4th December 2024
We’ve all heard of Les3Vallees, Les Portes du Soleil and Paradiski, however what about Aravis? It’s within the Lake Annecy area and contains the neighbouring resorts of La Clussaz, Manigod, Le Grand Bornand, and the gateway village of St Jean de Sixt. NEW
They will not be linked in the identical seamless approach as the opposite mega ski areas in France, however that’s precisely their allure.
Every one has a personality all of its personal and are linked by elevate or a brief bus experience the place the journey is a part of the expertise.
All in all the realm gives an altogether extra real French alpine expertise with greater than 220kms of slopes for each degree.
There are fabulous steep blacks in La Balme sector (assume a smaller model of Argentiere) and countless cruisey blues for intermediates.
La Balme, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
The slopes begin at 1,100m and head as much as 2,600m – it’s not terribly excessive, however definitely excessive sufficient.
The Aravis is made up of 4 conventional villages, all originated from farming communities – La Clusaz, that has linked snowboarding to Manigod, and Le Grand Bornand with a free ski bus between the opposite areas and included on the Aravis ski cross.
Then there’s St Jean de Sixt – the gateway village to the Aravis.
The Aravis space is beneath an hour from Geneva, has glorious highway entry and is linked by rail to close by Annecy.
Picture c/o Aravis
La Clussaz
It’s a real French alpine village that oozes Gallic allure.
It centres round a sexy principal sq. with the ski space fanning out above and is the principle resort of Aravis.
Not like the French purpose-built mega resorts it’s steeped in alpine historical past with snowsports beginning right here in 1907 after an entry highway was inbuilt 1902.
In 1956, the primary cable automobile was put in, a luge observe was added in 1985 and the primary snow cannon in 1994.
It dwelling to the world-famous freeskier Candide Thovex who learnt his abilities within the space.
PlanetSKI handed by means of a couple of years in the past on one in every of our legendary alpine highway journeys.
We weren’t disenchanted:
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
Manigod
It’s a small valley village over the Col de la Croix-Fry from La Clussaz and linked by elevate.
The village itself is small and conventional with only a few outlets, all promoting native produce such because the domestically made cheese, Roblochon.
It gives a quiet get-away-from-it-all base for the Aravis ski space.
Manigod. Picture c/o Aravis.
Le Grand Bornand
It’s a smaller, and a few would say extra charming, model of La Clussaz.
Entry to the 90kms of native ski slopes comes from the village itself or the neighbouring hamlet of Le Chinallion.
There are many cruising reds and blues, but in addition some difficult black slopes at Le Lachet.
Newcomers are nicely catered for with good nursery slopes.
The realm additionally has intensive cross nation trails within the Vallee du Bouchet.
Le Grand Bornand. Picture c/o C. Hudry-Aravis
St Jean de Sixt
There is no such thing as a direct snowboarding from the village and it’s an entry space to the principle ski areas which are simply 3kms away in both course.
Don’t let the shortage of ski-in, ski-out put you off because it is a superb base and a standard alpine hamlet that sits at 960m.
It additionally gives glorious worth for cash and is a less expensive various to the opposite areas.
PlanetSKI final stayed in St Jean de Sixt with the corporate Skiweekender again in 2018.
A lot has modified, however a lot hasn’t, and general it gives the identical alpine expertise.
Verify the previous PlanetSKI reviews:
PlanetSKI is planning to go to Aravis for a couple of days in early January 2025 (one in every of our highway journeys once more), so look out for our reviews direct from the villages and the slopes.
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
So, what’s new for subsequent winter within the Aravis space?
New The Trapper’s Tepee
Welcome to Jack Digger’s tepee.
Jack, also referred to as the Skilful One or Nehirowisiw within the Atikamekw language of Canada, was the final trapper in La Clusaz.
Come and revel in a novel expertise in his genuine tepee, at an altitude of 1,500 m.
Share an unforgettable night on the planet of the trapper, on the coronary heart of a larch and spruce forest.
Go up by chair elevate or minibus, put in your snow sneakers or boots and make your option to the tepee, following an expert information.
Have a drink exterior, share the trapper’s supper, take pleasure in reside music and head again to the village by sledge. Swap off fully and revel in a peaceable night on the Trapper’s Tepee in La Clusaz.
New La Bascule – Big Swing within the Aravis 1860m
Again for its first winter season after opening in the summertime, La Bascule, the brand new large swing perched above the Aravis, gives breathtaking views of the encompassing Annecy Mountains and the Confins Valley over a six minute experience.
Big swing. Picture c/o Aravis.
New Financial savings for Bus Travellers to La Clusaz –A multi-transport reserving service has launched so company can plan their journeys from dwelling to resort and calculate the CO2 emissions and journey time of every leg.
Numerous transport options are then supplied to create the perfect itinerary.
Visitors who then resolve to journey by bus to the area can obtain a ski cross for 39 euros relatively than 53.
New Le Mazot– sleeps 6
Maison des Aravis, homeowners Mathilde and Sarah, prolong their B&B to incorporate a brand new chalet, Le Mazot sleeping as much as six in three ensuite bedrooms.
Charming conventional chalet with sauna and the slopes of La Clusaz close by.
Michelin* Le Cin5 – Heading in to its first winter season, Le Cin5 on the 5* Resort Au Couer du Village with chef Vincent Deforce main his staff combines native merchandise from the Haute Savoie with flavours from an island near his coronary heart, Mauritius.
The one Michelin * restaurant in La Clusaz.
New 6 Million Euro Chair Carry in Le Grand Bornand
The Duche chairlift can be changed this winter by a €6m new elevate providing extra consolation, and checking all of the containers by way of sustainability:
The brand new route with much less impression on the environmental plan by avoiding wetlands and pure, senstive habitats, and safer because of the gap from the chalets near the slope in addition to being higher built-in from an architectural perspective and extra economical in vitality.
Manigod – Largest Night time Snowboarding Space in Haute Savoie
Eight slopes open from 4.30pm, Manigod gives probably the most evening snowboarding within the Haute Savoie.
New: Particular ski charges at Manigod for college students [15-25yrs] 24e per day. Themed evenings every month:
thirtieth December – Olympic Video games night
18th January – Shock Get together Theme
sixteenth February – Sledging Night
twenty sixth February – Retro day & night
2nd March – Sledging Night
And if you happen to go to the realm don’t overlook to forego a little bit of snowboarding and take a look at the weekly market in La Clusaz.
It’s real France and the true deal:
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
La Clusaz, France. Picture © PlanetSKI
Roll on January for that PlanetSKI go to…
PlanetSKI in Aravis. Picture © PlanetSKI
Picture c/o Aravis
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