Le Grand Massif

Le Grand Massif is a renowned ski area located in the French Alps. It is a vast interconnected ski domain, offering a wide range of slopes and breathtaking mountain scenery. This is a popular family ski area that is particularly popular with the British as its a very quick transfer from Geneva. 

There's 5 different villages with area access, Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval and Flaine. 

The overarching theme of the area is tradtional mountain charm and family friendly atmosphere, with all the villages and towns predominantly sticking to their alpine routes. 

The exception is Flaine, which is purpose built as a ski destination and the style and architecture reflects the common apartment blocks seen across Frances ski areas, with a few chalets and hotels mixed in. The ski area is split across 2 mountains, it's worth noting at least half the area sits at relatively low altitude, with the peak of Tete de Saix only 2100m much like the Evaison Mont Blanc Megeve area . 

The resorts of Sixt, Samoëns and Morillion lay below 1000m. So whilst the ski-in/ski-out option is possible, it very much depends on snow coverage and low temperatures. 

Samoëns & Morrilion and Les Carroz all sit around this mountain. Flaine sits at the far end of the area, with direct access to the biggest selection of slopes in the bowl it lays at the bottom of.

As we mentioned previously, it's a purpose built and dominated by Brutalist apartment blocks - which whilst it's not everyones taste means there's a lot of self catering options and ski to door properties. 

Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is a small commune located in the gateway to the area, it has a tiny local ski area but access to the wider Grand Massif is only possible by 20min ski bus to Samoëns, with return by Blue run. It is renowned for its natural beauty, particularly its impressive cirque—a horseshoe-shaped valley—and numerous waterfalls. 

Overall, Le Grand Massif is no 3 Valleys in terms of varied and challenging terrain, but it is a substantial area with villages and towns offering stunning scenery if you catch it with good snow conditions.