Samoëns Ski Resort Guide | Grand Massif
Samoëns offers two bases, the traditional village with its cobbled streets and historic town square and the satellite village of Samoëns 1600 where ski-in-ski-out accommodation provides direct access to the Grand Massifs 265km of pistes. Samoëns is a fantastic base to the wider Grand Massif but equally remains a stand-alone ski resort with plenty to offer.
Samoëns 1600m
SAMOËNS FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Arriving in the town of Samoëns has a different feel to most European ski areas. The old village sits at the base of the Grand Massif Express, a gondola that rises 900m to the ski area. From the gondola top station, a quick run takes you to the Chariande Express where you can access the rest of the extended ski area.
SAMOËNS SKI AREA
Samoëns is perfectly placed to access the slopes of the Grand Massif resorts of Flaine, Morillon and Les Carroz by chairlift or the village of Sixt by bus. If you do not want to venture too far then Samoëns has enough to keep most of the family entertained.
The beginner’s area in Samoëns is first class and would make a perfect base for learning, although during peak weeks it can suffer from overcrowding. There is a magic carpet, some surface lifts, and a friendly chairlift, after graduating from this area you should be able to handle everything the mountain has to offer. The ski schools will meet in Samoëns 1600 by the gondola or entrance to Club Med.
Those looking to explore further will not be disappointed with Samoëns, there are many interesting steeps and off-piste routes that lead back to the Chariande Express Chair. Some great skiing can also be found near the Coulouvrier chair with some interesting blue and red-grade slopes.
After fresh snow, most will head to the Tete de Saix and the links over to Flaine, where you will find some awesome powder lines and tree skiing. Many neglect the long run down from Samoëns to Vercland, which can have great conditions after fresh snow. Sadly snow to Verclands base area can be unreliable.
Samoëns ski area can be prone to high wind causing the links over to Flaine, Les Carroz and Morillon to shut down. If this happens skiing in Samoëns can be great for bad weather days with ample cover in the bowl and between the trees. If you still plan to ski another Grand Massif resort on a bad weather day this is possible via the local free bus service.
BEGINNERS TERRAIN SAMOËNS
The beginner’s area in Samoëns is amongst the best in the Grand Massif. What I like about the beginner’s area is there is a perfect progression in terms of lifts. Beginners can start worry-free on the Magic Carpets before moving onto a slow drag lift and then the two slow beginners chairlifts which all access green runs.
INTERMEDIATES TERRAIN SAMOËNS
The intermediate terrain in Samoëns offers a perfect blend of challenge and enjoyment for skiers and snowboarders looking to progress their skills. With its wide array of groomed blue and red runs, this picturesque ski area caters well for intermediates. Intermediate skiers and snowboarders will also benefit from the links to nearby resorts like Morillon and Les Carroz which have beautiful blue cruisers.
Samoëns Grand Massif
ADVANCED TERRAIN SAMOËNS
Advanced skiers and snowboarders will need to enjoy heading away from the piste to make the most of skiing in Samoëns. Yes Aigle Noir can claim to be amongst the most challenging black pistes in the Grand Massif but there is little else on the piste map.
Where Samoëns comes into its own is the slackcountry areas between the pistes which can be exceptional after fresh snowfall. Samoëns is great for catching snow that gets blown into its large bowl. and this makes it a really fun resort to hit when the conditions are good.
WHERE TO SKI IN SAMOËNS DURING A STORM
Sadly in Samoëns there is little cover from bad weather when conditions turn to their worst. Luckily nearby Morillon and Les Carroz ski resorts have some fantastic terrain which is lined by trees which gives good context in bad weather.
ACCESSING THE GRAND MASSIF
From Samoëns it is easy to transition between the other Grand Massif resorts allowing you to make the most of the whole ski area. From Samoëns take the the Chariande Express or Coulovrier chairs which will take you to the Tete de Saix, the crossroads of the Grand Massif. For Flaine, head to Verdant chair, alternatively you can ski directly into Morillon and Les Carroz from this point.
Coulovrier Chair above Samoëns
FREESTYLE SAMOËNS
In terms of freestyle, you have a couple of options in the Grand Massif. Flaine has a terrain park and border cross tracks that wind down skiers left of the bowl as you head towards the village. In Les Carroz there is a small park that is serviced by a poma, the layout of this park didn’t allow for good flow between jumps and rails but had some of the best features.
SAMOËNS SNOW HISTORY
Samoëns has a pretty reliable snow history however it is worth noting that over the last few seasons, the lower reaches of the resort towards the Vercland gondola have suffered with a lack of snow. In general, throughout the past winter the majority of Samoëns and the further Grand Massif had exceptional snowfall and it’s fair to say that you will get decent snowfall when you are in the higher reaches of the resort.
RELATED VIDEOS
SAMOËNS LIFTS
Samoëns has 3 major lifts, the Grand Massif Express and Vercland gondolas which whisk skiers up to the main area of Samoëns 1600 and the Chariande Express which departs 1600m and arrives at the Tete de Saix. There are two additional quad chairs in the beginner’s bowl and the addition of some surface lifts and magic carpets.
Skiers in Samoëns also have good access to the Coulouvrier chairlift, Europes longest, when it is in service. Sadly the Chariande 2 lift that used to run from the main bowl alongside the Chariande Express is no longer in service. I made the video below to discuss the reasons for this.
