Make the most of your Avoriaz ski pass

Whilst it's possible to buy your lift passes when you get to resort, instead of spending your first morning standing in a long lift pass queue in the cold, buying in advance means you're straight up the mountain on day one. Buying online couldn't be easier, and the pass card itself can be reloaded / recharged if you visit resort again. 

Rather than opt for them to be mailed to your home address, simply pick them up in resort - it's just one less thing to remember to pack. There are usually pick up boxes/machines you can collect them from on arrival.

As with many things these days, the deals tend to be online, and that's no different when it comes to lift passes, especially if you buy well in advance taking advantage of any 'early bird' specials.

Web-only deals

Web exclusive deals offer fantastic value for duos, families and groups on the six-days plus passes especially, these are only available if you buy online (even though you can opt to pick them up in resort or have them posted to you).

The family pass (two adults + at least two children) offers great savings, especially as in Avoriaz children tickets are from ages 5-15 years. If you're coming in a group of friends take a look at the 'duo' and 'trio' packages for savings galore.

If you're topping up existing passes card, reference numbers are required. It's also worth knowing that you'll buy your passes safe in the knowledge that up until the day before all passes bought online are fully refundable.

To make the most of your lift pass, set yourself the goal of experiencing the whole area. Get up early and catch the first and last lifts every day for six days in a row and ski it all. Then if there's time start on the off-piste. This way, you'll be maximising your piste-to-buck ratio. More realistically, take your time, enjoy it, and like us, take a long leisurely lunch after three pistes.

The Avoriaz ski area has:

• 51 piste-basher prepared slopes 
• 75.5km of skiable distance
• 2,466m highest point
• For the advanced skiers and snowboarders there's steep fast black runs and moguls and the Hauts Forts sector for powder hounds
• Fun zones
• Snow parks galore

The lift-barriers check hands-free passes on the LEFT SIDE, remember to:

• Put your lift pass in a pocket on the left side of your ski jacket or trousers and you'll whizz through the turnstiles. Often ski jackets come with a small pocket on the left sleeve exactly for this purpose.
• Don't put any credit cards or phones in the same pocket as your pass, you'll simply confuse the machines.
• Kids trouser pockets are often lower than the sensors - use their sleeve pockets.

There are often single person lift queues to fill spaces on the chairlifts, don't neglect to use these and make some new friends on the way up.

And in all seriousness, take-off rucksacks and hold them in front of you. The straps can get caught on the lifts if they're still on your back, or you can be pushed to the front of the seat with the extra depth, and this is dangerous.

Avoriaz is home to no less than seven snow parks, and there is so much to do in these fun zones, in fact if you're up for it you could spend your entire holiday in them.

The most famous and well-known is the Burton Stash - one of it's kind in Europe. There's also the lil' Stash, the Burton Kids Parkway, the Baby Park, the Big Park, the permanent Superpipe and the Ski Cross.

Personally, we're not convinced if you'll get around to this one during a week-long stay. But if the above is not enough for you, the Portes de Soleil lift pass gives you access to 650km of pistes across 12 linked resorts in France and Switzerland: Avoriaz, Les Gets, Morzine, Montriond, Abondance, La Chapelle-d'Abondance, St Jean d'Aulps, and Châtel in France, and Champéry, Val-d-Illiex les Crosets Champoussin, Morgins and Torgon in Switzerland.

A tour of the area can be completed by experienced skiers in a day, and by doing this you will discover a wealth of terrain, along with stunning scenery and breath-taking views across the Alps. 

Aquariaz is a huge waterpark with and indoor flowing river, heated pools, slides and a spa, it's the perfect place to escape to during your holiday to wind down after a hard day's skiing or to simply tire out the kids.

If you're not already exhausted by the prospect of all that skiing, and you think you'll still have some energy for dancing in your ski gear, you're in luck. The famous Folie Douce Morzine-Avoriaz is 'the' party on the mountain, only accessible if you head up via the lifts. Open every day for fun and frolics, with DJs, live performers, loud music and an unforgettable après-ski experience. 

Just make sure you leave enough time to get the last lift down to resort, a last minute helicopter taxi home isn't going to be cheap.