Geneva is the closest airport to Megeve, and is just over an hour away with convenient airport transfer services available. Chambery and Grenoble airports are also within two hours' drive. Or you can come by rail: the train station Sallanches-Combloux-Megève...
Megeve
Megève is one of the prettiest ski resorts in France and has some of the nicest mountain restaurants. Its large but not very high ski area suits relaxed holidaymakers who want to enjoy, rather than test, themselves. Geneva airport is only about an hour away so it's also ideal for ski weekends.
One of France’s most upmarket ski resorts and a member of the ‘Best of the Alps’ ski resorts, Megève can trace its roots back to a medieval village, but it was reborn and extensively developed in the early 20th century as the stylish French answer to St Moritz. Consequently it has narrow cobbled streets and more than its fair share of exclusive boutiques and smart hotels. There are plenty of activities to keep non-skiers entertained including dog sledding, horse drawn carriage rides, and ice skating. The resort is also famous for the quantity and quality of its mountain restaurants, and most of them can be reached with the bare minimum of skiing.
Airport transfers from Geneva to Megeve only take about an hour, so the resort is a popular choice for short breaks as well as longer holidays.
Megeve is part of the Evasion Mont Blanc (“EMB”) ski area that also includes Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas, Les Contamines and Comboloux. There are about 100 different lifts accessing 8 summits and providing about 325kms of piste skiing which is more than enough for a week’s holiday. Most of the pistes are easy so it’s a great ski area for novices and nervous skiers, whilst keen piste-bashers will relish its sheer size. For experts, the Mont Joly and Mont Joux sectors have the steepest slopes, but the on-piste challenges are few and far between, so they should also try the off-piste with a guide. (They might also consider a day trip to Chamonix which is less than an hour’s drive away, and covered by the more expensive Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass.)
And so it would seem that Megeve has it all, but in reality it lacks one thing: height. The village lies at 1100m and most of the skiing is below 2000m. In a blizzard, Megeve’s tree-lined slopes are a much nicer place to be than a bleak bowl at 3000m above an ugly purpose-built resort. But when snow is in short supply, Megeve’s ski area suffers, and visitors have to rely on the resort’s many other charms.
Helpful Links
- Accommodation in Megeve. Hotels, Chalets, Self-Catering Apartments, Package Holidays, Where to stay… Read more >>>
- How to get to Megeve. Nearest Airports and Railway Stations, Airport Transfers, Hire Cars… Read more >>>
- Ski Schools & Guides in Megeve. Ski & Snowboard Schools, Mountain Guides, Private Instructors… Read more >>>
- Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Megeve:
- ALPINRESORTS.com works with several shops in and around Megeve and can secure big discounts if you book online in advance.
- SKISET also has a shop in Megeve and more in the other EMB resorts, and also gives discounts if you book online in advance here.
Megeve Pros and Cons
+ Pretty town to stroll around
+ Extensive ski area
+ Excellent mountain restaurants
+ Good choice for beginners, nervous skiers and non-skiers
+ Easy to get to
– Not snowsure
– Few challenging pistes
Read More...
Megeve is famous for its excellent four-star and five-star hotels providing luxury accommodation to well-heeled guests, many of whom visit Megeve to socialise as well as ski. But there is cheaper hotel accommodation too, and there are some chalets and...
Megeve has numerous ski schools so if you do not like the large Ecole de Ski Francais, there are plenty of smaller ski schools with English speaking instructors offering skiing and snowboarding lessons that will be tailored to your needs....
Megeve Ski Area Megeve's enormous ski area is divided into three main sectors – Rochebrune, Mont d’Arbois and Le Jaillet. There are other sectors, such as La Giettaz and the runs above the village of St Nicholas, but they are...
Megeve Lift Pass & Ski Lifts Megeve’s ski lift system is quite antiquated and slow, which is surprising given that it is such an upmarket resort. The Megeve Evasion Mont Blanc ski pass also covers the neighbouring resort of Les...
Megeve Beginners Megève is a good place to learn to ski. Not only does it have good beginner and green slopes but there is plenty to do in and around the village should you decide to have an afternoon off....
Megeve Intermediate Megeve has masses of great skiing for intermediates with 71% of the ski area is rated suitable for intermediates including long winding tree-lined runs and plenty of good mountain restaurants to stop for a coffee or lunch. The...
Megeve Advanced & Off-Piste Skiing Opportunities for advanced skiers on piste in Megeve are relatively limited with black runs amounting to just 13% of the ski area, but there is plenty of excellent off-piste skiing. No advanced skier can go...
Megeve Snowboard & Freestyle Megeve is best for beginner and intermediate snowboarders. Advanced boarders and freestyle skiers can entertain themselves in the four terrain parks, the biggest and best of which is on Mont d’Arbois. Beginner and intermediate snowboarders have...
Megeve Mountain Restaurants Megeve has 34 restaurants on the mountain serving mainly Savoyard specialities in rustic settings and is home to some of the best mountain restaurants in France. Most of Megeve’s mountain restaurants are full-service restaurants and not the...
Megeve Village Megeve is a charming and traditional resort with a strong Savoyard flavour. The centre is pedestrianised around a medieval church, and horse-drawn sleighs are a common mode of transport throughout the winter. Megeve is a pretty village with...
Megeve Apres-Ski, Bars & Restaurants Megeve prides itself on the quality of the food available in its 44 off-mountain restaurants. All the best guide books from Michelin to Gault Millau feature restaurants in Megeve and few French ski resorts are...
Megeve Other Activities Megeve’s chic, laid-back reputation and status as a Best of the Alps resort means that those who want to get outside, but not exert themselves too much skiing or snowboarding, are well catered for. Cross country skiing...