An Elegant Ski Resort in the French Alps | Megève France
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In the winter months, we naturally want to get cosy, rest and eat delicious comfort food. That said, heading to the mountains in winter can also be an adventure alongside all those mentioned above. Don’t worry you'll have plenty of time to chill, get cosy by the fire but it will feel even more rewarding after a day out in the snow. The French Alps are home to over 300 ski resorts and choosing a resort from so many can be a daunting task!
An authentic ski resort experience without the crowds can be a challenge to find, however Megève is an exclusive and elegant ski resort in France with a rich culture and history. Perfectly positioned in a picturesque setting with views of Mont Blanc, Megève is a family favourite ski resort and a perfect romantic getaway where many return year after year under the spell of its charm. In this guide we’ll explore what there is to do in Megève including snow sports and alternative winter activities on offer.
Where is Megève Ski resort?
The elegant resort of Megève is located in the south-east of France, between Chambéry and Chamonix within the Western Alps, close to the Swiss and Italian borders. Megève is within Haute-Savoie region and is an hour drive from Geneva airport, making it an easy to access ski resort in the French Alps. The village of Megève sits at an elevation of 1113m and the highest point of the ski resort reaches 2350m.
What is Megève known for?
Megève ski resort was built in the 1920's by Baroness Noémie de Rothschild who was searching for an alternative to the popular St Moritz resort in Switzerland. It was the first purpose built resort in the French Alps, where Noémie de Rothschild bought land on the Mont D'Arbois slopes for its panoramic views and great potential for skiing.
An agricultural village at heart, Megève has a rustic, charming feel with traditional wooden chalets lining the cobblestone streets and the occasional passing horse-drawn carriage with the sound of tinkling bells. At night the streets have a cosy, warmth with golden lights and the smell of fresh crêpes cooking filling the air. You’ll find many great food spots in the village and on the slopes offering traditional Savoyard options and international cuisine and we share our favourite spots later in the article under best places to eat in Megève section.
How to get to Megève?
By Plane
Megève is well connected to most major towns and cities in France and only an hour drive from the nearest airport, Geneva. Other nearby airports to Megève include Chambéry (1 hour 15 mins) and Lyon (2 hours 30 mins). There are direct buses from Geneva airport to Megève where the journey takes around 1 hour 30 mins and you can book blablacar bus and costs €35.
By train
There is no train station in Megève, however the closest station is Sallanches which is well connected by TGV and TER services and you can take Y83 from Sallanches to Flumet, stopping at Megève and the service is run by the bus company SAT.
By car
If you plan to arrive by car, there are plenty of car parks in Megève and is only 45 minutes from Chamonix, 1 hour from Geneva, 1 hour 20 mins from Annecy, 2 hours 20 mins from Lyon, 4 hours 30 mins from Marseille, 5 hours 30 mins from Paris and 7 hours from Lille. You can check the latest road information for the route to Megeve including road works, road conditions and whether it recommends snow tyres for a section of road which is very useful to know.
Most of the car parks in Megève are pay and display, or blue parking zones where you have to display a blue parking disc showing when you arrived and at the entrance of the car park it will indicate the amount of time allowed to park. There is covered and open air parking and you’ll find free parking at Cote 2000 and Combloux car parks. You can get a blue disc at the following places; police station, town hall, tourism office, cash desk ski lifts and Jaillet ski school.
What to take with you whilst visiting Megève?
When driving in France, it is now required by law to either have winter tyres fitted or carry snow chains or snow socks for your safety in the Alps, Corsica, Massif Central, Massif Jurassien, Pyrenees and Massif Vosges from the 1st of November till the 31st of March. These areas are signposted with a blue sign with a wheel and snow chains to indicate the section ahead may require them during winter conditions; these signs are currently being updated since the new regulations were introduced in November 2021.
You’ll find plenty of options in Megève for rental shops to hire ski, snowboarding or other winter equipment. We would recommend you bring a good pair of waterproof snow shoes that you will wear most days and will keep your feet warm and dry. Warm clothing is very important as temperatures in the mountains can get very cold and layering is key to keeping warm!
