My lifelong search for a reasonably priced ski trip with the shortest transfer has taken me to hundreds of resorts in the mountains of Europe. Finally I think I have found it in Le Grand Bornand in France.
Where? You might ask. Le Grand Bornand certainly lacks the international cachet of Courchevel and Val d’Isère, but in fact it is one of the most popular of the 364 French resorts – that is, for the French, who make up the bulk of visitors and who keeps his secrets secret.
The success of a ski trip depends on getting the maximum number of hours on quality snow with the fewest travel hassles possible – especially if you have small children in tow. With a theoretical choice of almost 4,000 resorts in Europe, these criteria will help you find the ideal destination should be an easy task. However, once you factor in a suitable ski area for your party’s abilities, acceptable prices, a warm atmosphere and adequate snow cover, your options narrow dramatically.
For me, the key to all this lies in the shortest possible handoffs, which are all too often lengthy, stressful and exhausting experiences. I once flew into Ljubljana airport in Slovenia, grabbed my skis and bag from the baggage carousel and rode the gondola into Krvavec within 25 minutes of landing – it was a light bulb moment.
If you fancy skiing at the Alps’ biggest resorts, you’ll be hard-pressed to find comparable convenience in France. So when friends working in Geneva asked to make a proposal sympathize ski area nearby for a joint week together I called Xavier Schouller. French-born Schouller founded British self-drive tour operator Peak Retreats in 2002. Initially, he used his insider knowledge to focus on sending British clients to small French destinations largely unknown to the British public.
‘Easy,’ he said: ‘Go to Le Grand Bornand. It’s great by all standards. You will have no regrets.”
In the Aravis Mountains, Le Grand Bornand is just five minutes away by car or a free ski bus ride from the better known La Clusaz. Together with the little St Jean de Sixt and Manigod, they share a ski pass and an impressive 230 km of slopes.
Importantly, the resort is just an hour’s drive from Geneva Airport and 30 minutes from the lakeside town of Annécy, making it easily accessible from all directions. Our friends drove, my wife and I flew with easyJet from Bristol and took the resort’s minibus shuttle (aravis-shuttle.com), which runs six times a day and costs just €40 per person.
Although Le Grand Bornand is located at just 1,000 meters altitude, with a summit elevation of 2,100 metres, it has impressively reliable snow cover thanks to the “fridge effect” caused by its proximity to the Mont Blanc massif.
The snow cover during our visit in late January was remarkable in this mixed winter and because there were meadows rather than rocks under the piste, a base of only a few centimeters was needed to open the ski slopes.
The resort also has a life outside of skiing. Since the 13e For centuries, Le Grand Bornand was the spiritual home of Reblochon cheese, the key ingredient in tartiflette and other Haute-Savoie dishes. In the Middle Ages, the church and feudal lords based their annual milk production tax on the number of buckets filled during midday milk.
The smart farmers in the region only half-milked their cows in the presence of the tax collectors. They found that when they completed the task under the cover of darkness, the second stage produced much creamier milk that was ideal for cheese making.
Apparently you’re never far from a cow here. When more than 2,000 of them emerge from their winter homes on the 45 working farms in the spring, the cacophony of bells haunts the entire mountainside.
Because it is a traditional destination, rather than a purpose-built giant, it is important to understand the geography of the resort. Le Grand Bornand consists of two accommodation bases: Le Chinaillon is officially the ski center of the resort with its ski school, practice slopes and easy access to the chairlift to the mountain. It has the most chalets and the most hotels. A 10-minute drive away and connected by the slopes is the old village of Le Grand Bornand – our base for this week.
Les Chalets de Joy is an impressive new complex of five-star apartments, located on the hill just above the two mountain gondolas. The 2-bedroom apartments with village views feature two bathrooms and a well-equipped open-plan living room and kitchen. There is also a swimming pool, gym, wellness centre, lounge and bar.
A short walk away, the Joyère gondola takes you to a secluded area with easy greens and blues. Le Rosay, leaving from the same station, takes you to the heart of skiing and the slopes leading to Le Chinaillon.
Mont Lachat at 2,100 meters altitude is the starting point for a whole series of surprisingly challenging descents, as well as a special and steep freeride section of the mountain. However, one of the main advantages of the resort is that it really ticks all the boxes.
In total there are 90 km of slopes, served by 24 lifts, three beginner areas and a renowned snow park with lines for all levels. The mountainside is dotted with welcoming huts for a drink or a lazy lunch. Papi Jo, just below the verdant Serpentine slope at Le Chinaillon, was one of our favorites – it has an outdoor terrace and BBQ in nice weather. There is also a good choice of relatively cheap restaurants and bars in the center of the attractive village.
A little further afield, the free ski bus offers the opportunity to explore the larger La Clusaz. Here the vast ski area is divided into separate sectors – Balme, furthest from the village, was a personal favourite.
The journey home? Our friends took us to Geneva airport, and within 75 minutes of reluctantly leaving our holiday apartment, we were sitting smugly in the departure lounge.
Essentials
Peak Retreats offers a week’s stay at Les Chalets de Joy apartments from £1,999 total, for a two-bedroom, self-catering apartment, including Eurotunnel crossing. If you choose to fly instead of drive, the price is discounted. Equipment rental at Intersport costs from €74 for six days, with free night lockers. Ski passes cost €280 for six days. More information can be found at legrandbornand.com
Peter was a guest at Peak Retreats