Our guests often arrive at Megève for the skiing. They leave speaking of something else: a horse-drawn carriage through the night, a dinner at altitude, the silence of a plateau crossed on snowshoes. Yet Megève has never been merely a ski domain. This Haute-Savoie village at 1100m, envisioned in the 1920s as a French Saint-Moritz by the baroness Noémie de Rothschild, has retained the soul of a Savoyard village where others built concrete, and it lives fully from December through April. Here is what you will find there, on the slopes and beyond, and how to make the most of it without misstep.
Megève in practice
- Altitude: village at 1100m, domain up to 2370m.
- Winter season: domain generally open from mid-December to early April, exact dates published each season by the resort.
- Domain: 227 slopes of all levels at Megève, connected to the Évasion Mont-Blanc area, over 400km in total.
- Access: Geneva airport approximately 1h15 by car, Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station 12km away, then shuttle or taxi.
Skiing, three massifs facing Mont-Blanc
Megève skiing is organised across three distinct reliefs, and that is what gives it its variety. Rochebrune, to the south-west, is the historical cradle: it was there that France’s first ski-designed cable car was installed in 1933. Mont d’Arbois, to the east, offers the finest views over the Mont-Blanc range and the sunniest slopes. Le Jaillet, to the west, more family-oriented and forested, is ideal for beginners and for skiing sheltered from the wind. All three are linked by lifts and a network of free shuttles.
It takes only a move towards Saint-Gervais, Combloux, La Giettaz and Les Contamines-Montjoie to reach the Évasion Mont-Blanc ensemble and its over 400km of slopes, one of the vastest in the French Alps. The distribution, dominated by greens, blues and reds, makes it a domain where one progresses at one’s own pace rather than terrain reserved for seasoned skiers. This history of skiing is first that of Mont d’Arbois, shaped by the Rothschild family.
The AEC insight. For the finest light on Mont-Blanc, ascend Mont d’Arbois late morning: the massif often clears, and the altitude terraces there face due south.
Winter off the slopes
Here is where Megève truly sets itself apart from its high-altitude neighbours. One can spend a winter stay without putting on skis once and not be bored for a moment. Horse-drawn carriages travel up the rue Charles-Feige at a horse’s pace, the ice rink at the Palais turns in the heart of the village, and mornings lend themselves to an outing with sled dogs or a run on cross-country skis across snowed plateaus. The Palais Megève also houses an aquatic space and spa area open throughout winter, as well as a climbing wall. The more curious might attempt biathlon with laser rifle at Mont d’Arbois, a descent on fat bike through snow, or an unusual evening: cross-country skiing by headlamp, dinner beneath a tipi and a night in an igloo village facing Mont-Blanc. Rarer and more spectacular still, ski joëring, skis towed by a horse, a hot air balloon at daybreak and paragliding from Mont d’Arbois.
What to do in Megève this winter
Our selection of the experiences worth the journey, from the slopes to the quieter pleasures of the village.
On the slopes
At leisure
Thrills
Thrills
Essential
FamilyReindeer farm
Approach and feed a reindeer herd in the midst of forest, homemade treats included.
Family
Relaxation
Signature
AerialMegève as a family destination
Few resorts combine high-end quality with children so naturally. The reindeer farm, on the Côte 2000 road, allows one to approach and feed a herd in the heart of forest, homemade treats included. The Palais brings together ice rink and swimming pool in one place, enough to occupy half a day regardless of weather. Add sledging, sled dog outings accessible from the youngest age, and a pedestrian village centre where one circulates without cars: Megève remains one of the most reassuring destinations in the Alps for a stay across multiple generations.
