La Clusaz france
Review of snowboarding and skiing in La Clusaz France.
La Clusaz Ski Holiday Facts
Established in 1925 the French ski resort La Clusaz lies at 2600 metres altitude in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes above 2500m La Clusaz ski area is snow sure. Over 103 snow cannons ensure artificial La Clusaz snow making covers 2km of ski trails, which equates to around 1.5 of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to La Clusaz (France) is Geneva / Geneve at a distance of 50km or approximately 60 minutes driving time. La Clusaz ski season runs from December to April.
SNO-man says
Traditional Savoyard village, regarded by some as one of the most picturesque in France. Large ski area for a single resort. Off the piste there is plenty to do - the area is famous for its farm foods, including wine, cheese (reblochon and chevrotin), pastries and ham. There is a weekly village welcome evening for guests and a market.
alpine downhill runs to ski in La Clusaz France
Beginner Trails
 27 runs 23km |
32% |
Intermediate Trails
 28 runs 68km |
33% |
Advanced Trails
 23 runs 30km |
27% |
Expert Trails
 7 runs 7km |
8% |
La Clusaz 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) | €158 - €158 |
Traditional Ski Village / Purpose Built Ski Resort |
| Ski Resort Opens | Dec 2011 |
| Ski Resort Closes | Apr 2012 |
| (snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing) |
Ski Area La Clusaz Mountain
| Downhill Ski Runs | 132km |
| total length of La Clusaz trails |
| Longest lift serve Run | 4km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by ski lift |
| Ski Slope Orientation | N NW E |
| direction La Clusaz ski areas face |
| Top Altitude | 2600m |
| top station of highest ski lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 1100m |
| bottom of lowest ski run |
| Resort Altitude | 1100m |
| centre of La Clusaz ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 1500m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 1500m |
| 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 La Clusaz
Skiing La Clusaz you'll enjoy 84 pistes and trails and that means approximately 132km of ski runs. La Clusaz lifts number 55 with the capacity to uplift 53000 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the French ski resort of La Clusaz is over 4km long.
SNO-man says
La Clusaz is the largest station of the Aravis mountain range and presents 130km of trails that run from wide open glades into treelined pistes. There are five areas across the five mountains: Beauregard, La Croix Fry, L'Etale, L'Aiguille and Balme , all linked by 50 lifts .Beginners and families are well catered for with areas close to town, especially those on Beauregard peak and above the Col de la Croix Fry as they tend not to draw speed lovers or jumpers . Intermediates have plenty to keep them entertained and can cover quite a bit of mileage using the ski lifts and an occasional bus trip. L’Etale, is fairly steep and above the treeline, whilst Aiguille has sunny slopes with big veriticals, like the 1200m drop on the Grand Crete. La Balme, which is a large snow bowl with a small number of pistes and a nice range of off-pistes routes, is a excellent area for expert skiers. Be sure to take note of any warnings posted as this area has a greater avalanche risk. Other options for the advanced skiers are The summit circle, which has only red and black runs, the challenging la Combe du Fernuy, a black red, which leads you to La Balme, the Cret du Loup “The Edgar Wall” mogul run and the natural mogul pistes found on the Aiguille mountain. Off piste touring and heliskiing in Switzerlnd and Italy are also options.
La Clusaz Ski Area
La Clusaz ski area has 32% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 33% intermediate, 27% advanced ski slopes and 8% for expert skiers - the most difficult La Clusaz piste is the 3.9km Levraille run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can ski La Clusaz after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.
La Clusaz for skiing gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
Snowboarding in La Clusaz
If you snowboard La Clusaz you'll want to know that, of the 55 ski lifts in total, 36 are surface lifts or "drag lifts" - this gives a good indication of how modern the lift system is and well set up La Clusaz snowboarding is - especially for beginners learning to snowboard. La Clusaz snowboard facilities include 2 terrain parks and 1 half pipe (longest half pipe length is 100 metres), 1 quarter pipe and 1 boardercross courses.
SNO-man says
Snowboarding in La Clusaz has much to offer, with the Balme ski area considered a boarding paradise with powder bowls, big slopes for carving and lots of natural hits. La Clusaz was one of the first resorts to grant all area access to snowboarders and build terrain features, which can be found on Cret du Loup and Manigod. These include a permanent Boarder Cross where freeriders can race down a course of bumps and banks. The funpark also includes a halfpipe, quarter pipes, gaps, tables, fun boxes and whoops.
La Clusaz for snowboarding gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
La Clusaz Apres Ski
The apres ski La Clusaz scene and off-slope or "non-skier" activities include:
12 apres ski bars 68 restaurants 0 bowling 2 night club 1 cinema 3 billiards / pool 1 games room 0 concert 1 indoor swimming 1 outdoor heated pools 3 saunas 1 hot tubs 0 solariums 3 masseurs 0 indoor ice skating 1 outdoor ice skating 2 indoor sports centre 0 indoor tennis 0 squash racquetball 1 sleigh rides 0 ballooning 0 horse riding 10 prepare winter walks 0 climbing 0 golf 0 fishing 1 museum 1 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Canadian Hikes, Climbing Wall, Farm Visits, Heritage Tours, Carriage Rides, Ice Climbing, Weekly Market (Monday), Microlights, Mountain Biking on Snow, Orienteering, Snowcat Tours, Survival Days, Winter Camping.
SNO-man says
There are a great range of winter sports available in La Clusaz - including some unusual options like orienteering or spending a couple of nights on a Hunter camp in a heated tent, or even participating in a Winter Survival Day. For something a little more leisurely try snowshoe hike, a winter hike or a husky-powered dog-sleigh ride.
The Confins Lake is a centre for all sorts of winter sports fans in the snowy months. Apart from cross-country skiers, ice skaters and tobogganists there are winter mountain bikers and even fishermen. La Clusaz has 25km (15 miles) of signposted walking trails which most of the snow is cleared off, a special 'Stroller Pass' gives you access to five key lifts to get up the mountain and entitles you to a free hot drink in the altitude restaurants! Horse driven carriage rides are possible in the visit and their are weekly farm visits (Friday afternoons) to see the making of the local Reblochon cheese every Friday afternoon. Heritage tours of the village and valley are also organised on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
For the most energetic, snowmobiling is available and night skiing is organised once a week from 8.30 to 10.30pm on the slopes by the Ice rink cable car. Visitors can also take part in torchlit descents once a week for children and for adults under the supervision of the Ecole de ski Français (ESF) during the French February school holidays. Parascending is also popular and there are ice waterfalls to visit and possibly climb with the mountain guides. The big, covered ice rink and swimming pool was renovated recently. The resort has four fitness centres, in the Alpenroc, Beauregard and Carlina hotels and the Aqua Centre.
La Clusaz for apres ski gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
More La Clusaz Snow Ski Area and Resort Information
La Clusaz resort - ski La Clusaz by any other name
The French ski resort of La Clusaz ski resort is also known as La Clusaz and has the following common misspellings: Laclusaz, Laclusaze, Lacluza, Lacluzas
La Clusaz ski area has ski slopes which face N NW E
The direction which the various La Clusaz 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. La Clusaz ski resort has ski slopes facing N NW E.
La Clusaz for snow gets 4 stars out of 5 overall