Samoens france
Review of snowboarding and skiing in Samoens France.
Samoens Ski Holiday Facts
Established in 1912 the French ski resort Samoens lies at 2480 metres altitude in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes below 2500m Samoens ski area is not snow sure. Over 143 snow cannons ensure artificial Samoens snow making covers 35km of ski trails, which equates to around 15 of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Samoens (France) is Geneva / Geneve at a distance of 71km or approximately 60 minutes driving time. Samoens ski season runs from December to May.
SNO-man says
Nestled at the heart of a great glacial valley, Samoëns has for centuries been the focus of important historical events. Older and larger than neighbouring Morillon, Samoëns retains the friendly charm of an ancient market town, still strongly influenced by its farming and masonry traditions. The Grand Massif skiing is accessed through a base station at Vercland, 2km from the village.
alpine downhill runs to ski in Samoens France
Beginner Trails
 15 runs 0km |
11% |
Intermediate Trails
 53 runs 118km |
39% |
Advanced Trails
 51 runs 107km |
38% |
Expert Trails
 14 runs 14km |
10% |
Samoens 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) | €192 - €192 |
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 Samoens Mountain
| Downhill Ski Runs | 265km |
| total length of Samoens trails |
| Longest lift serve Run | 14km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by ski lift |
| Ski Slope Orientation | SE, N |
| direction Samoens ski areas face |
| Top Altitude | 2480m |
| top station of highest ski lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 720m |
| bottom of lowest ski run |
| Resort Altitude | 720m |
| centre of Samoens ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 1760m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 880m |
| 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 Samoens
Skiing Samoens you'll enjoy 133 pistes and trails and that means approximately 265km of ski runs. Samoens lifts number 16 with the capacity to uplift 17750 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the French ski resort of Samoens is over 14km long.
Samoens Ski Area
Samoens ski area has 11% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 39% intermediate, 38% advanced ski slopes and 10% for expert skiers - the most difficult Samoens piste is the 3.1km Diamant Noir run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can ski Samoens after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.
Samoens for skiing gets 3 stars out of 5 overall
Samoens Apres Ski
The apres ski Samoens scene and off-slope or "non-skier" activities include:
8 apres ski bars 25 restaurants 0 bowling 0 night club 1 cinema 0 billiards / pool 0 games room 1 concert 0 indoor swimming 0 outdoor heated pools 1 saunas 0 hot tubs 1 solariums 1 masseurs 1 indoor ice skating 0 outdoor ice skating 0 indoor sports centre 0 indoor tennis 0 squash racquetball 1 sleigh rides 0 ballooning 0 horse riding 60 prepare winter walks 1 climbing 0 golf 0 fishing 1 museum 2 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Archery, Botanical Garden, Climbing, Guided Walks, Frozen Waterfall Climbing, Pot Holing.
SNO-man says
The long list of activities available in or near the resort includes caving, riding, under ice diving, helicopter flights, ice climbing, a living museum and botanic garden.
There's also dairy visits, snowshoeing, archery, dog sledding, beauty farm with sauna, shiatsu, massage and facials.
There's a cinema, carriage or sleigh rides, video games room, climbing wall, paragliding, ice skating (covered rink), sledding, cross country skiing, ski trekking, rock climbing, archery and library.
Samoens for apres ski gets 2 stars out of 5 overall
More Samoens Snow Ski Area and Resort Information
Samoens resort - ski Samoens by any other name
The French ski resort of Samoens ski resort is also known as Grand Massif and has the following common misspellings:
Samoens ski area has ski slopes which face SE, N
The direction which the various Samoens 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. Samoens ski resort has ski slopes facing SE, N.
Samoens for snow gets 3 stars out of 5 overall