 Poster: A snowHead
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Links to all trip reports
Feb 2014: Soll (SkiWelt), Austria
Jan 2015: Alpe d'Huez & Les 2 Alpes, France
Jan 2016: Les Carroz (Grand Massif), France
Mar 2017: Belle Plagne (Paradiski), France (no TR yet)
Jan 2018: Notre Dame de Bellecombe (Espace Diamant), France
Mar 2018: Ponte di Legno +Ponte di Legno-Tonale, Pejo, Monte Altissimo (Borno), Aprica , central Italian Alps
Jan 2019: St Gervais (Evasion Mont Blanc) +Cordon, Megeve-St Gervais-Combloux-La Giettaz, Les Contamines , France
Mar 2019: Varena, southern Dolomites +Alpe Cermis, Passo Rolle, Latemar, St Martino di Castrozza, Alpe Lusia, Pozza di Fassa / Buffaure, San Pellegrino / Falcade, Carezza, Jochgrimm, Catinaccio / Vigo di Fassa , Italy
Jan 2020: Abondance (Portes du Soleil) +Portes du Soleil main circuit, Abondance, Cret Beni (La Chapelle d'Abondance), Bernex, Praz de Lys, Thollon , France
Mar 2020: Embrun, Provence Alps +Les Orres, Foret Blanche (Risoul-Vars) , France
Jan 2022: Vizille, Grenoble Alps +Le Collet d'Allevard, Lans en Vercors, Alpe d'Huez, Alpe du Grand Serre, Chamrousse, Villard de Lans-Correncon, Meaudre, Autrans, Les 7 Laux, Gresse en Vercors , France
Mar 2022: Aosta Valley +Espace San Bernardo (La Thuile-La Rosiere), Pila, Courmayeur, Monterosa Ski, Skyway Monte Bianco , Italy
Jan 2023: St Jean d'Aulps (Portes du Soleil) +Portes du Soleil main circuit, Morzine-Les Gets, Roc d'Enfer, Praz de Lys , France
Mar 2023: Valtellina +Piani di Bobbio, Valchiavenna (Madesimo), Livigno, Bormio, Cima Piazzi, Santa Caterina, Ponte di Legno-Tonale, Valmalenco, Aprica , Italy
Jan 2024: Aravis & Tarentaise +Le Grand Bornand, La Clusaz, Valmorel, Arêches-Beaufort, Pralognan la Vanoise, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Courchevel , France
Feb 2024: Trentino +Folgaria, Paganella, Monte Bondone, Rittner Horn, Campiglio Ski, Lavarone , Italy
This trip report
Beware! This is an old trip report from 2016, by coincidence 7 years ago to the day since we flew home. It's one of two ski trips I didn't write up at the time, so I'm filling in the gaps. I wonder how the Grand Massif has changed since?
Les Molliets bowl, Les Carroz (chair in the middle has since been removed)
Background
My third ski trip with my partner, after Söll in Feb 2014 (with reasonable snow and good weather) and Alpe d'Huez in Jan 2015 (with poor snow and poor weather). I had previously been to Flaine at Easter in my childhood. We drove from S.E. England, and I think that was the year our arrival coincided with snow chains, a 7 metre reported snow base and 5/5 avalanche risk!
Arrival & departure
Mid morning easyJet flight from Glasgow to Geneva. Leisurely start to the day seeing as we used to live ten minutes from the airport. The flight was punctual as far as I recall, followed by a shared transfer with Action Transfers to Les Carroz.
On departure day there was a mix up with transfer times, and we were originally instructed to be ready for collection early in the morning, despite a late evening flight. A quick phone call to Action Transfers and this was rectified; we had a full day's skiing followed by a 5pm departure with no-one else in the minibus, at no extra charge. Would fully recommend Action Transfers if they are still operating, and the cost was £56pp return - ah, those were the days!
Resort & accommodation
Les Carroz is a sunny, spread-out balcony village (1150m). The lift base is uphill from the centre (where we stayed), so we usually used the inter-resort navettes to get between the two. Buses were reliable, and free. Some really rustic corners to the village - I remember cows mooing noisily in a barn, and a distinct agricultural pong on some of the warmer evenings! Reasonable supermarket and good boulangerie(s), can't recall the restaurants but I'm sure they were fine.
