Saint Jean d'Aulps

The quiet is what people come back for: deserted pistes, no queues, and powder that stays untracked for days after a storm simply because nobody is there to ski it. Reviewers find terrain for every level, plenty of off-piste, and single out the Grande Terche run. Because much of the skiing is in forest, visibility holds up and the lifts rarely close in flat light or wind. The family feel is set directly against busy Morzine and Avoriaz nearby.

Snow reliability is the weak spot - the area is low and cover here compares poorly with its regional neighbours. The choice of lifts and marked pistes is small, so committed skiers run out of new ground quickly. There is no direct link to the rest of the Portes du Soleil, only a bus to Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz. Lift staff are described as inconsistent, some helpful and some not, and the drag lift unnerves newcomers at first.