Winter on the Retord plateau
On the Retord plateau, the Les Plans d’Hotonnes resort suits families and first outings in the snow. Its slopes are on a human scale, with plenty of activities even when snow is slow to arrive.
- 120 kmof marked Nordic routes
- 13downhill ski runs
- 75 kmof snowshoe trails
- 20 kmof dog-sled trails
Cross-country skiing
More than 120 km of marked routes criss-cross the Retord plateau. The terrain is gentle and the landscapes open: only a few isolated houses dot the valleys and wooded ridges.
- Three gateways: Cuvéry, La Chapelle and Les Plans d’Hotonnes
- 13 trails for all levels, in classic style and skating
- Fun beginner areas for the little ones, at Les Plans d’Hotonnes and Cuvéry
Biathlon
Effort and precision combined! Fun and friendly, biathlon is open to everyone. This Olympic sport combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting: mastering these two opposing disciplines is what makes the activity unique.
Downhill skiing
In a friendly, family setting, the resort offers 13 runs of all levels, suited to novice skiers and experienced ones alike. The ski school, the snow garden and the beginners’ ski lifts let you make quick progress, in a resort on a human scale.
On site: restaurants, rentals, gîtes and a hotel, and entertainment all winter (night skiing, dance evenings, snowshoe outings, slalom…).
- 9 ski lifts
- 15 km of runs
- 250 m maximum vertical drop
Snowshoeing
Set off to discover the plateau on one of the 11 marked, groomed snowshoe trails, 75 km in all. For multi-day hikes, the snowshoe routes of the Grande Traversée du Jura link the plateau’s three gateways.
Fancy walking under the stars? Join the night outings organised by local clubs and guides.
Dog sledding
At the Cuvéry gateway, around a bend in a snowbank, you will meet the pale, piercing eyes of the sled dogs. Cuvéry also has 20 kilometres of trails devoted exclusively to dog sleds.
For over 25 years, La Retordica, a renowned international race, has taken place there, among the wild valleys of the north of the plateau. Professional mushers offer rides to discover it in a different way: children and parents alike will enjoy this natural, wild side, a speciality of the Retord plateau.
Sleep right by the slopes
The group gîte sleeps up to 15 people, with views over Les Plans d’Hotonnes. In winter, cross-country and downhill skiing are close at hand.
Eat at the farm inn
Our farm inn is open every day during the Christmas holidays (19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027) and the winter holidays (6 February to 7 March 2027), as well as every weekend when the ski resort is open. No reservation needed: soup of the day, farmhouse platter and dish of the day, then crêpes and dessert of the day for the afternoon snack.
Coming as a group? Meals by reservation, from 20 people. Sleep at the gîte, eat at the inn and head off skiing: everything is in one place.
Your questions
When is the resort open?
The Les Plans d’Hotonnes resort welcomes skiers from mid-December to the end of March, depending on snow cover.
Where can I book lessons and passes?
Ski lessons, biathlon introductions and snowshoe outings are booked online with the ESF des Plans d’Hotonnes. Nordic and snowshoe passes are bought online on the Espace Nordique Jurassien website.
Can I rent equipment?
Yes: ski and snowshoe rentals are available at Les Plans d’Hotonnes, notably at Ain’s temps loisirs.
What is there to do with children?
Fun cross-country beginner areas (Les Plans d’Hotonnes and Cuvéry), a snow garden, beginners’ ski lifts, sledging, snowshoe walks and, for the more adventurous, the sled dogs of Cuvéry.
Where can we eat on site?
Our farm inn offers light meals (soup of the day, farmhouse platter, dish of the day) and an afternoon snack (crêpes, dessert of the day). It is open every day during the Christmas and winter holidays, and every weekend when the resort is open, without reservation.
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Want to make the most of it?
A question, a booking request? We are here to help you plan your stay on the Retord plateau.
Information updated in October 2026. For opening hours, prices and bookings, see the ESF and Espace Nordique Jurassien websites.