Avoriaz

Avoriaz is a purpose-built ski resort in Haute-Savoie, nestled in the Chablais massif of the Northern French Alps. The resort was created in 1966 and sits at 1,800 metres on a cliff-edge plateau above Morzine, with views across the Vallée d’Aulps. Avoriaz was designed as a vehicle-free resort, so the village is entirely pedestrianised, and, in winter, the streets are snow-covered. Getting around is typically on foot or skis, and horse-drawn sleighs operate as taxi-style transport. In winter, 20 sleigh drivers and their 100 horses provide a daytime taxi service, backed up on arrival days by snow vehicles. A night taxi service is also available.

The architecture in Avoriaz is one of its defining features. Buildings are wood-clad and designed around ‘organic’ forms that follow the terrain rather than straight lines. The historic heart is Place des Dromonts, beside Hôtel des Dromonts, which opened in 1966 as the resort’s first building. The original masterplan placed Avoriaz on a gentle slope and aimed for ski-in, ski-out access. Public shortcuts and elevators allow the village to be crossed on foot in under 15 minutes, and each residence is less than 10 minutes from the centre.

Avoriaz has a local ski area with 54 slopes served by 35 lifts. It also sits in the Portes du Soleil: a cross-border ski area linking 12 resorts in France and Switzerland. Portes du Soleil offers 600km of skiing, with terrain ranging from around 900m to 2,460m. From Avoriaz, you can ski into open, higher terrain above the resort and into more sheltered sectors, including tree-lined areas around Lindarets. For freestyle and progression, Avoriaz has four snowparks and four snowcross tracks. The Stash is a natural-feature snowpark in the Lindarets sector, reached via the six-seater Prolays chairlift. The snowpark includes intermediate and expert options and a boardercross-style ‘Snake Run’. The Lil’stash is a smaller park designed for children, set beside the Proclou green slope in the Falaise sector.

Away from skiing and snowboarding, Avoriaz has a broad winter activity programme. Aquariaz is the resort’s indoor aquatic centre, with pools and water-play areas including a children’s zone designed for ages 0–12 and a paddling pool heated to 32°C. The centre also includes wild-water rivers and an outdoor hot tub with mountain views.

Other activities in Avoriaz include ice skating on an open-air ice rink, sledging, snowshoeing, dog sledding, paragliding, ski joëring, ice diving, laser game and scooter rides on snow. Avoriaz also provides a Nordic area with 23km of trails; the loop trails are free to access, with some itineraries that use lifts.

In the village, restaurants, bars and shops are concentrated around central pedestrian areas and lift departure stations. For evening entertainment, venues include The Place Bar and the Festival Bar des Dromonts, as well as a nightclub, Le Yak Disco.