The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
La Clusaz spans 1,050 to 2,485 metres across 125 kilometres of piste spread over five interlinked massifs in the Aravis range. The ski area serves 88 runs with 49 lifts, delivering a 1,435-metre vertical drop from Col de Balme to the village base. Terrain splits 53% beginner, 33% intermediate and 14% advanced, with annual snowfall averaging 3.7 metres supplemented by 213 snow cannons across 46 kilometres. The resort shares the broader Massif des Aravis with Le Grand-Bornand via bus connection, extending the combined area to 220 kilometres for Aravis pass holders.
The five sectors—Beauregard, Manigod, Étale, Aiguille and Balme—each offer distinct character. Beauregard's sunny plateau at 1,647 metres hosts nursery slopes and blue cruisers, whilst Manigod links via gentle blues through the Croix Fry sector. Étale provides quieter mid-range reds above the village, and Aiguille serves mixed blues and reds accessed by the Crêt du Merle chairlift. Balme holds the steepest terrain, including black runs Vraille and Lapiaz, with extensive off-piste combes attracting freeriders to slopes that shaped world champion Candide Thovex.
The village sits at 1,100 metres around a historic church square, retaining Savoyard chalet architecture and a year-round population. La Clusaz's proximity to Annecy and Geneva draws weekend crowds, particularly Saturdays, though weekday skiing remains manageable. On-mountain dining focuses on traditional Savoyard fare—reblochon features prominently—with restaurants including Altitude 1647 at Beauregard summit and Chez Arthur at Crêt du Merle. The aquatic centre reopened winter 2025-26 with renovated pools offering Aravis views.
La Clusaz suits intermediate skiers seeking varied terrain and authentic village atmosphere within an hour of Geneva. The 2025-26 season runs 13 December to 26 April across 138 days. Free resort buses connect sectors and link to Le Grand-Bornand 8 kilometres away. A points-based beginner pass covers multiple lifts beyond nursery areas. The resort holds Family Plus certification and stages events including Défi Foly waterslide competition in April and Christmas spectacles through early January.
1435m
Vertical
88
Runs
125 km
Piste
7m
Annual snow
The Terrain
88 runs across 125 km of piste
La Clusaz spreads 88 runs across 125 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 53%, with 47 beginner runs to find your feet and 12 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
88
runs
88 runs across 4 grades
Beginner47 runs · 53%
Intermediate29 runs · 33%
Advanced12 runs · 14%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit La Clusaz
The 2025-26 season opened 13 December 2025 and closes 26 April 2026, spanning 138 operating days. Typical seasons run late December through late April, with staged openings depending on early-season snowfall. Highest sectors including Balme often open first for pre-Christmas skiing, whilst lower elevations and Manigod require deeper base depths. Full area operation generally achieves stability by Christmas week, maintaining 80-90% terrain availability through March.
Annual snowfall averages 3.7 metres at mid-mountain elevations around 1,860 metres, with north-facing Balme and Aiguille sectors holding snow better than south-facing Beauregard. The resort's 1,050-metre base elevation ranks relatively low for modern French resorts, creating vulnerability during warm spells in December and late March. Snow cannons cover 46 kilometres—roughly 37% of piste length—concentrated on lower sections and key links. Pisteurs maintain surfaces aggressively to compensate for modest natural totals, achieving 120-day average seasons despite elevation constraints.
January and February deliver optimal powder conditions, with December's second week historically the snowiest period averaging 44 centimetres. March offers longer daylight and softer snow, though freeze-thaw cycles increase on sun-exposed slopes. Late March through April suit spring skiing enthusiasts accepting variable conditions—mornings harden overnight, afternoons turn slushy. Early December and January offer quieter slopes outside French school holidays. February half-term and Christmas week bring peak crowds.
The season finale on 26 April 2026 features celebrations on Balme massif organised by pisteurs and local teams. Défi Foly waterslide competition across Lac des Confins runs mid-April, drawing national crowds. Christmas Pestacles programming entertains families 24 December through 2 January. January hosts Bélier Blanc night ski-touring races and Open Air Disco Dayz in the village square. No regular night skiing operates, though Thursday paret sled sessions ran historically between January and March.
Season 2025-2026
13 Dec 2025
Opens
26 Apr 2026
Closes
134
Days open
7 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to La Clusaz, and where to stay
La Clusaz occupies a basin in the Aravis Valley at 1,100 metres elevation in Haute-Savoie, southeastern France. The commune sits 32 kilometres east of Annecy within the Aravis mountain range, which forms a natural barrier between Lake Annecy and the Val d'Arly towards Megève. The jagged limestone Aravis peaks create dramatic backdrops, with the village clustered around a historic church at the valley floor. Surrounding slopes hold traditional wooden chalets and small hamlets extending towards Col des Aravis pass and the Confins valley hosting Nordic trails.
Annecy lies 32 kilometres west—a 30-minute drive—serving as the nearest city with TGV rail connections to Paris, Lyon and Geneva. The lakeside town of 125,000 provides cultural diversions and airport access. Thônes, 15 kilometres northwest, offers closer services as the valley's market town. Saint-Jean-de-Sixt sits 3 kilometres away, functioning as gateway accommodation between La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand. The resort draws weekend crowds from Geneva 69 kilometres north and attracts Savoyard locals for its authentic character and reblochon cheese heritage.
From Geneva, take Autoroute Blanche A40 to exit 16 Bonneville, then follow signs 20 kilometres to Stations des Aravis via scenic valley roads. From Annecy, exit A41 at Annecy Nord and drive 30 kilometres through Thônes towards Aravis resorts. Peak Saturday traffic creates bottlenecks approaching the village. From Lyon 150 kilometres south, A41 northbound connects at Annecy. Parking includes three covered areas: 430 spaces at village entrance, 330 central spaces (1.8-metre height limit) and 85 spaces upper village.
Geneva Airport sits 69 kilometres away with transfers taking 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes depending on traffic. Chambéry Airport lies 77 kilometres distant, Lyon Saint-Exupéry 150 kilometres. Annecy's domestic airport serves Paris flights 37 kilometres away. Annecy train station offers TGV services with 45-minute onward transfers. Altibus and Aravis Shuttle run regular bus services from Annecy to La Clusaz taking 50 minutes. Léman Express trains link Geneva to Annecy, connecting to resort buses.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near La Clusaz, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
La Clusaz Ski Trails
Downloadable La Clusaz trail map
Terrain split
88
runs
Beginner53%
Intermediate33%
Advanced14%
Expert0%
125 km of piste
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base1050m
Summit2485m
Annual snowfall
7m
Season
2025-2026
13 Dec 2025 - 26 Apr 2026
Trail coverage
88 runs
125 km
La Clusaz ski trails
La Clusaz offers 88 runs across a mix of difficulties. The terrain split and trail map here show how the mountain breaks down so you can plan a day that suits your group.
- • Match runs to your ability - the terrain split shows how much of La Clusaz is beginner, intermediate and advanced.
- • Check grooming and open-run status against the live conditions before committing to the upper mountain.
- • Early season and after fresh snow, favour the lifts serving your preferred grade to make the most of the day.
More La Clusaz intelligence: trail map, lift system, resort overview.