Megeve
Megève is one of the prettiest ski resorts in France and has some of the nicest mountain restaurants. Its large but not very high ski area suits relaxed holidaymakers who want to enjoy, rather than test, themselves. Geneva airport is only about an hour away so it's also ideal for ski weekends.
One of France’s most upmarket ski resorts and a member of the ‘Best of the Alps’ ski resorts, Megève can trace its roots back to a medieval village, but it was reborn and extensively developed in the early 20th century as the stylish French answer to St Moritz with narrow cobbled streets and more than its fair share of exclusive boutiques and smart hotels.
There are plenty of activities to keep non-skiers entertained including dog sledding, horse-drawn carriage rides, and ice skating. The resort is also famous for the quantity and quality of its mountain restaurants, and most of them can be reached with the bare minimum of skiing.
Airport transfers from Geneva to Megeve only take about an hour, so the resort is a popular choice for short breaks as well as longer holidays.
Megeve is part of the Evasion Mont Blanc (“EMB”) ski area that also includes Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas, Les Contamines and Comboloux. About 100 different lifts are accessing 8 summits and providing about 325kms of piste skiing which is more than enough for a week’s holiday.
Most of the pistes are easy so it’s a great ski area for novices and nervous skiers, whilst keen piste-bashers will relish its sheer size. For experts, the Mont Joly and Mont Joux sectors have the steepest slopes, but the on-piste challenges are few and far between, so they should also try the off-piste with a guide. They might also consider a day trip to Chamonix which is less than an hour’s drive away, and covered by the more expensive Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass.
And so it would seem that Megeve has it all, but in reality, it lacks one thing: height. The village lies at 1100m and most of the skiing is below 2000m. In a blizzard, Megeve’s tree-lined slopes are a much nicer place to be than a bleak bowl at 3000m above an ugly purpose-built resort. But when snow is in short supply, Megeve’s ski area suffers, and visitors have to rely on the resort’s many other charms.
Ultimate-Ski partner ALPINRESORTS.com works with several shops in and around Megeve and can secure big discounts if you book online in advance.
Megeve Strengths & Weaknesses
+ Pretty town to stroll around
+ Extensive ski area
+ Excellent mountain restaurants
+ Good choice for beginners, nervous skiers and non-skiers
+ Easy to get to
– Not snowsure
– Few challenging pistes
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Megeve Resort Ratings
