Avoriaz Lift System - Summer

This summer the lifts in Avoriaz and the entirety of the Portes du Soleil will be open from 3rd July to 28th August inclusive, just in time for the Pass Portes du Soleil MTB event which is held on the last weekend in June every year.

However, the lifts in Morzine & Les Gets are most often open earlier and close later so check out Morznet.com for more info.

During the summer months, Morzine and the Portes du Soleil has a total of 24 lifts in operation, giving access to 650km of sign-posted mountain bike trails, 850km of hiking paths, 400 mountain chalets and 10 mountain lakes!

As in the winter, you can purchase tickets for a single trip, multiple journeys or even a season pass and don’t forget, if you have a Portes du Soleil season ski pass for the previous winter, you can claim 50% discount off the price of your summer lift ticket!  Lift passes are available from the cash desks at the base of each valley lift station or you can purchase them in advance online. ... see "Avoriaz Lift Pass Options & Prices - Summer" for more

Avoriaz and the Portes du Soleil are linked by a variety of different lifts. The lifts marked on the piste map using straight black lines are of four types; button tow/drag, chair, telecabine and telepherique. They have the corresponding abbreviations:

• TK - téléski (drag)
• TS - télésiege (chair)
• TC - télécabine (gondola)
• TPH - téléphérique (cable car)

For télécabine think bubble car and for téléphérique think cable car. Anything prefixed/suffixed with “Express” means a 6 person modern fast chair lift.

In the winter the Avoriaz lifts usually start to open from the second week of December onwards. Normally only a few lifts are open for the first week, with progressively more lifts opening as snow permits. You may find that the higher resorts of the Portes du Soleil have the most lifts open towards the start and end of the season, as they have more dependable snow coverage than those resorts lower down. Getting up the first and last lifts of the season often means you won't experience the best snow ever, but you may find that you have the pistes to yourself, no lift queues and sometimes there are low-season discounts to be had. Spring skiing can be pleasant with warmer weather and more precipitation can mean more snow! The season usually ends towards the end of April.

During recent years, several lifts have been upgraded, and the Portes du Soleil now boasts 13 six-seater high-speed detachable chairs – there are new ones at Fornet in Avoriaz , Pre-la-Joux in Châtel and Grand Paradis in Champéry. The area has been at the forefront of technical developments, pioneering the hands-free lift pass back in 2000, and now you can also build up "fidelity points" which can be exchanged for a free day’s skiing. For this there is a deposit of €3/5CHF or you can keep it as a souvenir and re-use the card the following year.

The summer lifts reopen around mid-June and close at the end of August. There are not as many lifts open as during the winter, but the Téléphérique des Prodains and Télécabine de Super Morzine provide access to and from Avoriaz and the rest of the Portes du Soleil. The whole Portes du Soleil region has 24 lifts open throughout the summer season; they are used by mountain bikers, walkers, climbers, paragliders and those who wish to enjoy the fantastic views.

Below is our speedy overview of what the current lift status is in the Portes du Soleil. The list summary is probably most useful if you already know the valley and the lift names. If you don't, you may also find the piste & lift map handy if you are less familiar with the area.

This great map of the Portes du Soleil covers both the French and Swiss sides of the area, shows footpaths for hikers, and mountain biking runs. More detailed maps with specific hikers or bikers information can be bought from the Tourist Office and most newsagents (Maison de la Presse).