Ski in Grand Massif

Why ski at Le Grand Massif?

Le Grand Massif is one of the largest ski areas in the French Alps, offering a wide variety of runs to suit all levels of skier and snowboarder.

It comprises five resorts: Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz, Sixt Fer à Cheval and Flaine. Staying here gives you the chance to enjoy the snow in a variety of ways, including downhill skiing, Nordic skiing, snowshoe trekking and tobogganing.

Situated halfway between Geneva and Chamonix, the Grand Massif offers winter sports enthusiasts a magnificent panorama of the Mont-Blanc range, as well as an exceptional ski area comprising :

• 5 resorts: Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz, Sixt Fer à Cheval and Flaine

• 139 runs, including :

  • 25 green runs

  • 59 blue runs

  • 44 red runs

  • 11 black runs

• 62 ski lifts

• 2500 m altitude for the highest point in the area

• 1800 m vertical drop

• 40,000 hectares of forest in an unspoilt environment

• 16 Fun Zones

• 6 freeride zones

Where to ski in the Grand Massif?

At Le Grand Massif, tourists can benefit from the best snow cover, thanks to the altitude of the resort and the orientation of the pistes, which are generally south-facing.

As a result, there's plenty of snow and it's of a very high quality.

The Grand Massif, in the heart of Haute-Savoie, is a vast ski area with 139 pistes suitable for all levels. Every year it welcomes many skiers and snowboarders from all over the world.

As far as pistes are concerned, the great downhill runs are among the most beautiful and not to be missed. For example, the Cascades run, which starts in Flaine and finishes in Sixt after an easy twelve kilometre run, or the Grand Marvel run, a long green run from Morillon to Les Esserts through an enchanted forest.

Experienced skiers will also find plenty to do in this challenging resort. Here are just a few of the exceptional red and black runs that are well worth a visit:

• Diamant Noir (Flaine)

• Corbalanche (Carroz)

• La Combe de Gers (Samoëns)

• La Lanche (Morillon)

With the kids

If you're looking for an exceptional family holiday in the mountains, the French Alps are the place to be, with the most beautiful and majestic peaks in the world to admire.

At the Domaine du Grand Massif, we have a range of facilities dedicated to you and your children. They will be able to take their first steps on skis and make their first glides in an absolutely stunning setting at an altitude of between 1600 and 2500 metres.

At Les Carroz d'Araches, there are four areas dedicated to beginners:

• The Snow Garden: for children aged 3 and over, with play modules and conveyor belts.

• The Figaro beginners' area: where children can enjoy their first runs on the covered carpet and the green slope of the same name.

• The green Coin Coin slope: ideal for learning to ski gently, to make your first turns and to steer your skis, this slope has a small ski lift and a covered carpet.

• The blue Plein Soleil run: for young skiers to progress in complete safety.

For younger skiers who are ready to hit the slopes, the resort has also set up fun zones, such as the Oasis Cool Zone, where parents and children can challenge each other.

At Samoëns, children are also spoilt for choice, with one of the largest areas in Haute-Savoie dedicated to beginners, and some pistes specially designed for younger children, such as the Col de Joux Plane.

As for the resort of Flaine, it offers a number of fun zones for children, including Urban'Z and Ze Fun Slope. What's more, the resort has 44% blue runs and 14% green runs. The Serpentine, Azurite, Épiceas and Arolle sectors are not to be missed.

Other activities

Within the Grand Massif ski area, you'll find 16 areas dedicated to other snow sports, giving you the chance to improve your freestyle skills or discover new sensations.

With so many areas to choose from, the hardest part is deciding where to start:

• L'Urban'z - in Flaine - jumps and different modules to practice and have fun.

• Ze Funny Slope - in Flaine - : Same principle as Urban'z.

• The Ze Marvel Safari - in Morillon - : a 7 km descent through a forest of pine trees, where you can go tobogganing, sledding or snowboarding.

