Skiing & Après Ski in Avoriaz – Portes du Soleil, French Alps: A Curated Guide

last updated: November 2023

There are many ski resorts built with purpose, but few with vision. Avoriaz was created with the dream of a playground for the young and the young at heart; a car-free place where snow sports are celebrated and enjoyed care-free. And the dream has come true. Ever since the 1960s, the big draw is, of course, the high altitude ski area: the pistes of Avoriaz itself, but also the wider Portes du Soleil, one of the biggest ski domains in the world. However, the skiable town turns heads too. Avoriaz’s seemingly eccentric design was actually founded on the principles of sustainable development before that was even a thing. And it is eager to maintain that core strength.

Call it cyclical trends and mid-century nostalgia. Or just the appeal of fresh powder and pistes for days in one of the most renowned areas of the Alps. We loved our time in Avoriaz and can’t wait to go back and explore more.

SKI RESORT OVERVIEW: AVORIAZ – PORTES DU SOLEIL

Avoriaz is a purpose built, ski-in / ski out town located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, one of the largest ski areas in the world. Portes du Soleil encompasses 12 resorts in France and Switzerland with 600km (370 miles) of slopes suitable for all levels, and 208 lifts. It would take weeks to explore this enormous snowy playground! However, there are three things that set Avoriaz apart: the ski area of Avoriaz itself, its links to most of the other ski resorts and the distinctive town.

The town of Avoriaz is the ski resort base and sits at a lofty 1,800m (5,900ft). A few of the slopes of the resort drop to 1,100m (3,600ft) whereas chairlifts rise all the way up to 2,280m (7,480ft). It goes without saying that, due to the high altitude, Avoriaz is a great option for a ski trip in early winter or late spring and, of course, throughout the season.

The varied terrain of Avoriaz is perfect for beginners and intermediate skiers. This is an ideal resort for families since nursery (green) slopes are located in the town centre. Furthermore, adult beginner skiers will enjoy skiing in the nearby network of gentle but longer tree-lined pistes. Intermediate skiers, on the other hand, will definitely enjoy the plethora of high altitude blue and red pistes.

FOR A TYPICAL TRIP OF 6 FULL SKI DAYS: IS THERE ENOUGH SKIING IN AVORIAZ?

For sure. You could spend a month here, skiing every single day! Even super adventurous & experienced skiers who ski all day, non-stop will have new pistes to explore every single day (weather permitting, obviously!). Start with Avoriaz, head towards the Swiss resorts, go north to Chatel or head to Morzine and Les Gets. Details about how the resorts are linked are covered below.

FRENCH-SWISS BORDER CROSSING

More excitingly, the Swiss-French border is only two chairlifts away from the centre of the town of Avoriaz! Within a day of skiing, you can easily explore one or more of the Swiss resorts of Champery, Les Crosets, Champoussin and Morgins, even if you don’t stray far from easier (blue) runs.

The French-Swiss border crossing also holds a special surprise for expert skiers. Those who feel no fear will have a blast going down ‘The Swiss Wall’, a run frequently named as one of the scariest in the world. Ski Club of GB leader Chris Tomlinson writes in his blog post that the Swiss Wall is ‘…so steep that you can’t see the face of the slope while standing at the top. It’s often covered in moguls the size of VW Beetles’. If you chicken out, catch the Chavanette chairlift and you’ll be on time for Swiss fondue!

SKIING FROM AVORIAZ TO MORZINE

Interestingly, even though Avoriaz is often marketed as a sister resort to Morzine, there is no chairlift-only option to reach the slopes of Morzine. Nevertheless, it is not hard to get there.

One option is to ski down through the nursery slopes of Proclou to the Super Morzine gondola. From the gondola drop-off point, it is either a short walk to the nearest lift or you can wait for 10 mins or so and take ‘Le Petit Train’, a Disneyland-esque train which also gets you to the edge of the pistes of Morzine.

The other option to reach Morzine is to ski down the blue run Crot to Prodains. From there, take the free bus which quickly enough will get you to about 50m from the Pleney bubble.

WHAT CAN NON-SKIERS DO IN AVORIAZ?

There is a variety of other winter activities in Avoriaz like Nordic ski, tobogganing and snowshowing. We only skied so I cannot really comment on these, but, if you are interested, head over to the official Avoriaz website. 

As I will explain more in the ‘How to get around’ section of this post, a great advantage that Avoriaz offers is that non-skiers and skiers can easily meet up for lunch, a quick break or a toboggan ride in town! During our trip to Avoriaz, my fiancé’s brother and his wife were able to take turns between skiing with their older children and looking after their young baby. They were also able to meet up throughout the day. Avoriaz has been conceived and planned as a resort in such way that it definitely makes situations such as these a lot more feasible.

