About the french alps

HAUTE SAVOIE

Haute Savoie is the Department of France where AGENCE INTERNATIONAL operates in and around the ski resorts of LES PORTES DU SOLEIL and LE GRAND MASSIF and villages and small independent resorts close to LAKE GENEVA.

These are the most convenient destinations from Geneva Airport for winter sports and mountain summer holidays with transfer time one hour or less. By road it takes approximately eight hours drive from each of Calais, Le Havre and other Channel ports.

SUPERB YEAR ROUND AREA
FOR HOLIDAYS OR
PERMANENT RESIDENCE

The small towns and villages of this part of Haute Savoie were formerly mountain farming communities.

They are in the valleys close to the rivers and mountain streams of the area surrounded by towering mountains. It is an area of great beauty.

Many of the mountains are at heights well in excess of 2000 metres and are now world famous ski areas.

LES PORTES DU SOLEIL comprises twelve lovely villages in France and Switzerland linked by a brilliant ski system with around 650 kilometres of prepared pistes.

LE GRAND MASSIF is also a very extensive ski area with 260 kilometres of pistes linking four charming villages around the purpose built Flaine.

In summer these are superb areas for activity holidays with mountain walking, horse riding, biking, tennis, golf, parapenting, white water rafting, fishing, etc. etc. In addition there are local and international sporting events, concerts, art exhibitions and village fetes.

This is indeed a very good area for earning RENTAL INCOME from your holiday home.

SKIING IN LES PORTES DU SOLEIL

The Portes Du Soleil is the largest ski area in the world with approximately 700 kilometres of prepared pistes and, at the latest count, some 200 ski lifts. One ski pass connects twelve resorts in France and Switzerland and the system really works.

There are free navette buses usually only necessary to get to a chosen starting point and return after a day spent skiing in a fabulously beautiful area with enormous range of options. Except in February high season there is a little inconvenience with queuing.

High level skiing at altitudes in excess of 2000 metres is easily accessible, particularly around Avoriaz, the one purpose-built ski resort. Other resorts were formerly mountain farming communities nestling in the valleys surrounded by spectacular mountains.

The Domaine Des Portes Du Soleil is of such a size that it is necessary to break the area down into 5 Massifs for the management of the area as a whole. The season starts mid-December and always finishes at the end of April with a friendly end of season competition for all those involved in the ski industry. This takes place at Avoraiz.

This area is so vast that it takes times to properly comprehend the range of options available. The Portes Du Soleil is a marvelously rewarding area for holidays and those who have skied in the area for twenty years still enjoy the opportunity to make new exciting discoveries.

SKIING IN LE GRANDE MASSIF

Le Grande Massif is one of the really large ski areas and at its centre is the purpose-built resort of Flaine situated in a vast ski bowl surrounded by high mountains.

In total there are almost 300 kilometres of prepared pistes and at the latest count, 90 ski lifts with one ski pass available for this enormous ski area as a whole. Le Grande Massif comprises five ski resorts connected by the system with a marvelous choice of ski options.

There is excellent skiing at heights well in excess of 2000metres. Of particular renown is the 14 kilometre piste, Des Cascades, descending from Grandes Platieres at 2480 metres through mountain forest, alpine pastureland, past a spectacular waterfall to Sixt Fer-a-Cheval.

The alpine villages around Flaine which make up Le Grande Massif are lovely traditional Savoyarde villages, each with its own individual character. They were formerly mountain farming villages and a particular charm is that they remain living communities outside the ski season.

Le Grande Massif is the closest ski area of international standing to Geneva Airport with transfers taking about 45 minutes. By road the A40 Autoroute is very convenient.

The nearest Portes du Soleil resort is Les Gets which is fifteen minutes drive to Morillon. The proposed ski lift connecting Les Gets with Verchaix will allow a short navette bus link between Le Grande Massif and the Portes du Soleil. What a phenomenal overall ski area will then become available!