Hotels in Autrans

Autrans sits on the Vercors plateau above Grenoble, a small mountain village of under two thousand people that has punched above its weight in winter sports since hosting cross-country and biathlon events for the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. It remains one of France's better-known Nordic skiing bases, with a network of groomed trails across the plateau that draws a loyal, low-key crowd rather than the glitzy downhill crowds of the bigger Alpine resorts.

Summer brings hikers and mountain bikers onto the same terrain, so it's not purely a winter one-trick town, but be honest: there's little nightlife or shopping here, and travellers wanting resort polish or slope-side glamour should look elsewhere. Stay in the village centre itself, close to the trail network, so you can ski or hike straight from your door without needing a car.