Ice Driving : Top 10 Circuits in France

Looking for thrills and adrenaline in the mountains? Ice driving is made for you! 🥳

Experience the Unique Thrill of Ice Driving!

Winter transforms the French landscapes into real playgrounds for thrill-seekers. Among the most popular winter sports are skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and sledding, attracting millions of visitors to the mountains every year 🏔️

For those looking to push the limits and try something different, ice driving emerges as a discipline that is both technical and fun. This activity is attracting more and more enthusiasts to circuits specially designed to face the cold and the slippery conditions.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced driver, these circuits offer unforgettable experiences. Supervised by BPJEPS instructors, you can learn the techniques of ice or snow-covered road driving.

The Top 10 Most Renowned Ice Circuits in France Currently in Operation

Discover below the 10 most renowned ice circuits in France and its surroundings. While most of them are logically located in the Rhône-Alpes region, you will also find circuits in the Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. Please note that this list is NOT a ranking, but rather a selection of the most famous circuits currently in operation.

Alain PROST Ice Circuit in Val Thorens

• 📍 Location: Savoie (73), at 2,300 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 760 meters
• 📝 Features: The highest circuit in Europe, used for the Andros Trophy. Ideal for mastering sliding, it is managed by the Ice Driving Val Thorens driving school.
• 🎉 Activities: Private lessons, courses, free driving sessions, rides with professional drivers.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Karting, Polaris buggy (SSV), 2 or 4-wheel drive cars, competition cars (Andros Car)

Alpe d'Huez Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Isère (38), at 1806 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: A technical track with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps. The circuit is managed by the EVODRIVER company.
• 🎉 Activities: Private lessons, courses, free driving sessions, rides with instructors.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Polaris buggy (SSV), cars (BMW series 3 or Subaru Impreza)

Tignes Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Savoie (73), at 1550 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: The Tignes circuit enjoys an exceptional climate for ice driving. It offers a homologated and modular track, ideal for all types of turns and different driving levels.
• 🎉 Activities: Private lessons, courses, free driving sessions, rides with instructors.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Quad, Polaris buggy (SSV), cars (Twingo RS, 206 S16, Nissan 350Z, Mitsubishi EVO X, Subaru WRX, Porsche Cayman...)

Abondance Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Haute-Savoie (74), at 1,000 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 700 meters
• 📝 Features: The Abondance ice circuit is located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski area, only 15 minutes from the Swiss border. This circuit is known for its meticulous maintenance, ensuring optimal ice driving conditions throughout the winter season.
• 🎉 Activities: Coaching in your own car, courses, free driving sessions, rides.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Only cars (Alpine A110 and Porsche Cayman)

Isola 2000 Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Alpes-Maritimes (06), at 2,000 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: The Isola 2000 ice circuit is located in the heart of the Southern Alps, offering a technical track with a wide variety of turns and configurations. This circuit is particularly popular for its high-altitude setting, which guarantees optimal ice conditions throughout the winter season. It is also one of the few circuits to offer nighttime events.
• 🎉 Activities: Driving courses, ice driving lessons with front-wheel, rear-wheel, and four-wheel drive vehicles.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Buggies and cars.

Flaine Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Haute-Savoie (74), at 1,600 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 1,000 to 1,700 meters
• 📝 Features: The Flaine circuit is one of the largest ice circuits in France, located in the heart of the Alps just 1 hour from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. It is appreciated for its excellent ice conditions. There are actually two circuits: the chalet circuit and the lake circuit, which opened in 2020.
• 🎉 Activities: Driving courses, open days, buggy races (Polaris RZR), rides.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Buggies and cars (Alpine A110, Porsche Cayman, Renault Clio RS, Subaru WRX, BMW 318, Toyota Yaris GR)

Chamrousse Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Isère (38), at 1,700 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: Located in the Chamrousse ski resort, in the heart of the Alps, the Chamrousse ice circuit is known for its technical layout and natural ice conditions, ideal for honing winter driving skills. The spectacular alpine setting and high altitude ensure optimal conditions throughout the season. It is managed by the GTR Mountain company.
• 🎉 Activities: Driving courses, private lessons, introductions, open days, rides.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Cars (206, Opel Corsa, Audi A3, and BMW 318TI)

Lans-en-Vercors Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Isère (38), at 1,400 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: Located in the mid-mountains, the Lans-en-Vercors circuit is managed by the CML association, made up entirely of volunteers. The circuit is owned by the Lans-en-Vercors town hall.
• 🎉 Activities: The Lans-en-Vercors ice circuit is mainly known for hosting events such as the Andros Trophy and other winter competitions. Unlike other circuits, it does not offer regular driving courses or activities for individuals, such as lessons or free ice driving sessions.

