La Clusaz | Ski Resort Review

Just 30km from the beautiful lakeside town of Annecy, La Clusaz, in the Massif des Aravis, is an under-the-radar gem. Just under an hour from Geneva airport, this is one of the closest ski resorts to Geneva. 

The village sits in a lightly-wooded broad valley beneath the jagged pink Aravis mountains and is centred on a steepled church and a pleasant market square surrounded by a compact core of shopping streets. The market town is filled with a nice mix of boutiques, sports shops, patisseries, delis, restaurants and relaxed café-bars.

The surrounding hillsides are dotted with traditionally-built chalets and small chalet-style hotels. Overall altitudes are low, so the snow is less certain than in some of Europe's most snow sure, high altitude resorts, but an ever-expanding network of snowmaking protects most of the lower slopes and key links.

La Clusaz - Ski Map & Pistes:

The La Clusaz ski area is spread over five linked massifs: Beauregard, Manigod, Etale, Aiguille, and Balme. The skiing here offers something for everyone. The terrain is mainly intermediate but there are some lovely excursions for novices and advanced visitors too.

A gondola from the ski resort's main base area climbs up to the sunny Beauregard plateau, which houses the prime nursery slopes. Beauregard is also the starting point for an anticlockwise circuit of the ski area, beginning with an easy blue piste that links into the Manigod sector, where you may find the reds get a little scratchy when conditions are waning. Then the lovely, long Guy Perillat blue and a testing black, La Noire, slice down through the scenic forested slopes from Beauregard back to La Clusaz.

"The more testing Etale area is usually quieter, so it's a good place to head to on weekends"

The slightly more testing Etale area is usually quieter, so it's a good place to head to on weekends. A long, valley-hugging green run links back to La Clusaz, while the Transval cable car continues the circuit by linking into the popular Aiguille sector, with its mix of mid-range reds and wide blues.
The highest Balme sector enjoys the best snow conditions and the best pistes in La Clusaz. It's reached from Aiguille via long tree-lined blue and red runs, or by the tough black descent, Lapiaz.

The Fernuy gondola links back in the opposite direction. The massif is a magnet for local freeriders, while posted slopes here include some big open reds, along with a couple of steep black runs. These are the short, snappy Choucas and the longer Vraille.

As far as French ski resorts go, La Clusaz isn't particularly famous for its snow parks, but the legendary French freeskier Candide Thovex grew up here, and there is certainly enough to keep freestyle fans occupied. There are two snow parks in La Clusaz with the main one sitting just off the central Louveteau drag lift. The full Aravis area lift pass covers the neighbouring resort of Le Grand Bornand, which is linked to La Clusaz by a free ski bus.

La Clusaz - Off-Piste, Backcountry & Ski Touring:

La Clusaz has gained a reputation as a freeride paradise in recent years, producing not just Candide Thovex but also Loic Collomb-Paton. No review of La Clusaz would be complete without mentioning the undulating backcountry terrain that helped Candide hone his unparalleled skills.

From the uppermost point at the Col de Balme (2,477m), you can access some of the best off-piste and ski-touring in the Combe de Bellachat. The descents are mostly north facing and very open, with any large drops very apparent. It’s mostly of a gradient of around 45/50 degrees - prime avalanche terrain, so take care and always take a guide.

Alternatively, from the top of the L’Aiguille chair, a short hike takes you to a wide-open valley of fresh powder. And there are lines off Etale for anyone looking for something different. The Bureau des Guides La Clusaz offer good off-piste guiding and tuition for those looking to explore off-piste.

La Clusaz - Restaurants, Bars & The Town:

La Clusaz is a traditional village resort that the French have mostly managed to keep to themselves. It has no concrete hotels spoiling its pretty alpine ambiance. Being so close to the wealthy and beautiful town of Annecy, La Clusaz attracts a chic French crowd who won’t accept mediocre service, nor overpriced or badly-prepared food. A lunchtime meal in one of the many mountain cafes is always a treat, and for one of the best-known ski resorts in France, is very reasonably priced.

Après ski in La Clusaz is low-key, and nightlife here is focused more on dining and chilling rather than partying. There are many great restaurants, including Bistro Les 2 Mules and L'Arbe. The popular but small disco-style L'Ecluse nightclub features a glass dance floor spanning the river—which makes for some brilliantly confused faces among more inebriated revellers. 

La Clusaz - Ski Hire:

As in all French ski resorts, Ski hire in La Clusaz is easy to find with plentiful outlets that offer online discounts. La Clusaz ski hire options include the big franchises like Intersport, and Ski Set, but also the more local option, Ski-Fun.

La Clusaz - Ski Schools & Lessons:

The main ski school in France, and therefore La Clusaz, is the ESF. It offers its full range of group ski lessons and individual classes. You could also seek out Esi which caters to smaller group sizes, or Evolution 2, an independent French ski school, which has a branch in La Clusaz.

La Clusaz - Snow Forecast:

Check WePowder.com or Snow Forecast for the latest snow forecasts for La Clusaz. Along with the embedded La Clusaz webcams these will keep you informed as to what's happening with the weather in the area.