Located in the north of the French Alps between Chamonix and Geneva, Flaine is the centre of the ski area on the Grand Massif, with mostly intermediate terrain, as well as good off-piste skiing for the advanced skier and snowboarder. Flaine ski resort has excellent snow conditions and it is ideally suited to families with children.
Settled in a huge snow bowl, Flaine is a car-free purpose-built resort with ski-in, ski out accessibility. Created in 1969, Flaine is famous for its unusual 1960s architecture and has excellent facilities and services, including a post office, bank, supermarkets, bakery and a hairdresser.
There are 9,400 beds in hotels, chalets and apartments, and Flaine has its fair share of eateries that offer international cuisine. Flaine is a family-based resort and this is reflected in the laid-back nightlife; however, there are several bars, some with live music and karaoke, for a lively après-ski. Petit Loup Kindergarten offers good childcare.
Flaine ski resort has 134 pistes running over 265kms of terrain aimed mainly at intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders; there are also an equal number of beginner and expert slopes. Seventy-four lifts, including five gondolas; 28 chairlifts; 38 surface lifts; two yogurt pots and a cable car, have a capacity for 77,440 people per hour. The longest run is the 14-kilometre Cascades intermediate run, which is one of the longest in the Alps.
Alternatively, the resort of Chamonix lies in the shadow of the majestic Mont Blanc and offers superb skiing terrain in some of France's most spectacular scenery. Megeve, to the south, has always been one of the most fashionable Alpine resorts and has one of the best ski schools in Europe. The slopes of Mont d'Arbois, Rochebrune, and the Jaillet provide excellent skiing.
The ski season at the Flaine ski resort runs from November to April, and cheap rates can be found before mid-December and near the end of April. The most practical way to get to Flaine is to fly to Geneva and take the Grand Massif-bound shuttle.
