Avoriaz is a purpose built resort high up above Morzine in the French Alps. Avoriaz is a car free resort where all cars have to be left in the car parks at the edge of the resort. Transport within the resort is by pony and trap, although many deliveries are still carried out using vans so it is not totally vehicle free. Accommodation in Avoriaz consists mostly of self catering apartments in large wooden blocks for which the resort is well known. Some of these buildings seem to cling to the edge of the cliff with Morzine nestling about 800 meters below.

Avoriaz lies at the centre of the massive Portes du Soleil ski area covering over 600 km of ski run making it the ideal base to explore this vast region. In theory it is possible to ski the entire circuit including all twelve resorts in a single day. The lift company produce a lift map which shows all the linking lifts and ski runs. It even gives an estimated time for each leg of the journey. Avoriaz has ski links with its three nearest neighbours, Morzine, Chatel and Champery via the infamous 'Wall'. The later one is in Switzerland. Avoriaz is a typical ski in/ski out resort with the main street running through the middle of the town doubling up as a ski run. Many of the runs around the resort are classified as green nursery slopes and it is here that the kindergartens are based. Moving away from the resort centre are a number of blue runs with a few tricky red and blacks thrown in as well.

http://www.ot-avoriz.fr
http://www.portesdusoleil.com