The mountains are not just for skiing. The Portes du Soleil also offers some of the best music, film and cultural events in Europe (and that’s before all the fondue-eating and free-flowing mulled wine!). Here is our ultimate guide to Winter Events in the Portes du Soleil.
The opening weekend of the season always includes a major ski and snowboard test in Avoriaz. Over 50 major brands show up and you can pick and choose which 2017 skis and snowboards you want to try. There are also live music performances all weekend long, including a live set form Kavinski; there are fireworks displays; there is always mulled wine and most importantly, it’s our first slide on the mountains this season. Get your ski legs ready!
The Snow Carnival is a 4-week long mountain festival dedicated to children. To coincide with the kids holidays, the Portes du Soleil and all its ski resorts, such as Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz, organise sledge races, carnival parades, snowmen contests, fireworks, concerts and kids creative workshops. Lots to keep families busy!
Les Gets hosts its 3rd annual SkiColour event this year, which was inspired by the Color Run event that runs worldwide. Skicolor requires you and your friends, family and children to ski down a run through explosions of coloured powder getting yourself as colourful as possible before you cross the finish line. So are you ready to paint the mountains Technicolor?
This weeklong electro dance festival combines main stage concerts from headliners such as Basement Jaxx, High Contrast and Wilkinson with après parties, club nights, pool parties and on-piste competitions. Every night a concert takes place in the 'BOX' in the centre of Avoriaz so if you like goggle tans and glow sticks this is the event for you.
This is one of the most unique music festivals you’ll find in Europe. The weeklong festival takes place across the entire Portes du Soleil ski area with live music performances in different resorts every single day. The concerts are free so all you’ll need is your lift pass and a good sense of direction! There are five gigs a day on the mountain, then over 70 après concerts in resorts.
Former headliners include The Klaxons, Babyshambles and Reggae/Dub pioneer Lee Scratch Perry. There is also a treasure hunt with five markers hidden resort-wide throughout the Portes du Soleil. The hunt takes you across international borders from France to Switzerland and back again! Which adds an extra dimension to any music festival!
France Bleu is a popular French radio station. This year they are running their first live festival in Festival Hall, Avoriaz. They will be running a series of free concerts from the France Bleu radio playlist and we think it could offer a truly authentic French live music experience. If you are here, you should check it out!
So are you ready to get your festival on? Then why don’t you book your airport transfer now. Skiidy runs door to door airport transfers to ski resorts in France with private services to all resorts from Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and Chambery airports and guaranteed shared services run from Geneva Airport to Les Gets, Morzine and Avoriaz. We are your very own festival bus!