Le Grand Massif is one of France's largest ski areas, encompassing five villages, and is located in between Geneva and Chamonix. There is a wide variety of slopes with an emphasis on the intermediate and advanced skier and snowboarder, but with enough terrain to keep beginners and experts happy as well. The views of Mont Blanc are spectacular.
Le Grand Massif is aimed at those who are culturally inclined as well as ski-happy and the five villages all offer a certain amount of ambience, from the traffic-free, purpose-built Flaine to historical Samoens. Some villages are quieter than others, but facilities at all are first-rate and there are plenty of shops and après-ski activities.
Accommodation is largely based on chalets and apartments, but hotels are also wide ranging, with mainly two- to four-star lodgings. Restaurants are well represented and you can sample tastes from all over the world. Après-ski and nightlife are generally fairly sedate, but there are a sufficient number of bars and cafés to keep drinkers happy.
The five villages are fully linked by 80 lifts that run over all slopes and service 134 pistes. There are 265kms of ski runs in total at Le Grand Massif, with 50 per cent of terrain set aside for intermediate skiers and snowboarders. The 80 lifts include gondolas, chairlifts, draglifts and cable cars, with a total capacity for 74,500 people per hour.
Chamonix is one of the world's premier ski resorts, offering impeccable skiing and boasting the highest ski run in the world, as well as great shopping and a vibrant nightlife. The Italian Alps are accessible via an impressive gondola ride up Mont Blanc. Cosmopolitan Geneva has a beautiful setting on its lake, an impressive old town and cathedral, and some world class museums.
The ski season in Le Grand Massif runs from mid-December to late April, with cheap weeks at the beginning and end of the season. The most convenient way to get to the resort is to fly to Geneva and take the Skibus, or transfer by train to Cluses and take a shuttle from there.