THE TOWN OF AVORIAZ & HOW TO GET AROUND

THE STORY OF AVORIAZ

Avoriaz is the creation of three young men who, during the 1960s, dreamt, took risks and ultimately created a bold and unique ski resort. Olympic ski champion Jean Vuarnet was the one who envisioned and set the wheels in motion for a purpose built ski resort above his hometown, Morzine. He later conceded the project to Parisian property developer Gérard Brémond who funded architect Jacques Labro. Then, the two men got to work. Town planning and architectural design were the first items on the agenda.

While there are many towns today that discourage vehicular traffic, back in the ’60s, a ban on cars could have been a showstopper. At the heyday of the almighty engine, it must have taken tremendous confidence of conviction to go through with that intent. As a result, a car-free playground for adults and children has been created, to be shared amongst horse-drawn sleighs, skiers and pedestrians. We loved that about Avoriaz.

The architecture of Avoriaz is certainly a conversation starter. The buildings have been designed to fit the jagged relief, optimising sun exposure and mountain views. Their facades are covered in cedar wood tiles, an homage to the traditional rooftops of Savoie. All in all, while Avoriaz’s building stock does not appeal to everyone, the town’s continuous innovation with regards to sustainable development is widely acknowledged. A quick Google search for eco-friendly ski trip and Avoriaz’s name is bound to pop-up.

HOW TO GET AROUND

Skiing and walking are the best ways of getting around car-free Avoriaz; the roads and pavements are covered in snow! The town is fairly small, so it doesn’t take more than 20mins to get anywhere. Some of the walking is done uphill. Most of the skiing is downhill; to be honest, there is quite a bit of poling on the flat (while in town)! You can also toboggan in quite a few places too! Too tired for all that? Get on one of the horse-drawn sleighs operating in a taxi-like manner.

While in Avoriaz, you are never too far from a chairlift. The whole of the resort is theoretically ski-in / ski-out, though we did find ourselves carrying our skis from time to time. As innovative as the town planning was, we didn’t manage to ski straight into bed! Nevertheless, the topography is gentle enough to enable even beginner skiers to reach the chairlifts stress-free.

NO ROADS, NO PAVEMENTS -HOW TO GET (YOURSELF & YOUR LUGGAGE) TO YOUR ACCOMMODATION IN AVORIAZ

Upon arrival to Avoriaz, your car will drop you off at a building which kind of looks like a bus terminal. There are no buses around, though, only snow vehicles and horse drawn carriages! Speak to one of the staff in the yellow vests (they speak English) and they will put you on the list for the next available snowplough ride to your accommodation (or close enough). We waited for about 15-20 min for that. At the time of writing, the cost for a one-way transfer with the snowplough is 12€ per family (max. 5 persons).

On our last day in Avoriaz, we asked at the hotel what we needed to do in order to get back to the terminal where we would meet our taxi driver. The receptionist nonchalantly told us to put our luggage in front of the hotel about 30mins beforehand; a snow plough would pick us up at some point! I know… We didn’t think it would work either, but somehow it did! That snowplough, though, was more crowded than a London tube carriage on a Monday morning…

Note that snowploughs don’t take reservations. Also, I don’t think there are any other similar private vehicles apart from the horse drawn carriages (even hotel owned). I imagine that this is to avoid creating the same thing that they are trying to ban: traffic.

Oh, and one last thing. You might need to double check the weather resistance on your luggage… As I mentioned earlier, one of the best parts of Avoriaz is that there is snow, everywhere! No roads, no pavements on sight. Only skiers, pedestrians, snowploughs, horse drawn carriages and toboggans!

WHERE TO STAY IN AVORIAZ?

HOTEL DES DROMONTS 4*

During our week in Avoriaz, we stayed in Hotel des Dromonts, arguably the most emblematic hotel in the area. This is the resort’s very first building; a mark of Avoriaz’s creation, inaugurated at Christmas 1966. The hotel’s architecture is bold yet cosy, futuristic yet nature driven; the building looks like a huge fir cone. The avoidance of orthogonal lines creates a playful space; we loved that it has been revisited in a vintage, alpine chic manner in line with its 1960’s character.

My fiancé and I are both architecture aficionados so having breakfast, dinner, drinks at the bar or board game sessions by the fireplace in the lobby was something we were really looking forward to after a day on the slopes. However, we did find our room small (we stayed in the classic room). Despite its thoughtful design, we struggled to get our gear and luggage out of the way. The bathroom was nicely sized, though, something we always appreciate.

On the flip side, I would like to stress the incredible value for money of the half-board accommodation option. All our three course dinners in the hotel’s two restaurants were lovely. We particularly enjoyed the scrumptious fondue Savoyarde in ‘Le Festival’ as well as the luxurious Valentine’s Day tasting menu in ‘Les Enfants Terribles’.

Last but not least, the spa was the ideal way to end the day. The serene space offers plenty of services such as massage or hammam sessions. The highlight for us was the outdoor timber hot tub and sauna!

