Avoriaz ski resort, set in the heart of the giant Portes du Soleil ski area, is one of the easiest resorts in the French Alps to reach from the UK. From Geneva Airport, it is only around 90 minutes drive to the resort, (sometimes it can be less).
On arrival you will either park or be dropped off at the car-park just outside the resort, as the resort itself is car free. From here you will be met by resort staff who, in return for €1, will give you a sled to help transport your baggage for the short walk to your accommodation. If you prefer to travel in style, you can be whisked off to your accommodation in a horse-drawn sled, for which there is a charge of between €5 and €13 depending on the length of journey, and an additional €2 for each bag
Guests staying in Residence L'Amara benefit from their own underground car park and transfer drop off with direct access to the lifts and main buildings.
By Plane
Geneva Airport - 100km / approx 1h30m
Geneva is your best bet for flying to Avoriaz. Transfers are available with Ski-Lifts or AlpyBus. AlpyBus offer our clients a 5% discount using promotional code P0WDERB$DS. Please note this code is only valid if you have booked your accommodation through Powderbeds.
Chambéry Airport - 145km / approx 1h50m
None of the major coach or bus operators serve this route, so you’re best off getting a private transfer with Ski Lifts or hiring a car.
Lyon Airport - 220 km / approx 2h30m
If you'd prefer something private you can book a transfer with Ski Lifts or hire a car and drive. For public transport Altibus alti-bus.com serve the route between Lyon airport and Geneva with a regular coach service.
Turin - 250 km / approx 3 hours
There are no real transport links between Avoriaz and Turin, but if you are happy to hire a car the drive is twice that of Geneva, but is certainly doable, and involves a drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel.
Car Rental
If you require a hire car for your ski holiday, there are a number of fantastic car rental companies based in Europe.
By Train
Taking the train to Avoriaz probably won’t be the quickest or the cheapest option, but it is certainly doable in a day. It will involve taking a morning Eurostar service to Paris Gare du Nord, and then taking a taxi across town to Gare de Lyon. From here take the direct TGV to Cluses, which is 40km away from Avoriaz. You will need to take a taxi from Cluses. If you’re trying to keep costs down another option would be to take the train from Paris to Geneva Airport and then make the journey on to Avoriaz with Altibus. Either way, you can expect to get to resort some time in the evening.
Self-Drive
On the surface of it, taking a car to Avoriaz, a car free resort, is a bit of an unusual choice. However, it’s actually not that bad an idea. There’s plenty of parking just outside of the resort itself, and if you have less confident skiers in your group, a car could be a good way of getting to the outer stretches of the Portes du Soleil ski area that you might be less tempted to try and ski to otherwise. It’s one of the easier resorts to reach by car too.
From Calais, the 900km journey can take as little as 7 hours, but 8 is more realistic. On reaching resort you will need to park your car in the car park just outside the resort at a cost of €68 for the week. If you’d prefer covered parking this is also available at a slightly higher cost of €91 per week, and can be pre-booked at avoriazparkings.com