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Avoriaz sits at an altitude of 1800m on a fabulous cliff top setting at the centre of the massive Portes du Soleil Ski area. This being a high altitude resort (the highest in the Portes du Soleil) ensures that it stays snow sure right until the end of the ski season.
Avoriaz was built in the 1960s with the architecture designed to blend in to the surrounding mountains, with mostly wood and slate being used which is in keeping with the natural surroundings rather than the 'concrete jungles' that some of the other resorts are today. Being a completley car free resort it has been made possible to ski to the door of most of the resorts buildings - no ski bus or long walks to the nearest lift! Horse and sleigh have replaced cars, children can go around on sledges and you can sit and soak up the sun, scenery and fresh mountain air on one of the many sunny cafe, bar and restaurant terraces.
Avoriaz offers many restaurants, cafes and bars to eat out somewhere different every lunch time or night. Late bars and pubs, shops, banks, grocery stores, bakery and cake shops, pharmacy and medical centre. The childrens village for 3-16 year olds which offers ski and snowboard lessons in a specially designed 25 acre area with fenced and controlled pistes.
Avoriaz and the Portes du Soleil have many adventurous activites on offer from the skiing and snowboarding to cross country skiing, glacier walking, ice climbing, heli-skiing (on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil) mountain biking on snow, ice skating, hot air ballon rides(Morzine) ice diving (Morzine), snow shoe walking, husky sledding, supervised tobogganing at night on the 3.1km Crot Slope! Not all of these activities start at Avoriaz but you can enquire at the 'Accueil station' situated at the entry to Avoriaz or the tourist office in the resort centre. If you want to take a break from the adventure why not try 10 pin bowling, cinema, beauty, spa and massage or for those with a bit of energy left a fitness and sports centre!
The Portes du Soleil being one of the worlds largest linked ski areas boasts 2 countries - France and Switzerland, 14 resorts - Morzine and Les Gets to name just 2 more, 650km (407miles) of pisted runs some of which criss-sross over the French/Swiss border, with the longest being 6km and the highest at 2466m, 10 snow parks and 212 high speed lifts all operated on a hands free lift pass system!
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