Mad Dog Ski: Ski Resort guidebooks for Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland

Le Grand Bornand - France

Le Grand Bornand is set in the Arravis mountains, just under one hours' drive east of Geneva. One of the western-most resorts in the French Alps, it is blessed with an excellent snow record and stunning scenery.


A typical French market town, little known by the English, Le Grand Bornand makes an ideal base for a family or chalet-based holiday. The resort is made up of the market town of Le Grand Bornand and the smaller higher village of Chinaillion, based in the Aravis mountain range in the Haute Savoie. Some might say the skiing is some of the best in France, and many tourists still flock here in the summer as well.

Le Grand Bornand itself, sits at 1000m -  a typically Savoyard village full of traditional Alpine charm. Expect to find markets, shops and good hustle and bustle nestling on the beautiful backdrop of the Aravis mountains, with a summit of 2750m. Chinaillon is a further six kilmotres up at 1300m, and home to the beginning of most of the ski runs. Another traditional and charming village that dates back to the 17th century.

Key Information

Resort altitude1000m - 1000m
Highest lift2100m
Lowest lift1000m
Kms of piste90kms
No of lifts39
Black pistes6%
Red pistes26%
Blue pistes50%
Green pistes18%
Snow parks1
GlacierNo
Snowmaking50

Don’t leave Le Grand Bornand without…

•    Taking a dog-sleigh ride
•    Trying out Les Lanches piste to keep you on your toes
•    For you carnivores, don’t miss out on the rib of beef at La Ferme de Lormay
•    Visitng the Green Monkey for some apres-ski
•    Plucking up the courage to do a paraglide from the top of Le Mont du Lachat

Our penny's worth


If you’re staying in Le Grand Bornand, it’s definitely worth visiting Chinaillion, a further 6km higher, for more than just the skiing. It’s full of tradition and deserves a little tour when you’ve got some time off the slopes.

At a glance

Nearest airportsType of resortStay inGo for a
Chambery
Geneva
Grenoble
Lyon
Small alpine villageChalets
Hotels
Independent Travel
Self-Catered
Tour operator
Week
Week+
Weekend
ChildrenFood and drinkOtherOther activities
Creches
Babysitting
Ski schools
Apres-ski
Evening drinking
Resort dining
Vegetarian
Family friendly
Live music
Late drinking
Mountain dining
Internet access
Churches
Adrenaline fuelled
Sightseeing
Relaxation
Shopping


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Snow Report:
Le Grand Bornand
Report date:20 Nov 2008
Last snowed:na
Fresh snow:cm
Lifts open:na out of 31
Snow depth:
Lower slopes:0cm
Upper slopes:0cm
Piste information:
On-piste:na
Off-piste:na
Resort runs:na
Snow conditions:
Resort not yet open