Avoriaz france
Review of snowboarding and skiing in Avoriaz France.
Avoriaz Ski Holiday Facts
Established in 1967 the French ski resort Avoriaz lies at 2460 metres altitude in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes below 2500m Avoriaz ski area is not snow sure. Over 68 snow cannons ensure artificial Avoriaz snow making covers 11km of ski trails, which equates to around 9 of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Avoriaz (France) is Geneva at a distance of 80km or approximately 90 minutes minutes driving time. Avoriaz ski season runs from December to May.
SNO-man says
Built on a sheer granite cliff and well placed on the Portes du Soleil circuit, arguably the world's largest lift-connected ski region. Avoriaz is famous for its wood clad buildings in award winning architectural style and indeed won an award for this. A "doorstep skiing" pioneer, linked to Swiss resorts in the Region via the legendary 'Wall' descent (you can take the chair down instead if necessary). Skiing for all standards, plenty for experts including five testing blacks (20 in Region). Famous childrens' village in the centre. Avoriaz is a car free zone designed for relaxed living.
alpine downhill runs to ski in Avoriaz France
Beginner Trails
 5 runs 2km |
10% |
Intermediate Trails
 24 runs 40km |
51% |
Advanced Trails
 14 runs 15km |
29% |
Expert Trails
 6 runs 6km |
12% |
Avoriaz Resort & Holiday Info
| Beginners learning to ski |  |
| Intermediate Skiers | |
| Expert Skiers | |
| Snowboarders | |
| Apres Ski | |
| Family friendly | |
| Snowsure | |
| Ambience | |
| Value for money | |
| Ski Pass Prices (adult 6 day) | €174 - €205 |
Traditional Ski Village / Purpose Built Ski Resort |
| Ski Resort Opens | Dec 2011 |
| Ski Resort Closes | May 2012 |
| (snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing) |
Ski Area Avoriaz Mountain
| Downhill Ski Runs | 70km |
| total length of Avoriaz trails |
| Longest lift serve Run | 6.7km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by ski lift |
| Ski Slope Orientation | N S E W |
| direction Avoriaz ski areas face |
| Top Altitude | 2460m |
| top station of highest ski lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 1800m |
| bottom of lowest ski run |
| Resort Altitude | 1800m |
| centre of Avoriaz ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 660m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 1270m |
| can include extra hike up which may be possible above top lift - stat used by some resorts to con us about true "vertical drop" which is lift-served |
Skiing in Avoriaz
Skiing Avoriaz you'll enjoy 47 pistes and trails and that means approximately 70km of ski runs. Avoriaz lifts number 36 with the capacity to uplift 62825 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the French ski resort of Avoriaz is over 6.7km long.
SNO-man says
Ski Avoriaz for its endless terrain and relaxed atmosphere. In the centre of the Portes du Soleil there are a vast number of options to greet you each morning. This is arguably the 'largest lift linked area in the world' with 650km of trails, with only a few places where you may have to hop on a bus to make a link. Avoriaz skiing has been enhanced by the introduction of the ‘discovery circuits’, giving routes for different abilities using some of the less congested pistes. There are many variation and some circuits can be designed to take a full day. They tend to head off in one of three directions, a hop over to Switzerland, head down to the picturesque Morzine and Les Gets, or head down towards Chatel. Most of these areas are easily achievable for intermediates who are willing to give reds a go, and provides a great platform for exploring and improving. Avoriaz ski resort itself, has plenty of wide sunny for beginners. There are more than 240km of red and blue runs in the local Avoriaz-Morzine are for intermediates to enjoy themselves on. With plenty of off-piste and free style opportunities and 5 local black runs (20 in the region) experts are also catered for. One the Alps most famous blacks - The Wall - a vast steep mogul field that basically forms the Swiss border.
Avoriaz Ski Area
Avoriaz ski area has 10% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 51% intermediate, 29% advanced ski slopes and 12% for expert skiers - the most difficult Avoriaz piste is the 1.7km La Combe du Machon run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can't ski Avoriaz after dark.
