Avoriaz & Portes du Soleil Best Runs

Our Favourite Runs in Avoriaz & the Portes du Soleil

The Portes du Soleil ski area is so vast it can be difficult to know where to start skiing. So we have put together some of our favorite runs throughout the ski area. Whether you're into moguls, steep and long descents, or simply beautiful, quiet pistes with great snow, we hope that these suggestions will hit the spot.

Leisurely Runs in the Portes du Soleil

Beginners can make a day of it repeating the long blues into Morzine from the Pl�ney t�l�cabine; Piste B, Piste C, Piste D and Piste J. Have lunch at the bottom of TS des Mouilles before deciding which of the two big runs to choose from next. You can follow Piste B all the way around the mountain for a blue run home finishing at the foot of Pl�ney or do likewise in the opposite direction using Piste J and onwards to the Retour des Nantes green.

There are plenty of gentle blue runs on which to practise your technique; Seraussaix, Qu�mont, Gernes and Proclou before a refueling stop on the terrace at the restaurant at the foot of the Tetras. For advancing beginners you can then raise your game on the blue pistes Bleue du Lac, Stade d�Arare and Bleue d�Arare. Use the first of these runs to access the Secteur Chavanette gaining access to the blue runs Fornet and Chavanette serviced by the lifts Express du Fornet and Express Choucas respectively.

last updated 18-Feb-2008

Intermediate Runs in the Portes du Soleil

Intermediates can take a similar route to those described in Leisurely Runs, but instead can stick to the reds and blues. From Nyon remain on the Aigle rouge into the Combe and maybe onwards down the Chamois, all perfect reds. Heading over to Chamossi�re avoid the black Creux run and exercise caution down the top section of the Arbis red. Have a break at the Grand Pre area and move on to the Chavannes bowl above Les Gets after lunch. Take in one or all of the six reds available before heading for home after a rouge tinted day!

Intermediates on the Super Morzine/Avoriaz side of resort can take their pick from multiple blues of a more demanding variety and a similar number of reds, the latter concentrated in the Secteur Chavanette. Try the Bleue du Lac for a warm up before using the Express Choucas and Fornet Express to session the reds; Blanchot, Alpages, Cubore, Patenaille, Lanches and maybe the Canyon du Schott too. Return to Avoriaz for lunch at Chez Flow, Changa Bangs or one of the many other good restaurants along that strip.

last updated 18-Feb-2008

Advanced Runs in the Portes du Soleil

For advanced skiers why not head for Pointe de Nyon warming up on the Aigle Rouge before dropping into the moguls of the Aigle Noir. Use the TS de la Pointe chair to repeat as required before moving onto Chamossi�re to take in the Creux black bumps and all! Head back up the TS Chamossi�re and drop down the Arbis red, this should really be a black at the top, it is super steep and often populated with moguls before opening out into a high speed super G style run all the way to the Grand Pre area. This is a good place to refuel in one of three mountain restaurants � take your pick. For the afternoon why not head over into the Chavannes bowl above Les Gets and work on the Yeti and Rosta bumpy black runs.

On the Super Morzine/Avoriaz side of resort advanced riders should head for the Hauts Forts secteur and spend the day sessioning the black runs. These are super steep, very long and in the case of the Combe du Machon exhibit some very demanding moguls. This is more than enough to keep you going for the day, with maybe only an excursion to Avoriaz itself, via the blue Stade d�Arare for a lunchtime refuel/rest stop. Try Chez Flow or Changa Bangs for food, this is of the restaurant variety in the case of the former and snack bar style in the latter � your choice.

last updated 18-Feb-2008

Tour of Morzine & the Portes du Soleil (intermediate)

How about the Circuit, a trip around the whole of the Portes du Soleil starting and finishing in Morzine? This is an all day affair and although most of the runs are technically undemanding the quantity of skiing and the length of time involved make it unsuitable for the less experience and the less fit. This also applies to snowboarders who will not enjoy some of the shallow blue traverse runs. However, this loop is perfect for intermediates or advanced skiers wanting a big day or out on cruisey blues and reds. The other word of warning is you need to be able to cope with drag lifts and t-bar tows as there are a few in the Swiss Secteur of this route.