Overall, staying in Hotel des Dromonts enriched our ski trip to Avoriaz. It made us feel like we were guests of its legendary creators Gérard Brémond and Jacques Labro, in 1960’s France; I will take evocative over anything else.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOTELS IN AVORIAZ

During my research for accommodation in Avoriaz, the following hotels / apartments also caught my eye. Similar to Hotel des Dromonts, these are premium options; after all, we are in the French Alps, kind of an all or nothing destination, in my experience.

• Premium residence L’ Amara 5*
• Mil8 Hotel 4*
  
  

WHERE TO EAT & APRÈS SKI IN AVORIAZ?

ON THE SLOPES

AVORIAZ SKI DOMAIN

If you find yourself in the Avoriaz ski area around lunchtime, you can easily head over to the town for lunch. Scroll down to the ‘In Town’ section for my recommendations.

Additionally, a great option for a mid-ski break is the Ice Bar at Village Igloo, on the blue Arare piste. We had a coffee on the tree-lined outdoor terrace which was lovely. The treat, however, was the igloo where the bar is entirely sculpted from ice!

ON THE SWISS-FRENCH BORDER

Cookie Café Mossettes, stationed at the top of the Mossettes chairlift, offers views for days and a cool gastro pub vibe at nearly 2,300m (7,550ft). With its modern dishes, this is a great stop before delving further into the Swiss pistes.

LES LINDARETS

There are many restaurants in the plateau at the bottom of the chairlifts in Les Lindarets. Skiing (or walking) the fairly flat narrow trail south (follow the signs), will lead you roughly half way to Ardent and to a little traditional high street filled with old chalets transformed into restaurants, all of them featuring terraces. Some of the most notable are:

• La Crémaillère: perfect for traditional Savoyard dishes.
• La Terrasse: European cuisine; the owner is Corsican so there is a selection of charcuterie and wine from that region.
• La Ferme des Lindarets: Italian cuisine.
• Le Chaudron: traditional Savoyard dishes.

PLAINE DRANSE

One of the most popular restaurants throughout Portes du Soleil is Chez Babeth, a chocolate box chalet with low ceilings and cosy alpine spaces. If you are lucky, you may even catch Babeth, the larger than life host, singing and entertaining guests as the afternoon wears on!

IN TOWN

There are plenty of restaurants in Avoriaz, most of them serving traditional Savoyard dishes as well as the holly trinity of pizza, pasta and burger. There are also a fair few more upscale options. My favourite ones, and the best representatives of the different types of restaurants available, are the following. Book in advance during high season.

EASYGOING

Le Refuge Restaurant is located on Promenade du Festival, Avoriaz’s main street, and combines contemporary and traditional Savoyarde cuisine. A combination of modern but cosy spaces and a large terrace makes this a great option for both snowy and sunny days.

Le Chapka, in La Falaise quarter, is an upscale version of a sports bar. Despite the large screens showing live sport, the spacious interior is quite cosy and the terrace quite busy. From burgers and pizza to raclette and fondue, this is a versatile restaurant suitable for everyone.

Café Le Fantastic, situated on Promenade du Festival, is a brasserie, crêperie and music bar serving food and drinks all day. We particularly liked the option of having a lighter, quicker meal on the terrace. We also enjoyed picking up crêpes from the little hut and devouring them on the nearby sun loungers or our cosy hotel lobby.

CHIC & CHEERFUL

As I mentioned previously, all of our dinners in the two restaurants of Hotel des Dromonts, located in Place des Dromonts, were scrumptious. The ambience is wonderfully nostalgic in both Les Enfants Terribles (serving contemporary French cuisine) and Le Festival (serving Savoyard dishes). We loved browsing through the 1960’s black and white photographs of skiing in Avoriaz on the walls.

La Cabane 1800 in Place Centrale, probably provides the most luxurious interiors and ‘la plus chic’ terrace in town. We just had a coffee on the terrace as we prefer traditional, hearty food while on the mountains. However, according to my sources, it is worth visiting if you are interested in a gourmet, upscale selection, sushi included.

LA FOLIE DOUCE AVORIAZ

No introductions needed. Whether it’s a DJ party or a fancy meal in La Fruitière, La Folie Douce always delivers in their usual glamorous style. The great thing about the Avoriaz branch is its location at the edge of the town (in Plateau); no need to worry about post party skiing!

FOR AN EVENING TIPPLE OR TWO

Last but not least, if you fancy an evening tipple, head towards Mil8 Hotel, Hotel des Dromonts or La Cabane. In the mood for a more lively scene? Le Shooters is open until 2am…

WHERE TO SHOP FOR SKI GEAR IN AVORIAZ?

