Portes du Soleil = massively overrated?

A snowHead

It's been suggested to me as a destination for an upcoming trip. The problem is that I went many years ago and I remember it as being pretty shite: unable to ski or even get a direct lift between some areas in this supposedly 'linked' resort, and at least one cripplingly slow lift ride (maybe between a bit in France and a bit in Switzerland? I can't recall) that took 40 minutes plus. Also snow cover was terrible in mid January.

Compared to the 3 valleys it's a joke to even call it a linked ski area.

So, I am being unfairly harsh, or is my summation about right? Should I try and persuade my mates to spend a few quid more and go to the 3 valleys instead?

A snowHead

I agree. Morzine is a great town but the ski area is a bit of a pain to access from it. The best access points are Ardent and Avoriaz but will require a car or a bus. The lift system is adequate but not fantastic and there is a chance of rain at the lower parts. I used to go there quite often but switched to Austria when I realised just how good they were.

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I stayed at Avoriaz, at the Hotel Les Lans (in Prodains) which had lovely food and a very helpful owner, but which was a good walk to the nearest lift (in snowboard boots - had I been skiing as opposed to boarding that holiday it would have been a nightmare).

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We've only been to Chatel over Christmas/NY and to be fair that season was pretty rubbish (heavy rain for the first 3 days), but yes it's nowhere near the quality of 3v.

Bus trips to PLJ for lessons where pretty nightmarish, we tried driving several times but finding a parking spot was a quest, then a long walk to the lifts and you can't ski back to Chatel, have to go and drive back. Of course skiing down there in time for lessons is a non starter. Kids were constantly moaning esp on the way back, tired and asking why are we not in 3v. Also for little ones, there was no area to mess around in the snow, unless you drive them or take them up to Super Chatel area, but then it closes 18:00 or thereabouts and you can't spend an evening there.

Avoriaz is the closest to 3v you can get but price wise its up there with Meribel, so whats the point.

We decided that for a once a year trip 3v is worth the extra.

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Agreed, access to/between ski areas and a propensity to rain were the negatives for me, and I much prefer the 3V.

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Glad it's not just me being a curmudgeon then!

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It's fine. Morzine is a fun town and Les Gets equally a decent village if you want things a little more toned down. Avoriaz is well standard French high altitude "charm". Commuting is a bit of a PITA but that's true of most linked areas. I don't find 3V phenomenal either once you get out of the VT valley.

After all it is free

What I like about 3V is not only that you can easily ski between the linked areas, you have multiple options for doing so, giving options for getting some serious miles under your belt (50 miles plus skiing per day, not including lift miles). I love that sensation of really covering the ground. Also I think the other valleys are just as enjoyable as VT, but obviously that's personal preference. The PdS in contrast was a very frustrating experience.

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@greengriff, I can see that. In your boots I'd probably lobby hard for 3V

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@greengriff, I'll stick my stake in the other side of the fence. I really like the area. You stayed in Prodains, which to be honest isn't great, there's not really much there except a fast link up to Avoriaz. Morzine is a decent town, it's not for everyone, but plenty going on there, and you then have lift access towards the Pleney/Les Gets area, or up to the Avoriaz side, alternatively if you don't like the Super M route to Avoriaz a short bus to Ardent or Prodains gives you another couple of options to access.

Once you're in the Avoriaz area it doesn't take long at all to get to Chatel or over to Switzerland. Some of the lifts round from Chatel towards Morgins aren't great, a fair few drags, but that brings with it some seriously quiet pistes.

Is it the 3 V's, no, very different, purely from the georgraphy you can't just nip across one peak in to the next valley, but is it half the journey from Geneva? Yep, and for a lot of people that's a big plus, particularly if you're looking to do a short weekend break.

We have the 3V's booked for January, as we like to try new places (i've been twice before), particularly as the GF will only be on her 3rd trip, so she doesn't want to repeat, but a short weekend break in March we have booked with some friends will find us heading to Avoriaz for access reasons.

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Cheers. I appreciate the other perspective. Still hasn't changed my mind though.

I liked Morzine and a lot of the skiing. The town is great and lively.

Unfortunately, the marked circuit via Morgins is a PITA - have to walk across Morgins and the run down from Chatel side is pretty sun exposed and then when you try and get from Morgins towards Champoussin there are some horrid slow lifts. I would say it is great as long as you stick to Morzine, Chatel, Les prodains and obviously over to Les Gets and do not forget Mont Chery. Les Gets itself I find rather tedious with quite short runs in the main, is it Ranfoilly, bowl. The Nyon Chamoiserie sector is quiet and more interesting. AND, of course, there is the Swiss Wall to challenge yourself on

You know it makes sense.

@greengriff, how many years ago did you go?

And iirc, there definitely hasn't been a 40 minute chair up anywhere since at least 1988 ... wink

(@shep or @zzz might correct me)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Pro's - a big area, pretty in parts, quite fun to cross the border into Switzerland. Cons - tooooo low, so often lacking snow at mid-station down to resort level, and not particularly well linked - or it least it wasn't when I last went and sadly vowed not to return. Prefer 3V's, Espace Killy, or Paradiski.

