How do I get my children to ski school?

You can give them a flying start by getting the teachers to give them a private lesson on the first day; the “Ecole de Ski Francais” teachers will pick learners up from the chalet if requested. Otherwise you can ski down with your children to where the ski schools meet by the lift up from Grand Bornand, or ski across the slope to where the other ski school meet. They will soon be off to school on their own.

Is La Ferme du Soleil suitable for the very young?

With enough notice we can usually organise someone to look after the very young while you ski.  There is plenty of snow for building snow-men or sliding down on little sledges.

We have a high chair and cot, and can organise special meals or meals at different times too.

Are there any nearby restaurants?

Just down the hill is a cluster of 4 restaurants which provide meals throughout piste opening times.  There is another great one, La Bornerie, which is wonderful on the staff’s evening off, you ski diagonally across the hill to it – we can show you when you are here.  The pistes have lots of other local restaurants dotted around, most are reasonably priced, some are downright cheap by comparison with some other ski resorts.

I can’t ski, what can I do?

Try racquets and you can walk over the hills and meet the skiers for lunch. We can usually lend you a pair to try for a day, they slip over stout walking boots. You can hire them from the ski shops.

I snowboard, what is it like?

Great, there is a wonderful snow park, all the usual pistes as well as unpisted runs from red to very black which are fun for snow boarders as well as skiers.

What happens about my bags if I ski in and ski out?

If you come by car, park it at Les Outlays (just near us) and we arrange to meet it with the skidoo when the slopes are closed at 5 pm, and we bring them up to you.  If you come by taxi, you leave your bags in our car, by the ski shop, and they will be brought to you in the evening.  Remember you will need your ski clothes and sun glasses during the day, so pack them on top.

What time do I have to leave on my last day?

We will take your bags down about 08:00, or before if you are going earlier, and wave you goodbye by 09:00 as the house has to be cleaned and the beds changed. Some people ski all day and only leave the area in the evening.

Which night is the staff’s evening off?

Tuesday.  It is also the night skiing evening during January to March.  This makes it very easy to return in the evening before 10:30 pm when the lift closes. We can suggest restaurants for you to go to that evening.

How do I get from my car/taxi to the chalet in the evening?

Walk!  You can drive to Les Outalays from the Chinaillon or Le Grand Bornand and walk from there.  It is about 15 minutes up the track.  With company, it goes pretty quickly.

Do I have to brings towels or sheets?

No.

I have a special diet/I am a vegetarian/I have a special birthday

Just let us know and we will do our best

Is there a doctor around?

There is one “cabinet” during the day at the bottom of our slope and another during the day and evening in Le Grand Bornand.  You have to pay to see them but this should be covered if you have insurance.  The hospital in Annecy is new and said to be excellent (but I am not planning to find out personally) and you are probably covered by your E101 there in some circumstances.

Why is it called La Ferme du Soleil?

Because we are high up with the result that the clouds are sometimes below us – so it is grey in the valley and sunny where we are.

Why have you suggested one of the ski shops?

It is not the best range or the absolute cheapest but it is very close and convenient if you want to change your skis or adjust your bindings.  With the others, they are just a bit further away.  The lift to our house is 50 yards from their front door.

Can I smoke in the house?

No, sorry, smoking inside anywhere but a private house is now illegal in France and we count as a hotel for these purposes.

How much snow is there?

Generally there is oodles and one does not even need much because the mountain mostly faces north and the skiing is over summer pastures rather than rocks. The area seems to have its own micro-climate because the valley to the west forces up the clouds over Mt Lachat and then it snows.  The area also has one of the biggest artificial lakes specifically built for snow cannons, too. The French ski team and French army sometimes use the area for training.  You can see the snow fall for the last 6 years at this site: click here.   You can also click here to see the history of the last 16 years snow levels if you are a member of the Ski Club of Great Britain.

What is the ski area like?

There are 117 pistes and 96 lifts in the Aravis ski area which includes La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Manigod and Saint-Jean de Sixt.

La Ferme du Soleil is above Chinaillon, a part of Le Grand Bornand area, around Mont Lachat (our mountainside), there are 360 hectares of “domaine skiable”, 90 kilometres of downhill ski runs, serviced by 38 ski-lifts. This fully linked ski area of Le Grand Bornand is spread out between 1000 and 2100 metres of altitude, with 48 pistes, north facing slopes which hold the snow, and 56 km of ski de fond (cross country) pistes. It is such a beautiful and varied mountainside that many of the guests don’t bother skiing the other areas available with the Aravis ski pass.

It has a history of good snow because of its micro-climate and geographical situation at the edge of the Aravis mountain range and its north-facing slopes keeps the snow late into the season.