How to get around Megève?
Most car parks provide easy access by foot to the centre of Megève and there are a number of car parks that provide access to the different ski areas including Cote 2000, Combloux, Rochebrune and Mont d’Arbois. Megève provides a free shuttle bus which goes from Cote 2000, Mont d’Arbois to the Megève bus station every 20 minutes which makes it easy to get around the surrounding areas. Each Megève bus is powered by natural gas, as one of the measures the resort has made to preserve the environment. For more information on the bus routes, see the tourism board website.
When is the best time to visit Megève?
In winter, the ski season in Megève usually starts from early December until mid April. A great time to visit is before the Christmas holidays, as there are fewer crowds and you’ll find quieter runs. February and March bring warmer temperatures with the chance to ski with blue skies and a chance to catch some sun.
There are plenty of activities throughout the season, every Friday from 9am till 1pm there is a local craft market and each Sunday a local farmers market selling fresh produce in the village square. In January Megève holds the International Jumping ski race each year. For the first time in 2023, it hosted the annual race of ‘VVF Grand Odysée’ the lead dog sledding event in Europe and will host the French Championships of Speed Skiing where skiers may exceed 160km/h!
What are the best things to see and do in Megève in winter?
What is it like to Ski or snowboard in Megève?
Megève has over 235 slopes that total 400 km in length, covering 4 massifs which include Jaillet, Rochebrune, Mont d’Arbois and Cote 2000 and sits within the Domaine Évasion Mont-Blanc, check the piste map for more detail.
Megève village sits at 1113 metres above sea level and the resort reaches a maximum elevation of 2525 metres on Mont Jolly. Many of the pistes are lined with fragrant pine trees and have views over to Mont Blanc. The Megève ski resort is suitable for both skiers and snowboarders, with dedicated areas specifically for snowboarders and is good for all abilities. There are also dedicated beginner areas so you can learn without distractions and a freestyle airbag area to learn tricks without the risk of hurting yourself!
The 2022/23 ski season has been a challenge in terms of snowfall, many resorts have suffered with lower than average snowfall, leaving lower sections closed and some resorts having a much shorter season. However, despite these difficult circumstances, Megève still offered plenty of slopes to choose from. We enjoyed snowboarding in Rochebrune and Cote 2000 and found that the slopes were all well maintained by the snow groomers and were lucky with blue skies and sunshine after some snowfall that morning.
You can check the live Megève webcams which show real time conditions and can help you plan your day on the slopes. We also recommend looking at the snow forecast website which shows the current snow conditions and future forecast which we found to be the most accurate compared to other weather stations. There is also a live map of the runs to show which ones are open and if there any closed pistes or cable cars which is very useful information.
How much will it cost to ski in Megève?
In comparison to other ski resorts, Megève is relatively affordable and currently for 22/23 season offer online deals for ski passes with prices starting from €28, where you book a specific date and you have to purchase online at least 3 days prior to your visit. On average a full day adult ski pass costs €55. You can choose from either the Le Portes du Mont-Blanc pass which includes Combloux, La Giettaz, Le Jaillet and Cordon or Le Evasion Mont-Blanc package which includes all of the above with the addition of Rochebrune, Cote 2000, Mont d’Arbois, Princess, Les Contamines-Montjoies, La Giettaz, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce. Both areas are linked by free bus shuttles which makes access easy without the need of a car. If you’re also looking to ski in Chamonix then you can purchase an Unlimited package which includes both Le Portes du Mont-Blanc and Le Evasion Mont-Blanc regions in addition to Brévent-Flégère, Grands Montets and Balme-Le Tour-Vallorcine.
