Mont Blanc (Aravis) - La Clusaz

La Clusaz was rated by clients amongst Peak Retreat’s top 3 resorts for après-ski in 10/11. Although it is fairly sophisticated après-ski so you won’t find the loud English groups that you can meet in the Tarentaise area.

View here for a 360 degree view of La Clusaz (hold down the left click of your mouse and drag left right up and down whilst still holding on the left click button to move 360 degree).

Rated by Peak Retreats’ clients in 10/11 amongst the top 10 resorts that they would recommend a friend.

La Clusaz Resort Opening Dates

La Clusaz opens on 17/12/2011 and closes end of April.

Follow links below

Why La Clusaz?

·          Less than an hour from Geneva

·          Traditional village in scenic setting

·          40 mins from Annecy & the ski resort of Grand Bornand is just down the road

La Clusaz has acquired the Famille Plus & the highly exclusive Top of the French Alps label (TOTFA - only 17 resorts appear on this list) for its childcare facilities. Please view here to view more information on the Famille Plus & Top of the French Alps label.

CHILDCARE ONLY  (NO SKI LESSONS)

Club des Mouflets

Club des Mouflets

(crèche municipale)

Tél. : +33 (0) 4 50 02 48 91

+33 (0) 4 50 32 65 42 – Older children

+33 (0) 4 50 32 65 43 – Younger children

Fax : +33 (0) 4 50 32 65 21

Mail : creche@laclusaz.fr

24 places for children aged from 8 months – 3 years.

Open from Mon-Fri 9am-5.15pm (no arrivals between 12 noon and 2pm). Booking essential. Medical records must be shown. Mainly indoor activities. Cheaper tariffs for 2^nd or 3^rd child.

Club des Champions

Club des Champions

1, place de l’Église

Tél. : +33 (0) 4 50 32 69 50

Fax : +33 (0) 4 50 32 69 51

Mail : info@club-laclusaz.com

Web : http://www.club-laclusaz.com

Open from 17/12/11 – 28/04/11 from 08.30-12.00 and 14.00-17.45

Children aged 3-5yrs. 40 places available, 8 of which are reserved for 3-3 ½ yrs.

Booking essential.

Indoor activities for non-skiiing children: craft activities. Outdoor activities : walks, snowshoeing, toboganning, building snowmen…

Club des Marmottons

9, chemin de La Croix - BP 21

Tél. : +33 (0) 4 50 02 40 83

Fax : +33 (0) 4 50 02 67 46

Mail : info@esflaclusaz.com

Open 20/12/2011 to 01/05/2012

Mon-Fri (Saturday option). Open all season except during the winter school holidays.

Cost:

4-5yrs: 145 € for 5 days

Ice Garden

94, place du Pre de Foire

jamotcathy@hotmail.fr

Reserved for children between 2 and 8 years accompanied by an adult.

An ice rink for children to discover ice skating with instructor.

Child with smaller shoe size than 29 - €4

Admission - €4

Admission and rental - €7

Eating out, Apres-ski, amenities in La Clusaz

More than 200 shops and services including 10 bars, restaurants, supermarkets, banks, doctors, pharmacies, sports shops, nightclub – open from 11pm-5am all week.

Currency exchange in banks during week and in tourist office at weekends and public holidays.

Internet terminals – tourist office & Cyber Espace/Services Académie.

Activities in La Clusaz

Aqua Centre

(route de la Piscine)

Open all season from 18/12/10 – 01/05/11 from 1.30pm – 7.30pm. Open 1.30pm-7.30pm.  Access by bus line F.

Fitness – access to pool, sauna, steam room, gym from €15.10

Swimming pool with wading pool, fountain, pool, Jacuzzi and outdoor pool. Water temperature: 29 ° C.

Child/senior: € 6.50 entry reduced guest card BEFORE 17:30. Adult: € 8.00 (6.00 € with guest card) entry for reduced guest card BEFORE 5:30 p.m..

Market

Every Monday from 8-12 at the church.

Organised mountain hikes

Oxygene Mont-Blanc – 0033 450 32 35 37

Every Thursday from 1.30pm – 4.30pm. Organised hikes wearing X Adventure boots that can be combined with shoe shoes or touring skis to suit all types of terrain. Price from €35/person.

Tea-time in the mountains

Oxygene Mont-Blanc – 0033 450 32 35 37

Every Wednesday from 2pm-5.15pm. Learn to build snowmen/igloos etc in a mountain refuge with other activities. Any age! Prices from €20-35.

