Flaine family holidays and breaks

This wonderful purpose-built Grand Massif resort (the winner of our Best Ever Family Ski Resort Award in the Over-7s category) offers the best of both worlds when it comes to family holidays – it's excellent for children but has been the subject of a stylish revamp that also makes it more attractive to adults. Safe and car-free, with new rustic buildings taking the edge off the 1960s architecture, it has lovely nursery slopes (with free lifts) and plenty of blue runs to progress on to.

16.00

Today

12°C
54°F

Flying Time	3 hours
Timezone	GMT +1

What to do

Ski. Flaine’s section of the Grand Massif area has 265km of runs, many for intermediates, although there’s plenty, too, for better skiers. Where family holidays are concerned, there are two major ski schools with kids' clubs catering to ages 2.5 and up, plus crèche facilities for younger kids.

Explore the rest of the Massif: the historic villages of Samoens (once home to top European stonemasons) and Morillon, pretty and sizeable Les Carroz (an excellent spot for younger children, with easy slopes tucked away at the edge of the circuit), and tiny Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, with good nursery slopes. With its 1,000-year-old buildings, the latter has been rated one of France’s most beautiful villages. The wonderful 14km blue Cascades run from the top of Flaine right down to Sixt is a real adventure for youngsters.

Try out ice quad-biking and karting, dog-sledding, indoor climbing, snow-shoeing and tobogganing. There’s also a cinema with an English-language programme.

Walk, in summer. Highlights are the GR96 long-distance walking path and the Désert de Platé, an extensive limestone pavement taking you to the Refuge de Platé, past deep ravines, rocks and fissures blooming with wildflowers.

Where to stay

Flaine has an increasing number of apartment complexes well suited to family holidays, including Pierre & Vacances' La Fôret.

At Les Carroz (see above), you'll also find Pierre & Vacances' Les Fermes du Soleil.

When

The official ski season in the Haute Savoie kicks off in mid-December and ends in early May, although the ski lifts may open earlier if there’s enough snow.

For family holidays involving summer walking, June–Sept is ideal.

How

For getting to the French Alps by train, see the excellent Man in Seat 61. Cluses (30km, with TGVs from Paris) and then Geneva (70km) are the closest train stations to Flaine.

The Haute Savoie is close to the border with Switzerland and has short, easy transfers from Geneva International Airport (around 1hr).  The area is also within reasonable distance of Lyon and its international airport, Chambéry airport in Savoie and Grenoble airport in Isère. There are shuttles from the major airports. See our family holidays flight deals page.

Eat

Flaine has a number of cosy, family-friendly options both on the slopes and off, offering both local fare and children's favourites including pizza. For tips on eating out on family holidays in the region as a whole, see our French Alps destination guide.

Cost

Flaine isn't the cheapest of ski resorts, but nor is it among the most expensive. And with eating out one of the most expensive factors, the presence of self-catering apartments in the resort means it's entirely possible to keep costs down on family holidays.

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