racing facilities.
The resort
Architecture
The buildings in the resort are mainly clustered around the original purpose-built structure from the early seventies. This complex incorporates much concrete in its design, and is considered by most visitors as an ugly building. However, there have been many smaller structures built around it, which are more akin to traditional wooden
chalet
A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alpine region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-su ...
style. As the resort is very high compared to other resorts, there are very few trees at the station altitude and above.
Dining and nightlife
The resort has a handful of bars and restaurants. It has been noted by some guides that the resort has limited night life.
See also
* Auron, Isola 2000's neighbour ski resort, part of the ''Stations du Mercantour'' group