The family ski resort of Praz de Lys Sommand

It exists in Haute-Savoie in the French Alps, a ski resort perfectly suited to family holidays. With a ski area that unfolds opposite Mont Blanc, very well-snowed slopes throughout the season despite a modest altitude, the ski resort's tracks Praz de Lys Sommand allow the whole family to enjoy a ski holiday in complete safety.

I tested the Praz de Lys Sommand ski area for you!

The hamlet of Sommand

Let's start with the ski resort of Summons. Less than 50 kilometers from Geneva, it is accessed from Mieussy, in the Giffre Valley by the road of Ramaz Pass. The climb, in bends in a very authentic green landscape allows several times to glimpse the summit of Mont Blanc and its glaciers. Beyond the village of Messy, the forest becomes denser until you reach Summons, at an altitude of 1400 metres. A large car park, a few buildings, scattered chalets and a few farms: the essentials are there, but no more. Sommand is entirely dedicated to tourist activities. In winter, a magnificent cross-country ski trail is marked out in the forest, numerous hiking trails are marked out in the sunny areas and the ski lifts provide access to the ski area " Lys Space » shared with the ski resort of Praz-de-Lys.

The Praz de Lys ski resort

In summer, the Col de la Ramaz road descends after crossing the pass towards the Praz-de-Lys, before descending more sharply to Tanings. In winter, the pass road remains closed to allow cross-country skiers, hikers and skiers to indulge in their favourite activities in complete safety. It is therefore via Taninges that you access Praz de Lys. Unlike Sommand, Praz de Lys, at an altitude of 1450 metres, has the appearance of a real small mountain village. Large chalets serve as residences and smaller individual chalets are scattered in the forest or on the sunny slopes. Apart from the small centre which serves as the heart of the resort by grouping together most of the services necessary for holidaymakers, the habitat is scattered in several hamlets linked together by groomed paths or by road. The Praz de Lys plateau is very sunny, facing east and the massif of Mont Blanc and towards the south. The many trails that crisscross it allow non-skiers to enjoy a great mountain holiday without having to climb steep slopes.

Skiers, depending on the location of their accommodation, must move closer to the upper part of the ski area, gradually via a clever system of small ski lifts and green slopes, all very easily and very quickly.

The Praz de Lys ski area

We find on the side of Praz-de-Lys the largest part of the ski area. In total, you can ski over about fifty kilometers spread over about fifty slopes between 1200 and 1980 meters above sea level.

The hamlet of Wheels is the nerve center of the ski lifts. It is the starting point of the long Haut Fleury chairlift which leads to the highest point of the resort. The view is fantastic. At 360 degrees you can enjoy the Jura ridges as well as the Mont Blanc range, the Chablais peaks as well as the peaks of the Bornes and Aravis massifs. The long and easy blue Piste du Lac run passes over the Roy lake frozen and snowy before returning to the foot of the chairlift. Its regular layout allows you to enjoy the scenery. On the other side, the red and black slopes of La Combe descend to the bottom of the chairlift much more quickly and allow good skiers to warm up their thighs. Instead of stopping at Les Moliettes, you can also choose to continue the descent on the blue Tétras slope, which allows you to descend to the lowest point of the ski area, the starting point of the Praz l'Evêque chairlift, by a pleasant trail that crosses the forest.

The Praz l'Evêque chairlift takes you back up to Ramaz Pass, large sunny space and take the many tracks which run alongside or cross the forest below the pass road.

The Mouflons and the Chamois are steep but short red runs in the forest. They lead back to the starting point. They are pleasant when there is plenty of snow and the snow covers the fir trees. The Tétras blue run has the advantage of allowing you to stop before finding yourself at the base of the chairlift at the Véran chairlift, and thus discover a new sliding area in the ski area.

At the top of Véran, you can either go back down towards Moliettes or head towards Sommand.

Let's stay on the Praz de Lys side and return to Les Moliettes. We then head towards the base of the Roy chairlift. Three slopes go down: a blue one, a red one and a black one. Short, not too steep, they will delight families who at the end of the stay will have been able to go down a black slope together. Between us, the red one seems more difficult than the black one!

The last sector is accessible from the foot of the Roy chairlift. Via the Betex ski lift, you reach the Brésy slope. You can go back and forth along the Brésy ski lift or continue on the Hôtel slope to test the black Planey slope which goes down along the slalom stadium. Apart from a few bumps at the very beginning of the slope that can be bypassed by the groomed slope that provides access to the stadium, the rest of the slope is quite short. The only difficulty lies in its northerly orientation and its position in the forest which produce a few patches of ice. The return to Les Moliettes is via the Hôtel ski lift at the end of which you head back towards Brésy. You can also go back down to the centre of the resort from Praz-de-Lys.

The switch to the ski area is made from the top of the Véran chairlift, as we saw in a previous paragraph, but also by a black run (Vélard) which comes down from Haut Fleury. Not groomed in its summit part, it is reserved for good skiers even if the second part is much easier.

Ski holidays in Praz de Lys Sommand — The slopes of Haut Foly in Praz sur Arly

The Sommand ski area

As for Summons, arrivals from the Praz de Lys slope lead to the base of the Col de Sommand chairlift. This is also the starting point for skiers leaving from Sommand. This chairlift allows you to reach the high point of the Sommand slope, and also the tipping point towards Praz de Lys.

Let's stay on the side of Summons. Pretty blue runs (Col de Sommand and Pierre Rouge) go back down to the bottom of the resort. Many variants are indicated halfway up the slope and you can therefore vary the routes. At one end of the Sommand ski area (on the right going down) we find the slalom stadium and a short red slope accessible by the Buchilles ski lift. This allows you to switch to the Praz de Lys side via the sector above the Col de la Ramaz.

At the other end, going back down from Col de Sommand to the left by the blue Liaison trail, you cross the forest and you can choose to continue to the end of the Sommand resort on the Pertuset trails. Red and black trails in the forest. Short and steep to do in the afternoon to enjoy the sun that would have gone around the Marcelly point. The landscape is very beautiful even if the slopes are short. Return to the parking lot and the Col de Sommand chairlift by a fairly flat green slope.

Ski week at Praz de Lys — Landscape from the Praz de Lys ski area

Praz de Lys Sommand, a family ski area

The Praz de Lys Sommand ski area allows skiers of all levels to test their limits. The slopes are never too long and you can always get by reasonably well. It is still better to respect your own level.

Another important point is that around each lift there are slopes of different levels, which means that you can go up together and easily find each other at the bottom without getting lost. Only on the slopes of Sommand do the cross-connections require a little attention, otherwise, in general, if you let yourself go down to the lowest point, you will find each other again.

Finally, the orientation of the area allows you to enjoy magnificent landscapes. Apart from below the Col de la Ramaz, you never find yourself at the bottom of a valley. The view is always clear and the slopes very sunny. This is great when skiing in a group because you can admire the landscape while waiting for the latecomers. The panoramas of Mont Blanc are extraordinary.

The Praz de Lys Sommand ski resort, easily accessible from Geneva and Cluses, is a great destination for a day of skiing when you don't live far away or for a family holiday when the level of skiers is very different or when skiing with children.

Happy skiing!

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