The ⛷ Domaine Skiable Les Houches – Saint-Gervais is a great spot to ski in the Chamonix Valley!
With plenty of gentle pistes to ski en famille, superb Beginner areas and authentic retaurants on the pistes, it’s a winner!
Nestled in the heart of the Mont-Blanc massif, ⛷ Les Houches – Saint-Gervais offers spectacular panoramic 360° views of 🏔 Mont-Blanc, Mont Joly, les Aravis, Les Fiz, and les Aiguilles Rouges . . . and, because of the 🌲 extensive forest cover, it lends itself well to “bad weather” ski days, as you remain a little more sheltered from the elements!
At this ⛷ family ski station (extending from 950m to 1900m altitude), there are 55km of pistes (24 varied pistes of all grades: 4 green, 7 blue, 12 red, 2 black), many gentle and threading down through the 🌲 sapins. About 35% of the pistes are on the Saint-Gervais side.
And – another BONUS – you can also enjoy a ride on the famous 🚞 Tramway du Mont Blanc (included in all forfaits) up the Plateau of Bellevue – who doesn’t enjoy a rack & pinion train ride through the ❄️ snow-covered forests?
A HUGE THANK YOU to : Caroline M & family for photos, top tips and invaluable advice (Les Houches residents and regular Les Houches – Saint-Gervais family skiers & snowboarders!) / snowboarding family Chloë M & family for their photos / My French Chalet and NidSki for their top tips about the BEST places to eat at Les Houches!
Ski Pass Options & Pistes Map
You have ⛷ different ski pass options to suit your family’s needs in Les Houches – Saint-Gervais . . . and you can re-charge your skipass online at leshouches.ski;
- ⛷ Les Houches – Saint-Gervais only – 4 hours, 1 day, multiple day forfaits . . . / ⇒ for current price list, see here;
- ⛷ Mont-Blanc Unlimited – this pass makes more sense for longer stays, as it gives access to 10+ sites and lots of extras are included / see here for more information;
⇒ 🗺 to see the piste map for Les Houches – Saint-Gervais in detail, see pdf document;
Beginner, Nursery & Family Skiing
⛷ Les Houches – Saint-Gervais ski station is well-equipped to welcome groups with ⛷ Beginner or Nursery skiers . . .
There are ⛷ Beginner slopes both at the top of the 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion (gondolas) and the 🚠 Téléphérique de Bellevue (cable-car), allowing the whole family the flexibility of travelling up the mountain together / (the École Beginner area at the summit of the 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion is the more developed one, with superb views also of the Aiguilles de Chamonix!).
There is also the ⛷ Domaine du Tourchet Beginner & Nursery ski area, near the centre of Les Houches (with two drag-lifts), and just next to the the ⛸ ice-rink (la patinoire). On certain Thursdays, there is FREE night skiing and mulled wine and hot chocolate from 20h30 until 22h . . .
[ ⇒ see here for more information about the ⛷ Domaine du Tourchet ]
And at the ⛷ Base de Loisirs du Lac des Chavants is the Piou Piou ski area for little ones (3 to 5 years). Here you will also find a designated sledging area, playground (snow permitting!) animations and ☕️ La Guinguette café to warm up /
[ ⇒ to read more about this zone (and its ski de fond routes), read separate MBFF article here ]
Garderies for little ones: here you can combine skiing with leisure for wee ones, leaving the older members of the family free to ski more challenging pistes:
- Club Enfants des Chavants – for children 18 months to 10 years;
- Halte Garderie des Houches – for children 3 months to 3 years (day, half-day);
Intermediate and Advanced Skiing
For chilled family skiing, there are plenty of cruisy blue pistes: the long piste des Aillouds snakes down from the Col de Voza to the departure station of the 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion . . . and shorter, but in the sunshine (when it has come out to play, that is!): blue pistes la Chà, l’Abbaye and Le Chamois.
There is also plenty to keep the more experienced skiers happy in Les Houches – Saint-Gervais! More than 50% of the pistes are aimed at the more advanced skiers: 12 red pistes (Mur des Epines, Fontaines, Plancerts, Plan du Crêt) and 2 black pistes (including the legendary La Verte – Kandahar des Houches)!
