Short answer
Avoriaz is a car-free ski village at 1,800 metres in the French Alps, built in the 1960s with wood-clad buildings right by the slopes. The village is part of the Portes du Soleil, one of the world's largest ski areas, with 580 kilometres of slopes between France and Switzerland. Avoriaz suits families who want to stay with the skis outside the door, leave the car parked all week and have the Aquariaz water park for the rest day.
Quick facts
- Country / region
- France, Haute-Savoie
- Ski area
- Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel, Champéry and others)
- Altitude (village – top)
- 1800 – 2254 m above sea level
- Pistes
- 580 km
- Lifts
- 163
- Season
- December – mid-April
- Nearest airports
- Geneva (approx. 1 h 30)
- Train
- Train to Thonon-les-Bains or Cluses, then bus to Morzine and cable car up
- Price level
- ●●●●● (1 = cheap, 5 = expensive)
Family rating
4,3 / 5
- Beginner slopes Children's areas in the middle of the village, and more than half of the slopes in the Portes du Soleil are blue.
- Snow reliability The village lies at 1,800 metres – higher than its neighbours Morzine and Les Gets.
- Distance from accommodation to lifts A village without cars where all accommodation is right by the slopes.
- More than skiing The Aquariaz water park, horse-drawn sleighs through the village and snowshoe walks.
The rating is our overall assessment for families with children based on the criteria above – not a paid placement.
Avoriaz is the ski village where the car stays parked all week. The village was built in the 1960s on a rocky ledge at 1,800 metres, with wood-clad buildings that blend into the mountains – and without cars from the very start. Here you get around on foot, on skis or by horse-drawn sleigh, and most of the accommodation is right by the slopes.
For families it is a dream. You don't have to carry skis through the village, the children can go back to the apartment for a break, and there are no cars to keep an eye on. At the same time, Avoriaz lies in the middle of Portes du Soleil, one of the world's largest ski areas.
The car-free village
- The car is parked at the entrance or down in Les Prodains – only service vehicles drive in the village.
- The cable car from Les Prodains near Morzine takes you up to the village in a few minutes.
- Horse-drawn sleighs carry luggage and families through the village.
- Skis at the door: most accommodation is right by the slopes.
Bring a sledge or a pull cart for the luggage, and getting from the car park to the apartment is easy.
Portes du Soleil – a gigantic area
Portes du Soleil links twelve resorts in France and Switzerland, including Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel and Champéry. Together they have 580 kilometres of slopes and 163 lifts.
| Difficulty | Kilometres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 310 km | 54 % |
| Red | 210 km | 36 % |
| Black | 60 km | 10 % |
For a family with small children the Avoriaz area is more than enough – but the big trips across the border to Switzerland are a highlight once the children ski confidently. There are cheaper lift passes for Avoriaz only.
Avoriaz with kids
- Children's areas in the middle of the village, where the ski schools are based.
- Blue slopes close to the village, so the whole family can ski together early on.
- Short distances: the children can go back for a break in the middle of the day.
- Lift passes: the pass for the whole Portes du Soleil costs more than the one for Avoriaz only, and the child pass costs less than the adult pass.
We go through how to plan the week with ski school and rest days in ski trips with children, and the first trip is covered in the guide to the first ski trip with kids.
The rest day – Aquariaz
Aquariaz is a tropical water park by the slopes in Avoriaz, with water slides and pools among plants – a perfect rest day with children. Snowshoe walks, a horse-drawn sleigh through the village and a trip down to Morzine are other options. If you are staying with your own kitchen, our weekly menu for the ski trip is useful to have.
Avoriaz or Morzine?
Morzine below lies at around 1,000 metres and is a lively alpine town with more restaurants and shops – but the snow is less reliable and you need a cable car or bus to the slopes. Avoriaz is higher, more snow-sure and built for skiing. If you want skis at the door and no car, Avoriaz is the easy choice.
How to get to Avoriaz
- By air: land in Geneva – then it is about an hour and a half by car or transfer.
- By train: travel to Thonon-les-Bains or Cluses and take the bus to Morzine and the cable car up. How to travel by train from Sweden is explained in train to the Alps.
- By car: park at the entrance to the village or in Les Prodains – book parking in advance in high season. The comparison between car, train and plane is in getting to the ski resort.
More French alternatives
If you want even higher altitude there are Val Thorens and Tignes, and closest to Geneva are La Clusaz and Chamonix. We compare all French resorts in France's ski trips, and tips for keeping costs down are in the budget guide.
Packing for Avoriaz – easy things to forget
Frequently asked questions
Is Avoriaz completely car-free?
Yes. The car is parked at the entrance to the village or down in Les Prodains, and in the village you get around on foot, on skis or by horse-drawn sleigh. Only service vehicles drive inside the village.
How do you get up to Avoriaz?
Either you drive up and park at the entrance, or you take the cable car from Les Prodains near Morzine, which takes a few minutes. The nearest airport is Geneva, about an hour and a half away.
Is Avoriaz good for beginners and small children?
Yes. The village is in the middle of the slopes, so you avoid long walks in ski boots, and the ski schools have their own children's areas in the village. More than half of the slopes in the Portes du Soleil are blue.
What is the Portes du Soleil?
A ski area that links twelve resorts in France and Switzerland, including Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel and Champéry, with 580 kilometres of slopes. From Avoriaz you can reach large parts of the area on skis.
How much is the lift pass in Avoriaz?
There are passes for the whole Portes du Soleil and cheaper passes for the Avoriaz area only, which is plenty for small children. The child pass costs less than the adult pass.
