Bramans

The praise goes to what is left of the resort - the Val d'Ambin cross-country area. Reviewers point to the silence, the undeveloped valley and the deliberate decision not to build it up: the road is closed in winter and access is by free shuttle, which is exactly what keeps the crowds away. There is a generous network of skating and classic trails plus snowshoe routes, and Bramans itself is valued as a quiet base in the Maurienne.

What draws criticism is that alpine skiing here is gone for good: both old drag lifts have been dismantled, and a lift erected in 2016 never carried a single skier before being sold back to the manufacturer. The reasons were simple - low altitude, no snowmaking and no prospect of breaking even. As for what still runs, the shuttle does not operate every day, and snow at this height is not guaranteed, so the season is short and weather-dependent.