If you are looking for a winter sports skiing destination that is still under the international radar, let me introduce you to Le Grand Bornand in the northernmost part of the French Alps. Because we drive from the Netherlands, the shorter driving distance compared to the southern Alps is a massive bonus.
We usually spend a week on our winter sports holidays—I ski, and “the Dutchman” snowboards. We have never been the type to rush out for intense, open-to-close skiing—in fact, we prefer a very relaxed morning and usually hit the slopes a bit later. Over the last few years, we’ve really come to love this slower pace: taking time brunching in the chalet apartment, blending casual time on the slopes with winter hiking, long terrace breaks, and enjoying the local alpine culture.
📊 Skiing in Le Grand Bornand: Resort at a Glance
Before jumping into our daily itinerary, here is a quick look at what the resort has to offer:
- Total Slopes: 90 km of skiable pistes (extending to 220 km with the full Aravis Pass).
- Ski Lifts: 25 lifts in total (including gondolas and high-speed chairlifts).
- Resort Elevation: Main village sits at 1,000m, Le Chinaillon sits at 1,300m, and the summit reaches 2,100m.
- Number of Runs: About 50 distinct trails beautifully distributed across green, blue, red, and black slopes.
- Perk: Features illuminated night-skiing on one of the longest lit-up slopes in the region.
🏨 Our Accommodation: MGM Hotels & Residences – Le Roc des Tours
We stayed at MGM Le Roc des Tours in Le Chinaillon, a smaller, quieter hamlet just up the mountain from the main village of Le Grand Bornand.
Honestly, we preferred Le Chinaillon so much more. Being on the main street gave us instant access to shops, cafes, and restaurants, but the real luxury was the ski access. The residence sits perfectly between two middle lifts, meaning you have direct access to the telecabine right at the back of the slopes. With heated ski lockers downstairs, it is a true ski-in, ski-out dream.
Perks of our stay:
- The Apartment: Fully equipped and located facing the main street with a spacious balcony overlooking the beautiful traditional chalets and the surrounding mountains.
- Easy Parking: Winter parking on the street is free. We managed to get a spot right below our balcony, making it incredibly easy to haul our luggage in and out with the trolley.
- The Wellness Center: Our favorite kind of après-ski! The residence features a gorgeous pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and a steaming hammam to soothe tired muscles. For us, this is a must for every winter sport holiday.
⛷️ The 8-Day Itinerary: Skiing, Strolling & Scenic Terraces
Day 1 (Saturday): Arrival & Settling In
We arrived in the afternoon, which is our usual travel day routine. We spent the day getting familiar with the area, walking up and down the main street, picked up our ski passes and scouting out where the ski lifts were. We did a quick grocery run at the local Sherpa supermarket right across the street, and treated ourselves to a fantastic first dinner of traditional Alpine fondue, fresh green salad, and charcuterie at La Cozna.
Day 2 (Sunday): The Chinaillon Warm-Up
We don’t do highly technical skiing, so we focused on finding our ski legs on the friendly, accessible terrain around the Chinaillon area. As we skied, I made mental notes of the best-looking mountain restaurants. We stumbled upon Le Panoramique 1800, where a live DJ was playing. We had to make a pitstop! There is nothing better than breaking up the ski day on a sun-drenched terrace with great music and a lively vibe.
Day 3 (Monday): Conquering Mont Lachat & Slope-Side Dining
Ready for a change of pace, we toured the Mont Lachat area, which offers excellent variety and slightly steeper terrain. We found a great bar-restaurant with an outdoor terrace boasting incredible views of the valley.
💡 The €100 Taxi Lesson: One reason we absolutely loved Le Grand Bornand is that there is zero stress about missing the last lift back to the village. We learned this the hard way on a past holiday in a different resort, where we got stuck on the wrong side of the mountain and had to split a €100 taxi ride with another stranded couple! In Grand Bornand, the slopes lead directly back to Chinaillon. No stress, no rushing.
For dinner, we walked across the slopes from our accommodation to Restaurant Bournerie. Warning: you have to climb a steep flight of stairs to get there! It is a quintessentially French Alpine restaurant. While the daytime view must be stunning, visiting at night meant we got to see the beautiful, twinkling lights across the village of Le Chinaillon.
Day 4 (Tuesday): Hiking Day
We took a break from our ski boots today for a mix of local culture and fresh mountain air. I headed down early in the morning to catch the famous weekly outdoor market in Le Grand Bornand village to beat the crowds and score some local treats. Afterwards, we did a gorgeous winter hike from Le Chinaillon down to the main village. (Keep an eye out—I will cover this specific winter trail and our market haul in a completely separate blog post!) After exploring the village, we simply caught the convenient free ski shuttle bus right back up to Le Chinaillon. The spa is waiting for us!
Day 5 (Wednesday): Sweeping Views at Tête des Annes
We headed back out onto the snow, focusing on the left side of the resort. If you love long, wide, sweeping pistes, this area is absolute paradise. The journey down from Tête des Annes offered, without a doubt, the most breathtaking views in the entire resort.
For our rest breaks, we fell in love with the comfortable outdoor seating at Le Chalet du Maroly. Later in the afternoon, the Dutchman decided to call it a day, but I couldn’t resist going back up for one last solo run!
Day 6 (Thursday): Walking the Slopes & Ultimate Relaxation
For our final full activity day, we traded our skis for hiking boots again to do a trail that winds right around the ski slopes of Le Chinaillon. It is such a unique experience to walk along designated trails on the mountain while watching skiers and snowboarders jetting by you!
We stopped for drinks at L’Ancoly, which sits on a high plateau like an observation deck. It gave us a fantastic panoramic view of the slopes, lifts, and busy outdoor terraces. We wrapped up our hiking day perfectly: drinks at Aux Comptoirs Des Alpes, a final steam session in our chalet’s spa, and a delicious 3-course dinner at Restaurant Le Derapage.
Day 7 (Friday): A Slow Finale & Chalet Comfort Food
We deliberately kept our last day on the mountains incredibly slow and relaxed. We headed out for just a few hours of easy skiing to enjoy the crisp morning snow, but quickly called it a day to maximize our final afternoon of pure relaxation. Looking back at the whole week, we realized we had completely lucked out on the weather—the conditions were absolutely gorgeous throughout our entire stay.
We headed straight down to the residence’s wellness area to soak in the pool and melt away any ski fatigue in the hammam. That evening, we had the ultimate cozy chalet dinner. I cooked up the local Savoyard Diot sausages that I had bought at the Wednesday market, simmering them in onions and wine brine. Paired with a fresh salad and a French wine bought from the local Sherpa, it was the perfect, comforting way to wrap up our time in the Alps.
Day 8 (Saturday): Heading Home
We packed up our chalet apartment and hit the road just before 12:00 PM for the drive back to the Netherlands. Travelling in an electric car means factoring in a few stops to charge, which worked out perfectly for grabbing dinner on the road before getting back home.
All in all, Le Grand-Bornand delivered the perfect winter sport balance: active, deeply relaxing, and beautifully scenic!
Happy Travels!
With love from Jo
Travel Period: January 2026
Le Chinaillon, Le Grand-Bornand, Auvergne-Rhones-Alpes (Haute-Savoie), France
Ski resort: Le Grand Bornand