SEASON DATES
The season in Samoèns runs from early December to the end of April with closing normally around the 20th April. The resort has invested heavily in snow making to ensure they are able to maintain great conditions in both the early and late season.
SAMOËNS PISTE MAP
Grand Massif Piste Map
To see the interactive piste map click here
GETTING TO SAMOËNS
Getting to Samoëns is pain-free with Geneva airport around an hour away. I’ve always taken a resort transfer directly into my Grand Massif accommodation which has always been smooth. Although driving is possible I have always favoured transfer to these resorts
TRANSFER COMPANIES
Most of my transfers to Samoëns have been with GO MASSIF. Go Massif have been fantastic for shared transfers between Geneva and the Grand Massif and having used their service multiple times I would recommend them.
Alpin Bus are a company that I have used for private transfers between Geneva Airport and the Grand Massif. The communication throughout has been fantastic and service came in cheaper than Go Massif for the private option.
FIND YOUR TRANSFER
SELF-DRIVE
If you would prefer to self-drive there are numerous counters available at Geneva Airport where car-rental is possible. From Geneva, you can expect to drive for 1-1.5 hours depending on conditions. Other nearby airports; Chambéry and Lyon, also offer short drive times of 2 hours and 2.5 hours respectively. Driving to Flaine from Geneva represents one of the shortest ski resort transfers in the Alps.
TRAVEL AROUND THE GRAND MASSIF
The Grand Massif is a large area but luckily access between the resorts is fairly simple. From Samoèns you are perfectly placed to explore the other resorts.
SAMOËNS TO FLAINE
From Samoèns you will want to take the Chariande Express chair. Here you can either drop off into the off-piste near the Corbalanche Chair then head towards Vernant's chair. If you would prefer to stick to the pistes then Silice (blue) will take you to Dolomie (blue) which will lead you to Vernant. From the top of Vernant take Tourmaline (blue) all the way into Flaine.
SAMOËNS TO MORILLON
The fastest route via the pistes to Morillon is via the Chariande Express chair from Samoëns. Take the Perce-Neige (blue) until you reach L’Arète (blue) which will lead you to Morillon. Alternatively, you can utilise the free shuttle bus services which run between Samoëns and Morillon ski resorts.
SAMOËNS TO LES CARROZ
There are a number of routes between Samoëns and Les Carroz. Perhaps the most direct for beginners and intermediates is to take the Chariande Express chair from Samoèns and follow Silice (blue and then Dolomie (blue) which will lead you to Portet (blue). This run gets fairly flat around the end of Dolomie so you can often see some people pushing or walking this route. If you can maintain your speed you should be fine.
The more advanced can take the Chamois red piste from the Tete de Saix which runs towards Marmotte and Les Molliets chair. From Les Molliets you can either return to the Tete de Saix via the chair of the same name or take Les Molliets to head towards Gron or the Keuduze gondola and Les Carroz village.
SAMOËNS ACCOMMODATION
Staying in the village of Samoëns is a great base with plenty of restaurants, bars and shops within easy walking distance of your accommodation. It is worth noting that the village is a short walk or shuttle bus ride from the Grand Massif Express Gondola so you will need to factor this into your morning routine.
If you prefer on-slope accommodation there are several places to stay at Samoëns 1600 although you will miss out on the village vibe. Samoëns 1600 is also the base for a large Club Med hotel with all-inclusive facilities including a ski school. This would make a good base for families heading to the Grand Massif.
SAMOËNS LIFT PASS
Lift passes in Samoëns represent exceptional value. If you think you will ski more than one week in a season then consider getting the Grand Massif season pass, if purchased online before 30th November you save 50% meaning a whole season of skiing for €552. You can even add summer access so you have access to all the summer hiking and mountain biking.
If you are only visiting for one week then you can see all the options for lift passes here. I would always recommend getting the Grand Massif pass rather than the local area pass as it represents better value.
SAMOËNS PROS
Samoëns has direct access to the rest of the Grand Massif from the Chariande Express.
There is a brilliant beginner’s area in Samoëns that makes it the perfect base for never-evers.
Samoëns has a good mix of terrain in the local area making it a great base for mixed ability groups.
Aigle Noir black run is genuinely intense and for able skiers and snowboarders can represent a fantastic challenge.
SAMOËNS CONS
Crowding in Samoëns has become a problem during peak weeks since the closure of the Chariande 2 chairlift.
If you are staying in the village you will need to take a shuttle bus to the Grand Massif Express. Because of the bus timetable, it is hard to get to the GME before there is a queue during peak weeks.
Restaurants in the Samoëns ski area seem to charge more than in other Grand Massif resorts.
SAMOËNS GALLERY
NEARBY SKI RESORTS
FINAL THOUGHTS
Samoëns has been one of my favourite ski areas in France for years, I love it for the traditional village and the access it has to the rest of the Grand Massif. However, since the Chariande 2 lift has been out of action, Samoëns has had a problem, crowding during peak weeks. If you are visiting Samoëns outside of the main holiday weeks, I guarantee you will have a fantastic time! During peak periods, you may suffer from morning queues at the Grand Massif Express and Chariande Express chairlifts.
DISCOVER SAMOËNS
www.samoens.com
AROUND THE GRAND MASSIF