Snowmobiles

Oxygene Mont-Blanc – 0033 450 32 35 37

Mon-Fri from 2pm-6pm, Sats from 9am-12 noon. €100 per snowmobile for 2 people/for a 1 hour ride with instructor or €80 for 1 person.

Snowshoe hikes

Traces & découvertes – 0033 610 30 60 40

½ day or full day. Adult from €20, child from €15

Floodlit Skiing

Floodlit skiing also every week from 8.30pm to 10.30pm as well on the piste by telecabine de la Patinoire. Free.

Ice Rink

Opening times:

Sats from 3pm-7pm

Sunday-Monday from 10am-7pm

Tuesday to Friday from 1pm-7pm

. Initiation and skating lessons supervised by a qualified teacher status

. Fun activities for after-ski on the ice (information site)

apprehend the ice

. Opening night on request for groups

Admission: ................................................ ............ € 4

Entry + Skate rental: ................................... € 7

Entry toddler + skate rental :......... € 4 (Size 24 to 29).

Disco on ice evening – every Friday from 8pm=10pm.

Paragliding

S en Ciel – 0033 6 88 07 04 72

Open all week from 08.30am-7.30pm.

Take off on skis or snowboard from Beauregard summit: 55 €

Take off from the Aiguille: €85

Takamaka La Clusaz

0033450 45 00 07

Mail: laclusaz@takamaka.fr

Takamaka team welcomes you all year La Clusaz for your business. You will find a team of qualified professionals for supervise all your activities.

. Husky: from € 89 to
. Mountain guide: 330 € day
. Night in an igloo: from € 85
. Night sledging 29 €
. Paragliding - Tandem flights from € 55
. Snowshoe hike from 27 €

Cinema

route de l’Etale

Daily showings from 5.30pm and 9pm and at 2.30pm in bad weather.

Panoramic screen and Dolby sound. Prices from €7.50.

Horse and cart ride

Every afternoon from 2pm-6pm. Departs from the Confins plateau (top of toboggan run). Price for 30 mins:

Adults - €8

Children - €4

Ski joring - Aravis Passion

Tel. : +33 (0) 6 15 65 11 11

Mail: info@aravis-passion.com

Take you through the great escape areas of the Massif des Aravis. Towed by a horse, alpine skiing, you'll rediscover the mountain's fun and respect for nature, all with a qualified instructor.

Introductory 1hr 30 - €53

1/2 day: € 83

Team Quad Brafi Cret -

Aravis Services

"The Cret Brafi"

3646, Route Confines

Tel. : +33 (0) 6 09 47 10 74

+33 (0) 4 50 02 54 77

Fax: +33 (0) 4 50 02 68 26

Mail: contact@aravis-services.com

ATV (or snowmobile - depending on snow).

Flight training on the track approved.

Training for professional or before buying a vehicle.

Steering:

1h: € 75

1:30 : € 90

1:45 : € 105

2h: € 120

Baptism Quad from 25 € (passenger)

Dogsledding - Husky's Spirit (located in Annecy)
369, route d'Annecy
74290 Menthon Saint Bernard
Tel. : +33 (0) 6 61 93 11 48
From December to April, to discover the world of sledding in the Massif des Aravis supervised by a professional musher, graduate state.
Baptism (1h ): 75 €
half day: 85 €
day (excluding meals): € 140  
Half day from 10am to 12am or 13:30 to 15:30.
1 hour introduction / explanations and effective 1h sled, you are the driver!
Day from 10h to 16h.

All the above information is for information only. For the most up-to-date information please visit the resort tourist office website

La Clusaz Tourist Office

161, place de l’Eglise – BP 70 – 74220 La Clusaz

Tel: 0033 450 32 65 00

Fax: 0033 450 32 65 01

www.laclusaz.com

(Maps for sales, phone booth, currency exchange at weekends, bus tickets to Geneva, wifi access and 2 computers available)

Open weekdays from 9am-12.30pm and from 2pm-6.30pm. Open at weekends from 9am-7pm. Open non-stop from 9am-7pm during the Christmas and February school holidays.

Access to La Clusaz   

By Road: Driving distance from Calais to La Clusaz: 536 miles (approx 7hr30).

