Avoriaz Lift System & Passes

For winter season 2009/2010, the main lifts in Avoriaz will be open from 12th December 2009 until 25th April 2010. The whole of the Portes du Soleil ski area is open between 19th December 2009 to 25th April 2010. It's worth noting that there is a 15% reduction on Portes du Soleil ski passes before 18th December 09 and from 3rd April 2010!

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!  If you already have a Portes du Soleil hand's free pass that you bought on-line (marked "Vente Internet") then you can recharge your lift pass online here.  You can use this same link to purchase a new lift pass for this season. ... 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

For summer 2009, the lifts in Avoriaz and the entirety of the Portes du Soleil will be open from 26th June to 30th 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 will be open daily from 19th June until 6th September and prior to that, this year, Les Gets will be opening some of it's lifts earlier than normal so that you can get in a bit of weekend biking before the main season begins.  The Chavannes chairlift and the Mont Chery gondola will be open from 30th May to 19th June, weekends only, and there is also the possibility of extending the opening dates of these lifts until 13th September, weather permitting.

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.