Avoriaz for skiing gets 3 stars out of 5 overall
Snowboarding in Avoriaz
If you snowboard Avoriaz you'll want to know that, of the 36 ski lifts in total, 14 are surface lifts or "drag lifts" - this gives a good indication of how modern the lift system is and well set up Avoriaz snowboarding is - especially for beginners learning to snowboard. Avoriaz snowboard facilities include 3 terrain parks and 1 half pipe (longest half pipe length is 150 metres), 1 quarter pipe and 1 boardercross courses.
SNO-man says
Avoriaz snowboard resort is considered by many to be the home of snowboarding in the Alps.
As one Europe's leading destination for snowboarding, Avoriaz has both purpose designed parks and natural attractions. Avoriaz snowboarding has a permament 120m long, 6m wide superpipe and two permanent snow parks as well as tube barriers, tables and raised bends. Children and beginners should snowboard Avoriaz for access to the special child boarders area, reserved exclusively for children between 6 and 16, at all levels and the Chapelle snow park designed for those new to snowboarding. These kind of setups reinforces Avoriaz’ status as a boarding mecca.
Avoriaz for snowboarding gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
Avoriaz Apres Ski
The apres ski Avoriaz scene and off-slope or "non-skier" activities include:
8 apres ski bars 19 restaurants 1 bowling 1 night club 2 cinema 2 billiards / pool 1 games room 1 concert 0 indoor swimming 0 outdoor heated pools 1 saunas 1 hot tubs 0 solariums 3 masseurs 0 indoor ice skating 1 outdoor ice skating 1 indoor sports centre 0 indoor tennis 0 squash racquetball 1 sleigh rides 1 ballooning 0 horse riding 18 prepare winter walks 0 climbing 0 golf 0 fishing 0 museum 0 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Flying, Turkish Bath, Ice Diving, Snowbiking, Weights Room, Torchlight Descents.
SNO-man says
In Avoriaz itself, apart from bowling alley, cinemas and ice rink, the Altiform Centre is the major health and fitness centre with a large room containing exercise equipment. Activities available include relaxation classes, balneotherapy, sauna, jacuzzi, cardio-muscular training and body building. Other facilities include a Massage centre offering a wide variety of massage techniques such as Reiki and chromotherapy. There are also two squash courts in the complex where competitions are staged weekly. A multi-activities card which gives unlimited access to the ice rink, squash courts and fitness centre for a week is available from the tourist office: remember to bring a passport sized photo for it.
In the great outdoors more unusual options include under-ice diving organised by the Caméléon diving school beneath around 50cm of ice. Then there's a full list of possibilities - sleigh rides, winter hikes, snow shoeing, dog sledding, hang gliding, helicopter tours, paragliding, snowbiking and snowmobiling.
Avoriaz for apres ski gets 3 stars out of 5 overall
More Avoriaz Snow Ski Area and Resort Information
Avoriaz resort - ski Avoriaz by any other name
The French ski resort of Avoriaz ski resort is also known as Avoriaz Massif du Chablais and has the following common misspellings: Avarias, Avariaz, Avarice, Avaries, Averias, Avorias, Avoriaze, Avorizaz
Avoriaz ski area has ski slopes which face N S E W
The direction which the various Avoriaz ski slopes face can make or break your skiing or snowboarding holiday. If you want to guarantee good snow and ski conditions, you should choose a resort with ski slopes which face the right way for the time of year you're travelling.
- In the coldest winter months of January and February you need a ski resort with some sunny south facing ski slopes, so your days on the snow doesn't feel like a polar expedition. Conversely, in the warmest spring skiing months of March and especially April, a ski resort with some cool and shady north facing slopes will ensure you're not skiing on slush, but benefitting from best late season snow. The best ski resorts have ski areas and slopes which face in all directions so that you're guaranteed greating skiing whatever the weather. Avoriaz ski resort has ski slopes facing N S E W.
Avoriaz for snow gets 4 stars out of 5 overall