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Portes du Soleil is a cross-border ski area that stretches between the French Alps and Switzerland, connecting ten resorts across two countries. It's an area built for exploring - the skiing links village to village through a mix of open alpine terrain, forest runs, and mountain passes. You can ski from France into Switzerland and back before lunch, and every valley has a slightly different character.
The area covers 600 km of marked piste served by 196 lifts, sitting between 900 m and 2,277 m. There are 286 runs in total: 34 green, 109 blue, 99 red, and 44 black. The season typically runs from mid-December through to mid-April. Six resorts sit on the French side and four in Switzerland, all connected by a single lift pass.
On the French side, Avoriaz is purpose-built and car-free at altitude, Morzine and Les Gets are lively traditional towns, and Châtel has a quieter, family-friendly pace. Across the border, Champéry and Morgins bring a distinctly Swiss feel with smaller crowds and well-kept slopes. Browse Portes du Soleil ski deals on WeSki to start planning your trip.
Avoriaz sits at 1,800 m on a dramatic cliff edge, entirely car-free and ski-in ski-out. The resort was purpose-built in the 1960s and the angular wooden architecture gives it a distinctive look. Snow conditions are among the most reliable in the area thanks to the altitude and north-facing aspect. It's a strong hub for exploring the wider Portes du Soleil - from here you can ski directly into Châtel, across to the Swiss resorts, or drop down to Morzine. The Aquariaz water park and kids' village make it a well-equipped family base too.
Morzine is a proper mountain town - busy, sociable, and full of good restaurants and bars. It sits at 1,000 m in the valley and connects to both the Avoriaz ski area (via the Prodains cable car) and Les Gets (via the Pléney gondola), making it one of the most well-connected bases in the Portes du Soleil. The après-ski scene is one of the liveliest in the French Alps. It's popular with British skiers and snowboarders, and the town has a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere.
Les Gets is a charming village at 1,170 m with a traditional centre, a weekly market, and a mechanical music museum that's worth a visit on a rest day. The local ski area has well-groomed, tree-lined runs that are ideal for families and intermediates. From the top of the Mont Chéry side, you get panoramic views across to Mont Blanc. It connects directly to Morzine and from there into the wider Portes du Soleil circuit. The village is quieter than Morzine and has a slightly more laid-back atmosphere.
Châtel is a traditional farming village at 1,200 m that straddles the border area between France and Switzerland. Two separate ski sectors - Linga-Pré la Joux and Super-Châtel - connect into the wider circuit, with Super-Châtel linking directly across to Morgins in Switzerland. The village has a calm, family-oriented feel with good local restaurants and none of the resort bustle. It's a solid pick if you want a quieter base with easy access to both sides of the Portes du Soleil.
La Chapelle d'Abondance is a small, authentic village in the Abondance valley at 1,020 m. Its local ski area is compact but connects into the Portes du Soleil via the Torgon link on the Swiss side. The village is known for its Abondance cheese (you'll see it on every menu) and its peaceful, unhurried pace. It's one of the quietest bases in the area - a good option if you prefer a traditional village with character and don't mind a slightly longer link into the main circuit.
St Jean d'Aulps is a small village in the valley below Morzine with its own local ski area - a quiet, manageable domain that's well-suited to families and beginners. While it's included in the Portes du Soleil pass, it's slightly separate from the main linked circuit. What you get is uncrowded slopes, a relaxed village feel, and proximity to Morzine if you want to venture further. It's one of the area's hidden corners.
Champéry is a picturesque Swiss village at 1,050 m with a car-free main street and a long history as a mountain resort. A cable car takes you up to the Croix de Culet and into the heart of the Swiss Portes du Soleil, including the famous Swiss Wall - a near-vertical mogul field that's one of the steepest marked runs in the Alps. The village itself has an elegant, understated feel with good restaurants and a slower pace. It's well connected to Les Crosets and Champoussin on the mountain.
