Dan Fox - Managing Director"Les Houches offers a quiet village ski resort without the bussle of Chamonix. The ski area at the foot of Mont Blanc links to St Gervais and offers a great mixture of runs above and below the ski line. There is also a local bus that takes you to all the Chamonix ski areas."Great for: Short transfer, great value, relaxed skiingLes Houches
Les Houches is a pleasant little village which is old at heart. You have a unique church in the centre with chalets getting more and more modern the further out you get. With two main lifts, the access to the slopes is fairly easy with either a gondola or cable car to choose from, or you can take the chairlifts up starting with the Coupe du Monde lift.
With Les Houches being just a 10-minute free bus or train ride away from Chamonix, you can enjoy all the nightlife in Les Houches and Chamonix. Les Houches does tend to be a bit quieter in the evening but there are a few bars to try out for a bit of après ski such as the Pull Up Bar which often has karaoke on so if you see yourself as a bit of a Josh Wilkie or a Michael Bublé then you will feel right at home! There are some lovely spots to eat in Les Houches, and also a varied cuisine for those with a rather adventurous palate such as Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Mexican amongst others!
One of the best reasons to visit Les Houches is that it is has a short transfer time from Geneva making it an ideal spot for a quick ski weekend getaway with guaranteed good skiing for intermediate and advanced skiers – what more could you want?!
Our top hotel picks for a ski holiday in Les Houches: Rocky Pop Hotel
SKI AREA OVERVIEW
Les Houches ski area is a fitting complement to its surrounding views of Mont-Blanc and partner ski areas which include the world-famous resort of Chamonix. Whilst the individual lift passes do not cover any other resorts in the area, you can get the Mont-Blanc Unlimited lift pass which gives you access to a whole host of ski areas including Verbier and Courmayeur, as well as Chamonix and Les Houches obviously!
Enjoy the 55km of well-maintained slopes in Les Houches which wind through the forests down low and are nice and open up top. These runs include the World Cup run “La Verte des Houches” as well as around 13 red runs and 8 blue runs to hone your skills on! For the beginners, there is a nursery slope and a couple of greens, however, these will need to be accessed via the Prarion Gondola which also gives access to a great number of open runs higher up, as well as stunning 360-degree views of the Mont-Blanc Massif.
Ski holidays in Les Houches await!
Flight + Transfer
220.3kg CO2 *
* Average kg of CO2e per person, based on a return journey from London Gatwick to Geneva, and shared minibus transfer.
Train + Transfer
11.2kg CO2 *
* Average kg of CO2e per person, based on a return journey from London St. Pancras to Les Houches, and shared minibus transfer.
Self-Drive
97.1kg CO2 *
* Average kg of CO2e per person, based on a return journey from the M25, via. the Dover ferry in a car carrying 4 people.
To reach the nearest station (Les Houches), you'll need to take the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, and change to Paris Gare de Lyon. Find availability and tickets at The Trainline.
- Les Houches is home to the Kandahar World Downhill Ski Championships. This race has become one of the main sporting events in the Chamonix valley and showcases the valley's excellent skiing reputation.
- Take a ride up to the Nid d'Aigle on the Tramway du Mont Blanc. It links the nearby town of Saint Gervais to the highest point in Les Houches, where many Alpinists depart to summit Mont Blanc.
- Enjoy night skiing once a week on the Tourchet piste - the nursery slope is floodlit and entry is free, with mulled wine and music to help keep you warm.
- On a bad weather day Les Houches is the best option for some tree lined runs in the Valley when visibility is poor. The area is low altitude which means that it is never as cold or windy as some of the higher areas.
Rocky Pop Hotel
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From £209.24