Guide to Downhill Skiing in Avoriaz, France includes everything you need to know about parking, luggage transportation, accommodations, restaurants and skiing. It is such a unique place to experience. Vehicles are forbidden in Avoriaz making it a very cool experience to walk around with no cars in the way. It’s a popular ski and snowboarding destination sitting high on top of the mountains above Morzine. The views are spectacular when looking across the valley. Avoriaz is part of the largest skiing area in the world, Portes du Soleil, consisting of one hundred and thirty kilometres of runs. You will have ample opportunities for multiple days of skiing. Some runs go from Avoriaz, France to Switzerland allowing you the opportunity to straddle two countries at once.
Table of Contents
Getting There
We rented a car and drove to Avoriaz.
All vehicles are forbidden in Avoriaz. A parking lot for vehicles is located on the outskirts of the resort. It’s a fair distance from the accommodations but there’s a drop-off area to unload your luggage, food, drinks, and partner while parking the car.
As you can see from the picture above, the parking lot is outside and there is no protection from the snow. When we first arrived there was very little snow. On the second to last day, before we left, we got a huge dumping of snow, which was awesome for downhill skiing but made it tricky to find our car afterwards under a pile of snow.
Tip: Be aware of your surroundings and landmarks around you to locate your vehicle. Otherwise, you might hit the unlock button often to find your car. Our surroundings changed quickly with a new snowy landscape. It was challenging to find it covered in snow.
Cart of Adventure
When going downhill skiing in Avoriaz France, carts are provided to load your belongings from the parking lot to your accommodation. We needed three carts to carry all of our stuff. We had not previously been aware that we wouldn’t have access to our vehicle nearby, so we decided to bring everything with us, not knowing exactly what we might need. The cart was filled with a mix of bags, boxes, backpacks and suitcases, not organized properly.
It was hard to push the carts in the snow! Keep in mind that it could take a while to bring your stuff to your accommodation.
Tip: You might want to figure out your location before moving all your stuff to your destination.
If we had known the situation, we might have organized our items previously and only taken what we absolutely needed. But this experience was memorable for us!
Downhill Ski Costs
It costs 50 euros (approximately $75 Canadian) per adult for one day of downhill skiing if purchased off their website. It’s a bit more expensive at 54 euros if you buy a ticket in person. You also save if you ski for multiple days. Check out the prices here. It’s very reasonable to go downhill skiing at Avoriaz.
Variety of Runs
If you’re used to Canada’s downhill skiing difficulty level, you will need to adjust to a different labelling system in Avoriaz.
| Run Difficulty in Canada | Difficulty Level | Run Difficulty in Avoriaz, France | Difficulty Level |
| Green | Easy | Green | Very Easy |
| Blue | Moderate | Blue | Easy |
| Black | Difficult | Red | Difficult |
| Double black | Very Difficult | Black | Very Difficult |
The green runs are easy for both Canada and France but then it differs. Blue is moderately difficult in Canada while blue is easy in France. Black is difficult in Canada while Black is very difficult in France. They also have red in the run difficulty legend in France. Red means the runs are difficult. It can take some time to adjust but make sure you pay close attention to which runs you’re taking so you don’t end up surprised.
Snowy Runs Through Town
During our first few days, we only had a light coating of snow on the ground. It encouraged us to go hiking instead of downhill skiing. We were lucky that on the second to last day, we received a huge snowstorm. It was so gorgeous to experience that snowfall.
In Canada, we are used to starting at the bottom of the mountain and making our way up to the top of the lift to ski down. Avoriaz is a central location for the lifts with accessible runs throughout the resort. They also run above and below the town. It was an awesome experience to ski down the mountain right away without having to take a chair lift to start!
Tip: Be aware of your surroundings of the runs through town. It’s easy to walk on a run without meaning to do so.
Downhill Skiing Map in Avoriaz, France
This is a closeup of the downhill skiing map showing different ski levels in Avoriaz, France. It also shows the different mountains and ski runs you can take for the day.
It was an amazing experience to border France and Switzerland at the same time on a run allowing us to be in two countries at once. At one point, we could also see the mountains in Italy.
Limited Visibility
When we started skiing, it was in whiteout conditions. We had snowy conditions making it hard to see. We were also wearing sunglasses to protect our eyes, which didn’t improve our visibility.
