NetChalets

The Grand Massif ski area in France includes the resorts of Flaine, Les Carroz, Samoëns, Morillon and Sixt, and is one of the easiest and quickest areas to get to from the UK. If flying you can get from one of the main airports to Flaine in 3 hours - the transfer from Geneva to Les Carroz is less than an hour - so it makes for a very tempting weekend option.

There are two elements to this area, depending on whether you want to ski in Flaine. The Grand Massif ski area and corresponding lift pass allows you to access all 5 areas, while the Massif lift pass excludes Flaine and gives access to just Les Carroz, Samoëns, Morillon and Sixt. Opting for the larger Grand Massif pass gets you an extra 64 pistes and 400m of vertical drop. Families, beginners and those not looking to stretch their legs too much will be satisfied with the Masif pass, but if there’s a lack of snow the larger area with it’s extra altitude is the better option. Plus you get to see the famous Flaine architecture in all it’s glory.

The Grand Massif linked ski area is the 4th largest in France but often overlooked because it’s lack of big-name towns. It’s definitely not one for the pure off-piste minded skiers or snowboarders but offer families and weekend warriors some great options.

There’s a blend of resort heights in the Grand Massif, so while the purpose built Flaine sits up at 1600m, Sixt is at just 700m so skiing down to that level can be impossible when there’s not been much snow. The villages are lift linked with the exception of Sixt which makes it more tricky to get back from.

The 14km long Cascades is great run to the legs burning, starting up in the Flaine area finishing down in Sixt, and the area has plenty of tree-lined pistes to enjoy. 

The villages in the Grand Massif are perfect for families and those looking for a more peaceful escape. There are a number of excellent chalets in the area, giving great service and a peaceful location with access into the large ski area. Mountain People offer two high-quality chalets around Samoens, the Lazy Labrador and Chalet Coeur while Book 4 Alps have three chalets in Les Carroz including Chalet Calluna which includes in-resort transportation.

Total ski area:265km
Pistes:148
Number of Lifts:78
Snow parks:7

1 day area pass:€46.50, €41 for Massif
6 day area pass:€242.40, €213 for Massif

Official website
http://winter.grand-massif.com/

Linked areas:
Flaine, Les Carrroz, Samoëns, Morillon, Sixt

The Grand Massif lift pass gives access to all 5 areas, while the Massif pass gives excludes Flaine, giving access to Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt ski areas plus the Vernant bowl.

Easy access is one of the best things about the Grand Massif area. It's the closest area to Geneva airport, less than an hour, making it an ideal choice for weekend getaways. Fly after work and be there for dinner, or get the early morning flight and be on the slopes before lunch. It doesn't get much better than that. 

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  By air
  Geneva airport is only 90km and less than an hours drive/transfer away from the Grand Massif ski area. 

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  By road
  Take the L´Autoroute Blanche motorway (A40) towards Chamonix. Take the Cluses Centre exit. Follow signs towards Sallanches and then the Grand Massif.

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  By train
  The nearest train station to the Grand Massif is Cluses train station (37km). From here you can hire a car or take a taxi to the resort. Services to Cluses only run at the weekends. If travelling during the week take a train to Geneva or Annecy and then a transfer to resort.



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