The village beneath the snow
The pedestrian heart, the church square and its onion dome, the wooden façades lit at evening: Megève in winter carries the charm of a true Savoyard village. One wanders from the 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 tailoring studio in 1926 and invented the fuseau, the tapered ski trousers worn by 1937 world champion Émile Allais: the house AAllard still clothes Megève, father to son. The village architecture itself carries this memory, with the famous “skier chalets” designed 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, Emmanuel Renaut and his three Michelin stars at Flocons de Sel as its peak. It is this gentle way 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 linked to the same domain. Saint-Gervais, with its thermal springs at the foot of Mont-Blanc, and Combloux, nicknamed the pearl of Mont-Blanc, extend the Évasion Mont-Blanc slopes, as does the more discreet La Giettaz. A few minutes away, Praz-sur-Arly welcomes each winter the Montgolfiades and opens onto the Espace Diamant, whilst Les Saisies, a cross-country skiing reference, deserves a visit for Nordic skiing. So many variations within reach once luggage is set down in Megève.
When and how to come
The domain opens around mid-December and closes early April. The year-end holidays offer the most magical atmosphere, February the best snow (and school holiday crowds), and March the ideal compromise, bright sun, lengthening days and good conditions.
| From | Distance | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Geneva airport | ~90km | ~1h15 by car |
| Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station | ~12km | ~20 mins then shuttle / taxi |
| Annecy | ~60km | ~1h |
| Lyon | ~185km | ~2h |
On site, free shuttles link the main neighbourhoods and lifts, allowing one to leave the car at the chalet for much of the stay. To prepare your visit, Megève’s tourist office keeps opening hours and snow conditions up to date.
Megève, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
Choosing where to stay is already choosing your stay. The village centre, pedestrian and animated, puts shops, restaurants and the ice rink within steps. Rochebrune, five to fifteen minutes’ walk from the centre, blends old farms and architect-designed chalets at the foot of the historic cable car. Mont d’Arbois embodies the most understated luxury, that of grand chalets nestled in the high meadows and the Rothschild heritage. Le Jaillet and the Demi-Quartier area, around the Princesse cable car, offer calm and nature just steps from the slopes. Higher up, Côte 2000 aims for ski-in/ski-out living. Each neighbourhood has its own atmosphere, and its own chalet type.
Where to set down your luggage
A Megève winter is better savoured from a chalet than from a hotel room: a true home where one returns to warm up after the slopes, entertain guests, and explore the resort at one’s own pace. Our selection of chalets and apartments in Megève was conceived with precisely that in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Can one enjoy Megève without skiing?
Yes, very much so. Ice rink, aquatic space and spa of the Palais, horse-drawn carriages in the village, sled dogs, hot air balloon, reindeer farm, spa and wandering through the pedestrian heart: Megève is one of the rare resorts where a winter stay fills easily without ever putting on skis.
What is the best period for a winter stay in Megève?
The domain is generally open from mid-December to early April. The holidays offer the most festive atmosphere, February the best snow but also school holiday crowds, and March the best compromise between sunshine, long days and good conditions.
How does one get to Megève?
The nearest airport is Geneva, approximately 1h15 by car. By train, Sallanches-Combloux-Megève station, 12km away, is connected to Geneva by the Léman Express and to Annecy and Lyon by the TER, then one reaches the resort by shuttle or taxi. On site, free shuttles serve the village and the lifts.
Is Megève suitable for families?
Yes. Between the reindeer farm, the ice rink and aquatic space of the Palais, sledging, sled dogs and a pedestrian village centre without cars, it is a particularly reassuring destination for a stay across multiple generations.
Which neighbourhood to choose in Megève?
The village heart, pedestrian and animated, to do everything on foot; Mont d’Arbois for ski-in/ski-out and the finest views; Rochebrune to remain close to the centre whilst skiing; Le Jaillet or the Demi-Quartier hamlet for more calm and space, a few minutes by shuttle.
What is the difference between Megève, Chamonix and Courchevel?
Chamonix lives for high mountains and alpinism, Courchevel for very high altitude and guaranteed snow. Megève, for its part, stakes on the Savoyard village, the art of living and a varied domain rather than on extreme altitude.
What is the Évasion Mont-Blanc domain?
It is the large ski domain which links Megève to Saint-Gervais, Combloux, La Giettaz and Les Contamines-Montjoie, that is over 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.