A snowHead

@greengriff, my take is that there is some really rewarding skiing in PdS as long as you aren't dependent on the lowest-lying pistes. However it is really several areas with less than ideal connections - across Morzine town, or to get to parts of the Swiss side.

As a result it isn't optimal for those who like to cover big distances each day. 3V is particularly good for that, though the La Plagne-Les Arcs complex comes close and Tignes-VdI isn't bad. (Plus obviously some in other countries, like the Sella Ronda resorts).

A snowHead

I agree with everyone. Go the 3V. Leave the nice quiet bits of the PDS to me.

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Each to their own. As some people have alluded, it's rather linear. That is, your way out and way back are routes you'll repeat a lot, which is a bit less handy than the large interlinked areas with multiple connexions. Related to that is that some of the connexions are a bit flat, some are busy, and some get worn.

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@greengriff, actually, there is a new link Linga-Chatel that is talked of being lengthy and matches your description.

So I am happy to stand corrected.

I've never used it, never needed to, but can see its utility.

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I have been to PDS several times and must agree having to get the odd bus can be a PIA. However we go for an off-piste week and you can find some excellent free-riding which is not ruined early like in the 3v or Espace Killy etc (Paradaski similar as not skied out early). Very attractive area. We are usually guided for the week so never look at maps. Love the area.

Also been 3V several times and prefer Courchevel side. Last 2 times I was in VT we could not get out of the Valley due to weather. It is austere early season too. Great off-piste though.

My go-every-season resort is Espace Killy. Well linked and fab off-piste.

If I was limited to a trip a year I would go to EK. I would not go to any in school holiday times as all packed out.

After all it is free

I have been just the once - probably 30 years ago - and was put off because of everything that went wrong.

- I got on the holiday because my Sister, who was supposed to go, became pregnant.

- We were originally booked to a nice Chalet in Avoriaz, with a Company that went bust.....but we found a holiday at the last minute through Teletext, with a Company called Ski White Rock.

- The Chalet was on the road between Morzine and Avoriaz....and if you didn't get the first bus in the morning, the rest were full with Skiers from Morzine for the next couple of hours. Then there was over an hour of queuing to get the Cable car up.

- The weather was warm and wet and there was not enough snow to ski back....which meant a 2.5 hr queue to get the cable car back down towards the end of the day.

- The snow was very slushy and with the rain, we got soaked on several days.

- The queue to get back down was so long, that most of the time (as I was very fit at the time), I made my way down, skiing where there was patches of snow and walking where there wasn't....and it was still quicker than queuing.

- Without a doubt, the worst Ski Holiday I have ever been on.....and to be fair, that experience did not give a fair representation of the area, but I have never really wanted to return, as there are places I'd much rather go, which are all higher, with Glaciers. It was the last time I experienced so much heavy rain - discounting a freakishly warm day at Les Arcs, in Feb last year.

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@greengriff, Stayed in Champery (CH) about 6 years alone and had a phenomenal week in January - a ton of snow really easy connections as was staying very close to the cable car in the town behind the train station. Avoriaz was easily accessible which has probably the better skiing in the PDS. Lifts were fine apart from one shite 2 man lift that was horrendous deleted from my memory but I think French side somewhere.

Champery has some great bars and restaurants and is no more expensive than the linked French resorts. I have also stayed at Chatel and Linga etc and not as good as the Swiss side in my view.

The above notwithstanding, I have never chosen to go back not a conscious decision, but rather there have always been better options out there when I have been looking.

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That reminds me: I forgot to mention the queues for the bus! Hence deciding to walk up to the lift.

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You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

Maybe I'm wrong. That's the number that's stuck in my mind though. Either way it was a very long, slow ride!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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It can't have been that one then.

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Yes it was nice to stay in a proper family-run place, and the food was excellent. The bus was always rammed in the morning, hence having to walk up the hill to the lift at Avoriaz. To be fair you could ski some of the way back at the end of the day behind the buildings on the road.

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In 30 years of skiing a couple of weeks a year, 90% of which have been in France, I've never been to PdS... which I guess tells it's own story. It's not that I've avoided it and I've heard it's good for families (which would make it good for us the last 12/13 years) but somehow there has always been a preferred option or nothing to perk interest enough to go there.

After all it is free

Two multi 3V seasonaire friends of mine did a season in the PDS for a change of scene. Hated it. Said it took them an hour every day to get up the hill to ski. Think they were based in Morzine but not 100% sure. Don't think they've been anywhere but the 3Vs since...

@Layne, in 50 years of skiing, 3 seasons as a rep/“guide”, I’ve never skied the 3Vs.

Nor Austria for that matter.

But then, I live in Chamonix and am therefore, by definition, odd.

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@under a new name, you really should go there - it's very good.

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Portes du Soleil = massively overrated?

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