Help planning Ski day trip from Geneva

I'll be in Geneva for business the week of January 14 and on Friday January 18 I would like to take a day trip to go skiing. I'm an intermediate skier. My main concern is to get in a full day on the slopes, and make it as hassle free as possible, hopefully avoiding schlepping from bus station, to rental place across town, to the lifts yet somewhere else. I've read about a few services like Chamexpress (from the airport) and the buses to Chamonix that depart from the bus station. I'm wondering if i'd be better served by going to a ski area closer to the city than Chamonix? But what options would I have on a Friday, given that there seem to be more options on the weekend? I would appreciate any and all advice!

Take a look at La Clusaz. One of the very nearest French resorts to Geneva-about 1 hour by car. Nice village, good intermediate skiing with also plenty of blue and black runs if you want them. Stayed three times for a weekend only and takes some beating for all round convenience and atmosphere. Colpam

There are some smaller ski resorts on the Mont Jura overlooking Geneva. Gex & the Col de la faucille are the ones I have skied in the past. I'm not sure about transport to these area's but I think it would only be between 20-30mins in a taxi.

Thanks both of you. I won't have a car so i'll need public transport or taxi. Ag3jlh, do you know roughly what a taxi to one of the places you mentioned would cost? I'm sure I could get a taxi there, but would I have any problem finding a taxi to take me back again?

In my limited experience of such things in French ski resorts, half an hour in a taxi equates to about 80 euros :shock:

And I was in Geneva in April and I found the city eye wateringly expensive :shock:

I'd have thought the public bus would be a better idea. It costs 50 euros return from Geneva to Chamonix with Altibus (Altibus.com), and takes 2 hours, and there's a good service on week days, but it's not so good at weekends.
On weekdays there's a bus leaving Geneva at 08-30 and coming back from Chamonix at 16-30.

Maybe there's a ski resort on the bus route closer than Chamonix? And I expect there are other public bus services as well.

There is a ski bus from Geneva bus station (Gare Routière de Genève) to Le Grand Bournand / La Clusaz at 08:30 every Friday. The fare includes the ski pass. You can download the timetable by clicking on 'Description' under Tickets/Ski Pass and Transportation on the bus station website http://www.gare-routiere.ch There is also a direct bus to Flaine at 08:15, the timetable is under Tickets/Alpine Resorts/Description.