Categories: Winter holidays

Avoriaz, the oldest ski resort in France, description

On the border of France and Switzerland, there is a large ski resort Avoriaz, which unites 14 sports facilities. It was built more than half a century ago, but its modern infrastructure, choice of entertainment for adults and children, variety of pistes and slopes make it popular with amateurs and professionals of skiing.

Content

Description of the hostel

The resort area is located in the province of Porte du Soleil, and unites 5 districts. Here you can ski in De la Falaise, relax in the hotels of De Crozat, work out your strength in freeride on the slopes of De Dromont, visit the sights of De Haute Fort or learn how to snowboard in Du Festival. A ski – bus transport network has been created for trips between recreation centers.

General description of sports complexes:

The season starts in November and ends in early April.
Located at an altitude of 1800 m, among the beautiful mountains of the slopes of the Alps.
A modern superpipe has been created, tracks for boardercross have been developed. There are trails for cross-country skiing.
Alternatives to active skiing are horseback riding, snowmobiling, walking through the winter forest of the Swiss Alps, sightseeing.

Already at the entrance you can see the peculiarity of the famous Avoriaz ski resort, entry by car into its territory is prohibited. Guests and their luggage are delivered to the place of residence by sleigh. The architecture of the camp site is a combination of classical buildings and modern buildings. Art Nouveau buildings rise above traditional Alpine chalets.

Tip: it is recommended to choose skis to move between the buildings of the sports complex. For this, convenient paths have been laid here.

How to get there

The nearest international airport is located in Geneva. The distance to it is 80 km. Regular buses depart from its bus station, you can order a taxi. An alternative is a transfer service, which can be ordered on the official website of the Avoriaz ski resort or one of the hotels located on its territory.

How to get to the sports base:

By bus. Flight routes depart every 20-30 minutes, travel time is up to 2 hours. Ticket price – from 10 Euros, for luggage you need to pay extra separately.
By train. This is a convenient way for those who travel around Europe by train. The nearest train stations to the ski base are Cluset and Thonon-les-Bains. The first is located 28 km, the second – 35 km. Regular buses also depart from them.
By car. From Geneva you need to follow the A41 / E25 highway ( Autoroute blanc ). Then, at the sign, turn towards the camp site.

The price of the transfer from Geneva International Airport depends on the number of guests and the amount of luggage. This method is convenient for large groups of travelers who want to get to the Avoriaz ski resort with their own gear and equipment.

Tip: when traveling by car, you need to remember that avalanches often come down in this region of France, which stops car traffic. Although the road services quickly eliminate the blockages.

Descent map

The sports complex is conveniently divided into zones for family and active recreation. Each has several slopes, lifts work. Ski-bass runs between them, which allows you to change skiing places without moving to another hotel or hotel. In addition to the slope map of the Avoriaz ski resort, there are 3 snow parks on its territory. They are designed for snowboarders, there are tracks for children and beginners. Detailed information is available on the official website.

About the slopes of the sports and entertainment complex:

Number of tracks – 42 pcs. The total length is 150 km.
The length of cross-country skiing routes is 39 km.
Working lifts – 38 pcs. 19 armchairs, 3 with cabins and 6 tows.
The elevation difference reaches 1117 m. The highest point is located at 2277 m, the lowest – 1100 m.
Popular ski schools are Avoriaz Alpine Ski School, Avoriaz Snowboard School, French Ski School. The price of group lessons is from 160 Euro for 6 days. Individual – from 40 euros for 1 hour.

At the ski resort you can buy a daily or weekly ski-pass. The price starts from 53 Euro. The most expensive subscription is 299 Euro for 7 days. Discounted rates are available for children and seniors.

There are ski equipment and equipment rentals. For renting a set, you need to pay from 70 euros. It is possible to take individual components. So you can improve your equipment, try other winter sports – snowboarding, freestyle.

Tip: Some hotel reservations offer discounted ski pass prices. But this needs to be clarified in advance.

Accommodation options

The advantage is that there are many accommodation options in the Avoriaz ski resort, there are 3-5 * hotels, hostels, chalets, de portes. You can book an apartment. A large influx of tourists before the New Year holidays, Christmas. Therefore, you need to book guest houses and rooms in advance. So you can get a low price for accommodation.

Popular hotels in the Avoriaz camp site:

Des Dromonts. One of the oldest hotels in the resort. It can accommodate 2-6 people per room. It offers free Wi-Fi, ski and equipment storage. There are several restaurants and a spa. The ski lifts are located next to the hotel.
Alpages Residence Maeva Multi. The hotel complex consists of 2 buildings, located 200 meters from the nearest ski lift. Rooms – 48 apartments, Wi-Fi is paid. A cot and a high chair are provided for children.
Amara Residence P&V Premium. This is a new hotel, opened in 2012. Features – Spacious apartments overlooking the Morzine Valley. There is a restaurant, 2 bars, there is a SPA center.

For accommodation, you need to book rooms in advance. To do this, you need to make a small deposit. For catering at the Avoriaz ski base, you can book apartments with breakfast or full board. Local restaurants and bars serve European and national French cuisine.

Advice: many hotels have places to store ski equipment and dry equipment. But this needs to be clarified in advance.

Local Attractions

In addition to skiing, the Avoriaz ski resort has many historical and natural attractions. To visit them, you can allocate 1-2 days. They are located relatively close to the camp site, but some need to be reached by car or bus. In hotels you can meet representatives of tour agencies, through which tourist trips are usually booked.

List of famous attractions of Avoriaz:

The village of Morzhen. Its main attraction is the Carillon of the World. It consists of a globe with 22 bells hung around it.
Village of Champoissan. This is a small village, on the outskirts of which stands an almost completely transparent church. This is a functioning facility, the entrance for tourists and independent travelers is free.
Night clubs, discos, other types of active entertainment.

For a holiday in the Avoriaz ski resort, it is recommended to take a full set of ski equipment and equipment. Credit cards are accepted here, but it is better to take some extra cash.

Irina