has the better snow. Avoriaz has a wide range of restaurants to choose from, most of which can be found on the main street, but two or three options are also available up in the Falaise district. From the top of the Arare you can drop into some of the longest runs in the Portes du Soleil and some of the steepest in Avoriaz. Just keep on following the obvious valley route past the old chalet building and onwards to the head of the valley road. Take the chairlift up the Zore and explore the runs all the way back to the top of the Super Morzine bubble. the valley. For the former, the run to the skiers’ right offers the chance to traverse along the ridge line separating the red and black runs and ultimately drops out near where the Blanchots red and blue Choucas join by the drag lift. This takes you over the bowl's ridge line and allows you to drop down to the Chamossière valley on a variety of lines depending upon how far you traverse. Look at the timings for each route. Avoriaz probably offers the biggest area for easy access off piste, and this high altitude play area is easily reached from most villages in the Portes du Soleil. With over 120 resorts to choose from and expert service every step of the way, we’ll get you mountain ready in no time. Avoriaz is the highest and most convenient ski resort in the vast Portes du Soleil ski area, which offers more than 600km of pistes on both sides of the French-Swiss border. Secteur Linderets sits adjacent to Avoriaz and the Fornet valley. Is it safe to go skiing? Avoriaz is a purpose-built ski resort but, unlike so many of the resorts that sprang up in the 60s and 70s, it isn't home to unsightly concrete monoliths. The Fornet is a great area, especially after a fresh snowfall where the natural terrain creates a freeride playground with bumps, berms and drops. However, the Portes du Soleil area is generally quite low and some of it (especially on the Avoriaz is in the northern French Alps (Haute-Savoie), close to the border with Switzerland, and is part of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area, which also includes neighbouring Morzine just down Avoriaz is part of the Portes du Soleil ski area that links 12 separate French and Swiss resorts. Due in no small part to the hike, this upper bowl area remains un-tracked far longer than the easy access lower half and as it's a north facing shaded bowl powder here stays in great condition long after a snowfall. Drop straight under and to the left of the lift line along multiple lines passing through the trees and into the little, and some not so little, cliffs at the end of the run near the foot of the lift stations. The world's most terrifying ski descents in Europe and North America.