Les Crosets is a small, slope-side Swiss village at 1,660 m - one of the highest bases in the Portes du Soleil. It's compact and practical, with ski-in ski-out access and direct links to both the French resorts and the rest of the Swiss side. The terrain above the village is varied, with good reds and some challenging off-piste routes. It's a functional base that suits skiers who want to be on the snow quickly and spend more time skiing than commuting.
Champoussin is a tiny, peaceful hamlet at 1,580 m between Les Crosets and Morgins. It's ski-in ski-out and almost entirely residential - there's no village centre to speak of, just a handful of chalets and apartments right on the slopes. The skiing links easily to both neighbouring resorts. If you want absolute quiet and direct piste access with nothing else to distract you, Champoussin is about as stripped-back as it gets.
Morgins is a relaxed Swiss village at 1,350 m, right on the French border. It links directly to Châtel's Super-Châtel sector, making it easy to ski between the two countries. The local slopes are gentle and well-maintained, with a good mix of blues and easy reds through the trees. The village is quiet and family-friendly, with a handful of hotels and restaurants. It's a pleasant base for anyone who wants the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil without the steeper terrain around Champéry.
Morzine, Les Gets, and Avoriaz all have well-designed learning areas. The Pléney sector in Morzine has a gentle nursery slope with a dedicated beginners' lift separated from faster traffic. Les Gets has a similar setup at the base of the Chavannes area, with easy greens and a covered magic carpet. Avoriaz has a beginners' zone in the village centre with progression onto gentle blues above. On the Swiss side, Morgins is a particularly calm spot for first-timers, with quiet, well-groomed slopes.
Ski and snowboard lessons are available through WeSki in Avoriaz, Morzine, and Les Gets, for adults and children.
WeSki tip: Les Gets' Chavannes area is one of the best beginner zones in the area - it's wide, sunny, and has a gentle gradient that lets you build speed gradually. The covered magic carpet means no freezing on the uplift, which makes a real difference with young children.
The 109 blues and 99 reds mean intermediates could ski here for a fortnight and not repeat themselves. The classic Portes du Soleil circuit is a day-long loop through both countries - you can start in Avoriaz, cross into Switzerland via Châtel or directly over the Chavanette pass, ski through Les Crosets and Champoussin, and return via Morgins. It's around 40 km of skiing and one of the best day tours in the Alps. Closer to home, the reds above Avoriaz and the long blues down to Morzine are consistently satisfying.
WeSki tip: If you're doing the full circuit, go anti-clockwise (Avoriaz towards Châtel first). The afternoon sun hits the Swiss side later in the day, keeping those slopes in better condition for the return leg.
The Swiss Wall (Pas de Chavanette) is the headline act - a near-vertical mogul field visible from the chairlift that drops from the French border into Switzerland. It's as steep as it looks and not for the faint-hearted, though you can take an easier route around the side. Beyond that, the off-piste between Les Crosets and Champéry has some excellent backcountry terrain, and the couloirs above Avoriaz reward adventurous skiers when conditions are right. A guide is recommended for anything away from the marked runs.
WeSki tip: The Swiss Wall is best tackled early in the morning when the moguls are still firm and predictable. By the afternoon, they can become icy on the tops and soft in the troughs, which makes the descent much harder work.
The Portes du Soleil ski pass covers all 600 km of piste and 196 lifts across both the French and Swiss resorts on a single ticket. Passes are available from one day up to the full season, with discounted rates for children, teens, and seniors. Family passes are also available. If you're planning to stay in one area, individual resort passes (covering just Morzine-Les Gets or just Avoriaz, for example) are sold at a lower rate with upgrade options.
You can add the lift pass directly to your WeSki booking, along with ski equipment hire at Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel, Champéry, Morgins, and St Jean d'Aulps - so everything's sorted before you arrive.
WeSki tip: If you're staying in Morzine or Les Gets for less than a full week, check whether a Morzine-Les Gets local pass plus a one-day Portes du Soleil upgrade for the circuit day works out more cost-effective than the full area pass for every day.
