One thing is for certain in the Portes du Soleil ski area... there is plenty of skiing to be had! In fact- over 400km of it! Encompassing over 14 different resorts on both French and Swiss sides of the border, the ‘Gateway to the Sun’ has a variety of different terrain for a variety of different abilities. Trips to the Portes du Soleil with Inghams will go to either the picture-perfect Savoyard town of Morzine, or the 1960s retro-futuristic pop art style Avoriaz. Both towns offer something unique and sit within close proximity to the slopes and skiing.
Avoriaz sits much higher up in the region and can be accessed by the Prodains Express cable car (and by road during the day), and upon your arrival you will find the quirky town completely free of cars and vehicles. The best methods of getting from A to B in the town are either by horse-drawn sleigh or snowcat, or by simply walking! Avoriaz is small and compact, with all useful amenities grouped around the centre of town, and high-rising apartment blocks making the most of the stunning views over the mountains. The skiing area sits very literally on the doorstep of Avoriaz and at the end of the day you can ski all the way down into Morzine.
Morzine is a hustling and bustling ‘centre’ of the Portes du Soleil and houses many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as being the home to some of Inghams’ fabulous chalets and chalet hotels. A classical Savoyard town with chalet-style buildings, you can really get stuck into the après ski culture in Morzine with its wonderful array of activities off the slopes.
The rest of the expansive Portes du Soleil ski region is made up of a mixture of French and Swiss resorts that lie between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, Châtel, Morgins, Champery, Montriond, La Chapelle-d'Abondance, Saint-Jean-d'Aulps, Les Gets, Val d'Illiez, Champoussin, Les Crosets, Torgon and Abondance.
The skiing in the Portes du Soleil is world class, as we have already said, there are over 400km pistes to be enjoyed and a majority of these can be classed as easy cruising blues and reds, with some fun and particularly challenging spots to be hunted down by the keen skiers and snowboarders out there. Beginners are well covered too with the brilliant ESF on hand with lessons and coaching, there are designated nursery slopes and practising areas that are out of the way from the main through traffic in the resort.