The Massif des Aravis is easily reachable:
- Motorway A 40 (Autoroute Blanche) ; exit N° 16 Bonneville, direction Stations des Aravis at 20 km
- Motorway A 41 exit Annecy Nord direction Thônes / Stations des Aravis at 30 km

By Rail: SNCF station of Annecy at 32km.
Réservation : 08 92 35 35 35
Daily link by bus – Voyages Crolard : +33 (0)4 50 02 20 58
http://www.voyages-crolard.com/

Airports:

Annecy-Meythet airport at 32 km (30 mins)

www.annecy.aeroport.fr

Shuttle bus between airport, TGV railway station and La Clusaz.
Geneva airport at 50km from Grand Bornand (1 hour)

www.gva.ch

Shuttle bus between Geneva and La Clusaz (www.gare-routiere.com)

Chambery Airport is 75km from Grand Bornand (1 ¼ hours)

www.chambery-airport.com

Lyon - Saint Exupéry airport at 150km (1 ¾ hours)

www.lyon.aeroport.fr/

www.altibus.com. TGV high speed train connection between Lyon and Annecy.

Grenoble Airport is 165km from Grand Bornand (1 ¾ hours)

www.grenoble-airport.com

Bus transfers from Geneva Airport – see timetable/prices/info.

Runs from 18/12/10-27/03/11.

Leaves GVA airport at 08.15, 14.00, 19.00.

Departs La Clusaz at 06.45, 11.30, 17.00.

Tickets must be reserved (not pre-bookable with Peak Retreats). Transfer time 1hr 45mins. Cost is €56 per adult return (cheaper prices for groups of 4 adults). Child is half adult rate (4-12yrs).

Getting around the resort

Departures every 30mins from the Salon des Dames car park. Inter-resort shuttle buses are free for holders of an Aravis pass. From La Clusaz to Grand Bornand takes 10 mins. Departs every 30mins from the Salon des Dames car park from 9am (8.30am in February) to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 6pm. Regular ski bus every 20 mins.s

Parking

Salon des Dames car park – 420 covered parking spaces at entrance to the village. Height limit 2.35m. Open 24/7. Coach and shuttle bus boarding area.

La Croix car park – 333 covered paying spaces in the village (1.80m limit). Open 24/7.

Les Chenons car park – 500 free parking spaces at the Balme Massif.

Ski Lockers/lockers

Ski lockers available at le Bossonnet and at the ski pass office at champ Giguet. Left luggage lockers available at the bus station.

Currency exchange – in banks during the week and in the tourist office at the weekends and on public holidays.

Luggage storage available at the bus station.

Access Plan

La Clusaz

Click on maps to enlarge

Resort Map

La Clusaz

SKI AREA

The skiing is divided into 5 sections – Beauregard, l’Aiguille. Balme, l’Etale and Crioux-Fry/Merdassier.

Most of the runs are west or north west facing so due to this the snow is generally relatively good. The best snow perhaps can be found on the west facing slopes in La Balme.

BEGINNERS

Nursery slopes can be found at village level, Beauregard and Cret du Merle. For gentle blues try Beauregard (there is a long blue run at 1650m down to the village called Guy Perillat) then move onto the Cret du Merle for a few more challenges. There is also a green slope there. There are long green runs at Bois de la Motte too. Beginners are well catered for in La Clusaz.

INTERMEDIATES

Again try Beauregard for some great blue runs. For more challenging and wider blue runs then head for L’Etale and L’Aiguille. Finally for the more advanced head for La Balme. La Clusaz has some ideal terrain for intermediates and there is plenty of runs to choose from. The majority of red runs are above 1650m.

EXPERTS

Some good expert runs can be found at La Balme – particularly the black Vraille run which is very steep. There is also an off-piste sector called Combe de Bellachat on the opposite side of the sector. There is a long black run, La Noire, that runs from Beauregard to the village.

SNOWBOARDING

Fortunately most of the drag lifts can be avoided. For beginners there are some good nursery slopes with chairlift links and La Balme is good for free-riders.

RESORT RUNS

Depending on which area of La Clusaz ski domain you come from there are resort runs of all levels from green-black.

NIGHTSKIING

La Clusaz organises "Full Moon" evenings once a year, where you can ski by moonlight on the Cret du Loup & Cret du Merle areas. Normally this runs from 9pm to 1am (04/02/2012).

Floodlit skiing also every week from 8.30pm to 10.30pm as well on the piste by telecabine de la Patinoire. Free.

La Clusaz Lift Passes

Save time in resort and budget ahead by pre-booking lift passes. See below for prices.

PRE-BOOK* your La Clusaz/Aravis Lift-Pass

Special family offer: 50% off 3^rd child (5-14yrs) when 2 adults and 3 children passes purchased (people living at same address)

FREE PASSES!

Children under 5 and senior over 75 receive a FREE lift pass.

Note: Proof of age will be required for reduced price passes.

