Cookie Cafe Portes du Soleil Tour Challenge

The challenge is to complete a circuit that allows you to experience a huge part of the Portes du Soleil ski area in one day.

The route takes in all the best viewing points so you will see the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Mont Fort and the iconic Dents du Midi. You will pass through seven village resorts in France and Switzerland and finish at Cookie Cafe, the highest altitude bar/restaurant in the Portes du Soleil.

When you finish just show the bar staff at Cookie Cafe your pictures from the various way points on the tour (highlighted in bold below) and they will give you a reward to help you celebrate your achievement!

The tour starts at the top station of the Prodains Express in Avoriaz. You can get here from Morzine easily via three different start points:

1. Take the free bus from Pleney to the Prodains Express which takes 10 mins.

2. Take Super Morzine lift, cross Super Morzine (two more lifts) and ski down to the Prodains Express top station.

3. Get on the free bus or drive round to Ardent take the Gondola to Lindarets and then the Prolays chair lift and head down to Prodains express top station. If you are using a car this is the best start point as from the finish at Cookie Cafe on Pointe de Mossettes you can get straight to the Ardent car park without taking another lift.

What it involves

The first thing to remember is you will need a full Portes du Soleil ski pass. If you haven't bought one for the week you can buy a day pass or pay a supplement to get access to the full PDS (ask at the lift offices about this). Take your passport too as you will be crossing into Switzerland and make sure everyone in your group has a piste map!

The route is based on easier red pistes and blues but there are some more challenging reds and blacks available so mixed ability groups can do it together. (We do not advise this tour for beginners or those that don't feel they can ski all day as you will be putting a lot of kilometres under your skis or snowboard in one day).

Start at Prodains Express and take Lac Intrets TS and head right at the top down the Coupe du Monde. At the bottom of the run take the Grandes Combes TS back to the top. The Coupe du Monde is a black piste so for those not wanting to do this, you can take a blue piste directly down to the Grands Combes TS where you can meet up together again. At the top of the Grandes Combes TS is the first way point so get a group selfie with Dents du Midi in the background.

Next head down towards Avoriaz and swing right to get across into the parallel valley where you will take the Les Choucas lift. Here you are at the top of the world famous Swiss Wall. It's not part of the tour as its reckoned to be in the world’s top five hardest runs but for those brave enough and capable enough it's worth the detour. The rest of your party can have a quick coffee at the top whilst they wait for your safe return!

Next a short ski down the right hand side of the valley to the Cubore TS. At the top you will be in the third valley of Avoriaz and if you look up and slightly right you should be able to see Cookie Cafe on Pointe de Mossettes where you will finish later on.

Head down the red from the top of the Cubore and join the long Blue Abricontine run down to Lindarets. As you get to the bottom of this run, where people turn left to Brochaux chairlift, keep your speed up so you can schuss across the flat bit into Lindarets where you take the Chaux-Fleurie to the ridge above Chatel.

Now head down into Plaine Dranse and up the Chaux-des-Roses chair lift. Head left this lift and then keep right. Your are heading for the Combes TS to the Tete de Linga, another fantastic view point and time for your next group picture.

The Linga is your next challenge. It's a steep red with a blue path down the side. Two thirds of the way down keep to the right and look for signs to Super Chatel and Gebelou TS. Take the chairlifts across to Super Chatel. Once across take the red or blue down to the Super Chatel cable car and then head back up. You're now heading for the best 360 degree vista in the Portes du Soleil at the top of the Morclan chairlift. Next, head down to the Chateauneuf drag lift that will take you to the top of Morgins. Somewhere on this run you will cross the French-Swiss border!

At the top of the drag lift the Dents du Midi will be in full magnificent view and they will keep you company all the way back to Cookie Cafe. Only five more lifts to go now! Get your last group picture here.

Now you head down into Morgins along the blue piste. At the bottom keep left away from the chairlift and take the path through the chalets which will get you right into the village centre and the Folleuse chairlift. At the top take the traverse across and then down to the Bochasses chairlift. From here head down to the Swiss village of Champoussin where you will take the Aiguille des Champeys chair lift up, then across to the Pointe de L’au and then head down into the village of Les Crosets. If time allows quickly take the 8 man Les Crosets lift for another great mountain view and then back down again to take the Mossettes Chairlift and the finish line at Cookie Café. Take your last Selfie outside the restaurant!

On arrival show your four group selfies to the bar staff and you will be rewarded with a half price pitcher of fine Swiss Eichhof Braugold beer for your group to celebrate your achievement*. After that you'll probably want to get stuck into one of their amazing burgers to refuel!

* Terms and conditions apply. Only one half price pitcher offer per group. Minimum group size 2 persons.