Snowsure: 4.4
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Flaine is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Flaine Ski Resort
Click here to submit your own review of Flaine
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
March 09, 2023
James Relph from
France
James Relph from
France
Reasonably snowsure compared to other similar ski resorts at the same height and they certainly know how to maintain the pistes. However, the resort is ugly with very little nightlife. Our biggest gripe though was the number of slow lifts and drag lifts. None of the chair lifts are covered, so in bad weather, the slow lifts are a real pain.
On a positive note, it is good value for money and a good resort for beginners.
December 13, 2017
Can Öztürk from
Turkey
Can Öztürk from
Turkey
March 21, 2017
Fred Katt from
USA - California
Fred Katt from
USA - California
Flaine: if you are driving, make sure that your tank is full of petrol before you leave the autoroute at exit 19. The only petrol stops are self-service and require a credit card to pay. There are not any service staff to take cash. The 26 km road up to Flaine is twisting and curving and often without any guard rails. With snow, you must use chains. Make sure that you know how to put them on since there is not a service station that will put them on for you. I like to ski at Flaine since it is a wide open bowl. There are some magic carpets (their name for a moving carpet) that transport you up a small hill. These carpets are not for the inexperienced. Getting on without falling is difficult. Getting off is even more difficult. And when you fall getting off the operator takes a puff on his cigarette, laughs and tells you to get out of the way since other people are behind you. Many people manage to get on and off without problems. I have problems. Walking to the nearest chair lift is a long walk uphill with skis, boots and poles. But, I keep returning to Flaine since Flaine is 1600 meters (reasonably high) and the snow is normally good on the piste. Outdoor parking costs Euro 3 per 12 hours. Very reasonable for an Alpine ski resort.
February 19, 2016
Seankata from
United Kingdom
Seankata from
United Kingdom
First time in Flaine having driven in on 13th February (first time for that to!). The resort is of average size and is the oft described collection of concrete boxes. Flaine is nominally split into Flaine Foret and Flaine Forum, the former being particularly reminiscent of late Soviet style architecture. Forum is more modern and consequently easier on the eye and there is a splattering of chalet style accommodation up the mountain a bit. We are staying at the Panoramic, a new build right next to the ski school and access to the Flaine part of the Grande Massif ski area and would definitely recommend this accommodation if you are planning to come here. It's location coupled with the surprisingly large apartments really can't be beaten. There is also a heated pool.
The ski area seems best suited for beginners on piste and those that like off-piste in a relatively safe environment. Flaine is essentially a big bowl; all the lifts take skiers up one side of it where there are then a variety of reds and blues back down. The blues are all pretty easy, of reasonable length and well pisted but do get busy, particularly the run back to the ski school area. The others are mostly traverses or roads. The reds are better but none are either over steep or challenging although dropping through the tree line on a virtually empty run was repeatedly appreciated. Generally we found the far side of the mountain less crowded and consequently more fun. There are a few Blacks but these were unpisted or shut. Lifts were all fine although there were a few buttons to give you nightmares.
The marketing of this area goes big on the ability to incorporate other resorts and ski areas into your stay but it should be noted that getting out and back to Flaine isn't great. To ski the lower resorts of Les Carroz, Sixt etc requires negotiating one very crowded and dug up blue run or getting on a bus. There looks to be some decent skiing if this is ok for you but remember that the next highest resort after Flaine at 1600 metres is 400 metres lower.
All in all, I think Flaine an ok resort but would say it's best suited to absolute beginners or those new to reds. The nightlife is very limited and the prices punitive both in resort and up the mountain. 2 coffees should not cost £10 anywhere outside St Moritz!
January 23, 2015
Jason from
United Kingdom
Jason from
United Kingdom
Skied a 4 day break in Flaine/G Massif in 08. The architecture is really quite engaging, not ugly. It's made for looking out of, rather then looking at. Different, perhaps, but sharp and rather cool. Link (singular and, crucially, weather permitting) to the rest of the ski area provides softer and easier (early intermediate) skiing down to Samoens, Les Carroz and Morillon. Prices, at the time, were rather stiff for beers, food etc. considering that this is, primarily, a self catering resort. I recall a pint costing 7 Euros par at the time and a meal on the hill around 12. Apres was fairly quiet. The Flying Dutchman, esp on bbq night, and the Perdrix being the pick.
I intend to revisit the Grand Massif in March 2015. I like the size of the area, short transfer, variety of the ski villages, affordability of accommodation and lack of pretension that comes with this proper resort. I just hope the beer prices have not gone up!
February 26, 2013
Tom B-C from
United Kingdom
Tom B-C from
United Kingdom
Went to Flaine in February half-term 2013.
Drove down from the Eurotunnel on the Friday, with absolutely no problems (however, I did hear the Saturday was a disaster). Accessability, for me anyway, is good. Snow chains were required for the last 2km - although the locals drive very quickly and don't seem to need them!.
The snow was absolutely epic: 4 metres at the top and 2.5 meters at the bottom.
Yes, Flaine is ugly and now looking tired, however, who looks at the buildings when you are coming down the pistes?
