Grand Massif

Grand Massif is one of the largest linked ski areas in Haute-Savoie, bringing together five resorts — Flaine, Les Carroz d'Arâches, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval — under a single lift pass. That connectivity makes it one of the go-to winter destinations in the French Alps for skiers who want variety without switching resorts.

How big is the ski area?

Grand Massif spans 265 km of pistes across 146 runs: 20 green, 64 blue, 49 red and 13 black. A network of 71 lifts moves skiers and snowboarders between the five resorts, and the terrain ranges from 697 m up to 2,480 m in altitude — a wide enough spread to cover very different snow conditions depending on where you ride.

What's the standout run?

The area's signature feature is the Grandes Platières summit station, starting point of the Piste des Cascades — a run of roughly 14 km with a vertical drop of nearly 1,700 m, descending all the way down to Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. It ranks among the longest ski runs in the Alps and is a natural target for skiers after one long, continuous descent through changing terrain, from high alpine bowls near Platières to the valley approach into Sixt.

The five resorts each bring their own flavor to the domain: Flaine sits highest and offers wide, open slopes; Samoëns and Sixt lie lower and keep a quieter, village feel; Les Carroz and Morillon act as convenient bases for reaching the central part of the area.

How do you get there?

The Grand Massif resorts are linked by road through the Arve valley, and the nearest major airport is Geneva, typically an hour to an hour and a half away depending on which resort you're headed to. Once on site, skiers can move between resorts directly on snow via the connected pistes, and winter shuttle buses also run between the villages.

When should you visit?

The ski season in Grand Massif generally runs from December to April. Snow reliability tends to hold longest at the higher elevations around Flaine and Grandes Platières, given the area tops out at 2,480 m, while the lower runs near Samoëns and Sixt depend more on recent snowfall.

Frequently asked questions

How many pistes does Grand Massif have? The area has 146 marked runs totaling 265 km, split across green, blue, red and black difficulty levels, served by 71 lifts.

Which resorts make up Grand Massif? Flaine, Les Carroz d'Arâches, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval — all linked by a shared piste network and a single ski pass.

What is the Piste des Cascades? It's the area's longest run, about 14 km with nearly 1,700 m of vertical descent, starting at the Grandes Platières station and finishing down in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval.

Is Grand Massif suitable for beginners? Yes — there are 20 green and 64 blue runs for newer skiers, though a large share of the terrain (red and black runs) is aimed at more advanced riders.