Les Gets - introduction

Les Gets is a charming Haute-Savoie village accessing a massive ski area. With roots in the 11th century, it's maintained a traditional French feel; low-rise, chalet-style architecture and main streets lined with independent local shops and restaurants. The resort sits at 1170m in a mountain pass in the heart of the Chablais massif, just 25 minutes transfer from Cluses train station. Most importantly, the resort has a 24/7 tartiflette vending machine.

Families and leisurely skiers are key to Les Gets' audience, amply catered for by a mix of hotels, catered and rental chalets, and apartments. Its 60+ restaurants strike an accessible balance between quality and value, drawing heavily on local produce and culinary traditions. That said, if bling’s your thing, you’ll find lush lodgings and elevated dining. While Les Gets is no wild child, there’s a decent dusting of après offerings and cosy bars, plus one disco. Weekends can get lively.

Les Gets shares 120km of scenic local slopes with neighbouring resort Morzine. Strong provisions for beginners and kids (who have several themed fun zones to explore) is a point of pride, but there’s plenty for every skill level and some exceptional tree skiing. Panoramic views of Mont Blanc are the resort's signature draw. For more confident skiers and snowboarders, the ace up Les Gets’ sleeve is the colossal Portes du Soleil ski area of which it's part, and which, for the price of a lift pass upgrade, puts a thigh-torching 600km of wildly diverse pistes in range, topping out at a snow-sure 2260m.

Not that you need to ski or snowboard to have an indulgent itinerary in Les Gets. Other on-mountain activities include snowmobiling, paragliding, snowshoe hikes, dog sledding and unsurprisingly, given Portes du Soleil’s world-class rep as a summer mountain biking destination, electric mountain biking on snow. Back at base camp there are luxurious spas, various fitness and wellness activities, hands-on crafts workshops, a picturesque skating rink, and cultural treasures to discover.

Highlights

• Traditional French village vibes, very pedestrian-friendly
• Combines peaceful local slopes with linked access to the mighty Portes du Soleil’s 600km of runs
• Good access by rail with a 25-minute transfer from Cluses station
• Excellent environmental record

Lowlights

• Cosy après-ski rather than hedonistic nightlife
• Low-altitude local slopes can make snow cover vulnerable
• Weekend pistes can be busy