Tip: get ski goggles with interchangeable lenses for bright and low light that will fit comfortably on your face compared to sunglasses. This will allow you to choose lenses to accommodate the weather. One set caters to the cloudy conditions while the other set is for sunny days. Since we’ve upgraded to ski goggles, we’ve been much happier.
Lunch
For lunch, these two restaurants were available to us. They are both located in the Plaine-Dranse area which connects to Avoriaz.
Le Bois Prin Chalet Restaurant
Le Bois Prin Chalet Restaurant offers traditional French cuisine. Some home-style options include salad, macaroni and cheese, charcuterie board, fries and pork chops, and more. The prices are reasonable as well. There is seating inside and outside. If it’s a nice day, it’s an inviting setting to sit outdoors. This restaurant catered to those who have a bit more time to relax.
Bar Restaurant Plaine Dranse
Bar Restaurant Plaine Dranse is located right beside Bois Pin Restaurant. This restaurant offers grab-and-go pub food. They offer soup, salad, hot dogs, sandwiches, sausage, and charcuterie to name a few items. They have indoor and outdoor seating as well. Prices range from five to nineteen euros ($7 to $18 CAD). It’s the perfect place to chill and eat lunch.
Ski Lift
This is my family and I enjoying the ski lift. We treasured skiing through the powder that day. It was so much fun in all the snow. They have lots of run options varying in difficulty for beginners to expert skiers. Amazingly, so many runs link together offering many places to ski throughout the day. You never had to repeat a run (unless you wanted to) but instead, you could discover a new place to ski. The variety was endless which we appreciated. This place would also be fantastic for couples. I would love to take Kris there one day!
Accommodations
Avoriaz Resort offers many Vrbo accommodations when heading downhill skiing. Many of these locations are located in apartment buildings. If you’re lucky like we were, you might be high up with an amazing view of the surrounding mountains.
Day Time
This was the gorgeous view from our accommodation during the daytime. The sun lit up the snow on the mountain and made it pretty to look at.
Night Time
The night view was spectacular as well with the snow dusting on the buildings and the trees lighting up the pathways. Being so high up allowed us to get our bearings on the resort town.
Our Unit
We had a small yet functional living room allowing us space to play games, watch TV and relax after a day of exploring.
This space also turned into the dining room when it was supper time. Having a room with a kitchenette allowed us to save money by cooking our meals. We bought food at a grocery store we found near the apartment building where we were staying. Being right on the ski hill was super convenient for skiing and to access our accommodation for the week. I highly recommend booking with Vrbo.
Restaurants
There are so many restaurants, cafés, pastry shops and grocery stores when walking down the roads. We enjoyed getting ready to go downhill skiing in Avoriaz France. Walking down the roads was so peaceful. We were fortunate to have a beautiful view of the mountains too.
Having a fondue for supper at a restaurant one night was a treat. We could pick from a variety of meats, veggies and desserts. Sometimes it’s nice to eat out and get a change from the food you’d typically cook in a kitchenette. The food was delicious and well worth the cost.
Patisseries make the best snack or dessert especially when paired with wine! We found so many patisserie shops in the resort town with different flavours and shapes. There were so many options to pick from, it was hard to pick just one! We might have gone to the pastry shop a few times!
Final Thoughts
Do you feel inspired to go downhill skiing in Avoriaz, France? It’s such a special experience that you can’t replicate anywhere else. The number of downhill skiing runs available is mind-boggling. There is so much choice with a variety of difficulty. You can ski in Switzerland if you’d like or stay in France. We loved the opportunity to travel to another country while downhill skiing! How cool is that?! If you get lucky to get a fresh dump of snow, the conditions could be amazing! The accommodations can provide amazing views and are conveniently located on the hill. It’s super practical to have a kitchenette to offset the costs and cook your meals for part of the trip. When you want a break from cooking, there are so many cute restaurants awaiting your visit for you and your partner. Plus, who wouldn’t want to experience pushing their luggage through the snow with a cart? It’s a unique experience like nothing else I’d ever done before. I highly recommend checking it out. Book your trip today!
Additional Links
- Cross-Country Skiing La Féclaz, France
- Unexpected Hike to Nocelle: Wonderful Outcome
- Unforgettable Hiking Holiday in Bolzano
- Best Downhill Ski Day in Lake Louise
- Downhill Ski Sunshine or Lake Louise?
Trip Ressources
- Book your flights with Expedia
- Book your hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Book your vacation rental with Vrbo
- Book your experiences through TripAdvisor or Manawa
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