Megève is a mountain village in the Haute-Savoie region of France. Megève is one of the first ski resorts to be developed in France under the leadership of the Rothschild family who fell for its charm. In the 1910s, the Rothschilds regularly came on holiday to Megève and were closely involved in the touristic development of the village, which rapidly became a place to be for royalty and the international jet-set, who adored this charming French village. Today the very French atmosphere of its hotels and restaurants, its luxury shops, the pedestrian areas, the horse drawn wooden carriages and the beauty of the natural surroundings still attract an upscale clientele.
Megève is also a ski resort. Its ski area, located on the slopes of two mountain peaks (Rochebrune and Mont d'Arbois) is extensive and varied, with snowy fir trees, picturesque mountain chalets, and a beautiful view of Mont Blanc. It is characterized by gentle slopes that are not very long and are perfect for beginner and intermediate skiers. More experienced skiers could become a little frustrated by the lack of vertical drop. Two types of ski pass are available, one for the area of Saint-Gervais Megeve, which is more than enough for one day's skiing, and the other for the larger "Evasion Mont Blanc" area which includes Saint Gervais, Megève, Le Jaillet, St Nicolas de Veroce, Les Contamines, Combloux and La Giettaz. This ski pass is perfect for a longer stay.
The beautiful Rochebrune cable car is a legendary ski lift in Megève dating from 1933. Unfortunately it cannot carry many skiers at a time and there is often a long queue. It is advisable to avoid it at busy times. Furthermore, many of the other lifts in Megève are aging and slow when compared with other large resorts with a similar ski pass price. That said, the slopes of Megève are beautiful and, above all, are in a magnificent natural setting.
Downhill skiing
- Maximum altitude: 2014 m
- Minimum altitude: 1070 m
- Number of ski lifts: 34 (cable cars: 1, gondola lifts: 6, chairlifts: 10, drag lifts: 17)
- Number of ski runs: 50 (black: 8, red: 19, blue: 12, green: 11)
- Total distance: 110 km
- Dedicated activity areas: 1 (snow park)
- Piste map
Cross-country skiing
- Number of runs: 19 (black: 4, red: 5, blue: 5, green: 5)
- Total distance: 38 km
Distance by car
- Genève to Megève: 69 kilometres (43 miles). Estimated time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Annecy to Megève: 60 kilometres (37 miles). Estimated time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Chambéry to Megève: 85 kilometres (53 miles). Estimated time: 1 hour 12 minutes