⛷ Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc & Saint-Nicolas de Véroce are another two of our family’s favourite ski areas in the area – some broad pistes, some pistes running through the 🌲 fir trees, 🗻 panoramic views of Mont-Blanc, some great off-piste for experienced (and suitably equipped!) skiers in search of powder (especially around Saint-Nicolas de Véroce and Mont-Joly), some fun runs for children . . .

And though ⛷ Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc & Saint-Nicolas de Véroce are located at relatively low altitude, there are numerous snow cannons ensuring that there is good snow cover from mid-December until mid-April.

This article concentrates on the ⛷ domaine skiable that encompasses ⛷ Saint-Nicolas de Véroce and ⛷ Megève Mont-d’Arbois; to read about the pistes in Saint-Gervais that link up with the ⛷ Les Houches ski station, and Le Tramway du Mont-Blanc, see separate MBFF article ⛷ Les Houches – Saint-Gervais Skiing.

[ ⇒ see Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc website for more details about skiing options ]

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⛷ Ski Pass Options

You have different ⛷ ski pass options to suit your family’s needs at Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc:

• ⛷ Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc domaine skiable, includes Saint-Nicolas de Véroce and Mont d’Arbois;
• ⛷ Evasion Mont-Blanc – Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc domaine skiable is also part of this extensive skiing area (445km of 219 pistes in six ski stations au Pays du Mont-Blanc), allowing you to ski in: Megève, Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, Combloux, La Giettaz, and Les Contamines-Montjoie), though it is only connected directly to Saint-Nicolas de Véroce and Mont d’Arbois;

⇒ for current price plans, see here / book online;

⇒ for 🗺 ski pistes maps, see here;

🗺 NEW : interactive map of the domaine skiable: compose your own route around the pistes (for example, choose just green and blue pistes). You can see where the salles hors sac (indoor picnic rooms – useful when the weather turns!), WC, family restaurants and more / ⇒ see here;

🎿 lockers: there are lockers at the departure of the 🚡 Télécabine du Bettex, for storage of up to 5 pairs of skis, helmets and boots / a great way to keep equipment on-site, dried, deodorised and warm for morning ski! / ⇒ reserve here;

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Beginner, Nursery & ⛷ Family skiing

With its mix of ⛷ green, blue, red and black pistes, Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc has something for the whole family!

It is ⛷ FREE for under 5s to ski in Saint-Gervais and there is equipment in place for very young skiers at Le Bettex and in Saint-Nicolas de Véroce.

For very young beginner skiers, Le Bettex is equipped with a special Piou Piou area, drag-lift and magic carpet.

There is a new espace débutants called Les Marmottons . . .

The excellent ⛷ Chateluy green slope, running from 🚡 Bettex-Arbois back down to 🚡 Le Bettex, ambles through the 🌲 fir trees and is lovely (except at the end of season, when the spring snow has mashed potato consistency; and then, it is a bit like cross-country skiing, and HARD work!) . . . and there are plenty of family-friendly pistes around La Princesse;

[ ⇒ for more information about childcare while you are out on the slopes, see here / and pdf leaflet for families here ]

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Intermediate & ⛷  Advanced Skiing

There are plenty of ⛷ intermediate and more advanced slopes for the more experienced members of the family in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, especially around Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, Mont-Joly and the new 6-seater Épaule chair-lift! See piste map below . . . and there is a 🏂 snowpark for jumps, under the Mont-Joux lift!

🏂 Snowpark – this has been re-created this winter season, with lots more jumps (my elder son goes with collège to ski here, and he says it’s great!). To get there, take the télésièges du Mont-Joux . . . there is a zone dedicated to bordercross and an area that is more aimed at families, with softer options!

If you like powder, then head to the steep pistes between the Mont-Joly et Saint-Nicolas de Véroce.

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⛷ ESF Saint-Gervais & Saint-Nicolas de Véroce & ski lessons 

For more details about 🎿 ESF (Ecole de Ski Français) Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc, ESF Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce and Piou Piou ski classes for small children see here.

There are also garderie (child care) services at Le Bettex and Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, with a chalet provided for snacks.

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🛷 Sledging

Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc has designated 🛷 sledging areas for small children at:

• 🛷 Le Bettex– with evening sledging over the holidays;
• 🛷 Plateau de la Croix (Saint-Nicolas de Véroce);

In addition, there are a couple of longer sledging runs . . .

