Grand Massif

Le Grand Massif consists of five main villages, Samoëns , Morillon, Les Carroz, Sixt Fer à Cheval and the most famous of them all, Flaine. Combined, it holds more than 140 ski runs, accounting for 265km of slopes.

With more than 239 snow guns, the resorts are assured to have fantastic ski seasons. In addition, Samoëns and Flaine have a large amount of summer activities, including hiking trails, biking and two nature reserves located conveniently within the ski areas for nature enthusiasts to enjoy.

Les Samoëns, Morillon and Les Carroz in particular are filled with a vast amount of natural wildlife, a key attraction for a large part of its visitors whether in winter or summer. Although considered a ski resort, Samoëns is more popular during the summer.

The villages have more of a small-town feel and aim to show the traditional alpine charm – very rare will you find a “tourist trap” restaurant in those villages. With small restaurants and bars with local dishes, it stays true to its roots. Flaine, on the other hand, is built-for-purpose, focuses solely on sporting activities and could be considered a minimalist ski haven, due to its stark 1960s architecture.

The entire region offers a wide variety of villages and a range of properties to purchase in Le Grand Massif to fit everyone’s needs.

The property market in Grand Massif

There has been a lot of investment poured into the region; new lifts, snowmaking machines all making a Grand Massif property for sale all the more attractive. That has generated more and more interest in recent years, however, buyers often still overlook the region, missing the opportunity of a Grand Massif second home.

In the region of Samoëns, Les Carroz and Morillon, traditional ski chalets and other ski properties can be found along with some larger luxurious chalets, while Flaine is more budget-friendly and to relevant as a Grand Massif property investment.

Apartments in the concrete world of Flaine can start at around €150,000 whereas in Samoëns, one-bedroom chalets start at around €240,000.

How to Get There

By Road

Le Grand Massif is very easily accessible by car via the Autoroute Blanche highway. It requires flying into the Geneva or Lyons or reached by rail then continuing on to Samoëns via Autoroute Blanche. The car ride is approximately one-hour driving time.

By Train

There are no direct rail services that reach Le Grand Massif, however it is possible to take the Eurostar to reach Bourg St. Maurice (accessible from London). From there, the journey can be easily reached by road using the Autoroute Blanche.

By Air

The closest airport to Le Grand Massif is the Geneva airport located approximately 60 km from the nearest ski resort. Flying into the Lyon airport is also possible, however requires over two hours of driving time to the region.

Weather

Spring / Summer

In the summer, the highs are on average between 23-25°C , with lows of -7°C in the highest peaks. The weather makes it perfect for activities such as paragliding and hiking through the region.

Fall / Winter

The area is located in between the Lac Léman and Le Mont Blanc creating a microclimate, because of this, there is a cold-air current, which provide the area with a cold front every winter ensuring great snowfall during the season.