The only gripe I have is that the food and drink prices are horrendous, 8 euro a pint, a portion of chips and a can of coke 10 Euros. Main meals start at 10 Euros. Follow the example set on other reviews; buy food and drink at the bottom of the mountain and stay in your appartment for meals.
However, the skiing was the best I have ever had which made up for the expensive prices.
March 28, 2012
Will Smith from
United Kingdom
Will Smith from
United Kingdom
Stayed at Montsoleil apartments 17th-24th of March 2012. Overall, the best week's skiing I've ever had! We were extremely lucky with the weather. We had a day and a half of continuous snow at the beginning of the week followed by 4 bluebird days of scorching sun. We explored most of the pisted areas but only scratched the surface of the off-piste. With such a good base, I believe most of the dangerous terrain features were covered. There are a wide range of off-piste possibilities to suit a range of abilities and much of it is very easily accessed from the pistes. The resort was pretty empty at this stage of the season and we often found ourselves the only skiers on a piste. We did the run down to Sixt on the first day after the fresh snow and it was in good condition until the final few hundred metres which were icy. I would say it's only worth doing for the scenery though, the skiing is good in places but lots of pushing is required! Having not heard of Flaine before our visit I would now recommend it as one of the best places we've been and would certainly consider going back. The Montsoleil apartments looked to me to be the best accommodation available and we ended every day with a steam room, sauna and swim in the outdoor pool. The ski in-ski out was excellent and the lift to get back to the apartment stayed open until 5 which meant you could make use of the main lifts right until closing (4.45) so long as you burned it down the Tourmaline!
March 20, 2012
David Clark from
United Kingdom
David Clark from
United Kingdom
I stayed at Flaine Floret 10-17th March 2012, driving from the UK. Flaine is set over several levels so either wait for a bus or find the funicular cars down to the slopes then walk or walk to the end of the road and pick up the Grand Vans lift.
We stayed in a private apartment which required TLC but was warm and comfortable enough.
Flaine is purpose built - byword for ugly concrete buildings. There are some attractive chalets on the way into town though. Chocolate box picture it ain't.
The prices are very expensive in resort compared to the UK. From 5.5 to 6.5 Euros/ pint. The supermarket (Spar) by comparison seems disproportionately expensive for everything. Flutes at the adjacent bakery are 1 Euro and pain 1.30 Euro. My advice if going on a budget is to go to Lidl in Cluses, one of the Carrefours nearby either on the way to resort or take your food with you if driving.
Expect to pay 9.5 Euros for a takeaway marguerita pizza and between 3.5 and 5.5 Euros for a portion of chips.
The town was quiet during the evening, partially because it isn't the French, Dutch or English half-term, partially because no-one likes to pay too much for drinks and having a good time.
Skiing is superb on the week we went, but deteriorated due to warm conditions - 19 deg in resort during the week. This made some of the runs very slushy and bumpy late afternoon.
The run to Sixt will probably be closed soon unless some fresh snow occurs. If you manage to get to Sixt there is no skiable route back so use the free bus service. Check the timetable as they only run when the run from Flaine is open.
A Flaine or Grand Massif pass is available, we chose a couple of days for Flaine, and the rest for Grand Massif (265 Kms) .
Would I go again? Yes, for the skiing - no, because I found eating and drinking out too expensive.
February 23, 2012
Craig from
Italy
Craig from
Italy
11 February 2012.
Our first time to Flaine, with two families of 4 (4 adults, 4 children) - different abilities from beginner to expert. We had a fabulous week skiing, with great conditions (certainly cold - wrap up well) and were taken aback by the beauty of the skiing bowl and the views of Mont Blanc from the top. The large amount of long wide blues and easy/not so easy reds, providing excellent skiing for all levels of ability. For experts, limited unless you like off piste/moguls. We stayed at Le Refuge du Golf, just above the village of Flaine, which was pretty good (ski out, shuttle back). We liked the rather retro look of Flaine which despite its large buildings, had a great feel and is not the ugly place described (well, at least not when snow covered). The 6/8 man chairs carry large amounts of skiers quickly, so queues were very acceptable, even for the main poma.
Two days of snow meant that we did not get over to Les Carroz/Morillon etc much, but what we skied suggested that there is great skiing that way too and very accessible from Flaine. The only real negative were the prices of the bars and restaurants in the ski area - 30 euros for a round of coffee and coke for 5/6 - and bad coffee at that! We self catered, and were glad of it as eating out for lunch/dinner would have been hugely expensive for 8. We took most of our food with us for self catering, but there are good supermarkets in Flaine, and pretty good prices, so you could buy there also. All in all, we will certainly be back to Flaine, probably avoiding busy times.
February 18, 2012
Margot Bint from
United Kingdom
Margot Bint from
United Kingdom
Spent half term in Flaine and have to say the skiing was very good. It was very cold (-25 ) at the beginning of the so we all had to wrap up. We were staying at the Terasse d'eos which was very pleasant and had plenty of room in our 2 bedroom apartment. The only negative was the quality of the restaraunts. They seemed very pricey for what you get. Having skied in many other resorts in France I would say the standard was much higher elsewhere. None the less it was a great holiday just next time we will be far more wary.
Nearest