Portes du Soleil, France and Switzerland

The binational Portes du Soleil megaresort, located an hour from Geneva, actually consists of 12 resorts linked by 172 lifts and spread across 36 miles of piste. Before Schengen was enacted, its cross-border runs were used by contrebandiers to smuggle cigarettes, butter, and even livestock across borders. Today, experienced skiers love the moguls on the […]

By Adam H. Graham

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Portes du Soleil, France and Switzerland

Portes du Soleil, France and Switzerland

Photo: Y. Tisseyre/OTVA

Portes du Soleil, France and Switzerland

Photo: Y. Tisseyre/OTVA

Snowshoeing

Ski touring

The binational Portes du Soleil megaresort, located an hour from Geneva, actually consists of 12 resorts linked by 172 lifts and spread across 36 miles of piste. Before Schengen was enacted, its cross-border runs were used by contrebandiers to smuggle cigarettes, butter, and even livestock across borders. Today, experienced skiers love the moguls on the notorious Swiss Wall, a black-diamond run hugging the Swiss border, while Avoriaz draws freestyle fans with five dedicated zones, including a superpipe and a new Jake Burton–inspired snowpark, nicknamed the Stash, that is home to several tree-lined runs through Les Lindarets forest.