🏂 Boardercross, Snowpark & Skicamp
There are some spots to “play” at the ⛷ Domaine Skiable Les Houches – Saint-Gervais . . .
🏂 Snowpark & Boardercross (Prarion) – in the Secteur du Chamois / Tétras, on the plateau du Prarion, is the snowpark & boardercross;
❄️ Skicamp (Prarion) – a short walk from the top of the 🚡 Téléphérique du Prarion, in the Zone Débutants de l’Ecole, is also the Skicamp. This zone has been created especially for families in mind: in the parcours des trappeurs you can learn about mountain animal footprints and discover their habitat, there is a treasure hunt, 🛷 a sledging area, snow-tubing, curling, a tyrolienne. You can ski to this area or walk there and it’s FREE to use (with a lift pass)!
❄️ BONUS FUN – create your own timed descent at 🎥 the Slalom Géant Filmé & Chronométré on the Kandahar piste or have your photo taken at 📷 the photopoint with 🏔 Mont-Blanc in the background . . .
⛷ Ski Lessons in Les Houches
You have several options for ⛷ ski and snowsports lessons at this ski station:
🎿 ESF (Ecole de Ski Français) ski school – ski, snowboard, télémark, cross-country skiing, handicapped seated skiing / ⇒ see here for more information;
🎿 Ski Club Les Houches – if a small child carves past you at great speed and with superb style, wearing club gear, he or she is likely to belong to this club!
🎿 Ecorider ski & snowboard school – ” the carbon neutral ski company ” / ⇒ see here for more information;
🎿 Multi-glisse – a club for locals, on Wednesdays and school holidays / ⇒ see here for more information;
The mythical ⛷ « Kandahar » downhill race
Les Houches is used for international downhill skiing competitions, like the ⛷ « Kandahar, Coupe du Monde de Ski Alpin » , and serves as the training ground for the Équipe de France de Ski. The « Kandahar » is THE winter competition for downhill skiing, with skiers weaving at fast pace down the 870m of dénivelé and 3343m of descent that is the black Kandahar piste (once called La Verte – ” a green piste ” only in name, named after the sapins on the fringes!). The best skiers get down this piste in about 2 minutes! In France, only Les Houches and Val d’Isère (its piste Oreiller-Killy) have pistes used in the Coupes du Monde de Ski Alpin!
☕️ Eating Options
There are plenty of great (and authentic!) restaurants on the pistes, the favourites of our friends (who are regular family skiers in Les Houches – Saint-Gervais) being:
☕️ Les Vielles Luges – always a ” secret ” getaway known well by the locals, this restaurant has re-opened for the 2022 – 2023 winter season, after a couple of years of closure and renovation ! Located 50m off the Aillouds pistes, at 1370m, this cosy restaurant is also visited regularly by ski touring and snow-shoeing folk !
FB page
☕️ La Cha – this is located at the bottom of the Cha piste (Mélèzes chairlift), and there is also 🌭 a hot dog and snack bar!
FB page
🥩 La Tanière – opened to the public in 1990, it soon became famous for its 🇦🇷 famous Argentinian 🥩 asados and other Argentinian specialities served up by Louisa. It has now changed hands, and Bjorn is running this rustic farmhouse, with a lovely terrace / open during the summer and winter seasons! / in winter, for skiers, it is located off the red piste Plan du Crêt (near Plancerts drag-lift);
FB page
address: 2540 route du Prarion, 74170, Saint Gervais / tel: 33 (0)4 50 93 42 57 or +33 6 83 42 93 43
☕️ La Rioule – ( 2022: a huge fire has recently put this restaurant out of action ! ) located down off the Col de Voza (Saint-Gervais side), right on a snow-shoeing route, here you can rent out snow-shoes . . .
