Les Portes du Soleil - Morzine/Avoriaz/Les Gets/Châtel/Morgins/Champéry

Les Portes du Soleil is twelve villages on both sides of the French-Swiss border, an hour from Geneva: Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel and Abondance on the French side, Champéry, Morgins, Torgon, Les Crosets and Champoussin in the Val d'Illiez on the Swiss. The border is part of the route rather than a formality - the classic circuit takes a day and crosses it several times. The area's landmark is the Chavanette, better known as the Swiss Wall, a mogul face right on the frontier that is left ungroomed on principle. The altitudes are modest, so much of the skiing is below the tree line, and in a warm spring the upper sectors hold up best.