Samoëns Ski Resort

Overview | How it works | Ski in, ski out

We all know that Samoëns is a charming, unspoilt village, surrounded by stunning beauty. A worthy tourist destination all by itself.

But what about Samoëns as a ski resort? How does it work? Read on to find out.

Samoëns Ski Resort - Overview

High up on the north-facing slopes directly above the village and easily accessible straight from the village, Samoëns has its very own impressive ski area. And with excellent nursery slopes, a varied selection of on piste and off-piste skiing, mountain restaurants and bars, it's an accomplished offering. For those looking for more, it is, of course, linked to the vast Grand Massif ski area, one of the biggest ski areas in Europe!

In the Samoëns sector, the majority of the skiing takes place on high north-facing slopes between 2120m and 1600m altitude. However, when snow conditions allow, it’s possible to descend red piste Grand Cret all the way to the hamlet of Vercland at 800m. A thigh-burning total vertical descent of 1320m!

The winding blue piste Dahu, the wide, fast red piste Marmotte, the steep black of Aigle Noir, and some excellent off-piste options from easy to challenging, from the Tête des Saix are some of our favourites, but there are many more to choose from.

The nursery area is excellent, with several pistes of varying difficulty and length, a magic carpet lift, drag tows, and two chairlifts providing the ideal training ground. Its scenic location at 1600m altitude gives a real high mountain experience and surrounded by several restaurants/bars and cafes on a relatively flat plateau, it’s perfect for families and non-skiers.

In Stats

Samoëns Ski Resort - How it Works

To access Samoëns ski area you take one of two ski lifts from the valley to the plateau of Samoëns 1600 (1600m).

From there you take a second ski lift to the Tête des Saix summit (2120m), the highest point of the Samoëns area. This is the point at which you can descend into the other sectors of the Grand Massif ski area.

Samoëns 1600 (1600m)

There are two modern telecabines which whisk you up from the valley to Samoëns 1600:

Grand Massif Express telecabine - departs from Samoëns village and arrives at Samoëns 1600.
Vercland telecabine - departs from the hamlet of Vercland, around 2km from Samoëns and arrives at a very slightly higher point of Samoëns 1600 with the lower level accessible by a short piste or bus.

On the Samoëns 1600 plateau, you’ll find nursery slopes, bars, restaurants, and outstanding views. It is also the meeting point for ski schools. Easily accessible by non-skiers it is a popular meeting point for skiers and non-skiers to enjoy lunch or apres-ski together.

The Tête des Saix (2120m)

From Samoëns 1600, skiers have the choice of two chairlifts taking them to the Tête des Saix, the highest point of the Samoëns ski area:

Chariande Express chairlift – departs Samoëns 1600, arrives at the Tête des Saix summit. The quickest and most direct option to the top.
Coulouvrier chairlift - departs from the Colouvrier bowl between Samoëns and Morillon, arrives at the Tête des Saix summit. Accessible from Samoëns 1600 by blue piste Aouia. A quieter alternative for busier weeks.

Getting to The Lifts

The Grand Massif Express is located around 600m from Samoëns village centre, and the Vercland Telecabine is around 2km, giving you three options to get there – bus, car or walk.

Either lift is easily accessible by the great valley-wide bus service, while large car parks at either lift make driving a realistic option.

The Grand Massif Express is an easy flat walk from a large part of the village.

The Vercland telecabine is easily accessible on foot from our Vercland properties, some of which are just a few metres away.

We have partnered with equipment rental shops that offer in-shop storage at the bottom and top of the lifts, and ski lockers at Samoëns 1600. A particularly popular option for families, it allows you the freedom to stroll effortlessly into town, and maybe enjoy some apres-ski on the way!

Returning to Samoëns Village

At the end of the ski day, you have three choices to descend back to the village:

Grand Massif Express telecabine to Samoëns village
Vercland telecabine to Vercland, take a quick bus to Samoëns*
Red piste la Grand Cret to Vercland, take a quick bus to Samoëns*
* great options if you fancy some apres-ski at the excellent Reposette bar/restaurant in Vercland!

Ski In, Ski Out

Can You Ski Into Samoëns Village?

It’s a question we’re often asked by those who have never visited Samoëns.

The short answer is you can’t ski into Samoëns village. But as we’ve explained above, you can ski to the hamlet of Vercland, 2km from the centre of Samoëns, with a free bus taking you into Samoëns. Or you can ski to Morillon village and take the bus or stay in one of our properties in Morillon (more info below).

After spending over 20 years living in Samoëns and skiing many other Alpine resorts, we think this arrangement is a good thing.

For us, one of Samoëns’ most endearing features is its history, its charm, and its authenticity. Dating back to 1167, it’s a ‘proper’ village with beautiful, traditional architecture, a stunning church, and a year-round population. Have a wander around and you’ll see farmers working the fields, kids walking to school, local produce in the shops, a year-round weekly market, locals sipping red wine in the square, and a village that doesn’t close down out of season.

Samoëns isn’t a purpose-built ski resort, and it’s all the better for it.

If you still fancy the idea of ski in, ski out accommodation, then we’ve got three options for you:

Vercland, Samoëns

As we explained earlier, the hamlet of Vercland has its own telecabine and piste, an excellent bar/restaurant, La Reposette, and we have a selection of properties in and around Vercland. The closest is just a few metres from the piste!

Morillon Village

Morillon village also has a telecabine linking the village centre with Morillon 1100, and a return piste back to the base of the very same telecabine. We have several properties in Morillon located opposite the lift and piste, and around the village.

Morillon 1100 Les Esserts

Morillon 1100 is a purpose-built ski resort located around 500 vertical metres directly above Morillon village. It links up with Samoëns and the rest of the Grand Massif ski area. Up there, you’ll find bars, restaurants, a boulangerie, nursery slopes, and our selection of ski in, ski out properties right on the piste.