🛷 LaLuge Princesse – this 🛷 3km piste du luge opened in 2017 at 🚡 La Princesse in Megève!!! The piste commences from the 🚡 summit of Mont d’Arbois, with a route through the forest of sapins (fir trees) and then opens out towards La Princesse mid-station. The sledge (only the authorised sledges are allowed) and a helmet (obligatory) are provided when you buy your ticket / for all, 5+ years (5 to 10 year olds must be accompanied by an adult, and alone 11+ years) / price: 1x descent luge 7,50€ (access 🚠 remontée mécanique included) / many of the forfaits ski also include a free descent! / ☕️ escape from the cold: not far from the arrival point is Café Woody (address: chemin de l’Encraty, 74120 Demi-Quartier);

⇒ more information here

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❄️ Snow-Shoeing (raquettes) Trails

There are several ❄️ snow-shoeing trails leaving from Le Bettex and Saint Nicolas de Véroce . . .

🌈 Charlotte la Marmotte is the mascot of Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc . . . and you will see her on the pistes . . . At Le Bettex, there is a walk you can do with all terrain buggies (and you’ll probably not need raquettes, unless after fresh snow) called Sur la piste de Charlotte la Marmotte . . . it leads to les Communailles from Le Bettex, with 6 informative panels to learn about the mountain terrain / duration: 1 hour;

⇒ more information here

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☕️ Eating Options

You have a full gamut of choice at this domaine de ski, which is huge as it includes Megève and Saint-Nicolas de Véroce . . . from picnic tables, to salles hors sacs, to foodtrucks, to fabulous rustic restaurants on the pistes . . .

☕️ salles hors sacs (indoor picnic rooms):

• ☕️ Télécabine Bettex – Mont d’Arbois;
• ☕️ 1st Floor of Le Schuss restaurant at the Plateau de la Croix (Saint-Nicolas de Véroce);
• ☕️ La Terrasse du Freddy – if you buy drinks, you are allowed to picnic here (Bettex – Mont d’Arbois arrival), and you can also get snacks / this is a favourite spot for our family and friends;

[ ⇒ see here for locations on the interactive map ]

☕️ foodtrucks:

• Rosalita Casual Food – is a foodtruck located in the ⛷ Mont d’Arbois ski area of Megève, and it is easily accessible from Saint-Gervais, by following the green pistes Lanches OR Alpage / food served: on the menu is local cuisine, NO HAMBURGERS, but ✅ YES to frites, paninis, sandwiches, local diots, poutine, tartiflette, soup of the day, waffles, muffins and donuts, and a wide selection of soft drinks, beer and coffee!

menu / website / FB page

location: Les Lanches d’Arbois, Mont d’Arbois, 74120, Megève

• Cerf Blanc igloo – is a food hut on the Saint-Gervais ski pistes, at the top of the Télésiège Croix, with a cosy transparent igloo to keep you warm on-site! / food served: burgers and more, Marmotte beer;

☕️ restaurants d’altitude – see website for full list of options here;

And for 🍰 cake at the end of your ski day . . .

☕️ Armancette hotel restaurant and 🍰 tea room – MBFF has tested the tea room and it is delicious, friendly and COSY! / in the heart of the cute Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, accessible from blue piste retour village!

If you are stopping off for 🍰 tea and cake in Saint-Gervais town centre, you have several great options:

• 🍰 Le Mazot du Boulanger – we regularly stop here for cake at this cosy independent boulangerie / patisserie! They also have HUGE meringues!

• 🍰 Aux Petits Gourmands – the little brother of the Chamonix chain, this salon de thé overlooks the beautiful church! / delicious cakes and chocolate!

FB page

• 🍰 Bistrot Sérac & SéracGourmet – this is a superb lunch and dinner venue, and it also has a salon de thé for cakes (15h until 18h) and SéracGourmet, for goodies to take away! The Mont-Blanc dessert is one of my all-time favourite desserts (for fans of white chocolate and raspberries!)!

FB page & website

address: 38 avenue du Mont Paccard, 74170 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains / tel: 04 50 98 43 35

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Practical Information

🚗🚡 Access & Parking

🚡 Le Bettex télécabine (Saint-Gervais) – you can park for FREE either at the Télécabine du Bettex departure station or up at Le Bettex arrival station;

🎿 Saint-Nicolas de Véroce chairlifts – there is the new Chattrix 6-seater! Not so old school anymore . . .

🚡 La Princesse télécabine (Demi-Quartier) – this is the most ideal departure point and car park if coming from Sallanches, Domancy, Combloux, Cordon or Demi-Quartier – my discovery last winter season was that La Princesse was our closest télécabine to home! (and not the Le Bettex, as I’d always assumed!) / FREE parking;

🚡 Mont d’Arbois télécabine (Megève) – this is an underground car park and you need to pay;

[ good to know – look out for the Ambassadeurs de Combloux (blue jackets), who will be on the pistes to answer any of your questions! ]

website