Skiing in Avoriaz

Avoriaz is best known for its fantastic skiing and snowboarding, with direct access to the vast 600km Portes du Soleil ski area. Perched high in the mountains with a snow-sure reputation, it offers a mix of wide cruisy runs, challenging off-piste and one of the best snowparks in the Alps. The resort is pedestrianised and fully ski-in ski-out, so you can step out your door and straight onto the slopes. This makes Avoriaz a top choice for families, beginners and seasoned skiers. With easy links and access to 12 resorts across both France and Switzerland, there’s plenty of terrain to explore for all levels of skier.

Modern winter biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting that tests not only fitness but also patience and control. In Avoriaz you can try your hand at this Olympic sport. If you like cross-country skiing but want to add another challenge, then biathlon is the perfect way to escape into the natural, quiet surrounding mountains and then shoot stuff. Bit of a contradiction this one, but it's fun all the same.

The Portes du Soleil boasts 216 km of tranquil cross-country trails. There are four cross-country areas accessible from Avoriaz the Manche Valley with 25 km of challenging circuits, the Morzine-Avoriaz at Parc Naturel des Crêtes de Zorre with up to 47 km for all levels, Lake Montriond with 10 km of Canadian-style runs and the Pléney-Chavannes sector with 18 km of forest runs.

You can hire the comfortable boots, lightweight skis and poles fairly inexpensively from most sports shops in Avoriaz. You may also want to book a group or private lesson to learn the basics, to access the higher trails you'll need a lift pass. Cross-country skiers can purchase pedestrian passes.

Avoriaz ski schools have specialised instructors trained to teach those with mobility problems. Adaptive ski equipment is available and included with the price of lessons. ESF request that lessons be booked in advance to ensure availability and that they be informed of the nature of the disability so that you can benefit from their most appropriate instructors and equipment.

Both children and adults are catered for and the instructors are passionate about giving you the ultimate skiing experience, whatever your disability. You are advised to book at least 15 days in advance and then to confirm one week before arrival, to ensure that the most appropriate equipment is available for your lesson.

Heli-skiing is not permitted in France but there are a couple of companies in Avoriaz offering panoramic helicopter rides that include heliskiing into Italy. They pick you up in resort and take you over the border into Italy or Switzerland from where you will ski down accompanied by a mountain guide. It is expensive, but definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

Whether it's going up the pistes that most people normally ski down or tackling a backcountry route, ski touring and split boarding allow you to get off the beaten path while working a sweat up the slopes. A number of ski schools, private instructors and companies can show you around or, if you've got all the necessary knowledge, you can head out in your own group. 

Some of the most famous ski touring routes in Avoriaz include the Vallée de la Manche or Col du Fornet, the Hauts-Forts summit, the Pointe de Vorlaz and the Dents du Midi tour crossing the border over to Switzerland.

Avoriaz was one of Europe's first snowboard-friendly resorts, creating a vibrant freestyle scene that continues today. Most Portes du Soleil snowparks are based in Avoriaz, managed by the expert Avoriaz Snowzone team, which carefully designs and maintains these fun zones for all skill levels.

The Avoriaz Snowzone areas consist of:

• Snowpark de la Chappelle    'Baby park' for beginners to intermediates
• Snowpark Arare    Known as the 'big park', features for intermediate to advanced riders
• The Stash    Natural and man made features in the trees of Lindarets
• L'il Stash    Smaller version of The Stash for beginners to intermediates

In addition to the snowparks in Avoriaz there are four snowcross pistes that are ungroomed but are marked and secure slopes.

Telemarking is a form of downhill skiing where you are only attached to the binding at the toe so, to turn, you have to lunge and bring your heel upwards. Talk to one of the ski schools or private instructors who can teach you how to telemark and take you out on excursions using this technique.

If this whets your appetite for more ski talk, check out our recommendations of the best pistes in Avoriaz. Take a look at this year's ski pass prices or, if you're not sure which pass to buy.