France
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Region: Northern Alps
Aillons – Margériaz is a winter sports and ski resort located in the village of Aillon-le-Jeune, in the Savoie department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The resort covers two locations, Aillons-Margériaz 1000 in Mont Pelat and Aillons-Margériaz 1400 in Mont Margériaz. In the Bauges massif between Chambéry and Annecy.
The mountain shares its name with the resort
The town and the Aillons – Margériaz resort will appeal to anyone looking to recharge their batteries, or simply have some rest. In the heart of the Bauges Massif Geopark and Regional Natural Park, it has everything for skiers delight. The beauty of the landscapes, the hospitality of the neighbors, the initiation and the practice in all slopes in a properly equipped and safe domain. You will be able to discover large areas reserved for alpine or Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sled dogs with impressive panoramas. An authentic joy to share with family or friends.
Uniquely located, just 30 minutes from Chambéry and Annecy, the resort welcomes beginner and experienced skiers, young and old.
The slender mountains, the know-how and the local architecture, give this village, rich in traditions, its own character. A place of relaxation, the resort offers the pleasure of sport and the calm of living a mountain village, with a strong and preserved identity. It is easy to be seduced by the historical and culinary heritage, explore large spaces, recharge batteries … Both with family or friends.
Resort history
The municipality of Aillon-le-Jeune began to manage the first ski lifts of what would become the Aillons – Margériaz resort. The project, originally, was meant to allow the neighbors, (farmers and foresters) to complement their work and their income during the winter period. And, incidentally, reduce the rural exodus during the winter season.
Later, in 1980, under control of the Savoy General Council, Margériaz was born to promote the learning of ski among the little ones.
Ten years later, when the peaks of Mont Pelat and Mont Margériaz became accessible, counting ski lifts and chair lifts in each of the two resorts, these were combined into a single “Les Aillons-Margériaz” ski area. Operated by the ” Société d’economie mixte ” (Mixed Economy Society, SEM) of Bauges.
In 2012, the Aillon resort was audited due to frequent financial difficulties, which recommended the dismantling of four ski lifts. The creation of the ” Les Amis du Val d’Aillon ” association(Friends of the Aillon Valley) is attributed to the resort visitors. These managed to keep opened the resort during the 2015 season.
In January 2015, the Aillons-Margériaz resort officially celebrated its 50th anniversary. Various activities, games, and free access to the resort were organized. During the 2015-2016 winter, the Aillon resort becomes “Aillons-Margériaz 1000” and Le Margériaz becomes “Aillons-Margériaz 1400”.
Unique characteristics of Aillons – Margériaz
Scientifically, altitude is not the first snow criterion for a resort.The geographical position in relation to the atmospheric circulation brought by snow weighs more than the altitude. Altitude is just a reference on the Alpine Arc scale.
The layer of snow settles on a soil of karst origin, highly permeable to water. Even when it rains for several days in a row (which happens in all seasons, in some exceptions), the water crosses the snow layer and settles on a limestone layer. The snowpack is never gray (soaked in water) or frost. Therefore retains less energy from the sun – this results in a snowpack that stays white longer.
Nestled in a priviledged location
n the heart of the Bauges Massif Regional Natural Park, near the agglomerations of Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains and Annecy. About 1 hour by motorway from Lyon, the Aillons-Margériaz ski resort allows you to practice sports in a typical village high mountain.
The name of the resort comes from the merger of two independent stations but located in the same city (Aillon-le-Jeune). The first station, “Aillon-Station”, became “Aillon-Margériaz 1000” and the second, which was the Alpine stadium of Margériaz, became “Aillon-Margériaz 1400”. This name change had become almost mandatory. The Margériaz mountain gave its name to a building, a street, a hotel, an inn and even a cheese.
Equipment and slopes layout
The slopes are generally open from mid-December to early April. A paid skibus connects the two stations, between 2 and 4 times a day, depending on the winter month.
Located between 1000 and 1540 meters above sea level on the slopes of Mont Pelat, Aillon-Station / Aillons-Margériaz 1000 has 17 km of slopes. It has 2 cable cars and 17 chair lifts, one of them free for beginners
Le Margériaz / Aillons-Margériaz 1400 located between 1400 and 1845 m, on the slopes of Mont Margériaz, is the larger area of the two. The ski lifts were built there between the 1980s and 1990.s. It has 1 cable car, 11 chair lifts, 1 magic carpet, and 1 snowpark. With 4 cross-country ski trails are located in this area. The trails are, partially, drawn beyond the edge of the forest.
The accommodation is distributed as follows: 137 rural houses; 1 open-air hotel establishment; 3 youth hostels; 5 mountain cabins or shelters, and 2 hostels.
The resort offers a course for sled dogs, paragliding and water skiing, and several routes with snowshoes. But also, during the school holidays, we can choose to slide down the slopes with torches. Or various events such as the Gliss’Gourmande or the “La Fée Blanche” snow trail.
No more excuses, visit Aillons – Margériaz
In the heart of the Bauges Massif Regional Natural Park, the resort offers 2 botanical trails. On the slopes of Monte Margériaz (Margériaz Glacier and Tannes Trail, and the Orchid Trail), 8 routes and 3 paths. Other activities are also offered, such as paragliding, caving or the presence of a via ferrata.
Come and discover the surroundings, in a quiet place to recharge your batteries and enjoy the snow with family or friends. Many skiers frequently ask themselves. How can you practice ski when we only have 10 or 20 cm of snow in other places like Savoy or Haute Savoy? Many resorts, even more prestigious, accumulate more snow at the same or even higher altitude. Margériaz has always been good blessed by snowfalls: the national statistics from Météo France place Bauges as the area with the most accumulated snow at a height of 1500 to 1800 m in January, February and March.
