Only 20km from Annecy and its lake, La Clusaz has long been a favourite weekend and holiday retreat of skiers from Annecy and Geneva. La Clusaz is a fairly large resort, offering a total of 132km of slopes La Clusaz sits at a comparatively low 1100m, while the highest point is 2600m. But lying at the centre of the Massif des Aravis, it enjoys snowfall that often puts its higher brethren to shame.

The Aravis pass which will allow you to ski La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand and St Jean de Sixt is a must purchase. Advanced skiers will want to spend most of their time at La Balme, with its extensive off-piste opportunities. In good conditions the run down from the Torchere to the car park is as good as many classic Alpine routes, and there are plenty of fairly accessible couloirs and bowls you can find on a powder day. The view from the top of the Col du Balme chairlift towards the Mont Blanc is breathtaking on a fine day.

This resort caters to all grades of skier, with enough easy slopes fairly close to the resort for beginners and sufficient tricky runs for the more accomplished. There are limited amenities for the nonskiing fraternity. Many of the hotel and significant self-catering properties lie just above the centre, although still within walking distance of the lifts.

The hotels tend to be in the mid to upper price range, mainly 2- and 3-star properties. There are nearly 23,000 beds, so availability is not a big problem, except in high season. Overall, La Clusaz is a very well-rounded resort, with a combination of great terrain, good snow record, and traditional village which is rarely found in the Alps outside Switzerland and Austria.

Locality:

La Clusaz is in E France (20 mls E of Annecy. 40 mls SE of Geneva and its airport. 100 mls NE of Lyon and its airport).It is nestled in the heart of the Haute Savoie region, in a valley in the Massif Aravis mountain range. Ski Information: Ski region: Aravis Pass Area, No of lifts: 95, No of slopes: 126, Beginner: 36%, Intermediate: 46%, Expert: 18%, Highest lift: 2600m (8530ft), Lowest lift: 950m (3117ft), Vertical drop: 1650m (5413ft), Not lift-linked resorts: La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand, St Jean de Sixt