Ski Flaine - Ski or Snowboard in Flaine

Ski Flaine - Ski Resort and Snow Summary

Flaine (Grand Massif), Haute-Saone, France (1600m to 2500m)

Popularly regarded as an ugly, but functional, purpose built resort, Flaine has infact been designed to the Bauhaus school of architectural design and is the only modern ski resort to be recognised as an architectural treasure . The resort will celebrate its 40th birthday in 2009. Lifts radiate out in a skier-friendly natural basin, extending to Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt.

Flaine Ski Facts

Flaine in brief Flaine Ski Resort is:- Good for Expert Skiers. Fantastic for Intermediate Skiers. Good for Beginners. Fantastic for Snowboarding.

for Expert Skiers for Intermediate Skiers for Beginners for Snowboarding    4 Black Runs    23 Red Runs    23 Blue Runs    7 Green Runs 140km Downhill Pistes 15km Cross Country Trails 26 Ski Lifts 900m Max Vertical 2500m Highest Lift 1600m Lowest Piste 1600m Resort Altitude Full Page Map of Flaine

In addition to the skiing in Flaine itself (140km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Grand Massif ski resorts of Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt Fer à Cheval.

Flaine - the village - is not a sight that suits everyone, although it's famous concrete-block architecture actually includes listed buildings! Flaine the ski area, on the other hand, offers a tremendous variety of well connected skiing for all levels. Absolute beginners can start on the tennis courts near the town and can progress on long meandering Blues further up. Unusually, beginners are also served by a couple of runs beside the highest restaurant.

Snowmaking :- Flaine is able to augment natural snow, on 10km of ski runs, with 100 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 26 Ski Lifts of Flaine are able to uplift 32,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There are five airports within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Flaine are perfectly feasible. Geneva Airport is just one hours drive away, in good driving conditions, so you can be on the piste quickly.

Skiing in Flaine

The Grand Massif is one of the more precisely measured of the larger ski areas - with 265km (167 miles) of prepared trails linking the resorts of Morillon, les Carroz and Samoens to Flaine. Sixt, also on the Pass, has its own small ski area but there's no lift link in to the main Grand Massif skiing, the closest is Samoens. However it is possible to take a wonderful long (14km /9 miles) blue down which comes out close to the resort. Although the lifts do not go as high as at some of the other big areas (and higher than some others!), the resort has an excellent snow record thanks to its largely north facing slopes and proximity to Mont Blanc. Another unusual factor for the Grand Massif is that a good part of the skiing is below the tree line on trails cut through the forest.

Flaine is a good choice for beginners with wide gentle nursery slopes by the resort. There are also nursery slopes at the very top of the ski area, accessed by the Grandes Platières cable car and served by the Poya, Petit Balacha and Colonné drag lifts.

Intermediates will get the most from the Grand Massif as all its extremities may be accessed by easy or intermediate level trails, so there's plenty of touring to be had on long tree-lined slopes. All types of descent known to man are here - from long motorway cruises to short steep mogul fields. Experts sill also find a lot to entertain them in the Grand Massif, both on the 12 black pistes and off. The Diamant Noir, the Styx and the long black option down to the base of the Samoens access lift are all popular as is the Combe de Gers bowl of powder snow.

The Ecole du Ski Français and the International Ski School are both here in force - both offering trips over to nearby Chamonix to tackle the famous Vallée blanche (For good intermediates and better) as well as ski touring, heli-skiing and on or off piste tours in the Grand massif. In addition three specialist teams offer special classes.

Snowboarding in Flaine

The Jam Park in the Aujon area is the area especially reserved for freestylers. It contains a Boarder Cross and other features.

Both the main ski schools offer snowboarding tuition and the ESF operates its own 'Rabbit Club' and Club Piou-Piou for children aged 6 to 10 providing supervision and equipment (board, helmet, knee and elbow pads).

Flaine Après Ski

As with most of the purpose-built resorts of its generation, Flaine's night life is concentrated in buildings within the apartment and hotel complexes. Popular bars include Le Diamant Noir, the White Pub (famous for its range of beers and whisky) and the Flying Dutchman. There's one nightclub.

Flaine Snow Reports by e-mail

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Ski Schools and Snowboard Training - Flaine

Ski and Snowboard Resort Guides - Flaine

Also of interest for Flaine, France

Airport Transfers Chambery to Flaine Get Quote

Flaine Ski Chalets from £350 per week

Flaine Ski Holidays from £305 per person