Our guests often arrive in Megève for the skiing. They leave talking about something else: a horse-drawn sleigh in the night, dinner at altitude, the silence of a plateau traversed on snowshoes. This is because Megève has never been merely a ski domain. This village in Haute-Savoie at 1100m, conceived in the 1920s as a French Saint-Moritz by the baroness Noémie de Rothschild, has retained the soul of a Savoyard village where others have built concrete, and it comes fully alive from December to April. Here is what you will find there, on the slopes and far from them, and how to make the most of it without going wrong.
Megève in practice
- Altitude: village at 1113m, domain up to 2350m.
- Winter season: domain generally open from mid-December to early April, exact dates published each season by the resort.
- Domain: more than 200 slopes for all levels at Megève, linked to the Évasion Mont-Blanc area, more than 400km in total.
- Access: Geneva airport approximately 1 hour 15 minutes by car, Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station 12km away, then shuttle or taxi.
Skiing, three massifs facing Mont-Blanc
Skiing in Megève is organised across three distinct reliefs, and this is what gives it its variety. Rochebrune, to the south-west, is the historical cradle: it was there that 1933 saw the installation of France’s first cable car designed for skiing. Mont d’Arbois, to the east, offers the finest views of the Mont-Blanc chain and the most sunny slopes. Le Jaillet, to the west, more family-friendly and wooded, is ideal for beginners and for skiing sheltered from the wind. All three are connected by lifts and a network of free shuttles.
You need only move towards Saint-Gervais, Combloux, La Giettaz and Les Contamines-Montjoie to reach the entire Évasion Mont-Blanc area and its more than 400km of slopes, one of the largest in the French Alps. The distribution, dominated by green, blue and red runs, makes it a domain where one progresses at one’s own pace rather than a terrain reserved for experienced skiers. This skiing history is first and foremost that of Mont d’Arbois, shaped by the Rothschild family. Sectors, connections and piste maps are detailed on our page dedicated to Megève’s ski domain.
AEC’s advice. For the finest light on Mont-Blanc, head to Mont d’Arbois late morning: the massif often clears, and the altitude terraces there are exposed due south.
Winter away from the slopes
This is where Megève truly sets itself apart from its high-altitude neighbours. You can spend a winter stay without putting on skis once and not be bored for a minute. Horse-drawn sleighs climb rue Charles-Feige at a horse’s pace, the Palais ice rink turns in the heart of the village, and mornings lend themselves to an outing by dog sledge or a cross-country ski run on snowy plateaux. Palais Megève also houses an aquatic space and wellness facilities open all winter, as well as a climbing wall. The more curious will try biathlon with a laser rifle, a descent on fat bike over snow, or an unusual evening: cross-country skiing by headlamp or fondue in an igloo. Rarer and more spectacular still, ski joëring, skis pulled by a horse at Les Saisies, 25km away, a hot-air balloon at daybreak and paragliding from Mont d’Arbois.
What to do in Megève this winter
Our selection of experiences worth the journey, from the slopes to the quieter pleasures of the village.
On the slopes
At peaceCross-country skiing and snowshoes
Cross-country tracks, snowshoe itineraries and map, consultable offline.
Thrills
Thrills
EssentialHorse-drawn sleigh ride
The pedestrian heart of the village, at a horse’s pace.
Family
Family
Relaxation
Signature
AerialMegève with families
Few resorts combine high-end accommodation and children so well. The reindeer farm, on the route de la Côte 2000, allows you to meet and feed a herd in the heart of the forest, with homemade refreshments included. The Palais brings together ice rink and swimming pool under one roof, enough to fill a half-day whatever the weather. Add sledging, dog sledge outings accessible from the youngest age, and a pedestrian village heart where you circulate without cars: Megève remains one of the most reassuring destinations in the Alps for a stay spanning several generations.
The village under snow
The pedestrian heart, the place de l’église and its bulbous bell tower, the wooden façades lit in the evening: Megève in winter has the charm of a true Savoyard village. You wander from rue Charles-Feige to the small rue du Comte de Capré, between shops, chocolatiers and galleries. It was here, on the village square, that Armand Allard opened his tailor’s workshop in 1926 and invented the tapered ski trousers, which were worn by 1937 world champion Émile Allais: the AAllard house still dresses Megève, from father to son. The village architecture itself carries this memory, with the famous “skier’s chalets” drawn in the 1930s by architect Henri-Jacques Le Même. The art of living extends to the table, with a gastronomic scene among the densest in the Alps, with Emmanuel Renaut and his three stars at Flocons de Sel at the apex. It is this sweetness of living, as much as the snow, that brings regulars back year after year.
