Flaine is situated at between 1800 and 2500 metres’ altitude. An hour from Geneva and two hours from Lyon, air and road access is good, with low cost airlines into Geneva on a regular basis.
Ski pistes for all levels of competence plus several ski schools and equipment hire outlets make the resort a good choice for novices and experts alike. A ski-in, ski-out station, cars aren’t allowed into the residential areas; this creates a safe environment for families. Local facilities are numerous and fairly comprehensive, with several bars and restaurants from which to choose during the season, offering regular entertainment programmes and a variety of food styles.
As well as the skiing, facilitated by mechanical ski lifts throughout the station, there are other sports to enjoy. Dog sledding, ice racing and trips up the mountain sides on jet skis are perhaps not for the faint hearted, but are guaranteed to get that adrenaline pumping!
During the summer months, the Alpine pastures are a lovely place to wander, amongst the flora and fauna of the mountains; notably the Alpine chough and the elusive marmots that make their homes in the craggy heights. A music academy operates throughout August, for lovers of culture, together with a circus school, which takes under its wing children of all ages to teach them some new tricks to add to their old ones! Flaine’s popularity in the summer is partly thanks to its large and well established golf course, which appears when the winter snows have receded. Kids’ clubs keep the younger ones entertained, with organised rambles off into the countryside, and there is also a heated swimming pool in the centre of the resort.
A year-round resort, the rental potential for apartments and ski chalets in Flaine is very good; it is often impossible to find available accommodation during the winter season. Summer months see the return of lovers of outdoor pursuits; mountain biking, walking and rock climbing are the usual favourites. The Lac de Flaine is a good spot at which to relax with a book whilst listening to the gentle lap of the water and the sound of the birds high in the sky.