Le Grand Bornand - introduction

Le Grand Bornand, while still not a big name in world skiing, has become something of a cult destination among its devotees – and with good reason.

It's easy to reach, has a lot more skiing than first appears – especially combined with its near neighbour La Clusaz – and is one of the most beautiful villages in the Alps.

Famous for its distinctive historic chalets, many up to 300 years old, there's no better preserved Savoyard village. It works tirelessly to make sure that catering for the needs of skiers and boarders never detracts from its age-old charm and Alpine heritage.

This is a working village – it has a background of sustainable farming, and there are 65 farms in the immediate vicinity.

The skiing is accessed from the old village and also from the satellite village of Chinaillon, which itself has some lovely historic parts, 6km up the valley.

The choice is whether to stay at Le Grand Bornand or Chinaillon. The slopes are accessed from both – Chinaillon is more at the heart of the ski area, but we like the old village.

Highlights

• A beautiful, unspoilt and historic village
• More skiing than you might expect, and you can buy a pass that covers nearby La Clusaz
• Few Alpine villages are easier to reach
• A lovely cosy atmosphere, with lots of good bars and restaurants
• Excellent beginner slopes – and a few good blacks too, so not a bad choice for mixed ability groups
• Has won awards for childcare facilities – and for being one of the greenest resorts

Lowlights

• Nightlife is on the restrained side
• It's a popular choice for day-out skiers from Geneva and Annecy, so runs can get busy at weekends
• Not the highest of resorts (but it has a decent snow record despite that)
• Hot-shot skiers may find themselves short of real challenges