Avoriaz, good reasons to go there this winter

Have you ever seen pictures ofAvoriaz in winter? Postcards with incredible amounts of snow? Then you already know why Avoriaz is the destination for all those who love the white mountain in winter…

Of course, when you like to stroll through small, typical villages, admire the bell tower against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks, and hear the sound of a stream winding through snow-covered banks, you can be confused.

However, Avoriaz is not an ultra-concrete resort that looks like a dormitory town like there can sometimes be in the Alps: here, there has been an effort at harmony! Buildings covered in woodwork, which we call here tavaillons, wide spaces to wander around on skis or on foot and above all… the absence of cars, which ensures a feeling of calm and silence.

AlpAddict takes you to Avoriaz — Avoriaz and its morning mists

Avoriaz is a concept resort born from a vision.

The story ofAvoriaz is exciting: you have to understand that at the time when the notables of Alpine town halls were wondering how to develop tourism and sustain jobs and resources for their communities, someone had the idea of building a ski resort on a very snowy, but also very sunny and very well exposed alpine plateau. The vision of one man was the beginning of the adventure.

But then why? Avoriaz, in winter, is a unique resort?

Guaranteed snow!

To ski, you need snow! And of course, snow must be guaranteed throughout the season. Avoriaz is one of the snowiest resorts in France. The resort is perched at an altitude of 1800m, making it by far the highest resort in Haute-Savoie, which guarantees temperatures low enough to prevent the snow from being swept away by the thaws that occur in the valleys.

Urban artist Avoriaz is located in a pre-Alpine massif, the Chablais, at the foot of one of the highest peaks in this region. As a result, the disturbances bringing snowfall arrive at the resort without having encountered other large massifs that could have emptied the clouds of the snow they were carrying.

This is why it is not uncommon to have more than two meters of snow on the ground in the heart of the winter season, as in the photos you can see. Moreover, it is funny to see that to access the snow front, here they dig the snow to clear the terraces of bars and restaurants! When you have a drink in the sun while looking at the mountains, you are actually sheltered surrounded by deep walls of snow… Ideal for not being cold!

A little break on the terrace in Avoriaz with AlpAddict? — The sunny terraces of Avoriaz

A quiet station, because there are no cars

A Avoriaz, In winter, everything is quiet. The only noises you can hear are the snow groomers, the small caterpillars that transport people or equipment and the bells of the carriages that transport visitors, especially children amazed by this old-fashioned mode of transport.

When you arrive, you are obliged to leave your car in the car park, at the entrance to the resort. There is an underground one, which is better to book in advance, and an outdoor one a little before the entrance to the resort. For the outdoor one, it is better to have a shovel in the trunk that you will use to get the car out of the snowdrifts if it snows during your stay and a broom to free the windscreen and the roof!

Once at the station reception, the little caterpillars will drop you off at the foot of your building, giving you the impression of leaving for a mission in a polar base.

Then forget about the traffic, the smell of fuel, the access problems, the bumper to bumper and enjoy the silence! Especially in the evening when the slopes close, when the resort goes to sleep.

Quiet transport in Avoriaz — Horse-drawn carriages pass through the Avoriaz resort. A car-free resort.

The landscapes

Avoriaz is located on a plateau, overlooking cliffs above the Ardoisières valley.

Yes, yes, slate was extracted from it to cover roofs, and probably the blackboards of nearby schools!

The exposure to the west and south allows you to benefit from the light for a very long time during the day, until sunset, which is not possible when you are at the bottom of a valley and the sun passes on the other side of the ridges. Many skiers also wait for the sun to finish its course on the horizon before returning to their accommodation. The best spot is the ridge between the Lindarets valley and the plateau ofAvoriaz, just above the station.

The view of the small Ardoisières valley that opens into the hollow where Morzine nestles is sublime in all weathers. Whether it is when the fog breaks and reveals a few chalets, a stretch of road…, but also at night when the valley lights up with a thousand lights, a bit like an image taken from a satellite, or when the sun is shining and the continuous whiteness seems speckled with the dark masses of small fir forests. OppositeAvoriaz we admire the rock of Hell whose silhouette draws a bluish shadow during sunsets.

Looking towards Switzerland, on the left when you turn away from the view of the Ardoisières valley, you can see the Dents du Midi, which do indeed look like a row of teeth. They look like they are just behind the ridge line, but in fact they are not at all: there is still enough space to ski for several kilometres and enjoy yourself in Swiss territory before arriving at their feet.

The Ardoisières valley seen from Avoriaz. — The Slate Valley

Avoriaz, a safe bet in winter!

Whether you are a skier or simply a lover of winter atmosphere, Avoriaz in winter is a perfect destination: plenty of snow that you can enjoy in peace without having to pass between cars, cross roads and risk slipping on patches of ice, and a breathtaking panorama that you can only marvel at.

For some, the buildings ofAvoriaz are too high, for others there are too many people but I assure you, the buildings are behind you when you look at the landscape, and everything is covered with so much snow that you only see the mountain landscape you have always dreamed of!