French resort Avoriaz is set to complete its latest expansion and transformation next winter with the opening of Aquariaz, the first Centre-Parcs style indoor waster park on a mountain.
The coming of Aquariaz has been trumpeted for more than a year now by Avoriaz owners Pierre and Vacances (P&V) which began life in the (still) stylish pourpose-built centre above Morzine more than 40 years ago.
P&V has since grown to become the world's largest ski resort operator, and also now runs plenty of summer theme parks across Europe too, and recently snapped up Centre Parcs – hence the Aquariaz development.
Aquariaz fills the need, P&BV see, for a growing leisure market that no longer wants to just ski all day or hike and bike in the summer, but wants a complete holiday destination up the mountain with leisure activities available indoors if the weather is a tad inclement, whatever the season.
The Aquariaz complex will spread over 2000 square metres and will be contained within a giant glass dome a la Logan's Run. It will contain large tropical swimming pools, a lazy river and water slides as well as other facilities such as a climbing wall. It's not yet now if a combi ski and swim lift ticket will be available but if you can't wait for next winter, Aquariaz is due to open in May.
It's the latest (and probably, to date, greatest) of a string of new leisure facilities that have been appearing across the French Alps in the past few years including at Tignes, Val d'Isere, Les Arcs and la Plagne. It's also the latest part of an Avoriaz expansion that has seen new 'accommodation neighbourhoods' added and major lift upgrades, including the cable car from Morzine, opened last season or announced for next.