Geneva is the closest airport, around 1 hour 15 minutes' drive to Morzine and slightly longer to Avoriaz or Châtel. Lyon is roughly 2 hours 45 minutes away. By train, the nearest station is Thonon-les-Bains (served by TGV from Paris), with a transfer of around 40 minutes to Morzine. The Swiss resorts can also be reached via train through Lausanne to Aigle and then a local railway to Champéry. Free shuttle buses run within the main resort clusters during the season.
WeSki has private and shared transfers to Avoriaz, Morzine, and Les Gets, plus scheduled transfers to Morzine and Les Gets. Private transfers are available to all ten resorts, including Châtel, La Chapelle d'Abondance, St Jean d'Aulps, Champéry, Les Crosets, Champoussin, and Morgins. Add them to your booking for a straightforward door-to-door trip.
The season runs from mid-December to mid-April. The area doesn't have glacier terrain, so conditions depend on natural snowfall and snowmaking. Avoriaz, sitting at 1,800 m, tends to hold snow best throughout the winter. January to mid-March usually sees the most consistent coverage across the whole linked circuit, including the lower connecting runs.
School holiday weeks in February are the busiest, particularly on the French side. The Swiss resorts tend to be a little quieter even at peak times. If you've got flexibility, early January and the first half of March balance good snow with fewer people on the slopes. Late season brings longer days and spring conditions - the south-facing slopes on the Swiss side soften first, so plan your route accordingly.
Yes. Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, and Morgins all have dedicated nursery areas separated from faster traffic. Les Gets and Morzine are particularly strong for first-timers, with gentle, sheltered slopes and magic-carpet lifts. Ski and snowboard lessons for adults and children are available through WeSki in Avoriaz, Morzine, and Les Gets.
Portes du Soleil covers 600 km of marked piste served by 196 lifts, ranging from 900 m to 2,277 m. There are 286 runs in total: 34 green, 109 blue, 99 red, and 44 black. Ten resorts in France and Switzerland share the same lift pass.
Morzine is the best all-rounder - a lively town with good restaurants, strong après-ski, and connections to both Avoriaz and Les Gets. Avoriaz suits skiers who want ski-in ski-out convenience and reliable snow. Les Gets is a good pick for families. Châtel is quieter and gives easy access to both sides of the border. On the Swiss side, Champéry has the most character, while Morgins is calm and family-friendly.
Yes. The Portes du Soleil pass covers both countries, and the lift system links the French and Swiss resorts. The classic circuit takes you through both sides in a full day. The main crossing points are via Châtel to Morgins, over the Chavanette pass from Avoriaz to Les Crosets, and through Champoussin between Les Crosets and Morgins. No passport is needed for EU and UK citizens.
The season typically runs from mid-December to mid-April. There is no glacier skiing, so the season depends on natural snowfall and snowmaking. Avoriaz at 1,800 m tends to open and close with the most reliable conditions.
Fly to Geneva, which is about 1 hour 15 minutes' drive to most resorts. Lyon is around 2 hours 45 minutes away. Alternatively, take the TGV to Thonon-les-Bains and transfer from there. For the Swiss resorts, the train through Lausanne to Aigle connects to a local railway to Champéry. WeSki has private, shared, and scheduled transfers available depending on the resort.
No. The lift system connects most resorts during ski hours. Free shuttle buses run within the main French resort clusters. Between Morzine and Avoriaz, the Prodains cable car provides a fast link. The Swiss resorts are linked on the mountain, though getting between the French and Swiss villages by road requires driving through the valley.
Yes. Ski and snowboard lessons are available through WeSki in Avoriaz, Morzine, and Les Gets. Ski equipment hire is available in seven resorts: Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel, Champéry, Morgins, and St Jean d'Aulps. You can add both to your booking along with your lift pass and transfers.
The Swiss Wall (Pas de Chavanette) is a near-vertical mogul field on the border between France and Switzerland, dropping from Avoriaz's sector into Les Crosets. It's one of the steepest marked runs in the Alps. There is an easier route around the side for those who prefer to avoid it. It's best attempted early in the morning when conditions are firm.
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