Flaine

Flaine Ski Resort

Flaine is a firm Ski Club favourite and there’s plenty of reasons why. The snow quality is consistently excellent, the ski-in-ski-out resort is as convenient as it gets and then there’s the 265km of varied slopes in the Grand Massif ski area.

The north-facing bowl above Flaine has a reputation for maintaining great snow conditions, whether this is on the gentle blues above the resort or on the plentiful off piste that gives this resort so much variety. Add in the network of mostly tree-lined slopes dropping down towards Samoëns, Les Carroz and Morillon and the 265km of linked pistes will keep all but the most expert of skiers happy.

The purpose-built resort was designed with a striking Bauhaus style in mind and although it may appear quite stark, it is incredibly convenient and most of the accommodation is ski-in-ski-out. The car free streets are very family-friendly and when you add in a quick, hour-long transfer from Geneva, this is one of the most accessible resorts in France.

It is therefore no surprise that Flaine has long been a key part of Ski Club Freshtracks and once again this winter we’re offering 17 weeks of holidays at the two Chalet Freshtracks – ranging from Advanced Powder Skills holidays to Learn to Ski Powder trips.

In addition, our popular Instructor-led Guiding Service, led by the fantastic Phillipe Clerc returns to the resort again this season – sessions can be booked between 22nd December and 13th April this season.

Why not also join our Ski Club Flaine Facebook Group, the hub for members heading out to the resort this season.

What's New for 2019/20?

Flaine is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019/20. Over the past 50 years Flaine has built an excellent lift system and it is therefore of little surprise that there are no significant lift upgrades for this winter.

Despite already having a reputation for maintaining excellent snow conditions throughout the season, electrical work has been carried out to facilitate the expansion of snow making facilities on the Tourmaline piste. This includes the installation of new snow cannons, with a new water pump and air compressor to serve them.

Our Flaine Resort Ratings

• Beginner ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Intermediate ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Advanced ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Snow Reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Fast Lifts ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Resort Activities ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Après ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Flaine Skiing and Snowboarding

The ski area is perfect for families, with most of the local slopes ending up right back in the heart of town – it’s pretty hard to get lost. There’s some great on piste cruising, especially when you include the rest of the Grand Massif and take advantage of the long, tree-lined runs down towards Samoëns. With such a good snow record, Flaine is also a great resort for off piste and this is the reason why we keep returning to this great area year on year.

• Total Pistes: 145km (265 km in Grand Massif)
• Green: 14%
• Blue: 44%
• Red: 34%
• Black: 9%
• Lifts: 24 (63 in Grand Massif)
• Altitude: 697m (lowest slopes in Flaine 1600m) – 2480m

For Beginners

This is a great resort for beginners, and there are some fantastic learning areas right in town, just steps away from most of the accommodation. Several of the lifts are free and there is also an excellent beginner points card. For a longer green, it is worth moving across to the Arolle piste below the Le Lac chairlift – you do need to drive there or catch the bus however. Progression on to gentle blues and longer runs is then possible across the ski area.

For Intermediates

Flaine is ideal for confident intermediates, with a great variety of long, well-groomed blues and reds in the snowsure bowl above Flaine. Many of these drop the full 800m of vertical back to the resort and are a blast first thing in the morning when freshly pisted. More adventurous intermediates will want to explore the blues and reds above Samoëns and Morillon – we’d recommend the long runs served by the Coulouvrier chairlift.

For Advanced/Expert & Off Piste

Some fantastic lift-served off piste and some seriously challenging terrain is within easy reach of the resort. Most of the blacks are genuinely steep and the two marked freeride zones – off the Lindars Nord chair and Veret draglift – are always popular. The Combe de Gers is another excellent area, although it is served by a fairly tricky draglift. Make sure you utilise the Ski Club’s ILG Service to experience the very best that the resort has to offer.

Flaine Piste Map

The Grand Massif piste map can be downloaded here.

Flaine Ski Pass Prices

It is only possible to purchase one or two day passes for Flaine. Should you wish to ski for longer than this, you will have to purchase a pass for the entire Grand Massif. Make sure you purchase your 6-day pass more than 60 days in advance to get the sixth day for free. A Grant Massif season pass costs €489 if bought before 10th December, after which point it will cost €978. Note that these prices may change, so check with the resort for the latest or give the Ski Club’s expert info & advice team a call on 020 8410 2009.

Flaine Season Dates

• Opening Date: 14th December 2019
• Closing Date 19th April 2020

For full details see the resort's website and note that these dates are subject to change. The Ski Club’s expert info & advice team are also on hand to help – call 020 8410 2009.

Flaine Resort

There are two main sectors. The lower zone is Hameau de Flaine, a collection of smaller chalets that are home to the Ski Club’s two Freshtracks Chalets, and the upper village with its larger apartment blocks and hotels. As you’d expect with a purpose-built resort, it has all the amenities you need, although it is relatively quiet – don’t come here expecting raucous après.

For Families

The ski-in-ski-out convenience of the traffic-free resort makes Flaine a fantastic base for families, especially as all the nursery slopes are located right on the edge of the compact sector. There are lots of English-speaking facilities and there’s a very good chance the ski school group will be English. That being said, away from the slopes there isn’t a huge amount to entertain kids.

For Après

Flaine doesn’t lead the way in terms of nightlife, with only two main options – the Dutch-run Flying Dutchman in Forêt and the White Pub, which has a big-screen TV, rock music and a happy hour. The Perdrix Noire also has a pub feel, whilst the bar at the bowling alley is popular with families.

How to get to Flaine

At just over an hour away from Geneva airport, Flaine is one of the most accessible resorts in the Alps. This makes it an ideal weekend destination. Booking a transfer or hiring a car is the easiest but there are also buses departing Geneva each day. Chambéry and Lyon airports are other alternatives.

Flaine is also one of the closest resorts to the UK for driving and on a good run, you could be in resort less than 10 hours after departing Calais.

• Geneva airport: 1 hour (driving/transfer)
• Chambéry airport: 2 hours (driving)
• Lyon airport: 2.5 hours (driving)
• Calais: approximately 10 hours driving (548 miles)

Flaine Contact Details

• Website: www.flaine.com
• Email: Contact via online form
• Telephone: +33 04 50 90 80 01
• Facebook: @officedetourismeflaine
• Instagram: @flaine_resort_official
• Twitter: @FLAINESki