Start by taking the Super Morzine t�l�cabine and the Zore Express. Drop down the easy blue run Seraussaix to warm the legs up a touch before getting on the Express Proclou taking you above Linderets. Choose from the blues and reds available to drop down towards Linderets and the TS Chaux Fleurie. This will rapidly take you to the ridge of the Col du Bassachaux leaving you to descend down to Plain Dranse on the red Les Voraches piste. Take the TS de la Chaux-de-Ros�es and descend towards Les Combes on either of two blue runs; Les Blanchots or Les Blattins. Both are wide and fast although not particularly steep. The TS des Combes will take you up above Linga leaving you to do a huge red Le Linga or the blue La Leiche all the way to Villapeyron. The red is super steep but wide but does have a blue cat track to the side for those not wishing to get too carried away.

Once in Villapeyron you will have to get the bus over to the centre of Ch�tel. You will be dropped in the centre of town after a short, approximately 10 minutes or so, journey. Take the TC Super Ch�tel up above the Super Ch�tel Secteur. To gain some more height take the TK Chermillon before dropping down the blue Chermeu. You now need to get on the much longer TK Chalet-Neuf to the saddle of the Portes de Culet above Morgins. At this point you are about to drop into Switzerland but do not worry you are unlikely to need your passport. Check out the view of the Dents du Midi something you�ll be seeing a lot of for the Swiss part of the journey and the best bit is that it gets more spectacular as the trip heads on to Champoussin and Les Crosets. Take the red Culet I but head off to skiers right at the first opportunity down the blue Sepaz all the way into Morgins.

Cross the road and take the old t�l�si�ge up the opposite side of the valley to La Foilleuse, this is maybe a good place for lunch, you�ll be hungry by now and the views of the Dents du Midi are spectacular. Follow the blue run in the sign posted direction of Champoussin. This will drop you all the way down to a t-bar lift TK Les Bochasses. Follow the blue all the way to the TS Aiguille des Champeys. For those more advanced skiers making good time, early afternoon, you could drop down the black and take the same lift back up. For everyone else head down the blue in the direction sign posted Les Crosets and take the TS Pointe de l�Au leaving you on the said point perched above Les Crosets. Follow the reds into the blue runs down the face of the Portes du Soleil.

If in Les Crosets you are running late and are in danger of getting stuck over in Switzerland as the lifts shut; so at about three thirty take the TS des Mossettes to get yourselves back into France. At worst you will have to drop down through Linderets to Ardent and get the ski bus back to Morzine. For everyone else you can move on to the TS Crosets. Follow the blue turning to red run sign posted direction Champery which will bring you to the Grand Paradis and the t�l�si�ge of the same name. Drop to the foot of the TS Planachaux a few meters away and from there take the blue to the foot of the TK Ripaille. Use the blue to descend to the TS Chavanette and watch as you ascend over the Swiss Wall. If you have time and are an expert skier of bumps and steeps then you could return to the foot of this lift and retrace your steps. Be warned this is the longest and most difficult run in the Portes du Soleil and puts many people into trouble and into hospital. That would be a very inaccessible hospital in Monthey making it unlikely your friends will come to visit.

Once you are at the top of the Swiss wall drop into the Chavanette Secteur above Avoriaz. Take the red Lanches run joining the blue Chavanette and onwards into Avoriaz via the blue Retour Chavanette by what will be the frozen Lac to the skier�s right. Hopefully at this point the lifts will still be running but it will be close whichever way you look at it. If they are running take the Express du Stade cutting over to the Bleue de Arare in the direction of Morzine as you ascend in the lift. This will drop you down to the top of the Prodains t�l�ph�rique. If you missed the Express du Stade then make the short walk, ten minutes at the most, to Prodains. From here you could take the t�l�ph�rique down but that would be a shame after all that skiing, much better to opt for the Le Crot home run. At this point you will most definitely have very sore legs to show for you trip around the Portes Du Soleil. All that remains is a short bus ride back down the Vall�e Ardoisi�res into Morzine town for some liquid refreshment.

last updated 18-Feb-2008