Guide to Flaine, French Alps

Flaine is a great choice for low cost skiing holidays in France and is very popular with British families in particular. Situated in a bowl at a modest height of 1600m, this compact car-free resort is located close to Mont Blanc in the Grand Massif, at the northern end of the French Alps. Snow conditions are usually reliable on Flaine's north and west facing slopes and there are plenty of uncrowded trails for beginners and intermediates. Shops, ski schools and lifts are all close by. The wider Grand Massif skiing area is huge, most skiers cannot cover it all in the space of a week.

Mountain Information
Resort Altitude	1600m
Vertical Drop	1,710m
Top Lift	2,485m
Chairlifts	28
Total Runs	129, (262 km)
Longest Run	14 km
Advanced Runs	12
Intermediate Runs	49
Beginner	68
Cross Country	152 km

Getting to Flaine

The best way to travel to Flaine ski resort is to find one of the many cheap flights to Geneva, as Flaine is located only 44 miles from Geneva, the nearest international airport. Shuttle buses and taxis run from here to Flaine.
The closest train stations are Cluses on the Paris-St Gervais line and Annecy-Geneva on the TGV line. Bus or taxi transfers are available from the railway station. There is a frequent daily Alpbus coach service from Cluses to Flaine, a 20 mile trip. The ski resort is just 20 miles from the A40 motorway. Pay and free car parks are situated at the entrance to the resort, but you can unload luggage at your accommodation.

Accommodation in Flaine

The concrete architecture looks austere, but blends in rather well with the rocks and crags of the valley. Skiers can choose from a wide variety of cheap accommodation. Flaine's hotels are now all run by tour operators, but there is a large choice of mostly budget self-catering apartments and wooden chalets available for independent travellers. Apartments tend to be on the small side. Hameau de Flaine is an attractive newish development of Norwegian-style chalets 1.3 mile away, served by a free bus. More acommodation can be found in nearby villages Les Carroz, Morillon and Samoens.

Bars, restaurants and apres-ski in Flaine

Flaine is not chosen for its vibrant nightlife, but there are several nice bars. The White Grouse Pub, Flying Dutchman and Diamant Noir are some the best venues. Local restaurants serve traditional fondues, or try the excellent pizzerias and snack bars. Many of the hotels also have good restaurants.

Other Entertainment

Apart from skiing and ski schools, there are great non-skiing activities to choose from in Flaine, such as snow scooter rides, ice skating, dog-sledding, cinema, gym and swimming pool. Most popular is taking a spin on the ice driving track. Children have great fun sledging and snow sledges can be purchased at the local sport shops. For enthusiastic snowboarders there is Jam Park Pro, one of the biggest snowboarding parks in Europe.
All season long, Flaine organises a variety of entertainment for young and old such as concerts, night-time ski shows on the pistes, exhibitions at the Cultural Centre, a Snow Carnival, puppet shows, torchlight parades and much more.
 
Compare more French Ski areas or read our latest guide to Italian and Swiss skiing resorts.

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