The Alps, a European mountain range, can be found in several countries: northern Italy, the southeast of France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, southern Germany and Slovenia.
You can find some of the world’s most beautiful ski resorts in the Alps. In Switzerland you have Saint Moritz, Zermaat and Gstaad. In France, for example, you’ll find the Trois Vallees resorts, Val d’Isere, Megeve and many others.
All are very popular with tourists, especially the Swiss and those from Geneva, who appreciate the French way of life in winter.
So let’s discover the seven most beautiful French ski resorts near Geneva, in the heart of some of the most beautiful ski areas in the French Alps.
Megève
Nestled in the heart of the Alps, the huge traditional wooden chalets of Megève make it a dream destination.
Created by the Rothschild family to compete with Saint Moritz, it’s the resort many associate with luxury and pleasure.
The panorama is breathtaking, and the view of Mont Blanc is sublime.
This ski resort in Haute Savoie offers 400km of pistes over four mountain areas, in the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area.
It’s also the perfect resort if you want to be near Switzerland. Megève is also home to everything you need for great mountain sports, as well as great restaurants and a casino.
The festivities in Megève start at the beginning of December with the lighting of the famous tree, which always attracts the crowds.
The magic continues with other events, such as the Santa Claus Village, the Christmas Fairytale and the fabulous decorations, parades and market stalls. It has all the ingredients for an unforgettable stay.
At the end of a day in the mountains, there are plenty of apres-ski activities. Enjoy a hot chocolate or a gourmet snack on the terraces and in the cafes, or try one of the typical Savoyard dishes.
Many of the greatest chefs head for Megeve’s top restaurants – it’s the only Alpine resort with three Michelin-starred restaurants: Flocons de Sel, La Table de l’Alpaga and La Dame de Pic – Le 1920.
Megève also offers wild evenings in bars and clubs, with a variety of atmospheres – there’s something for all ages and tastes.
Morzine
This family-friendly village known for its traditional chalets is between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
Morzine, one of the closest French ski resorts to Geneva, is part of the Portes du Soleil ski area, which offers 650km of slope across 12 resorts with altitudes varying from 900 to 2,366m.
From the centre of Morzine, you can ski to the Morzine-Les Gets sector.
For young beginners, the Pingouins piste and the ZouZous trail, with slaloms, tunnels and bumps make skiing fun and family-friendly.
Every December, Morzine brings the Fairytale Christmas to its guests, enchanting young and old with fanfares, fireworks, parades and the arrival of Santa Claus. Find out what’s on this winter in the Portes du Soleil ski area.
There are a whole host of fun après-ski activities in Morzine, usually to be enjoyed in the evening, such as:
- Discover the mountain at night by torchlight, and enjoy a glass of mulled wine under the stars. You can also opt for a fondue in a mountain refugee.
- Go night sledging with a head torch, followed by dinner in a teepee
- Solve puzzles to get out of this Escape room
- Enjoy a village tour in a horse-drawn carriage with jingle bells
La Clusaz
La Clusaz is just an hour away from Geneva, at the foot of the Aravis mountains. With an altitude rising from 1100 to 2600m, it offers 130km of pistes over five mountains (Beauregard, Manigod, Étale, Aiguille and Balme) and a Nordic area with 80km of trails (Plateau des Confins and Plateau de Beauregard).
This region is also home to Reblochon cheese (made from cow’s milk) and Chevrotin (goat’s cheese). Enjoy them while you’re here or take them home with you.
Here’s a small selection of the après-ski activities:
- In February, don’t miss the La Clusaz Carnival – an evening parade followed by a mountain firework display
- Try Ski Joering for a new way of skiing – behind a horse!
- Tour La Clusaz in a horse-drawn carriage – no need to book
- Enjoy some fine food in Michelin-starred restaurants:,Le Cinq – Au Coeur du Village and Pur. You can also ski to Chalet des Praz to enjoy Savoyard specialities.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
The ski resort Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is about 80km or an hour by car from Geneva. It sits at the foot of Mont Blanc, and enjoys fabulous views on all sides.
Chamonix has 150km of pistes over 102 different slopes, with altitudes of up to 3275m. From the resort, you can access the ski areas of Balme, les Grands Montets, Les Houches and Le Brevengt-La Flegere.
Its cosy chalets make it a warm and welcoming resort, and the views of Mont Blanc are a big attraction for tourists of all nationalities.
After a day on the slopes, there are plenty of fun apres-ski activities:
- The Mer de Glace and the Montenvers train with a visit to the ice cave or the glaciorium
- The Aiguille du Midi cable car, with its panoramic view of the French Alps. Try Step into the Void in a glass box 1000m over the ground – spectacular!
- Discover new landscapes and drive a team of up to four dogs with Huskydalen.
- Take the Brévent cable car to discover some great views.
Flaine
Flaine is a car-free, eco-friendly and Green Globe-certified ski resort just 70km from Geneva.
The ski area rises from 1600 to 2500m and has 64 pistes and 24 lifts. It is part of the Grand Massif ski domaine, which has a total of 265km of pistes and one of the best snow records in the Northern Alps – perfect for skiing! You’ll get the best view from the top of the Grand Platières.
