February in Avoriaz: What's on and weather

February is usually still a very wintery month. Even if the days are getting longer and the sun shines a little bit stronger, which makes staying on the slopes until lift closure much more pleasant, the weather can change rapidly. So expect a mixture of sunshine, overcast skies and snow.

There is still regular snowfall, on average six days, and very much like January the daily temperatures generally fall between a high of 3ºC and a low of -4ºC. Still very much a time for wearing a thermal under-layer.

The skiing and snowboarding on offer is vast and sublime. The Portes du Soleil has around 600km of pistes, that figure never gets old. February is typically the most snow sure month with the best coverage across the vast Portes du Soleil ski area. Looking back at previous years, it has often delivered powder snow on top of well stocked pistes with the local landscapes putting on their best postcard impressions. Alpine summits above snow covered forests and a network of slippery diagonal surfaces for people of all ages and nationalities to come and enjoy. 

Test ride Burton snowboards

Test ride an innovative new system from Burton. The Burton StepOn Test Ride Tour returns to Avoriaz in February.

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is a big deal in France – it is the country famed for love and romance after all – so what better way to celebrate than to treat your better half to a romantic dinner in one of the resort’s many excellent restaurants? If you are after some entertainment while you eat, many places will put on live music, or you could head out to a bar after your dinner.

Avoriaz Snow Carnival

The Snow Carnival is a children’s winter carnival with parades, costumes, concerts and entertainment. Head to the centre of Avoriaz, beside the tourist office, and you will see snow and ice sculptures, lantern shows, torchlit descents and fireworks lighting up the night sky. Sledge races, treasure hunts, electric snowmobiling and snowman building contests are also part of the fun and the list goes on. The only question is, will your family have the energy to take it all in? Every Thursday there is also a weekly carnival parade where children can dress up in fancy dress and ride through the resort on procession floats.

February is a popular month for families so the slopes are noticeably busier as soon as the four week French holidays begin. Fortunately, the Portes du Soleil ski area is so vast, that even in high season you can find quiet slopes and minimal lift queues. Here are our insider's top tips for the school holidays:

1. It will be almost impossible to book private lessons over this period, group lessons are the best option. Make sure to get your ski and snowboard lessons booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.
2. If you're not in ski school, be an early bird. Arrive at the lifts before they open so that you get up and away before the ski school classes set out around 09:15.
3. Ski over lunchtime. The slopes are calmer between 12:00 and 14:00 while the French take a leisurely lunch break.
4. Pre-book your lunch and avoid the queues. Some restaurants offer a click and collect service. It's the best way to avoid the queues and make the most of your time in the mountains.
5. Seek out the peripheral areas. Whilst there is plenty of space and almost unlimited fun potential, try to avoid the bottleneck pistes and lifts (Proclou, Le Tour, Lac Intrets and TK Arare).
6. Get off-piste. Competent off-piste skiers can book a local mountain guide and explore the vast off-piste areas in the valley or even go touring to find complete solitude in the backcountry.

Family fun on the pistes

February is synonymous with school holidays on the slopes. As hundreds of children and their families descend on the pistes, Avoriaz puts on a show for them. There are lots of activities to keep the little ones entertained on and off the mountain.

Family fun at Aquariaz

Maybe the children want some fun time out at the tropical paradise that is Aquariaz, watery fun for all the family to enjoy. This amazing aquatic space is a great place to spend a day if there's a white out!. With a water temperature of 30ºC, water slides and jets, a water tree, gentle currents, massage bubbles, an outdoor hot tub, a climbing wall and a slide winder. Open from Sunday - Friday from 13:30 - 19.30

Indoor family friendly fun for bad weather days
The cinema in Avoriaz shows films twice daily if you’re feeling a bit more chilled out. If not, head to the bowling alley, Le Strike Roc, for bowling and pub games where plenty of screens will be showing the Six Nations Rugby tournament.

Après-ski parties
February is the month of the family holidays here in Avoriaz, yet that doesn’t mean the party stops. La Folie Douce on the Plateau and Happy Hours Bar in Ardent will be serving up their lively and legendary après-ski parties from 15:00 to 18:00 with DJs and live music almost daily.