Avoriaz is the highest and newest resort of the Portes du Soleil ski area, and it is situated on the French side of the Northern Alps. Flying into nearby Geneva is still the most popular option for visitors although the drive from Calais isn’t too arduous.
Geneva (Switzerland) airport is the closest airport to Avoriaz at just an hour and a half away, and is great for ski weekends. You will find transfers to resort easier from Geneva than any other airport due to the high number of transfer firms and shared transfer operations on this route. Expect to pay about €35 per seat to Les Prodains (for the Les Prodains cable car) or €40 all the way up to the Avoriaz arrival centre. Be sure to arrive during the cable car opening hours if you are on a transfer that drops off at the base station at Les Prodains. Normally the cable car finishes at about 9pm but check with tourist office before you travel.
- Geneva to Avoriaz 90km, transfer time aroiund 1.5hrs
- Lyon to Avoriaz 215km, transfer time around 3.5hrs
Travelling by train
Cluses and Thonon are the closest main stations to Avoriaz. You will easily find a transfer to resort from either station which will take approximately 50 minutes by road. There are plenty of taxis and the public bus also serves these stations in winter. The train from London is a quick and efficient way of getting to the Alps as well as an environmentally friendly option. The biggest drag is having to get a taxi across Paris for your connecting train if you haven’t booked the direct snow train. To check train times and prices contact Rail Europe.
Driving
Avoriaz is only about 600 miles from Calais and on a good run it can be done in around eight hours. Whilst the national roads are pretty they can take forever so it is best to stump up the cash for the motorways. Expect to pay around 70 euros in tolls. As a general rule the short sea crossings are the most effective with cheap prices between Dover and Calais. The motorways through Champagne country are rarely a problem. Avoriaz is a car-free resort, so expect to pay around 65 euros for a week to park outside or 85 euros for undercover parking.
Getting around resort
As a car-free resort Avoriaz has been designed to be very easy to get around. Most levels of the resort are well connected by covered walkways and elevators within the apartment blocks and you can always ski down the main street and catch the button lift back up it (yes really!). A ride on a horse-drawn sleigh is a real treat but can be expensive. The Avoriaz snow taxis link the out-of-town parking area with the resort centre but most accommodation is accessible on foot, especially if you hire a sledge to transport your baggage (2 euros).
