This weekend, we explored the stunning slopes of Avoriaz, a ski resort that looks straight out of a James Bond movie. But is it beginner-friendly? Here’s everything I wish I knew before my trip!
About Avoriaz
Situated at 1,800m, Avoriaz is a car-free ski resort with 600 km of slopes. Its futuristic architecture is unlike anything I’ve seen before—straight out of a Bond movie!
How to get there
Since Avoriaz is a car-free village, you’ll need to park near the lifts. There are two main parking options:
Ardent (Route d’Ardent, Montriond, France) – A free parking lot right next to the ski lift and a few après-ski bars. It fills up quickly, so arriving early is essential. We got there at 9:30 AM on a Saturday and managed to find a spot in one of the last few rows.
Parking Prodains – Costs around €1 per hour or €5 for stays between 5 and 11 hours. More details here.
Where to rent equipment
Near Ardent, there are two ski rental shops:
Both offer online reservations. We went with Skimium since they had a promotion on their website at the time—renting a snowboard for a day cost around €24. The process was smooth, fast, and easy—just show your reservation number and pick up your gear.
Although not mandatory, I highly recommend renting a helmet if you don’t have one. It was only €7, and safety should never be compromised. Theft and breakage coverage was an additional €5, but honestly, the likelihood of theft seemed quite low here.
Ski lifts
The ski lifts at Ardent were modern, and due to their egg-like shape, they are often called “œufs” (eggs) in French.
Prices vary depending on age, duration, and whether you want access to just the French side (Avoriaz) or both the French and Swiss sides(Portes du Soleil), which costs about €14 more.
We got lucky—the ticketing lady gave us a special Saturday rate: €44.5 per adult (26+) instead of the usual €56 per day for Avoriaz-only access. Note that the plastic ski pass card costs an extra €3, but you can reuse one from other ski resorts.
The slopes
With 600 km of slopes, there are plenty of lifts and a bunny slope with a button lift for beginners. However, I found that some slopes on the French side were quite narrow and occasionally close to cliffs—something to keep in mind if you’re afraid of heights.
Also, 95% of the people here were skiers, with very few snowboarders. For a Saturday, it felt quite crowded, even on a cloudy day.
Things to do (beyond skiing!)
Beyond skiing, there’s plenty to do:
- Vibrant après-ski spots
- Igloo restaurants
- Snowparks
- Winter shopping
- Snowmobile and horse-drawn sleigh rides
Where to eat
We had lunch at Les Marmottes—I recommend trying the local dishes and desserts. Steak and pasta, however, weren’t very flavorful.
For après-ski, head to La Folie Douce and try the local St-Germain Apérol—a taste of Avoriaz that will bring back vacation memories wherever you go.
Other recommended restaurants:
- Chez Flo
- La Ferme
- MAMA Alpina
- Chez Denis (on my list for next time!)
What to pack:
Here are some outfit inspirations to help you plan for your trip!
Final Thoughts
Avoriaz is definitely worth visiting, especially since it’s only an hour’s drive from Geneva. However, while the resort itself and the infrastructure impressed me, the overall ski experience wasn’t as remarkable as I expected.
Hope this post helps beginner skiers and snowboarders! Feel free to share your own experience in Avoriaz.