Andorra Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Pas de la Casa, Andorra, at 2,400 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 875 meters
• 📝 Features: The Andorra ice circuit, located at one of the highest altitudes in Europe, is renowned for its technical layout and exceptional ice conditions. Its altitude guarantees optimal winter conditions throughout the season. This circuit is regularly used for prestigious events, such as stages of the Andros Trophy or the GSERIES, as well as for ice driving sessions and international competitions.
• 🎉 Activities: Ice driving courses as well as special events and competitions.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Cars (Hyundai i20, Clio RC5 rally, BMW E36)

La Quillane Ice Circuit

• 📍 Location: Pyrénées-Orientales (66), at 1,710 meters altitude.
• 📏 Circuit Length: 800 meters
• 📝 Features: Located in the Pyrenees, the La Quillane circuit managed by GTRO is one of the few ice circuits in southern France. This circuit is appreciated for its technical layout, suitable for both beginners and experienced drivers. Thanks to its high altitude, it enjoys stable ice conditions throughout the winter season.
• Offered Activities: Ice driving and ice driving courses, professional training as well as special events and rides.
• 🚗 Vehicles Available: Karting and cars (206 S16 and BMW 323 ti)

Closed Ice Circuits

Unfortunately, due to various factors such as climate change, legal decisions, or economic priorities, some iconic ice circuits have had to close their doors, leaving unforgettable memories for motorsport enthusiasts 🙏

Serre Chevalier Circuit (2021)

The closure of the Serre Chevalier Circuit was the result of a court decision related to a real estate project. The circuit, operated for decades by the Laurent family, was forced to close to make way for a tourist development comprising around 3,000 beds. Despite strong opposition and many supporters, including a petition, the project prevailed, ending an activity that had marked the history of the Serre Chevalier resort for over 50 years. A rental karting circuit remains active on the site, offering visitors an option to continue enjoying ice driving at Serre Chevalier.

Val d'Isère Ice Driving Circuit (2020)

The Val d'Isère ice circuit closed due to ecological pressures and concerns related to the environmental image of the resort. Local authorities preferred to focus on communication more centered on sustainability and environmental protection, which led to the cessation of the circuit's activities, despite its popularity.

Ice Circuits Abroad

If the idea of ice driving in France appeals to you, imagine the experience in the icy landscapes of Lapland, Sweden, or Finland. These regions offer unique circuits where ice driving takes on an epic dimension.

• In Sweden: The Arjeplog region is famous for its many tracks. Lapland Ice Driving offers 13 tracks, including five full-scale Formula 1 circuits, for a total of 50 km of courses laid out across a 1,200-hectare lake, making it the largest ice racetrack in the world. In Vilhelmina, a frozen-lake track surrounded by forest provides a fully immersive, infrastructure-free nature experience, while in Luleå you’ll also find frozen-lake tracks perfect for extreme-condition driving sessions. Sweden’s Sälen region is another popular spot for ice driving.
• In Finland: The Ari Vatanen circuit in Tuupovaara offers an 800-meter track and a 5.6 km forest rally circuit, allowing drivers to test themselves in various conditions. In Kuusamo, different learning circuits, including a ring and a 1.5 km forest circuit, are perfect for honing your driving skills.
• In Norway: The Roadcraft circuit, located on a frozen lake, adds another dimension to the adventure, although little information is available about the track's details. These destinations offer total immersion in the world of ice driving, for an extraordinary adventure and unforgettable sensations.

Why Learn to Drive on Ice?

Learning to drive on ice is more than just a winter adventure. This discipline offers both fun and valuable training. These ice driving courses not only teach the basics of braking and cornering, but they also allow you to perfect your drifting techniques on low-grip surfaces. Whether you're a beginner or experienced, these courses help refine your skills, preparing you not only to face snow-covered roads with confidence but also to better handle emergency situations in your daily journeys.

For those looking to take action after discovering these circuits, check out our partner offers for ice driving courses. These courses can also be offered as a gift voucher, an original idea to delight a loved one passionate about motorsports.