• The Ze Funky Park - in Morillon - : A freestyle descent on the red level.

• Ze SeptiSnake - in Samoëns - : a freestyle area for beginners.

• Les Cascades Experience - Sixt-Passy - : A 14 km descent in the middle of the Sixt-Passy nature reserve.

• Les Woops - Les Carroz - : A series of small progressive bumps on the green Coin Coin piste, ideal for young skiers to discover new sensations in complete safety.

• La Cool zone de l'Oasis - Les Carroz - : A blue boardercross oasis.

• The Boardercross - Les Carroz - : A descent of over a minute on the red Cupoire run with 9 turns for even more thrills.

• The Speed Experience Zone - Les Carroz - : A zone for breaking speed records.

• Tobogganing area - Les Carroz - : an area dedicated to tobogganing on the Bardelle run.

• Rail sledging - Les Carroz - : A full speed descent on the rails.

• Le Ze KidzPark - Morillon - : A boardercross for children, with a level of difficulty similar to a blue run, for a series of banked turns and jumps.

• La Forêt Myzterieuze de ZiZiPanPan - Samoëns - : A fun natural course in the undergrowth, where you have to imitate the shapes cut into 5 walls to get through.

• ZouzouPark - Samoëns - and Espace Luge - Sixt - : Two areas dedicated to sledging.

Freeride version

If you like off-piste skiing, the Grand Massif ski area has some great 100% freeride areas!

However, it's important to note that freeriding is essentially for experienced skiers. If that's you, then great! But before you set off, make sure you're equipped with the necessary safety equipment, especially your avalanche transceiver.

The Grand Massif offers off-piste skiing for everyone, with 6 freeride zones to discover with a guide or on your own:

• Flaine - Agate: With a start that guarantees one of the best views of Mont Blanc!

• Flaine - La combe de Veret: A marked black run with a vertical drop of around 600m.

• Flaine - La combe de Gers: A signposted black ski run with a vertical drop of around 800m in a combe with no facilities.

• Les Carroz d'Arachês - Corbalanche: A safe, signposted black run from the top of the Tête des Saix chairlift, with an exceptional panoramic view.

• Samoëns - Corne: A signposted black run in the new Combe de Coulouvrier.

• Samoëns - DVA Park: In the Combe de Coulouvrier, in the ski area, a DVA park has been set up for off-piste enthusiasts to practise searching for avalanche victims.

Nordic version

Originating in the Scandinavian countries, cross-country skiing is a sport for everyone, whether you're an experienced athlete or just a walker.

It's a sport that combines the joys of skiing with a good dose of effort, but also allows you to enjoy the pleasures of fresh, pure mountain air and unique panoramic views!

The Grand Massif ski area has several areas dedicated to Nordic skiing, skating and cross-country skiing:

• On the Col de Pierre Carree - Flaine: The resort of Flaine and its Nordic ski area offer the perfect setting for this sport. You will be able to enjoy a 2.5 km blue cross-country trail, designed for both classic and skating techniques.

  The Col de la Pierre, at an altitude of 1844m, overlooking the Arve Valley, gives you access to the snowiest and highest Nordic area in the Alps.

• On the Plateau d'Agy near Les Carroz: in a wooded setting, the Plateau d'Agy overlooking Saint-Sigismond is a kind of white paradise for cross-country skiers. This sunny plateau offers an exceptional 360° view of the Giffre and Arve valleys.

• In the Giffre Valley - Samoëns, Morillon and Sixt - you can choose between two areas.

  • In the heart of the Giffre Valley, a Nordic ski area that goes through Samoëns and stretches from Sixt to Morillon.

  • An area at an altitude of 1700 metres, in the heart of an exceptional site: the Col de Joux Plane. Thanks to its altitude, the Col de Joux Plane is snow-covered throughout the winter. As an added bonus, you'll enjoy an incredible panoramic view of Mont Blanc.