Samoëns and the Grand Massif Piste Guide

Intermediate

Day 1  - Samoens, Morillon and Les Carroz

Starting at the Samoens Plateau, take the wide green run down to the Chariande Express. Take the Chariande Express, a new high speed chairlift to the top of Tete de Saix, where you have stunning views and on a clear day you can clearly see Mont Blanc.

First up is a fantastic long blue run. Follow the piste called Silice which then becomes Dolomie down to the bottom, where you ski past 2 chair lifts onto another blue called Portet. Remember to take time at the start and take in the stunning tree lined scenery. This is a lovely long quiet run with many opportunities for photos. Keep a look out for wildlife. The second half of this run has a lovely wide section, where you can try to perfect those nice long carving turns. I always imagine I am on Ski Sunday on this run! 

At the end of the run, you will see Les Molliets ski lift, you are now on the edge of Les Carroz ski area.  You can take a coffee break here at Chalet des Molliets or jump on the lift and rest on the comfy chair! At the top take the blue run, L'Arete, in the direction of Morillon. This run is narrow in parts but it soon opens up and has fantastic 360 degree views. Regretted not having coffee at Les Molliets? don’t worry Le Chalet d'Clair (at the top of Sairon chairlift) serve the best hot chocolates in front of the fire. (well worth bookmarking this one for lunch another day too!)

Ok, off again, from the restaurant follow the sign towards Les Carroz via the Biollaire piste. This is a lovely long blue, with choice of a sneaky red section (Cupoire) for the adventurous, don’t worry it rejoins the blue. Passing the Gron chairlift, carry on straight ahead following the blue piste of Combe. Look out to the left where you can join the bottom section of La Forestiere piste which zig zags through the trees, avoids the steeper section of Combe, and is great fun! This run is long and wide at over 5km with stunning scenery. At the bottom of this run you reach the Kedeuze gondola.

Next up is a favourite piste of many! Leave the gondola station following the blue Plein-Soleil piste. This is very wide cruisy piste which is great fun, with amazing views of some impressive mountains. Follow this piste until the bottom of the Plein-Soleil chairlift at which point you can either continue down the very wide, easy red of Timalets, or jump on the chairlift which takes you back to the top of Les Carroz. At the foot of the Timalets piste, on the right, is Les Servages, a beautiful cosy restaurant for lunch, or continue along the piste to the Kedeuze telecabine, taking you back to the top.

We'll head back towards Samoens now. So, from the top take the Blanchot piste which traversses through beautiful forest with great views towards the slopes of Samoens beyond. Follow this piste round to the right onto the blue Marmottes piste until you reach the Gentianes chairlift on the left. Jump on the chairllift to be whisked up to the top of Samoens, and remember to look right on the way up for some of the best views you'll get from a chairlift!

Once back in Samoens, the long, twisting blue piste of Dahu is a great adventure and the next run on the list. Follow the signs for the Dahu piste as you weave left and right down the mountain and don't forget to take a minute to admire the views to the impressive Criou mountain above Samoens. A few hundred meters below the lake, look out for restaurant La Luge à Téran on the right which is a lovely coffee stop with great views of the steep black runs of Samoens. If you are still full of energy then carry on past the restaurant and hop on the Chariande Express chairlift.

Eight minutes later, we're back at the top of Samoens and it's time for the first red of Marmotte (don't worry it's an easy one!). Follow the signs for Dahu initially for the first few hundred meters to avoid the steeper top section of the Marmotte. After the first hard right turn of the Dahu, look out for the Marmotte signs on the left and follow to the bottom. This is a great long wide piste and often has great snow.

Day 2 - Flaine and Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval

Feeling fresh and ready for day two, jump onto the Chariannde Express which will once again whisk you up to the Tete des Saix at 2118m. We are heading straight to Flaine so keep a look out for signs marked 'Flaine' as we go. From the summit descend on the blue pistes of Silice and the Dolomie until you reach the Vernant chairlift on your left hand side. A great wide and easy blast which serves as the perfect warm-up! Take the Vernant chairlift up over some spectacular cliffs and couloirs, and keep your eyes open for dare-devil speed riders who love this area. Once at the top of the Vernant chairlift take a second to take in the stunning view of the Mont Blanc Massif. Continue towards Flaine on the Tourmaline piste which winds all the way down towards the village of Flaine. This is a fantastic piste which starts off very wide and open and then narrows into a lovely twisting tree lined piste passing frozen streams. Towards the bottom of this piste look out for signs taking you to the Grand Platieres gondola in Flaine which is found by following the short pistes of Baudroie and Epicea. Hop on the Grandes Platieres gondola.

With one of the most spectacular views you will find of Mont Blanc , this is the perfect time for a quick hot chocolate! The restaurant Le Desert Blanc serves great hot chocolate with a great, sunny open air terrace. It's time for the first run in Flaine and it's one of the best - Serpentine. Follow this piste from the restaurant as it initially traverses across the summit before descending into wide, fast and undulating descent back down to Flaine. Look out for the new Desert Blanc chairlift which appears to your left as you pass a restaurant on the right. Take the Desert Blanc chairlift back to the summit.

Next up we have another blue piste called Cristal. Leaving the top station of the chairlift, turn left and then shortly after turn left again onto Cristal. This run starts wide and fast and almost always has fantastic snow, while the second half of the run is undulating and very good fun! This run takes you back towards the Desert Blanc chairlift, but this time carry on past this chairlift and join the lower section of the Serpentine piste which will take you back down to Flaine. The lower section of the Serpentine run is equally as fun as the top section! At the base of the Serpentine, join onto the green of Epicea and follow it, keeping a look out for the new and fantastic restaurant of Pente a Jules which is hidden in the trees on the right. It's time for a well deserved lunch break!

Refulled and raring to go, ski back down towards the Grandes Platieres gondola but this time ski to the bottom of the nursery slope and get onto the Aup de Veran gondola. It's time for the fantastic blue of Mephisto which is situated in a shady part of the ski area which often benefits from fantastic snow. For any skiers feeling confident, look out for the red piste of Diablotin on the right which loops around and then rejoins Mephisto further down. Both runs are equally fun! From the base of Mephisto, ski down the Grandes Platieres gondola and take it back up to the summit at 2480m.

From the summit of Flaine, initially follow the blue of Serpentine, but look out for another blue of Cascades which branches right after a few hundred meters. The Cascades winds it's way from the highest point of the ski area all the way down to the stunning village of Sixt-fer-a-Cheval offering stunning scenery, frozen waterfalls, remote mountain restaurants, great skiing and a sense feeling of adventure. It's important to leave plenty of time for this piste, partly because if it such a long piste, but also because you will want to take a LOT of photos! The piste comes no an end on the nursery slopes of Sixt-fer-a-Cheval where you can take a regular bus back to Samoens for a well deserved beer or two!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3