France's Freeride Masterpiece - Just 45 Minutes from the Airport ...
- Henry
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
I had never heard of La Clusaz before skiing there with work for the first time a few years ago. It suffers, like many French resorts, from being overlooked for a perceived lack of size or for its perceived French-ness – who needs to learn French when everyone in resort is British anyway?!
Since this first visit, however, I’ve spent several weeks here over the course of three years, and slowly come to love the place.
Firstly, a brilliant ski area covering La Clusaz itself, Manigod and Grand Bornand, featuring some of France's best freeride terrain; secondly, a historic village setting that is a real foodie heaven; and last if perhaps not least, its accessibility. This is why La Clusaz is the perfect hidden gem of the French Alps.
The Ski Area
The ski area stretches over 140km, reaching from a base altitude close to 1,000m and up to 2,500m at the Massif de Balme. It is a compact resort but spread out across several areas, allowing you to explore all of them and spend some real time in each one taking in the slopes.
The Aravis mountains are right on the edge of the Alps, too, providing some spectacular views as the mountains fall away from you to the west. Even more spectacularly, from the very highest points, looking east you have one of the most incredible, uninterrupted views of Mont Blanc you will find, visible across the foothills that cover the 35km distance between.
It's enough on a flat day to take the breath away, but if the sun comes out or the cloud settles low in the valley you suddenly have some world beating photo ops!
If that wasn't enough, La Clusaz also has night skiing, because for some people "last lift" just isn't quite enough!
Whilst the low elevation may raise some eyebrows, La Clusaz employs significant snow making capability to keep things fresh. Furthermore, a lot of the resort is west facing and shielded by taller hills to the south; whilst that means its not the best place for working on your goggle line tans, this effect helps keep the snow where it should be.
I've skied the La Balme sector more than anywhere else, and why shouldn't I? It's the home of Candide Thovex, French freeride icon who can still be found whizzing around the place in a flash of backflips and white. It starts up high with big open faces the ebb and flow over the curves of the mountain, before diving into trees - including some wide open tree-lined powder fields - that all benefit from being north facing with a great ability to hang on to good snowfall.
The access gondola is a little slow with a nasty habit to slow even further in a mild breeze, but the wait is really worth the while ...
Foodie Heaven
Secondly, La Clusaz features a wonderfully historic town centre, feeling far more like a village inhabited by real people compared to some other resorts. This is the world's first ski resort, with the first drag lift opening on the slopes above the village in 1906, just four years after a road was built up and over the Col de Aravis.
A wide variety of chalets spread along the valleys heading to and from La Clusaz provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy the region come summer or winter.
The village centre, however, is a buzzing little place focused on a pedestrianised shopping street. Here you will find plenty of places to buy, in particular, French wine and cheeses. The local area hosts a vibrant wine making tradition, but the biggest foodie asset the Aravis has is its cheese.
Reblochon is the local speciality, and my god is it good. A smooth, semi-soft, light cheese with nutty overtones that goes down a treat on its own, with bread or local saucisson. And with side plate sized wheels decorated with the Savoyard flag in pretty much any shop window you look into, you can't avoid it - and nor should you!
La Clusaz is also a wonderfully "French" place, having avoided the huge swathes of Britsthat descent on other larger French resorts throughout the winter. See it now before this is spoiled.
Accessibility
Finally, accessibility. La Clusaz is one hour from Geneva Airport, if that. Cheap, easy transfers make this a dream weekend destination, but for those that are fed up with three-hour transfers and long queues up and down mountain valleys, this provides one of the best alternative options.
The resort is about half an hour up the valley from the beautiful city of Annecy. Perched on the shores of the eponymous lake, Annecy is well worth a visit in its own right. Annecy is connected to Paris via semi-regular TGV services, and from the coach station directly attached to the railway station, you can easily hop on the Y62 or Y63 coach and be in the resort in a heartbeat. This is one of the most under-the-radar resorts when it comes to rail accessibility, but definitely one to consider for a "green" ski holiday.
Final Thoughts
I've really grown to love La Clusaz and the Aravis ski area. Whilst it's not a huge, well equipped ski area in the style of some of the best French resorts, it's quiet charm, excellent accessibility and wonderful food make it a must visit destination.
.jpeg)