Experiencing chairlift closures or looking for a ski gear upgrade? There are plenty of shops in Avoriaz that can make it worth your while, from big chains found in any European resort to independent local ski shops. Amongst those, two of the rarest finds (unless you live in France) are Fusalp and Ski Shop Avoriaz.

The Fusalp boutique in Avoriaz is located super centrally in Promenade du Festival; the stylish window displays are bound to catch your eye. This is a French ski wear brand, born in the Alps in the 1950s, which to this day uniquely combines technical innovation with classic French style. To be honest, the quality and distinct style is indeed reflected in the price point; they even have a ski wear collaboration with luxury fashion brand Chloé. However, ski wear is an investment. Maybe it is worth spending a bit more to buy something that will make you happy for a lot longer?

Ski Shop Avoriaz is located right across the road from Hotel des Dromonts (in Place de Dromonts); I popped in there for a quick look one day. I was really impressed with the selection of famous brands as well as rarer finds, mostly lesser known high quality French ski wear brands. It is well worth the visit if you are in the area. It is also a super convenient ski hire location if you are staying in Hotel des Dromonts.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A SKI TRIP TO AVORIAZ?

Isn’t packing for a ski trip a delight? I love it! If you need some new ski gear, you are a skiing newbie or you just like packing guides (my guilty pleasure), then, check out my ski packing list as well as my après ski packing tips.

PLANNING YOUR SKI TRIP TO AVORIAZ

HOW TO GET TO AVORIAZ?

The closest airport to Avoriaz is Geneva International Airport (85km / 53miles). From there, quite a few bus and shuttle companies make the approx. 1h 45min drive to the resort. Don’t forget that landing in Geneva will mean checking and implementing visa requirements for two countries (but so does skiing across the border, technically!).

The other major airport nearby is Lyon St Exupéry (230km / 143miles). This is where we landed from London but, even though it is a nice airport, I would not recommend it for Avoriaz or any of the Portes du Soleil ski resorts for that matter. The reason for this is that there are no dedicated buses or shuttles serving the ski domain (which we only realised after booking our flights). So, we had to book a normal taxi to get there. As you can imagine, a 3h taxi drive (one way) in France costs an absurd amount of money… I cannot stress this enough, don’t be tempted by cheaper airfare to Lyon. Fly to Geneva instead.

Note that Chambery airport is also close by (137km/85miles). However, it mostly operates with charter flights, so I doubt that you can fly there if you are travelling independently. Unless you travel on a private jet that is!

Lastly, there may be ways to get to Avoriaz by train though it was too complicated for us to do so from London. Nevertheless, if you are travelling from within France or Switzerland, it’s definitely worth checking it out.

CHANGEOVER DAYS

Saturdays are changeover days in most European ski resorts. The increased traffic that this causes is multiplied by a factor of, say, three, because there is only one road into and out of Avoriaz and access to vehicles is regulated. Cars are only allowed to drop off, pick up or head to the parking area.

We travelled from Lyon airport to Avoriaz on a sunny Saturday in February. Granted it was the start of school holidays in three regions in France and England*. It took us 6 hours to get there. SIX HOURS. The last 30min were spent on a stand still waiting to get into Avoriaz. You have been warned.

*If you are unfamiliar with the nuances of British culture, the British pretend to hate anything French but, in actuality, they love holidaying in France; we are talking for a full on exodus.

IS AVORIAZ SUITABLE FOR A SHORT SKI BREAK?

Honestly, I don’t know. Even if you are flying to Geneva, the closest airport, the transfer time from there is not the shortest. Furthermore, you will only be able to explore a fraction of the available terrain which might give you serious FOMO!

On the other hand, if you are driving or taking the train from somewhere close, popping to Avoriaz for a couple of days seems feasible. I would, however, recommend avoiding a Saturday morning arrival, due to the increased traffic to get to the resort (especially at the peak of the season).

I should note that a big argument in favour of a short ski break is the ski-in / ski-out capability of the town. No matter where you (within Avoriaz) you will be able to hit the slopes in no time at all.

Let me know in the comments if you have done a short ski break in Avoriaz!

FINAL THOUGHTS

There are many reasons why I would recommend a ski trip to Avoriaz. It is located in the centre of one of the biggest ski areas in the world and you get to ski literally across the border of two countries! Its high altitude makes it a safe bet for snow sure holidays even in the margins of the season. The terrain is varied but there is an easy way down the mountain from almost all chairlifts. The car-free village, fully covered in snow, provides a carefree, Disneyland-like vibe. The architecture might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is certainly considerate, interesting, unique and consistent. The cuisine from Savoie is omnipresent and delicious and there are always choices for a simple meal or an elegant affair.

I find that there is a negative nuance to the term ‘purpose built’, especially when it comes to European ski resorts. Avoriaz hones that in a positive way setting its vision as a sustainable destination while also providing an understated playground for many happy moments in the majestic Alps.