Les Contamines
Traditional small ski resort close to Geneva. Access to the skiing of St Gervais and Megeve
Les Contamines resort guide - a general overview
Les Contamines remains one of the quieter and unspoilt traditional French resorts with stunning views towards Mont Blanc, towering above the attractive village. The core of the village is compact, but the resort spreads widely with chalets dotted over a 3 km stretch of the valley, and the main access lift 1km away from the centre. The skiing is above 1,900m and well suited for cruising whilst the regional pass covers some of the best skiing in Europe around Chamonix and Megeve. Due to its proximity to Mont Blanc the resort also has a justifiable reputation for good snow conditions and only really experiences queues when skiers are bused in from resorts suffering poor snow. Ski holidays in Les Contamines are not for those who want to party the night away but is an excellent choice for families and children with prices more typical of rural France than of international resorts. Les Contamines is also worth considering as a weekend destination.
Resort stats
445km
1,160m - 2,485m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Geneva
- 1hr
Pros and Cons
Pros
- A traditional, picturesque, unspoilt French village
- A good snow record
- Lift pass covers several nearby resorts all accessible by car (445 kms of pistes)
- A good intermediate area and some excellent off piste
- A few lovely rustic mountain restaurants
Cons
- Not ideal for beginners
- Not really much night life, a few local bars and thats about it
- Long queues for the gondola during busy weeks
Restaurants
Les Contamines Resort Restaurants
Les Contamines is one of the rare unspoilt ski resorts which has managed to retain its rustic mountain charm. This means the majority of restaurants serve only traditional French mountain cuisine, however if you would like a bit of variety from your hotel restaurant, the village does have a few local restaurants definitely worth a visit. Restaurant Notre Dame de la Gorge gets particularly great reviews. The "Creperie Pub le Ty Breiz" is another one worth a try, serving various filling crepes tasty for lunch as a break from skiing or a light dinner after a long mountain lunch. If you have a sweet tooth, try Le Husky where apparently the tarts and pastries are just as sweet as the service!
Les Contamines Mountain Restaurants
Les Contamines has a variety of places to grab a spot of lunch on the mountain. Most of the restaurants here are your typical alpine style chalet mountain restaurant and you can choose from either a self-service large canteen style restaurant or a smaller cosy eatery serving delicious French gourmet cuisine. If it's a quick bite on a sun filled terrace you are after, head to Le Signal situated at 1900m at the top of the Signal gondola where you can enjoy a sandwich over looking Mt Blanc on their large terrace. If you would prefer to relax in front of a cosy fire and warm up whilst taking your time over a 3 course lunch head to La Ruelle where the food is delicious and the service delightful.
Les Contamines Apres Ski
Les Contamines has a very relaxed approach to apres ski. It's a better resort to head to if you like fine dining, cosy little bars and spending lazy evenings in your chalet. However there is one place which comes to life a bit later on, this is the Ty Briez which stays open late and has live music occasionally.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property
