Book before the end of August 2012 and you will qualify for our early booking discount of £20pp when booking. Even better though – if you book before the end of April 2012 we will give you an additional £10pp discount for being so organised!

Don’t forget that if you can book early you will qualify for our early booking discount of £20pp when booking before the end of August 2012. Even better though – if you book before the end of April 2012 we will give you an additional £10pp discount for being so organised!

Have a look at our Chalet Caroline details to help you make up your mind.

The snow on the peaks is still a very good depth and the quality is excellent for the time of year too, particularly in the mornings. The resorts are still 90% open on the last day of March, so if you can capitalise on a bit of extra holiday after Easter than now’s your chance to pick up a bargain ski break!

Individually the towns of La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand, Manigod and St Jean de Sixt are attractive, traditional ski stations with a relaxed vibe, quiet slopes and a great atmosphere. Combined, they make for a large, diverse ski area (220km) to rival any in the Alps, conveniently located within 1 hour of Geneva, and only 30 mins from Annecy itself.

What is the skiing like at the Lake Annecy Resorts?

It may seem like a common claim, but with 220km of skiing, across a number of different peaks, there really is skiing to delight all levels of skier here.

Beginners will love the learning area in Grand Bornand, with a host of long green runs to explore the mountain, stopping off at a quaint farmhouse restaurant for a hot chocolate or vin chaud. The learner area at Beauregard (La Clusaz) is also a well connected area ideal for starting out.

Intermediates will be in heaven with miles of cruisy blues and reds linking the entire area, so you rarely have to ski the same runs again, and feel like you have had a real explore of the area. Manigod comes into its own here, with lots of ‘hidden skiing’ in a stunning bowl below the 2,400m peak of L’Etale.

Advanced skiers and off-piste powder hounds will lap up the freeride bowls of La Balme, Torchere and Fernuy, the stomping ground of freeride world champ Candide Thovex. The Espace Freeride in Grand Bornand is well worth heading to, and the extensive snow park is rated one of the best in France.

For more detail, check out our insiders guides to Skiing La Clusaz and Skiing Grand Bornand.

What are the Lake Annecy Resorts like for Families?

La Clusaz and Grand Bornand have both been awarded the ‘Famille Plus’ mark for their excellent facilities for families. There is a wide range of family friendly events put on throughout the ski season.

We can help guests arrange crèche and childrens ski school as part of our extra services.

What is going on in the Lake Annecy Ski Resorts this winter?

There are plenty of events in the Lake Annecy Ski Resorts this year – freestyle ski competitions, displays, live music, street performances, full moon skiing, snowboard championships, charity races – you name it! For a full list check out our page on events in La Clusaz, and events in Grand Bornand.

In 2010 Grand Bornand built a biathlon stadium and re-landscaped the arrival and departure points of the cross country skiing course at the start of the Vallee du Bouchet in preparation for a series of major events. This year sees the second major international event with the Eon IBU World Cup 3 Biathlon event taking place between the 13th and 18th December 2012.

Biathlon consists of cross country skiing and rifle shooting – a mix of strength, stamina, steadiness of hand and good aim. Cross country skiing alone is a tough sport – competitors push their bodies to the limit as they propel themselves through rolling meadows, up steep inclines and down hills at terrifying speeds. When you add the need for a steady hand to shoot on target their willpower becomes obvious as they hold their breath for added stillness after sprinting to the shoot-spot.

The first Biathlon competition held in the new GB stadium was the European Cup in March 2011. This 3-day event saw exceptionally fit men and women of all European nationalites battling it out on the tracks and in the shooting stadium. This December it gets even bigger as GB host the World Cup.

This exciting event brings a great atmosphere to the village. As well as many world champion athletes, their support teams and trainers, fans flock to the village to support them too – a real bonus for the tourism industry as restaurants, bars and hotels get a well deserved boost in revenue at the start of the winter season.

For full details off the Biathlon World Cup you can visit the Grand Bornand website.