Pra Loup sits above the Ubaye valley on the edge of the Mercantour national park, surrounded by larch forest and linked over the ridge to La Foux d'Allos to form a large shared area. The 1600 base is the lower and older of the two levels, built among the trees, and it is the more pleasant place to stay. The skiing from here is wide and sunny, with tree lined runs that hold up in flat light and a good spread of easy and intermediate terrain.

Barcelonnette down the valley is a real town with restaurants and a market and an unexpected Mexican architectural history. Prices are low for an area this size, the pistes are quiet even in French school holidays, and a car makes the week considerably easier.