Overview of Ski Area
Sitting at an altitude of 2,500 metres in the Haute-Savoie region, the Grand Massif ski area enjoys a premier position at the centre of the Alps. With its expanse of slopes facing off against the magnificent Mont Blanc, and enjoying consistent high-altitude snow conditions, Grand Massif provides a vast range of opportunities for all levels of skiers.
Amidst the spectacular mountain landscape, the unspoilt natural environment of Grand Massif makes for an iconic winter sports destination offering carte blanche to adventure.
Resorts in Grand Massif
MAIN SKI RESORTS IN THE GRAND MASSIF
Flaine
Overview of Ski Resort
Nicknamed the “big snowy bowl” (in a purpose-built position), Flaine is a family-friendly resort set within a charming embrace of wooded hillsides. It’s almost entirely pedestrianised and also very compact, making it super easy to get around. As part of the Grand Massif ski area there’s a huge variety of networked terrain, so it caters for everyone from beginners to advanced skiers.
Best for:
- Families
- Intermediates
- Experts
Piste Guide
In the main bowl, the north-facing slopes of Flaine are wide and open, while down in the lower regions they follow the wooded tree line. The Grandes Platières gondola takes skiers high above the resort into the Grand Massif, providing a number of different blue and red runs back down to Flaines. The Cascades is the most renowned of these, dropping 1,700m over around 10km through incredible scenery.
For beginner skiers and boarders, there’s an excellent network of green runs close to the resort, as well as some easy intermediates, like Tourmaline, Marmottes and Mephisto, to make the transition to blue. There’s plenty to keep the adrenaline-chasers happy too, with five black runs, plenty of off-piste action and the ungroomed Gers bowl dedicated entirely to experts – which includes an 800m vertical drop.
There’s an interesting theme running through the naming of the pistes: greens are named after trees, blues after precious jewels or metals, reds have diabolical overtones, and blacks are named for stars.
Facilities
Recent upgrades and faster lifts have opened up the network of routes, but there are still some slow lifts in operation. While queuing has been greatly reduced, there’s often a wait for the gondola up to Platières and, in peak times, the lifts between Flaine and Tourmaline and to Morillon and Les Carroz can get quite congested.
For those looking for some fun off the slopes there’s not much in the way of retail therapy, but there’s an ice-driving circuit, dog-sledding, snowmobiling and live music events.
Après
While Flaine is way more laidback than some of the other ‘party-all-night’ resorts, and it’s certainly not known for its buzzing nightlife, the relaxed ambience of its few venues makes for a very pleasant, family-friendly experience.
There’s a couple of pubs (the White Pub and Perdrix Noire), which show sports and music on big screens, and a student-style bar called the Flying Dutchman, offering a daily happy hour. For those looking to kick on, the bowling alley bar stays open until 3am.
Les Carroz
Overview of Ski Resort
The sprawling resort of Les Carroz is set on a ‘balcony’ in the landscape of Grand Massif at an altitude of 1,200m, with its network of sunny, wooded slopes linking it to Flaine, Morillon and Samoëns. While not as easy to get around as Flaine, the village is charming and traditional (although it can get quite busy) and the surrounding slopes offer opportunities for beginners, intermediates and some great off-piste for the experts.
Best for:
- Beginners
- Families
- Intermediate
- Cross Country
Piste Guide
The slopes directly around the resort are a mixture of open and wooded runs. Close to the centre of the village, the nursery slopes are perfect for the absolute beginner, while for those looking to progress to the next level, the gondola (which ascends 600m) leads to a number of gentle blues suitable for confident novices.
Intermediates are spoilt for choice, with links to the rest of the Grand Massif opening up a huge variety of terrain, while, for the experts, the off-piste sections between Les Carroz and Flaine offer a taste of cross-country adventure and adrenaline-fuelled fun.
On the pistes you can expect some crowding heading over to Flaine, but the nursery slopes around the village are generally quiet.
Facilities
The majority of lifts are slow chairlifts, but they do offer a fantastic way to enjoy the scenery! The exception is if you ski over to the main Flaine bowl, which has had some recent lift upgrades. The gondola from the village can get very busy during the peak season, although mornings are usually better.
There are several restaurants, with La Spatule and Aux Petits Oignons enjoying a cosy ambience and the Bistrot Grill du Gron great for families. If you’re looking for fun off the slopes there’s a cinema and sports centre, or you can try some different winter pursuits on the well-marked trails, with skijoering, dog sledding, ice-skating and snowshoeing available.
Après
There are a number of rustic bars on the mountain to stop for a beer on the way home, but the village itself is pretty quiet. If you’re looking for non-stop nightlife you’ll have to head a little further afield, however there are several places you can enjoy a few drinks and some music to round out the day.
The Marlow has a relaxed, family friendly pub atmosphere, while Cave 59 is perfect for a quiet glass of wine. Carpé Diem has a younger vibe, with cheap drinks and karaoke nights.
How to Get There
If you’re heading to the Grand Massif resorts, the good news is that whichever airport you choose you’ll be under two hours from the UK. You can fly into any of the airports that service the French Alps, including Geneva (GVA), Chambery (CMF) and Lyon (LYS).
To complete your onward journey to the Haute-Savoie, Shuttle Direct offers a convenient, cost-efficient transfer service. From Geneva airport, the closest resorts of Grand Massif (Flaine and La Clusaz) are just over an away hour by road, while from Chambery it takes around an hour and 40 minutes, and around 45 minutes longer from Lyon.
If you’re travelling with your own winter sports gear, Shuttle Direct will transport all your equipment free of charge (please notify us at the time of booking).
About Shuttle Direct
Shuttle Direct is the leading provider of affordable and efficient transfers all over Europe, with services to and from all hotels, train stations, cruise ports and airports.
Our expert drivers have been servicing winter ski transfers in the French, Austrian and Italian Alps for many years, so you can rest assured you and your equipment are in safe hands. Our transfer options to the French Alps accommodate all budgets and group sizes from a range of airports, including Geneva (GVA), Chambery (CMF), Grenoble (GNB) and Lyon (LYS).
