Yulia, from the Peak Retreats team, chose Flaine as her ski holiday destination at the end of March 2024. From an overnight stay in Geneva to enjoying the snowy slopes of the Grand Massif ski area, find out more about her trip in this blog.
In Easter 2024 I went skiing to Flaine with my family and friends including Lyndsey from the Peak Retreats team. We had a very mixed group of adults and young children, all of very different abilities.
We like the convenience of ski-in/ski-out and always look for higher resorts, which still have good snow at the bottom of the slopes for childrens’ apres-ski fun. Le Centaure in Flaine appeared to tick all the boxes and we couldn’t have chosen better!
Getting to Flaine - via an overnight stay in Geneva
Flaine is only an hour’s drive from Geneva and with a bank holiday on Friday and cheaper flights, we decided to spend a day in Geneva en-route to the Alps. Geneva airport train station is just to the left of the arrivals hall and there are trains going to the city around every 15 minutes. The journey to Geneva Cornavin (main train station) only takes 8 minutes from the airport and you can buy tickets from the machines or in the information centre.
We have travelled through Geneva airport for years but never spent any time in the city until now. Geneva old town is peaceful and quiet, with lots of little lanes, cafes and artisan chocolate shops.
To transfer to the ski resort, you can arrange to be picked up by your taxi from a hotel in the city or return to the airport and go on a shared transfer or a coach.
Our Flaine accommodation
Flaine is a fairly large resort and is quite spread out. For convenience, we decided to stay in the most central part, Flaine Forum. Residence Le Centaure is located just above the main centre and has stunning views over the resort. It also offers direct access to the slope that takes you to the Grand Platieres cable car and the ski school meeting points.
Le Centaure was exactly what we were looking for with a huge warm swimming pool and lovely spa, comfortable and modern apartments and very friendly reception staff. A supermarket, restaurants and shops were all just a minute walk away.
Skiing in Flaine
We were very fortunate with lots of snow during the entire week we stayed in Flaine. It is a lovely treat to have a powder day at the end of the season so we were very excited to have fresh snow every morning!
Grand Massif ski area is fantastic with fast lifts and long runs. We quickly noticed that some red runs were very aptly named!
The green runs in Flaine are all named after trees, blues after gemstones and reds after devils (very appropriately!).
We all enjoyed the long, cruising Serpentine and beautiful Mephisto in Flaine but the highlight was the tree lined Portet run in Les Carroz Les Molliets area. It was slowly snowing every time we skied down it and it was so picture perfect, it almost didn’t look real.
We loved our time in Flaine, especially:
- Snow! Flaine is one of the most snow sure resorts in the area.
- Proximity to ski school for children from Le Centaure (makes mornings so much easier).
- Fantastic lift/slope system meaning we could do quite a lot of skiing whilst the kids were having lessons.
- Easy skiing between all the villages in the Grand Massif – we like to explore.
- Lots of mountain and après ski restaurants.
- Big, warm pool at Le Centaure. For all that extra energy that kids still have after a day of skiing!
Book your Flaine ski holiday
Are you ready to book your Flaine ski holiday or would you like to pick our brains? Peak Retreats are French Alps experts and we have a small friendly team on hand to help with any questions you may have. Give us a call on 023 9283 9310 or email reservations@peakretreats.co.uk.
Why book with Peak Retreats?
We’re a small, UK-based team of ski experts who are here to make your holiday hassle-free. And we’re winners of the Telegraph Travel Award for Best Ski Operator 2023.
We pride ourselves on going the extra mile, from helping you navigate ski school options to offering tailored advice on the best resorts and accommodation.
Our support doesn’t end when you book. With years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the French Alps, we’re committed to ensuring your ski trip is as smooth as fresh snow.
We provide 24/7 support while you’re away, personalised info packs, and regular travel updates to keep you informed.
To get tailored advice for your next ski holiday, give us a call on 023 9283 9310 or email reservations@peakretreats.co.uk.