The Best Ski Runs in Avoriaz, According to Our Resort Team

With 650km of piste across the Portes du Soleil, choosing where to ski in Avoriaz can be overwhelming, especially if it's your first visit. Piste maps only tell you so much. What they don't tell you is which runs catch the morning sun, which ones stay quiet on a busy week or where to find the views that make you stop halfway down and just stare.

So we asked the people who know best - our resort team. These are the runs they head for on their days off, the ones they recommend to guests over breakfast and the ones they never get tired of skiing.

Ask ten skiers and you'll get ten different answers.  But the best runs tend to share a few things in common - they're quieter than the main routes, they hold their snow well and they have something that makes you want to do them again. Maybe it's the view at the top, the gradient in the middle or the restaurant at the bottom.  Here's where the team would take you.

Favourite ski run in Avoriaz: The red run under the Grandes Combes chair, “Jean Vuarnet”.  

Why Henry loves it: “It is much quieter than the neighbouring areas and drops from the top of the Lac Intrets/Arare sector back towards Prodains, so lots of people miss it. The Grandes Combes chair is usually super quiet too. The steep pitch in the top section is great for practising carving turns, especially later in the season.”

How to get to it: Take the high-speed Lac-Intrets chairlift up from Avoriaz then follow a short blue piste to the start of the Jean Vuarnet red run.

Best time of day to ski it: “On a quiet morning, freshly groomed after some new snow, it’s hard to beat. The views down the Prodains valley with the afternoon light catching it is a stunning end to the day also."

Ski lift you’ll end up at: Grande Combe chairlift.

Favourite ski run in Avoriaz: Piste 18 (black piste)  

Why Ben loves it: “The black run “Piste 18”, heading down towards Les Crosets, is my go-to run. It's a proper steep black with plenty of character. After the flatter section in the middle, you come to a roller where the ground seems to disappear beneath your feet. It's a brilliant feature that always catches people's attention – especially if you pop a shifty off the lip and get a few gasps from those looking down from the crest.” 

How to get to it: From Avoriaz, ski down into Les Lindarets then take the Léchère and Cases chairlifts. From the top of Cases, you take the blue run into Switzerland (there are lots of signs for “Suisse”) where the run begins. 

Best time of day to ski it: “Early morning is definitely the time to hit it. The slope catches the sun first thing, giving you great visibility and some of the best snow conditions of the day. Despite being a black run, it doesn't tend to develop as many moguls as some of the other steep pistes in the area, so you can often enjoy smooth, flowing turns long after neighbouring runs have become bumped up.” 

Ski lift you’ll end up at: Grand-Conche and Mossettes-Suisses chairlifts 

Favourite ski run in Avoriaz: "Les Combes", beneath the Les Combes chairlift on the way over to Châtel (red piste)

Why Holly loves it: “It's easy to get to, being just a few lifts over from our chalets, but generally quieter as it's out of the central Avoriaz bowl. The run has some steeper sections, but they quickly flatten out, giving you the confidence to carve big, fast turns knowing you'll naturally slow down afterwards. And the best part? There’s a great restaurant at the bottom of the lift that catches the sun all day, making it the perfect spot to stop for a well-earned cheeky beer after a few laps.”

How to get to it: From Avoriaz, ski down into Les Lindarets and take the Chaux Fleurie lift. Ski the short red run down to Chaux des Rosées, take the lift up, then ski down to the Les Combes chairlift - the run is under that chairlift. 
 
Best time of day to ski it: It's a long, wide-open red piste that's best skied early in the morning while it's freshly groomed. 
 
Ski lift you’ll end up at: Les Combes and Cornebois chairlifts 

Favourite ski run in Avoriaz: Bleue d’Arare (blue piste)

Why Ben loves it: “I’ve been working in the Portes du Soleil for a few years now. One thing I never get bored of? The skiing here. It’s unreal. Some of my favourite runs in the whole resort are over in the Avoriaz and Châtel areas, and right at the top of my list is Bleue d’Arare. This is such a fun, cruisy blue. It’s the perfect run to wake the legs up first thing in the morning.“  

How to get to it: Take the Express du Stade and Arare chairlifts. 
 
Best time of day to ski it: “My advice? Get first lifts. You want to be on this piste before everyone else gets there. It’s wide, flowy, and easy to enjoy, but if you want to push yourself, it can still give you a proper challenge. It’s a favourite training spot for the local race teams too, so time it right and you might catch it when it’s freshly groomed and wide open.” 
 
Ski lift you’ll end up at: Stade and Lac Intrets chairlifts 

Favourite ski run in Les Gets: Sautenaille (red piste) 

Why Amelia loves it: “The lift takes you above the treeline and then skiing back down is beautiful and really fun if you peel off and ski through the trees.“  

How to get to it: From Les Gets, take the Chavannes chairlift then ski down and take the Ranfoilly chairlift to the top.
 
Best time of day to ski it: "Mid-morning is ideal so it has time to soften a little before you ski it. It does tend to get bumpy in the afternoon, so aim to ski it before lunch if you can.”  
 
Ski lift you’ll end up at: Ranfoilly and Nauchets chairlifts

Favourite ski run in Morzine: Arbis (red piste) 

Why Nici loves it: Starting high above Morzine (with views of Mont Blanc), it's a fun, flowing red with plenty of interest and the perfect run to ski before dropping back down to the village on the blues.

How to get to it: Take the Chamossiere chairlift where you have the choice of a challenging red (Arbis) or a steeper black run (Les Creux) depending on how you're feeling. 
 
Best time of day to ski it: "The Chamossiere ski area does get busier as the day goes on with skiers coming over from Avoriaz so the earlier you can get there, the better."
 
Ski lift you’ll end up at: Chamossiere Express 

After all that, is there a clear winner? Not really and that's rather the point. The best run depends on what you're looking for: a quiet carving piste before anyone else is up, a steep black that catches your breath, a cruisy blue to ease into the morning or a hidden red through the trees that is perfect on a low-visibility day.

What our team's favourites do show is just how much variety the Portes du Soleil has to offer. Six people, six completely different runs, spread across Avoriaz, Les Gets and Morzine.

If you haven't skied here yet, the only way to find your own favourite is to come and try.

Explore our luxury catered ski chalets in Avoriaz and start planning your next trip to the mountains.