Our apartment (booked through Odalys) was fine. The usual budget apartment, though we had an issue with the hot water early in the week which had to be fixed by an engineer.
Ski area
I'd describe the Grand Massif as a compact version of the Portes du Soleil. Around 175km of pistes (less than the official figure). Several villages ranging from historic valley settlements to ugly purpose built monstrosities at altitude. A mix of high, open slopes (Flaine) and low, wooded terrain (most of the rest). Flaine usually has reliable snow, but other parts of the domain can be a risky bet early or late in the season. Most runs face north (Samoens, Morillon), northwest (Flaine) or west (Les Carroz). Shelter is mostly on the villages side, so in January I recommend staying over in Les Carroz or Morillon (with local trees for stormy / snowy days), with the option to head towards Flaine when the sun comes out.
This was a low season week, probably the last before the February hols. I don't recall any queues or busy pistes other than some short waits for the DMC gondola in Flaine. Lift system fairly decent (and has since improved further).
Bits we liked: Most of it, but favourite areas included Lindars Nord in Flaine (+ Méphisto (red) leading to it), the Desert Blanc sector (also Flaine). Gers bowl had a slightly terrifying, icy traverse to reach it but was fun (big but soft moguls) once in there - but beware the exhausting drag lift to get back out! Aup de Veran / Aujon sector lovely and quiet, though some of the blues were left unpisted with an unpleasant crust. Over towards the villages, Molliets sector had nice blues, runs to Samoens 1600 were lovely (esp. Marmotte red), also top half of Morillon. Distinctly remember Sept Fréres (blue) being deserted every time we skied it. Gron sector good in snowy weather.
Bits we didn't like: crowded pistes connecting the resorts, esp. Tourmaline into Flaine and Perce Neige in the other direction. Flat areas around the top of the DMC.
Overall, I still rate the Grand Massif as one of the very best ski areas in France for a full week's trip - it has a bit of everything.
Snow & weather
Overall, conditions were markedly better than our previous trip to Alpe d'Huez, with reassuringly white landscapes and most pistes open. However, cover was thin in lower areas, with some closed pistes including Cascades (to Sixt) and all those to Vercland / Morillon 700. A few pistes such as Marvel (green) to Morillon 1100 and Timalets (red) to Les Carroz were also only just hanging in there, with bare patches.
Weather was a mixed bag. Moderate rain up to 2,000 metres on our first skiing day combined with links to Flaine being closed was a disappointing start. I think we called it a day after lunch! Quite a lot of sunshine and light winds thereafter, but also some snowy periods. A heavy fall of overnight snow later in the week led to a memorable morning skiing knee-deep, fluffy powder overlying corduroy. Probably still one of my best powder days to date.
Pics
Top of Les Grandes Platieres, Flaine
Serpentine (blue) & Tête Pelouse, Flaine
Serpentine & Cristal (blues) from Zéolite (blue), Flaine
Flaine from Cornaline (blue), Aujon sector, Flaine
Méphisto (red), Flaine
Silice (blue), Tête des Saix, Samoëns
Samoëns & Giffre valley after midweek snow
Marmotte (red) to Samoëns
Samoëns 1600
Combe (blue) to Les Carroz
Cost breakdown
Prices are for 2 adults, 8 days (halve for per person prices). Not included: food costs, insurance.
Flights (EasyJet EDI-GVA, 1 hold bag) £172
Transfer (Action Transfers, shared) £102
Accommodation (Odalys Résidence Sunotel, 7 nights) £297
Lift passes (Grand Massif, 7 days) £370
Ski & boot hire (SkiSet New Loc, 7 days) £95
Total: £1036
Comparing these prices to the time of writing in 2023 (and other trips in between), it is striking that while prices for transfers and lift passes have increased fairly sharply, flight costs have remained fairly steady, or even decreased allowing for inflation. It's difficult to draw any conclusions for accommodation, since we now use other booking platforms and visit other resorts. Equipment hire has perhaps increased roughly in line with inflation, as you would expect.
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