☕️ Le Hors Piste – located near the Kandahar piste, and accessible from the Aillouds piste, this restaurant and snack bar has a sunny south-facing terrace, with views of the Chamonix Valley / local specialities (croute au fromage, tartiflette, tarte myrtilles maison) / moonlit night outings and meal organised by the restaurant and ESF / 40mins from Maisonneuve car park;
☕️ La Fré Mi – located just below the Hors Pistes, at the top of the Rouge Maison Neuve piste and accessible from the Aillouds piste:
❄️ ❄️ ❄️
🍏 picnics: for warmer or sunny days, there are picnic tables dotted around this ski station (at the top of the 🚠 Prarion and Bellevue lifts) / and for planned picnic days that get caught out by sudden cold, rain or snow, there are two salles hors-sac, one at the summit of the 🚡Télécabine du Prarion, and one at the summit of the 🚠 Téléphérique de Bellevue.
❄️ ❄️ ❄️
☕️ and where to warm up at the end of your ski day?
🍺 Solerey Brewpub – in the centre of Les Houches (near Le Tourchet Beginner ski area) the first brewpub in the town!
FB page address: 81 avenue des Alpages, 74310, Les Houches
☕️ KitschInn – with a children’s play area and après-ski / at the departure of the 🚠 Téléphérique de Bellevue;
FB page
At the departure of the 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion, you will find: La Roulotte foodtruck and a boulangerie (bread, soups, hot dogs, croque-monsieur and pastries) for snacks.
☕️ La Guinguette – this lovely café, located right by the water’s edge of the Lac des Chavants (next to Piou Piou ski area), is well-equipped for children, with high-chairs and toys available. It is open from December until April, ⏰ 11h to 19h, every day;
🛷 Sledging & Snowtubing
You can 🛷 sledge at the designated are at the Base de Loisirs du Lac des Chavants (the sledging area is open from December to March, depending on snow conditions, and there are two sledging zones available: 🛷 the Petite Tortue for 2-6 year olds and 🛷 the Petit Lièvre for 6+ year olds / children must be accompanied by an adult, and it is recommended that they wear helmets / ski boots are NOT allowed in this zone).
You can also 🛷 sledge and snowtube up at the Skicamp (see above).
❄️ Snow-Shoeing & Ski Rando (ski-touring)
It is FREE to use the snow-shoe areas at the top of the 🚠 Prarion and Bellevue lifts, but you must get yourselves a forfait piéton to use the gondolas or cable-car for access! /
[ ⇒ see here for 🗺 a map of raquettes areas ]
🗺 snow-shoe routes highlighted in purple:
There is 🎿 a ski rando route up from 🚡 Prarion departure (1000m), through the forest of Maisonneuve (1220m), and ending at the top of the Table d’Orientation red piste and 🚡 Prarion arrival (1830m) / ⇒ see here for more information;
🚞 Tramway du Mont-Blanc
The vintage 🚞 Tramway du Mont Blanc is a rack & pinion train that takes you from Le Fayet SNCF (railway station) or Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, up to the Plateau of Bellevue (stopping at the Col de Voza), through 🌲 the snow-covered forests.
[ ⇒ read more about this unique train ride here ]
Animations sur les pistes
Over the ski season, and especially during the Christmas and February school holidays, there are animations sur les pistes in Les Houches :
- jeux de piste (treasure hunts);
- descentes aux flambeaux (lamplit descents);
- Tourchet Night Fever ski nocturne (night time skiing) at ⛷ Le Tourchet;
Access & Parking
Les Houches has one cable-car, the 🚠 Téléphérique de Bellevue (which leaves from the centre of town) and the gondolas, 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion, which leave from Les Chavants. There is more plentiful parking at Le Prarion and Les Chavants (a short walk to access 🚡 Télécabine du Prarion), but you would still be advised to arrive EARLY if coming by car, as both car parks fill VERY quickly!
You can also access Les Houches – Saint-Gervais, via the 🚞 Tramway du Mont-Blanc, from Le Fayet SNCF or Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.
website & FB page address Télécabine du Prarion - 117 place du Prarion, 74310, Les Houches address Téléphérique de Bellevue - 61 place de la Fruitière, 74310, Les Houches address Tramway du Mont-Blanc - Le Fayet SNCF or Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc
Mont Blanc Family Fun 
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