Here are some apres-ski activities you might like to try:
- Discover the Nordic ski area at the Col de Pierre Carrée, the highest in the Alps. You can get to it by shuttle bus. It’s the place for cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, hiking, sledging and dog sled rides.
- There are several bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a relaxed or gourmet meal.
- If you enjoy snow sports, why not try ice driving – Flaine has its own ice circuit in winter.
Discover beautiful chalets in the French Alps
Châtel
Châtel is one of the 12 resorts that make up the Portes du Soleil area, which has 650km of pistes with altitudes ranging from 900 to 2466m.
The views are breathtaking. The Handiski area, for skiers with reduced mobility, is easily accessible from Châtel. It’s also possible to try sledging, Nordic skiing, freeride and ski touring in the resort.
Here are some of the apres-ski activities on offer in Châtel:
- There are plenty of bars and restaurants, as well as a nightclub and bowling alley where you can warm up with a drink, a meal or a bit of fun
- Father Christmas arrives in Châtel on Christmas Eve, to the delight of young visitors
- In February, don’t miss the gourmet festival Neiges Etoilées, and Châtel carnival
- In March, the blessing of the skiers is marked with a torchlit descent, wine and hot chocolate for everyone
Le Grand Bornand
Le Grand Bornand is a traditional Savoyard village with plenty of historic chalets. This traditional resort close to Switzerland has 84km of skiing over 47 pistes.
The diversity of these slopes means there’s plenty to keep skiers of all abilities happy. There’s spectacular scenery too, including the Aravis mountains.
As well as skiing, you can also try snowboarding, Nordic skiing (75km of trails) and snowshoeing (86km of trails), ice-skating, tobogganing, mountain-biking on snow, ski joeering and the legendary freeride trail, the Dénivel’Maxx, a descent of 1100mover 3km!
After all of this activity, you can enjoy a delicious meal at the wonderful restaurants in Le Grand Bornand. And don’t forget to try the village’s Reblochon cheese, it’s delicious!
How do you get to these ski resorts from Geneva?
These ski resorts are all easily accessible from Geneva Airport by train, bus or by renting a car. You can also drive straight to the resorts.
By bus 🚍
Buses run regularly to the resorts. Swiss Tour, Easy Bus, Altibus and SAT Léman all provide transfers from the airport. Consult the websites of these companies for timetables and destinations.
By train 🚆
The cross-border Léman Express will take you to Cluses and Thonon les Bains from Geneva train station, Annecy or Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.
By car 🚗
Sites such as Via michelin, Mappy or Waze will be useful when it comes to planning your route.
Here is a table to sum up the French ski resorts near Geneva.
Seven great French ski resorts near Geneva
| Name | Distance* | Transport and costs | Km of ski slopes | Hours of sunshine 🌞 | Resort website |
| Le Grand-Bornand | 48 Km | 🚗 via A40 then D12, 0h53, 8.30 € 🚍 Bus link from Geneva to Le Grand Bornand in the winter season (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). | ⛷84 km | 🌞 2701 h | Come to Le Grand-Bornand |
| La Clusaz | 51 Km | 🚗 via A40 then D12, 0h56, 8.61 € 🚍 Aéroski-bus Geneva-La Clusaz (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), 1h20-2h, 37 € | ⛷125 km | 🌞 2701 h | Getting to La Clusaz |
| Morzine | 61 Km | 🚗 via D907, D902, 1h12, 8.39 € 🚍 Car sharing (fares and times vary) or AlpyBus / Altibus, 1h30, 50€ | ⛷650 km (Portes du Soleil) | 🌞 1 951 h | Getting to Morzine |
| Megève | 70 Km | 🚗 via A40, 01h01, 13.20 € 🚍 Car sharing (fares and times vary) ou AlpyBus, 1h30, 45€ | ⛷ 400 Km | 🌞 1 951 h | Venir à Megève |
| Flaine | 71 Km | 🚗 via A40, 1h08, 11.43 € 🚍 From Geneva station to Cluses then take an Altibus. | ⛷265 km (Grand Massif) | 🌞 1951 h | Getting to Flaine |
| Châtel | 78 Km | 🚗 Via D1005 D902, 1h32, 7.85€ 🚍Take the train to Thonon-Les-Bains, then the ÉVAD bus, 1h20, 8€. | ⛷650 km (Portes du Soleil) | 🌞 2689 h | Getting to Châtel |
| Chamonix-Mont-Blanc | 82 Km | 🚗 Via A40, 1h01, 14.13 € 🚍 Book a taxi or take the shuttle bus | ⛷ 150 Km | 🌞 1 951 h | Getting to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc |
*Information for car travel is from the centre of Geneva. If you are travelling from Geneva airport, you will need to add the indicated journey time of about nine minutes (6km) with an additional cost of 0,60 €.
You now have all the information you need to prepare for your trip to the French Alps, near Geneva. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need any more information about booking your next ski holiday in the Alps!
