There are ski resorts that dabble in summer mountain biking, and then there is Avoriaz. Perched at 1,800 metres on the edge of the Portes du Soleil plateau, this car-free village in the Haute-Savoie doesn’t just tolerate bikes — it was practically built for them. When the snow melts and the lifts switch over to summer mode, Avoriaz transforms into one of the most exhilarating two-wheeled playgrounds in the entire Alps. If you haven’t ridden here yet, you’re leaving some of the best gravity trails in Europe untouched.
What makes Avoriaz stand out isn’t just the sheer volume of terrain — though 650 kilometres of marked trails across the Portes du Soleil network is hard to argue with. It’s the quality. From machine-built jump lines that rival anything in British Columbia to raw, rooty singletrack that winds through Alpine meadows, there’s something here that will push every rider to their limits, whatever those limits happen to be. And the fact that you can’t drive a car into the village just adds to the atmosphere: no traffic, no stress, just bikes, mountains, and the smell of pine on a July afternoon.
Whether you’re travelling solo, with a crew of shredders, or dragging along a partner who’s tentatively curious about the whole gravity-riding thing, this guide covers everything you need to know to make the most of a riding trip to Avoriaz. Let’s get into it.
The Portes du Soleil Network: How Big Is Big?
Avoriaz sits at the heart of the Portes du Soleil, a cross-border network linking 12 resorts across France and Switzerland. In summer, that means you can ride from Avoriaz into Morzine, up to Châtel, cross the border to Champéry and Les Gets, all without putting your bike on a car. The full network clocks over 650 kilometres of marked trails, with lift access at multiple points making it possible to cover serious ground without grinding your legs into the ground on punishing climbs.
For mountain bikers, this translates into near-unlimited route options. A typical riding day out of Avoriaz might start with the gondola from Prodains, ride a high-alpine traverse to the Swiss border, hammer some downhill in Champéry, then wind back through the valley trails into Morzine for a cold drink before catching the lift back up. The terrain varies wildly — exposed rocky ridgelines, loamy forest singletracks, and everything in between. Riding the full network in a week-long trip still won’t scratch the surface.
Avoriaz Bike Park: Where Gravity Rules
The Avoriaz Bike Park is the centrepiece of any serious riding trip here. Based out of the village and serviced by a dedicated lift infrastructure, the bike park offers a range of gravity-focused trails from beginner green runs to proper black diamond descents that will test even experienced riders.
The standout runs include the long top-to-bottom descents from the Arare and Hauts Forts zones. The Hauts Forts piste in particular is legendary — a sustained, technical descent with rock sections, roots, and enough natural features to keep you honest. Jump lines on the upper mountain have been shaped to a high standard, with well-spaced kickers that reward commitment without punishing hesitation too brutally.
If you’re a cross-country rider, the network of blue and red trails around the Col du Fornet and the Lindarets area gives you long, flowing routes with genuine Alpine character. These aren’t trimmed green park trails — they’re real mountain paths with exposure, rocks, and the kind of scenery that makes you forget you’re supposed to be riding, not gawping.
Trail Difficulty Breakdown: Finding Your Level
One of the things that makes Avoriaz such a reliable destination is its genuinely wide difficulty range. Here’s a rough breakdown:
Green (Beginner): Gentle descents around the village perimeter and lower sections of the Lindarets valley. Perfect for riders getting their first taste of lift-accessed riding or families with younger kids on bikes.
Blue (Intermediate): The majority of the Portes du Soleil network falls here — long, flowing singletracks with manageable gradient and features. The route from Avoriaz to Morzine via the Pleney is a blue classic that never gets boring.
Red (Advanced): Technical descents with natural features, loose over hardpack, and sections that demand precise line choice. The Arare trails and the upper Hauts Forts zone sit comfortably in this bracket.
Black (Expert): Rocky, steep, and unforgiving. Several lines in the bike park are graded black and mean it. Come with controlled aggression and working brakes.
Best Time to Ride Avoriaz
The bike park season typically runs from late June through to mid-September, with peak conditions in July and early August. Snow can linger on higher trails well into June, so if you’re chasing pristine conditions on the upper-mountain routes, late June through late July is the sweet spot.
August brings the largest crowds, particularly around the Portes du Soleil Cup events and the annual mountain sports festivals that Morzine and Avoriaz host throughout the summer. If you want the trails to yourself, aim for early July or the first two weeks of September. Autumn light on the Alpine meadows in early September is genuinely magical, and the trails tend to have that perfect dusty-but-grippy quality that makes every corner a delight.
Weather in the Alps is notoriously unpredictable. Pack a rain layer and don’t make your entire trip dependent on sunshine. Wet trails in Avoriaz can range from totally fine (the loam soaks up light rain well) to properly sketchy (fresh mud on steep roots is exactly as bad as it sounds). Check the forecast daily and plan your big descents for clear mornings.
Local Tips From Riders Who’ve Done It
Start at Prodains, not the village gondola: The Prodains Express gondola at the base of the village cuts your climbing time dramatically and gets you to the high-alpine terrain faster. Pay the supplement — it’s worth it.
Hire a guide for day one: Avoriaz has excellent local guides who know every hidden trail in the network. One half-day with a guide will unlock lines you’d never find on a trail map.
Bring a dropper post: The steep descents here punish static seat positions. If you haven’t already, a dropper is non-negotiable on black runs.
Eat at the Lindarets valley: The cluster of restaurants at the bottom of the Lindarets pass is one of the Alps’ great cycling lunch spots. Fondue with bike shoes on hits differently at altitude.
Check the Portes du Soleil MTB app: The official app has offline trail maps, elevation profiles, and live lift status. Download before you leave home.
Where to Stay in Avoriaz: Book Smart with IMPT
Avoriaz is a car-free resort, which means accommodation is genuinely central to the whole experience — you’re not driving anywhere, so your hotel or chalet is your base camp. The good news is that staying right in the village puts you steps from the lift systems and the bike park access points.
When you’re booking, it’s worth doing it through impt.io. The platform lets you search hotels in Avoriaz and across the Portes du Soleil area, and every booking you make earns around 5% back as carbon credits — retired on-chain in your name. For a sport that takes place entirely in mountain ecosystems that are actively threatened by climate change, that’s a genuinely meaningful thing to offset as part of your trip budget. You book your hotel, you get real carbon credits, and those credits go toward verified environmental projects. It costs you nothing extra, and it makes your riding trip part of something bigger.
Search hotels in Avoriaz now at IMPT and look for properties with direct trail or lift access. Some chalets are literally 30 seconds from the gondola loading area — that kind of convenience on a riding trip is priceless.
Your Avoriaz Riding Trip Starts Here
Avoriaz is the real deal. It’s not a ski resort doing mountain biking as a summer afterthought — it’s one of the finest gravity riding destinations in the world, backed by a 650-kilometre network that takes weeks to fully explore. Whether you’re chasing black diamond descents on Hauts Forts, linking a three-resort loop through Switzerland, or simply learning to drop off your first jump feature, the mountains here deliver.
Pack your bike, sort your accommodation through impt.io, and get ready for the kind of riding trip you’ll be talking about for the next three winters. The trails are waiting.