Other lift pass on offer (to buy locally in resort in Euros):

La Clusaz ski pass –daily rates:

Day - €25 children, €32 adults

La Clusaz Ski Schools 

PRE-BOOK* your Group Ski/Board Lessons

Please note that a booking fee of £9 per party will be charged

Times and Schedules (ALL TIMES TO BE CONFIRMED, SUBJECT TO CHANGES).

1. 19.15-11.45 (except 12/2-10/3: 9.00-11.30)

2. 17/12-10/2: 14.15-16.45, 12/2-30/3: 14.30-17.00) –

3. Sunday afternoon, then Monday-Friday 17/12-10/2: 9.15-11.45 + 14.15-16.45; 12/2-30/3: 9.00-11.30 + 14.30-17.00        

4. 17/12-7/1, 12/2-10/3 & 7/4-21/4 : 14.15-16.45; All other dates: Monday-Friday 9.00-11.45 or Sunday-Friday 14.30-17.00  - 5 9.15-11.45 from 18/12-10/2 + 12/3-20/4 (NOT DURING FEB HALF-TERM)

Please note that lesson times are subject to change right until the last minute. Outside French school holidays the ski school reserves the right to cancel group lessons should numbers be insufficient. For peak periods (18/12-2/1, 13/2-13/3 & 9/4-24/4) we strongly recommend that you book as early as possible and in any case at least 6 weeks prior to the required dates. Morning lessons tend to get booked up first and therefore we may only be able to offer afternoon classes within 6 weeks of departure. In some resorts English speaking instructors may not always be available, particularly at peak times.

Ski Hire La Clusaz

Ski hire in La Clusaz prices start from £37 for children (skis and boots) & £54 for adults (skis and boots) for 7 days. View here for La Clusaz ski hire prices.

La Clusaz Individual Tuitions

(11/12 prices, NOT pre-bookable)

Individual tuitions can only be purchased directly from the ski school. Peak Retreats cannot pre-book these.

Ski school contact numbers:

Ecole du Ski Francais La Clusaz 0033 4 50 02 40 83

Ski Lockers/lockers

Ski lockers available at le Bossonnet and at the ski pass office at champ Giguet.

Left luggage lockers available at the bus station.

Snowpark Entry

It allows access by Merle chairlift (2 trips only) and drags téleskis du Louveteau, du Stade and du Loup 1 (unlimited) to snowpark. €18.50.

Nordic Skiing in La Clusaz

70km of cross country pistes.

Plateau des Confins (1420-1650m)

Official site of the 2006 world cup, equipped with artificial snow making equipment.

50kms of trails including a 7km long connection to the resort of Le Grand Bornand.

Accessible by shuttle bus or by car. Area is open from 9am-5pm/5.30pm.

Plateau de Beauregard (1650m)

36km of trails, 8 trails. The area offers both classic and skating cross country trails, as well as marked paths for walkers and snowshoers. Accessible from the village via the new Bearegard gondola lift or by car or shuttle bus via the col de La Croix Fry mountain pass. Area is open from 9am-4.30pm/5pm.

Plateau des Confins (1420m-1650m)

Official site Nordic World Cup

Opening hours:

Everyday from 9am-5pm, 5.30pm until 12^th February 2012

• Guaranteed snow

• 50 km of tracks including a 7 km link with the northern area of the Grand-Bornand

• Nursery School / Club pioupious

• Nordic Cross: playful and technical open to all

Free shuttles on presentation of the card host or resident

2011/2012: Adult day - €7.50, child €4.

Nordic Pass 2011/2012:

• Weekly Aravis:

Adult 32 € / Child 18 € / Senior 18 €

Plateau de Beauregard (1650 m)

From 9h to 16h30

The area's northern plateau Beauregard suggests possible cross-country style alternative and skating, as well as footpaths and snowshoe trails.•

20 km of pistes, 8 pistes.

• Accessible from the village by the télécabine de Beauregard or by car and shuttle le col de La Croix Fry.

Showshoe walks in La Clusaz

Half day from €18.50, whole day from €36

Off-piste descents in La Clusaz

Beginners and improvement sessions available in the La Creuse, Bellachat, Borderan and Le Clocher valleys

Half day from €70, whole day from €100

Heliskiing

Available in Italy and Switzerland

From €280.

*ALL PRE-BOOKABLE EXTRAS ARE PAYABLE TO PEAK RETREATS IN STERLING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PRICES ARE IN £.

ANYTHING IN EUROS (€) WE ARE UNABLE TO PRE-BOOK AND

WILL BE PAYABLE LOCALLY.