Will the Palais des Sports be open this winter (2025/2026)?

Yes, to some extent. The relaxation area (Spa and Beauty Salon) is undergoing a refurbishment this winter, so these facilities will be closed. The other works – which require the complete closure of the Palais – will not begin until the end of the season, after 12 April. The swimming pool, however, is due to close a little earlier, from 23 March 2026.

Will the Palais des Sports be open this summer of 2026?

The sports centre is undergoing a refurbishment throughout the spring and summer. It is due to reopen in December 2026. An outdoor leisure area will be open in July and August at the Jardin des Piou-Piou, situated 500 metres from the resort centre, featuring a swimming pool, climbing wall, beach volleyball and a snack bar with views of our mountains: it’s the Aquaparc !

What’s new this summer on the slopes?

Following the new additions for winter 2025/2026, the snow park has even more surprises in store for you this summer 2026: 2 beginners’ slopes designed as dedicated learning areas, accessible via the Étoile covered magic carpet (170 m) A city-stade, A pump track, Several pétanque courts, A complete refurbishment of the children’s playground.

What does the new car park project involve?

Work on the car park will begin in late April 2026, with completion scheduled for autumn 2028. It will be entirely underground and will be situated beneath the existing car park on the market square. It’s set to be a massive project (!) with 669 spaces, including around 60 equipped for charging electric vehicles.

Orcières is changing | Orcières Merlette 1850

The issues at stake

“Over the past two years, since we were awarded our new public service contract for the operation of the ski area and the Palais des Sports, we have been working to consolidate our organisation in terms of personnel, technology and operations… We have also been working on the key projects we have just launched. We are, in fact, at a pivotal moment for the resort’s future. We have patiently built up our project over these two intense years, navigating the inevitably lengthy administrative processes. Whilst carrying out this groundwork, we have not overlooked the importance of our image and upholding Orcières’ values. This is not about developing a project that is disconnected from our identity, but quite the opposite: it is about enhancing the quality of our tourism offering and the professionalism of the destination.”

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Patrick Ricou, Mayor of Orcières
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Gilles Baron

The snow front in summer

Having undergone a makeover during the winter of 2025/2026, with the resurfacing of the track and the installation of a moving walkway, the Drapeaux area is transformed as soon as the warmer weather arrives.

We’re switching to summer mode with a new mountain bike learning area. Beginners’ cycling lessons are now concentrated in a single location. Younger riders will set off, thanks to the covered ‘Étoile’ conveyor belt (170 m), on two beginner trails designed as proper learning zones. Obstacle courses and rocky sections punctuate their mountain biking adventure. As for facilities, a modernised bike wash station completes the development (on the site of the former Bergerie chairlift station).

At the foot of the slopes, other sports and a different atmosphere await! A brand-new ‘city stadium’ – essentially a multi-sports pitch for football, basketball and handball – will be available. Right next to it, a 28-metre boules court, where you can play or practise your shots against a dreamy mountain backdrop.
Finally, the little ones can have fun on the brand-new, secure playground, specially equipped with spring-loaded play equipment, slides, a merry-go-round and more…

A much-anticipated refurbishment in 2026 The Sports Centre

This major construction project will begin as soon as the station closes in April 2026, with completion scheduled for December 2026. The entire structure has been redesigned to give each floor its own distinct character.

Shall we start the tour?

Welcome to this new entertainment venue – here you can have fun, play games, sing and enjoy a drink… The bowling alley is expanding with two extra lanes, much to the delight of young and old alike! New features include two karaoke booths where you can sing your heart out (they’ll be soundproofed!)! An interactive video games area – a truly immersive arena – will offer you unforgettable experiences. As you can see, we’ve designed this space to reinvent the joy of playing together!

The second floor will be dedicated to wellbeing, having undergone a complete transformation. The relaxation area will welcome you with new facilities, a cosy atmosphere and a breathtaking view of our mountains. Book an appointment at our spa to be pampered by expert hands; enjoy our spa (with a view!), its sensory showers, salt cave, hammam and sauna… All whilst your partner works out inthe adjacentgym and fitness area!

There’s another floor to explore! Whilst the ice rink remains true to its 2017 refurbishment, the swimming pool is undergoing a complete transformation. Don’t panic – there’ll still be the slide (but a giant one!) and a 70m² splash pad for the little ones, a proper water play area for the whole family. The balneotherapy area (massage jets, hot water) will offer a moment of magical relaxation.

To mark this change and showcase the full ambition of the new Palais des Sports, it’s set to be renamed. We’ll tell you more very soon…

This summer, whilst the Palais des Sports is closed, Orcières invites you to enjoy the Aquaparc (located in the Jardin des Piou-Piou), where a heated outdoor pool and other activities await you.

It’s also time to give a new lease of life to a venue situated in a magnificent and strategic location, both in winter and summer: the Rocherousse plateau! This will be the next phase, with work set to begin in spring 2027 – the aim being a beautiful wooden chalet with a magnificent terrace and plenty of new features for the 2027/2028 winter season.

Discover the Aquaparc

Improvement works for the winter of 2027/2028 A reconfigured station centre

The station is continuing its transformation to create a high-quality, pedestrianised and peaceful village centre. Work on the underground car park will begin as soon as the station closes in April. So, yes, a project like this takes time, as completion is scheduled for spring 2028… but the result will live up to expectations, with 659 spaces, including 60 electric charging points and spaces for people with reduced mobility.

Above the car park, a large 400 m² pedestrian esplanade will be dedicated to local life: markets, shows, concerts, gatherings…

Please note that this summer (2026), construction work will be significantly scaled back between 10 July and 17 August to minimise disruption to your stay. We thank you for your patience during this transition phase.

A more sustainable mountain Hydroelectric power project

Orcières plans to install facilities by 2027/2028 that will enable it to produce artificial snow in winter and generate electricity for the rest of the year.

The aim is to generate and feed back into the electricity grid 30 per cent of the electricity consumed by the ski resort and the sports centre over the course of a year. As the system uses existing infrastructure required for snowmaking, the impact on the landscape is virtually zero, and very little additional construction is required.

A new detachable 6-seater chairlift La Muande

The summer of 2025 marked the start of this transformation and saw the construction of the latest-generation detachable 6-seater chairlift, ‘La Muande’, which carries 3,000 skiers per hour from the Drapeaux base area to the top of the Camile Ricou run, in 6 minutes. The lift serves the blue run in the Montagnou valleys, which has been largely redesigned to provide easier access for all intermediate skiers and is fully secured by artificial snow. The Drapeaux base area has been re-profiled to accommodate a new beginners’ area. A 170-metre covered conveyor belt has been installed there. A number of ski lifts have been dismantled to modernise the resort and better distribute the flow of skiers (56 lifts dismantled).

In short, this reconfigured ski area was ready to welcome you right from the start of the 2025/2026 winter season!