What to do in Le Grand-Bornand, Massif des Aravis

The village of le Grand-Bornand is located in the heart of the Aravis mountain range, in Haute-Savoie at the crossroads between the Mont Blanc, Lake Annecy and Switzerland.

There are only 6 kilometers from La Clusaz ski resort to Le Grand-Bornand. Both cities are so close to each other that a link project has been under consideration for 30 years now. Just 30 minutes away from Le Grand-Bornand is Annecy, and its magnificent lake. The old village and the mountains surrounding it have always fascinated the visitors. This setting is stunning and goes all the way across the Annecy village in the pays de Faverges to the nature reserve at Lake’s ends. The renowned Chamonix ski resort is only 1 hour drive in the same area as the Mont Blanc, l’Aiguille du Midi and the valley glacier, la Mer de Glace. Geneva and the French shores around the Lake Leman like Evian and Thonon are not far away from le Grand-Bornand. Those are the perfect spots to do water sports!

Le Grand-Bornand is an exceptional natural site listed in the Natura 2000 protective area within the Aravis mountain range and the Bargy mountain range. This charming and typical mountain village is renowned for its ski resort that attracts a lot of tourists during both winter and summer seasons. The ski area has a wide choice of amazing slides. You can find 90 km of slopes and 32 ski lifts; it is basically heaven on earth for skiers of all levels! With 5 areas dedicated to beginners, 3 competition areas, 1 snow park ranked in the France’s Top 10 best snow parks and a lot off-piste skiing trails. The Nordic area has 58 km of ski trails which makes it a perfect spot for Nordic skiing. This area is accessible through 3 entrances: Village, Les Plans and l’Auberge Nordique (the Northern Inn).

This dream spot is perfect for nature lovers as well. The glorious Aravis mountain range serves as a beautiful background. One of its highest summits is la Pointe Percée that peaks at 2750 metres! The Aravis massif is the perfect playground for all kind of activities combined with extreme sensations! Summer is the perfect time to go rock climbing, hiking, paragliding or practice any type of water sports… The choices are almost endless! Winter is time for skiing, snowboarding, ski touring, alpine skiing and mountaineering… And so many other activities!

You can access to le Grand-Bornand via Annecy, Bonneville, Cluses and from the Aravis pass and La Clusaz. The Route des Grandes Alpes goes through the village. However there is no railway line, the nearest train stations are the one of Annecy, Bonneville and Cluses each one of them are located about 30 km from Le Grand-Bornand.