Walk around Megève village at night
After a day of adventure exploring what Megève has to offer, make sure you walk around the beautiful streets at night. The warm golden lights turn on and illuminate the quaint cobbled streets and wooden chalets decorated in pine. Make sure you head to the market village square where you’ll find Saint Jean-Baptiste Church elegantly framed by a gigantic sparkling spruce. Treat yourself to a delicious crêpe at La Petite Crêperie which you’ll find on Rue Charles Feige, close to the town square.
Relax at the LE PALAIS with Balneotherapy
Even if you’re not a skier or snowboarder, you’ll find there are a number of other winter activities you can do in Megève. Le Palais leisure centre has a balneotherapy centre where you can use their spa facilities, heated indoor and outdoor pool with a lazy river. Le Palais also has a climbing wall, Olympic sized swimming pool, gym, library, indoor ice rink and kids club. We really enjoyed the lazy river in the Balneo aquatic area which has views of the mountains and a perfect treat after a day on the slopes. Check online for opening times and any offers available on Le Palais website.
skate on the outdoor ice rink
An outdoor ice skating rink is located in the centre of Megève village, surrounded by Amore Hibou bar and it costs €6 euros per adult and €4.60 per child. The ice skate rink provides ice skates, stabilisers for children and adults who need a bit of help and you can stay on the ice rink for as long as you like. Throughout the season there are kids only and adults only events on the ice skate rink that cater to all ages for some extra fun.
Catch some speed on a luge
If you’re looking for more adrenaline fuelled fun, then you have to try one of the many nearby luges in Megève. La Luge 4S is located just below the Jaillet ski lift and has over 700 metres of toboggan rail and is great fun for all ages. The luge is open every day from 2 till 6pm and a great après ski activity! La Luge is another luge in the Princess area of Megève with over 3000 metres of run from the top of Mont d’Arbois.
How is Megève committed to sustainability?
Skiing has undeniably been affected by climate change and has historically not been the most environmentally friendly sport. In recent years, the impact of the climate crisis has been witnessed with shorter winter seasons, increasing temperatures and lower snowfall. Megève was one of the first ski resorts to achieve ISO14001 (an internationally recognised environmental standard) and is still making big steps towards putting the environment first.
All the public buses in Megève are powered by natural gas and are free to use by everyone and a great incentive to arrive by public transport or leave your car parked for the week and use the buses available. There are multiple electric car charging stations which can also be used by electric bikes. They have achieved the Flocon Vert label which highlights mountain resorts who are committed to sustainable improvements.
Mont d’Arbois golf club is encouraging biodiversity and only use natural environmentally friendly products. The Palais de Megève has solar panels for both electricity production and heat for the pools and uses heat that is generated from the ice rink refrigeration units to supply heat for the pools, gym and tennis courts.
Best places to eat?
LE Radaz
A beautiful scenic spot for lunch on the slopes, and only accessible by the slopes either from Rochebrune or Cote 2000. Le Radaz serve traditional food from Croûte Savoyards, a traditional dish with bread, white wine and reblochon cheese and homemade Lasagne and Croziflette which is pasta, bacon and reblochon cheese. The combination of delicious, home made comfort food with spectacular views is a match made in heaven.
Le River
A gorgeous brunch spot, as the name suggests next to the river, serving a delicious menu of dishes from french toast, pancakes, eggs benedict and fresh smoothies. A great spot to watch the snowfall outside the window from the comfort of this cosy spot. Le River is a popular place and can get busy, so if you’re going for an early brunch get there before 10am.
Where to stay in your campervan or motorhome in Megève?
Free parking is provided for motorhomes and campervans at Cote 2000 car park which is right next to the slopes and free shuttle buses run to and from here regularly passing Mont D’Arbois and Megève village. There is also the possibilty to park in the Parking du Palais des Sports which is a large paid car park and camper vans and motorhomes are tolerated, however there are not dedicated larger parking places. The nearest facilities for filling up water and emptying waste is in Praz-sur-Arly outside the Village Autocar services next to the self service car wash which costs €2. Don’t forget your snow tyres, chains or snow socks as detailed in section what to bring to Megeve as it is a legal requirement.
