Avoriaz Lift System & Passes

There is an array of options to choose from for your winter lift pass; depending on whether you are here for a few days quiet skiing, a week-long family holiday or a season of trying out everything the area has to offer. You may even find that you qualify for a discount - worth finding out about before you part with your €uros!  You can buy or recharge your lift pass online here. ... see "Avoriaz & Portes du Soleil Lift Pass Options - Winter" for more

There are a number of different lift passes available so that you can tailor your purchase to the ability and preferences of your group. The cost of your lift pass depends not only on which one you choose, but also on your age.  You can buy or recharge your lift pass online here. ... see "Avoriaz & Portes du Soleil Lift Pass Prices - Winter" for more

During the summer months the main ski-lifts remain open to allow easy access to the mountains for walkers, mountain bikers and climbers. As in the winter, you can purchase tickets for a single trip, multiple journeys or even a season pass and if you have a Portes du Soleil season pass for the previous winter, you can claim 50% discount off the price of a summer season pass.

Throughout the whole of the Portes du Soleil region there are a total of 25 lifts in operation during the summer months, as well as 650km of sign-posted paths, 400 mountain chalets and 10 mountain lakes - offering up a wealth of activities and an unmissable opportunity to see the Alps in all their summer glory! ... 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.

Avoriaz Lift System - Winter
Avoriaz Lift System - Summer