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The following article was kindly written by Wendy Hollands, an aussie who lives and works in the region. Skier, snowboarder and apprentice telemarker you can visit Wendy's blog for a funny and insightful look into life in the French Alps from the service you can expect in a French supermarket to haggling with an angry French man at a Vide Grenier. Visit Wendy's blog LeFrancoPhoney

Introduction to La Clusaz, Haute-Savoie

La Clusaz is a ski resort a short half-hour drive from Annecy, and just 50 minutes from Geneva. Despite being easily accessible, it remains somewhat of a hidden gem from tourists, with the locals frequenting the resort on the weekends. As a result, the traditionally quiet Saturdays seen in other resorts (known as ‘changeover day’ because the week-long tourists typically leave on this day to make room for the following week’s tourists) are rarely quiet. Thankfully, the size of La Clusaz copes with both tourists and weekend visitors alike, with 54 lifts covering descents of up to 1,500 metres.

Skiing and snowboarding

La Clusaz is made up of five individual peaks. La Balme provides fantastic views of Mont Blanc from 2,600 metres and plenty of off-piste access and steep pistes. Beauregard is the perfect place for beginners to learn, with the Manigod peak providing some gentle blue pistes for beginners who are ready to advance further, along with more advanced pistes for intermediate and advanced skiers. The easiest peak to get to is l’Aguille, which boasts pistes ranging from blue to black, moguls, some off-piste, a snow park and a skier cross. In addition, the peak has six restaurants dotted along the way down, providing handy meeting points and lunch spots for those who need a break. Ski races, a freeride competition and a telemark festival are held on the l’Etale peak, which has just a few lifts, but lots of variety, including an unpisted black run.

A day lift pass costs €31.50, and La Clusaz is linked with the neighbouring resort of Le Grand Bornand. Combined passes for the two valleys are available, although first-time visitors could easily spend a few days exploring the terrain in either resort without retracing their paths. Other ski activities include cross-country skiing, speed riding (skiing with a small paragliding chute attached), ski joëring (skiing behind horses) and quad biking.

Other activities

Non-skiers will find plenty to do in La Clusaz. Its chocolate box-like beauty, with wooden chalets dotted around between dairy farms, can be viewed while snowshoeing, swimming in the outdoor heated pool, or dog sledging. The local ski sledge, know as a ‘paret’, is also available to try for free when some of the lifts are open for night skiing. The Monday morning market provides a swathe of local produce from cheese to homewares, and the indoor ski museum is always a good escape if the weather turns bad. A cinema and a great variety of restaurants also provide shelter from the snow.

Options for kids

Kids are catered for very well in La Clusaz, with kids’ clubs, ski school, sledging areas, an ice rink and a goat farm with cheese for sale and the doors open for plenty of pats.

Transport

Most people drive to La Clusaz, although regular buses arrive laden with ski boot-clad day-trippers from Annecy. Buses are also available from Geneva, and a local bus runs frequently between the two ski resorts of La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand. The buses in La Clusaz run all day long to all areas of the resort, and are free for those with a visitor card or a ski pass or two days or more.

Further information

The La Clusaz website provides information in both English and French about activities, accommodation, restaurants and more.

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