Flaine, Les Carroz and the other Grand Massif resorts are located close to Geneva airport and transfer times take around an hour which makes them a good choice for weekends and short breaks. They are also close to Cluses TGV...
Flaine
Flaine's brutal architecture puts some people off, but the resort has good skiing for all standards, is easy to reach, ideal for families and relatively inexpensive. And if you really can't stand the modernist buildings, try the newer suburbs or one of the lower, lift-linked villages like Les Carroz.
Flaine was purpose-built in the 1960s in a naturally snowy bowl in the Giffre Massif at 1,600m above sea level. To this day, few doubt the merits of its location but its architecture is another matter. The original buildings that still dominate the main resort were a brave experiment with ‘shadow and light’ (and a lot of concrete) that nowadays have few fans. But lessons were learnt and the newer suburbs of Hameau de Flaine and Flaine Montsoleil are much nicer, as are the more traditional mountain villages below Flaine that are lift-linked to it, such as Les Carroz, Morillon and Samoens.
Whilst the centre of Flaine might not be pretty, it’s still convenient and good value, especially for families. It’s one of the closest ski resorts to Geneva airport. And once you’re there, the lifts, shops and ski hire outlets are all close to the accommodation. The free bus service is good but you will only use it regularly if you’re staying in Hameau de Flaine; otherwise you can walk or ski everywhere. Flaine is therefore car-free apart from a few access roads.
And the skiing is good too. Flaine’s highest lifts might not be particularly elevated (all the pistes are below 2500m) but they access predominantly north-facing slopes that receive regular top-ups of fresh powder. Similarly, Flaine’s ski area, Le Grand Massif, is no record-breaker in size but it extends all the way to Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens and Sixt; and with approximately 60 lifts, 140 runs and 265 kms of ski slopes, it’s easily large enough skiing for most skiers coming for a week.
All standards of skier are catered for. Beginners in both Flaine and Les Carroz have handy nursery slopes with free lifts and good ski schools. Improving novices and less confident skiers who don’t want to venture far from the resort can take advantage of a cheaper lift pass; and experts have some genuinely challenging black pistes, the famous Gers bowl and plenty of off-piste best tackled with a guide. There is also a long list of activities for non-skiers, including one of the best concert halls in the Alps and a full ice-driving circuit.
Helpful Links
- Accommodation in Flaine. Hotels, Chalet Holidays, Self-Catering Apartments, Tour Operators, Weekend Breaks… Read more >>>
- How to get to Flaine. Nearest Airports and Railway Stations, Airport Transfers… Read more >>>
- Ski Schools & Guides in Flaine. Ski & Snowboard Schools, Mountain Guides, Private Instructors… Read more >>>
- Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Flaine:
- ALPINRESORTS.com works with several shops in Flaine and and the other Grand Massif villages, and can secure discounts of up to 60% if you book online here.
- SKISET also has four outlets covering Flaine Foret, Flaine Forum and Le Hameau de Flaine, and more in the lower villages. It will give discounts of up to 50% if you book online in advance here.
Flaine Pros & Cons
+ Big enough ski area
+ Slopes for every standard
+ Good snow record
+ Easy to get to
+ Compact and convenient
+ Good value
– Ugly in the centre
– Not much nightlife
– Few hotels and chalets in Flaine itself
Read More...
There are hotels and B&Bs in Flaine but most of the accommodation is in self-catering apartments, many of which are small, basic and cheap. The newer complexes are more luxurious, however, and sometimes include saunas and swimming pools. If you...
Book Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Flaine Looking for private or group ski lessons in Flaine? Ultimate-Ski and partner CheckYeti work with leading ski schools and ski instructors in over 500 ski destinations throughout Austria, France, Germany, Italy and...
Flaine Ski Area Flaine is central to the Grand Massif ski area that also includes Les Carroz d'Araches, Morillon, Samoens and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, and has 265km of runs in total. The central Flaine bowl has runs for every standard whilst Les...
Flaine Lift Pass & Ski Lifts Flaine’s ski lift system is good, but it’s not yet on a par with the skiing. While Flaine’s ski area is perfect for beginners and intermediates, the ski lifts do not reflect this, and...
Flaine Beginners Due to its price structure and proximity to Geneva, Flaine is an excellent resort for beginners. Families and adults alike can learn to ski or snowboard in Flaine with little stress and the teaching and piste options, are...
Flaine Intermediates The emphasis in Flaine is very much biased towards the intermediate skier and the Flaine bowl is perfect for boosting your confidence. Once ready to exit the bowl, the 14km Cascades blue is one of the great itineraries....
Flaine Advanced Flaine’s black runs deserve their grading, and they are easy to reach so perfect for time-pressed parents who only have an hour or two between childcare duties. And even skiers who don't normally ski off-piste will be tempted...
Flaine Snowboarding & Freestyle Much in keeping with everything else, Flaine is an excellent resort for learning both snowboarding and freeriding – there are few resorts with a whole ungroomed bowl for freeriders and there is a dedicated ski school...
Flaine Off-Piste Off-piste skiers are well catered for in Flaine and the Grand Massif as a whole. The Gers bowl is the highlight and the Corbalanche area provides an excellent arena to learn the craft before going under the ropes...
Flaine Mountain Restaurants Flaine is a resort that attracts the budget conscious. Despite the reputation of frugality, however, there are a few mountain restaurants that cater to those looking for something heartier, and tastier, than a self-service bowl of pasta....
Flaine Village Flaine is divided into three inter-connected villages that boast good facilities for self-catering but little else. The selection of shops in Flaine is poor and the clothes and equipment shops stock only what is necessary, rather than providing...
Flaine Bars & Restaurants Flaine firmly concentrates on families and adults learning to ski including a significant proportion of novices. While less experience on snow is no limiting factor for apres ski, the fact that there are so many families...
Flaine Other Activities For those who do not want to ski there is plenty to do in Flaine, provided it is on snow, but opportunities other non-snow activities such as shopping, wellness and culture are at best very limited and...