Orcières Merlette
Ski resort · Hautes-Alpes, France
Orcières Merlette is a ski resort in Hautes-Alpes (France) with 50 km of runs and 26 lifts. You can ski between 1,826 m and 2,732 m above sea level: a vertical drop of 906 m. Its longest run is Les Vallons (3.1 km) and the steepest, Chamois, reaches 62% on its toughest stretch.
See Orcières Merlette on the 3D map and snow forecast- Runs
- 50 km
- Lifts
- 26
- Elevation
- 1,826–2,732 m
- Vertical drop
- 906 m
Kilometres of runs by colour
- Green3.0 km
- Blue22 km
- Red19 km
- Black4.6 km
The steepest runs at Orcières Merlette
Maximum slope: the steepest 50 m stretch of each run, measured by Cota.
- Chamois Black62% · 32°
- Rocher blanc Black61% · 31°
- Bêche Black60% · 31°
- Camille Ricou Red58% · 30°
- Les Gendarmes Red55% · 29°
The longest runs
- Les Vallons Blue3.1 km
- Freissinières Blue1.8 km
- Camille Ricou Red1.8 km
- Les Jalabres Red1.8 km
- Rochasson Red1.6 km
Lifts
13 drag lifts · 5 chairlifts · 4 magic carpets · 3 mixed lifts · 1 rope tow.
When to go to Orcières Merlette
For snow, March: that is usually when there is the most snow on the ground. The month with the most snowfall is December.
| Month | Snowfall | Snow on the ground |
|---|---|---|
| November | ||
| December | ||
| January | ||
| February | ||
| March | ||
| April |
1995–2024 average from ERA5-Land (Copernicus), a 9 km model, at 2,261 m (the resort's mean elevation is 2,279 m). The bars compare months with each other: a model's centimetres are not the resort's centimetres.
Lift pass price
€48.50
Adult, one day, 2026/27 season (per alti-mag.com).
Official links
Resorts near Orcières Merlette
- Serre Eyraud6 km · 6.8 km of runs
- Saint-Léger-Les-Mélèzes12 km · 15 km of runs
- Chaillol13 km · 11 km of runs
- Réallon14 km · 13 km of runs
- Ancelle14 km · 23 km of runs
- Puy-Saint-Vincent17 km · 42 km of runs
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Orcières Merlette?
- In Hautes-Alpes, France. The nearest resort is Serre Eyraud, 6 km away as the crow flies.
- How many kilometres of runs does Orcières Merlette have?
- 50 km: 3.0 km of green runs, 22 km of blue runs, 19 km of red runs, 4.6 km of black runs.
- What is the elevation of Orcières Merlette?
- You can ski between 1,826 m and 2,732 m: a vertical drop of 906 m.
- How many lifts does Orcières Merlette have?
- 26: 13 drag lifts, 5 chairlifts, 4 magic carpets, 3 mixed lifts, 1 rope tow.
- What is the steepest run at Orcières Merlette?
- Chamois (black), at 62% (32°) on its toughest 50 m stretch, according to Cota's measurements.
- How much is a lift pass at Orcières Merlette?
- €48.50 for an adult day pass in the 2026/27 season, according to alti-mag.com.
- What is the best month to ski at Orcières Merlette?
- For snow, March: that is usually when there is the most snow on the ground. The month with the most snowfall is December. Based on the 1995–2024 average from ERA5-Land (Copernicus).
- When does Orcières Merlette open?
- The expected opening date is December 12, 2026 and the closing date, April 11, 2027, according to skiinfo.fr. Both depend on snow: check them on the official website.
- How much snow is there today at Orcières Merlette?
- The official report, with open runs and snow depth, is on the resort's website. On Cota you can see the snow that fell in the last 7 days and the forecast for the next 7, and on the map, the hour-by-hour forecast at three elevations.