Overview

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. It's also just a short transfer - an hour – from Geneva Airport.

Things to do with kids in Flaine

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 Samoëns (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.

Go summer walking. 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. Other summer activities in or near Flaine include hiking, canoe-rafting, hydrospeeding, paragliding and mountain-biking, and children's entertainment is laid on in the school holidays.

Local wildlife.© www.flaine.com

Local wildlife.

Eat

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

Summer entertainment in Flaine.© www.flaine.com

Summer entertainment in Flaine.

When to go to Flaine

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 summer walking, June to September is ideal, but other activities are at their most abundant in July and August, during the main school holidays.

Ski lesson© Lutz images

Ski lesson

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.

Destination stats

Capital city

Flying time3hrs All flight times are based on flights from UK London airports, to the capital or nearest destination airport.

Carbon footprint CO2 Estimated tonnes of CO2 produced for return flights for a family of four.

TimezoneGMT +1

Currency

Weather Today

-7°C

20.3°F

Summer games in Flaine.© www.flaine.com

Summer games in Flaine.

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Hydrospeeding in nearby Morillon.© www.ot-morillon.co.uk

Hydrospeeding in nearby Morillon.