Avoriaz

Space age Avoriaz may be at the centre of the massive Portes du Soleil ski area, but its modern architecture and high altitude location provide a very different ski-in, ski-out experience to the other resorts to which it’s linked by lift.


At 1800m Avoriaz dominates the valley above Morzine and its modernist buildings seem to grow straight out of the sheer cliffs below. It was designed in the 1960s by architects who wanted to make a statement and their fantasy-inspired, wood-clad, angular apartment blocks certainly achieved that, but if you want traditional Alpine charm, you should stay in other Portes du Soleil resorts such as Champery, Chatel or Les Gets.

Unlike them, Avoriaz was purpose-built at altitude on a slope and offers plenty of ski-in/ski-out accommodation, with pistes and lifts criss-crossing the resort. It’s also car-free: visitors coming by car either park at the edge of town or beneath it. Ski transfer services from Geneva airport are therefore an easier way to get to the Avoriaz than hiring a car. And for a major ski resort, it’s very compact, with everything you need just a short walk or glide away. Whilst this is wonderfully convenient – it’s said that you never have to walk uphill to a ski lift in Avoriaz – there are some drawbacks. For non-skiers, there is less to do than lower down the valley in Morzine, and prices tend to be higher (although Avoriaz is still cheaper than more fashionable high-altitude resorts like Val d’Isere or Courchevel).

But for keen skiers and boarders, what matters most is that Avoriaz is at the centre of the Portes du Soleil with hundreds of runs to choose from, varying from gentle blues to steep slopes like the Hauts Forts World Cup run or the infamous Swiss Wall, both of which are only a lift or two away from the centre of Avoriaz. And when snow falls on the Portes Du Soleil, it tends to fall heaviest, and stay in good condition longest, on Avoriaz’s relatively high and mostly North-facing slopes.

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Avoriaz Pros & Cons

+ Local slopes suit all standards
+ Good lift connections to the rest of the huge Portes Du Soleil area
+ Ski-in, ski-out convenience
+ Family-friendly (car free, good facilities)
+ The resort itself has a good snow record
+ Tree-lined skiing nearby when visibility is poor

– Mostly short runs
– When the Portes Du Soleil lacks snow, Avoriaz gets crowded
– More expensive than other Portes Du Soleil resorts
– Modern architecture divides opinions
– Avoriaz’s top lift reaches 2,466m – and that’s only high by Portes Du Soleil standards.

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Avoriaz is a car-free resort. Geneva is the nearest airport and transfers take under two hours using a specialist transfer service, or you can hire a car, or take a bus. There are also two train stations within an hour's...

Most of the buildings in Avoriaz hold self-catering apartments and these vary enormously in size, price and facilities; some are now graded as ApartHotels because of the extras they provide. The choice of chalets and hotels is more limited but...

Book Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Avoriaz Looking for private or group ski lessons in Avoriaz?  Ultimate-Ski and partner CheckYeti work with leading ski schools and ski instructors in over 500 ski destinations throughout Austria, France, Germany, Italy and...

Avoriaz Ski Area For the dedicated skier, not only does Avoriaz offer some of the best skiing in the area but it’s the prime jumping off point to explore the Portes du Soleil. The area can be divided into three...

Avoriaz Ski Lifts & Lift Passes

Avoriaz Beginners First week skiers have a big area to practice, starting out at the Avoriaz plateau. Beginner Skiing in Avoriaz First week skiers have a bigger area than you'd normally expect. Starting out on the Avoriaz plateau, as you...

Avoriaz Intermediate Skiing Intermediates can explore the Portes du Soleil for weeks without ever skiing the same run twice. Once you're comfortable skiing reds and blues, the whole area really opens up. There are virtually limitless choices as to how...

Advanced skiers should try the Hauts Forts black runs down to Les Prodains and the Swiss Wall - one of the steepest and bumpiest runs in Europe - then head Off-Piste, exploring all the Portes du Soleil has to offer....

Avoriaz Snowboarding Three snowparks and the Snowcross zone mean that snowboarders and free riders will feel very welcomed in Avoriaz. Avoriaz actively encourages new skool snowsports. Three Snowparks and the Snowcross zone mean that boarders and free riders will feel...

Avoriaz Mountain Restaurants Avoriaz has a well deserved reputation for great mountain dining. Avoriaz, in common with much of the Portes de Soleil, has a well deserved reputation for great mountain dining. The Lindarets valley has an entire village of...

Avoriaz Village With its wood clad buildings and architecture blending with the surrounding rocky cliffs Avoriaz has a unique atmosphere.   With its wood clad buildings and mimetic architecture blending with the surrounding rocky cliffs Avoriaz has a unique atmosphere...

Avoriaz Bars & Restaurants Many of the restaurants used at lunchtime in Avoriaz are equally busy at night. In Avoriaz, many of the restaurants used at lunchtime will be equally frequented at night. For a more special and international experience,...

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