Megève and its neighbours
A stay in Megève quickly spills over into the surrounding villages, most of which are linked to the same domain. Saint-Gervais, with its thermal springs at the foot of Mont-Blanc, and Combloux, known as the pearl of Mont-Blanc, extend the slopes of Évasion Mont-Blanc, as does the more discreet La Giettaz. A few minutes away, Praz-sur-Arly welcomes the Montgolfiades each winter and opens onto the Espace Diamant, while Les Saisies, a cross-country skiing reference, is worth a detour for Nordic skiing. So many variations within easy reach once your bags are unpacked in Megève.
When and how to come
The domain opens around mid-December and closes early April. The end-of-year festivities offer the most magical atmosphere, February the best snow (and the bustle of school holidays), and March the ideal compromise, with bright sunshine, lengthening days and good conditions.
| From | Distance | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Geneva airport | ~90km | ~1 hour 15 minutes by car |
| Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station | ~12km | ~20 minutes then shuttle / taxi |
| Annecy | ~60km | ~1 hour |
| Lyon | ~185km | ~2 hours |
On site, free shuttles connect the main districts and lifts, which allows you to leave the car at the chalet for much of your stay. To prepare your visit, the Megève tourist office keeps up-to-date opening times and snow conditions.
Megève, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
Choosing where to stay is already choosing what kind of stay you’ll have. The village centre, pedestrian and lively, puts shops, restaurants and the ice rink within a stone’s throw. Rochebrune, five to fifteen minutes’ walk from the centre, mixes old farms and architect-designed chalets at the foot of the historic cable car. Mont d’Arbois embodies the most discreet luxury, that of grand chalets nestled in the alpine meadows and the Rothschild heritage. Le Jaillet, around its cable car, and the Demi-Quartier sector, at the foot of the Princess cable car, offer peace and nature within two steps of the slopes. Higher up, Côte 2000 aims for skiing on your doorstep. Each neighbourhood has its own feel, and its own type of chalet.
Where to lay your bags
A winter in Megève is best savoured from a chalet rather than a hotel room: a real home from which to return and warm up after the slopes, entertain guests, and explore the resort at your own pace. Our selection of chalets and apartments in Megève was designed with this in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Can you enjoy Megève without skiing?
Yes, very much so. Ice rink, aquatic space and wellness facilities at the Palais, horse-drawn sleighs in the village, dog sledges, hot-air balloon, reindeer farm, spa and wandering in the pedestrian heart: Megève is one of the rare resorts where a winter stay fills up easily without ever putting on skis.
What is the best time for a winter stay in Megève?
The domain is generally open from mid-December to early April. The festive season offers the most festive atmosphere, February the best snow but also the bustle of school holidays, and March the best compromise between sunshine, longer days and good conditions.
How do you get to Megève?
The nearest airport is Geneva, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes by car. By train, Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station, 12km away, is served by the Léman Express from Geneva and by local trains from Annecy and Lyon, then the resort is reached by shuttle or taxi. On site, free shuttles serve the village and lifts.
Is Megève suitable for families?
Yes. With the reindeer farm, the ice rink and aquatic space at the Palais, sledging, dog sledges and a traffic-free pedestrian village heart, it is a particularly reassuring destination for a stay spanning several generations.
Which neighbourhood to choose in Megève?
The village heart, pedestrian and lively, to walk everywhere; Mont d’Arbois for skiing on your doorstep and the finest views; Rochebrune to stay close to the centre while skiing; Le Jaillet or the hamlet of Demi-Quartier for more peace and space, a few minutes by shuttle.
What is the difference between Megève, Chamonix and Courchevel?
Chamonix lives for high mountains and mountaineering, Courchevel for very high altitude and guaranteed snow. Megève, meanwhile, relies on the Savoyard village, the art of living and a varied domain rather than extreme altitude.
What is the Évasion Mont-Blanc domain?
It is the large ski domain which connects Megève to Saint-Gervais, Combloux, La Giettaz and Les Contamines-Montjoie, that is more than 400km of slopes facing the Mont-Blanc massif.
And when the snow melts, Megève does not close, it changes season: hiking, mountain biking, golf and the lake take over from the return of fine weather.
Megève right now
The latest images shared by the tourist office.
