Ski in Megève

Skiing in Megève

Megève - Ski Resort in Ski Pass Mont Blanc, French Alps - 445km of Piste (1050m to 2350m)

One of the largest towns in France (third biggest bed base after Chamonix and La Plagne), with the most to do, besides ski, of any French resort. Options include a casino, choice of four beauty farms, bridge club, bowling, concerts, conferences, ice shows and so on. The huge ski area pass includes Chamonix, with the local area lift linked to St Gervais and Combloux. Megève itself has a medieval town centre. Heliskiing is also offered by the International Ski School and the Guides Office. The area of Cote 2000/Rochebrune is the most snow sure in the region.

Megève

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Megève Ski Facts

Megève Ski Facts

		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-Ski
	11	Black Pistes
	25	Red Pistes
	28	Blue Pistes
	19	Green Pistes
445km		Downhill Pistes
40km		Cross Country Pistes
79		Ski Lifts
1300m		Max Vertical
2350m		Highest Lift
1100m		Resort Altitude
1050m		Lowest Piste

Megève

In addition to the skiing in Megève itself (445km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Ski Pass Mont Blanc ski resorts of Argentière, Chamonix, Combloux, Cordon, Le Tour, Les Contamines, Les Houches, Passy Plaine Joux and St Gervais Mont-Blanc.



Megeve is a well kept secret; a traditional little Haute Savoyard village in the shadows of the highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc. This pretty and chic village is paved with cobble stones and automobile circulation is banned, to the great pleasure of all that come to ski and shop in well known boutiques found in famous cities around the world.

There are wonderful restaurants with 4 stars to their credit as there are hotels of equal renown. In fact you can find all types of accommodation, hotels, apartments and chalets from inexpensive to what ever you could desire. The night life is relaxed and includes a Casino and a Jazz Club. A huge sports complex and ice skating rink is perfect at the end of a long days skiing, or for those who do not ski.

The skiing is wonderful and challenging on a huge domain called the “Espace Mt.Blanc” and the “Evasion” lift pass is valid in all of the above. The domaine has a great majority of its runs cut in the trees which makes it the area to be in when there is a bad storm or “whiteout” conditions. In most ski areas above “treeline” one would have to stop skiing for safety in bad weather conditions but not in Megeve.

The ski area boasts excellent snow cover due to a combination of the high altitude of the resort and the “micro climate” created by the proximity of Megeve to the Mont Blanc. The pistes, Ski Patrol, groomers (pisteurs) and lift attendants are among the best in the world.

Megeve is great for all skiers but the intermediate skier will find it difficult to match the abundant amount of terrain at his disposal. All within sight of Mont Blanc and the French Alps at all times.

Directions from Geneva: 80 Km almost entirely on toll ways, “A40” direction Chamonix, turn off at Sallanches and a 20 minute drive to Megeve in the direction of Albertville.

This information was kindly provided by Mike Beaudet - Ski Instructor in Megeve.

Snowmaking :- Megève is able to augment natural snow, with 650 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 79 Ski Lifts of Megève are able to uplift 52,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

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

Skiing in Megève

Megève is a huge ski area with 320 km (198 miles) of trails spread across three areas. The largest links the resort over Mont d'Arbois to St Gervais. On the other side, the Rochebrune ski area is exclusive to Megève, whilst the third area, Jaillet, is shared with the villages of Combloux and La Giettaz. Mont d'Arbois and Rochebrune are connected at their bases by cable-car.

The three areas are together known as the Evasion Mont Blanc and form only a part of Ski Pass Mont Blanc which gives access to a dozen resorts in the Mont Blanc area, including Chamonix.

Megève's trails are largely cut through thickly forested slopes, the exception being the wide snowy slopes of Mont d'Arbois which reaches up above the tree line to the resort's highest slopes at 2350 metres. Most of the beginner areas are down close to the village and make the resort a wonderful place for first-timers when snow conditions are good. When the snow level is a little higher Jaillet is a good, quiet choice and Mont d'Arbois the most snow sure. This is also the area that holds the most attractions for intermediate skiers. Here the combination of the resort's largest ski area and steepest slopes are most appealing as is the picturesque terrain.

There are many red runs in the area, most notably down to Le Bettex above St Gervais.

Experts have more limited opportunities locally although of course the proximity of the world's tough skiing mecca - Mont Blanc - means you're never far from the terrain you want in this category. There are several steep blacks and off piste runs particularly on Mont Joly and Mont Joux. In addition, both ski schools and the Mountain Guides Office offer daily tours of Chamonix's famous Vallée Blanche as well as heli-guiding, off piste and ski touring. The mountain guides also organise long distance ski treks on all traditional routes such as Chamonix to Zermatt.

The Rochebrune area has long pistes, some among fir forests, and a challenging part at l'Alpette. The Caboche cable-car and the gentle modern chair-lift at la Petit Fontaine provide good access towards Cote 2000, the venue for World Cup races.

Cross country skiers are well catered for in the valley so long as snow cover is adequate, with up to 75km (48 miles) of varied terrain.

Snowboarding in Megève

Megève doesn't seem to gel with the 'boarding image too well, but it is trying quite hard with two parks, one with a half pipe.

Although there is no specialised snowboarding school both the ESF and International Ski Schools have snowboarding divisions offering tuition on moguls and in slalom, for beginners to experts. 'Boarders also have the chance to try off-piste 'boarding, heli -boarding and touring, through these schools.

The two parks are located on Mont d'Arbois and on Rochebrune (new 'boardercross) and there is good free riding terrain accessed by a higher propor-tion of chair and cabin lifts than the French norm. The snowboarding park is situated on the Mont Joux area of Mont d-'Arbois.

Megève Aprés Ski

Definitely in France's top three resorts for the discerning après skier, and no doubt rated number one by many, Megève offers a vast array of evening hostelries ranging from basic bars, through more sophisticated piano bars to no less than four night clubs - several of them open right through the night, so who cares about the skiing?

Although known for its up market and thus expensive restaurants and night clubs, Megève can be enjoyed to the full by the less well-heeled also. The Wake Up and the Bar St Paul are both among the less expensive/more lively options, whilst Harries Bar has a great choice of beers.

Apart from wining, dining and dancing Megève has a casino, three cinemas and an eight lane bowling alley with billiards and video games as well as the many facilities of its top class sports centre. There are 4 nightclubs in the resort (Les Caves de Megeve, Palo Alto, 5 Piues Jazz Club).

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Megève in brief

Megève Ski Resort is:
Ok for Expert Skiers.
Ok for Intermediate Skiers.
Good for Beginners.
Good for Snowboarding.
Opened : December 21, 2012
Closed : April 19, 2013
Opening Subject To Snow Conditions.

Megève Snow Forecast

Snow Forecast for Megève

Megève Piste Map

Full Page Piste Map of Megève

Map of Megève

Full Page Map of Megève