Saint-Gervais has a distinctive feature that few resorts share: it is a real village, lived in all year round, which gives access to the third-largest ski area in France. You don’t ski straight from your doorstep here, as you need to take a gondola, but in return you stay in a lively town rather than a purpose-built dormitory resort.
Here is what you need to know before booking a ski holiday in Saint-Gervais.
The Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area in figures
The Évasion Mont-Blanc lift pass gives access to 445 km of pistes spread across seven resorts, including Saint-Gervais, Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, Megève and Combloux.
In practical terms, that means 230 pistes: 48 green, 63 blue, 85 red and 34 black, served by around 110 ski lifts, between 850 and 2,353 metres in altitude.
This breakdown says a great deal about the character of the area: half the pistes are green or blue. It is terrain for skiing for pleasure, wide and sunny, perfect for families and intermediate skiers. Fans of steep slopes will find more to get their teeth into in Chamonix, forty minutes away.
4 access points
Saint-Gervais has four access points to the ski area, and the location of your accommodation will determine which one you use every morning.
Le Bettex is the ski-in, ski-out departure point. If you are staying up there, you clip into your skis right outside the door.
Saint-Gervais village, via the Bettex gondola. This is the most common access point from the centre, and the one most of our guests use. The Bettex car park is free, and by road it is reached via exit 21 of the A40, following signs for Bettex.
Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, via the chairlift from the village centre. Higher up the valley, quieter and with a good aspect, it is from here that you reach Mont-Joly, the highest point of the ski area at 2,353 metres.
Le Fayet, via the Tramway du Mont-Blanc, which gives access to the commune’s second ski area, Le Prarion, linked to Les Houches. It is the highest railway line in France and one of the last rack railways in the world.
Saint-Gervais lift passes
The Évasion Mont-Blanc pass opens up all seven resorts and the link to Megève. This is the one we recommend for three days of skiing or more. Exact prices can be found on ski-saintgervais.com, as they change every season.
The Bettex mini-area pass, at €39 a day for an adult and €35 for a child aged 5 to 14, available at the ticket office only. It gives access to the Saint-Gervais–Bettex gondola, the École, Bettex and la Venaz drag lifts, and the Monts-Rosset chairlift. Perfect for a first day with beginners, but it does not include Mont d’Arbois.
The Micro Saint-Nicolas pass, at €19 a day, single price. The most economical option for introducing a child to skiing.
Three discounts worth knowing
- SkiDeal: day pass from €32 when bought in advance on saintgervaisskideal.com
- Family Advantage: 10% off when buying at least 4 identical Évasion passes at the same time, with a minimum of 2 adults and 2 skiers under 18
- Over-80s: 50% off on presentation of ID, at the ticket office only
Information: 04 50 93 23 23 · info@stbma.fr
2026-2027 season dates
- Partial opening: 12 December 2026
- Full opening: 19 December 2026
- Partial closing: 28 March 2027
- Full closing: 4 April 2027
Two promotional periods: First Snow from 12 to 18 December 2026, and Spring Skiing from 20 March to 4 April 2027. These are the two best times to ski for less, with fewer people on the slopes.
Skiing with children
The Marmottons beginners’ area, at 1,840 metres, is reached by gondola. Wide pistes, gentle progressive slopes, a reassuring magic carpet and drag lift, all facing Mont-Blanc. The “Charlotte la Marmotte” fun zone lets the youngest take a break while having fun.
Sledging is free for children from the age of 2, in dedicated areas at Le Bettex and the Plateau de la Croix.
And if nobody feels like skiing that day, the commune has some thirty kilometres of Nordic ski trails, groomed for both classic and skating.
Hiring your equipment
Several hire shops can be found in the village and at the foot of the lifts. Booking online a few days ahead gets you a discount and, above all, spares you the Saturday afternoon queue, which can easily exceed an hour during the school holidays.
For our guests, we arrange equipment hire with delivery straight to the accommodation, as well as lessons with an instructor.
Après-ski at La Folie Douce Saint-Gervais Megève
To make the most of a day on the slopes, La Folie Douce Saint-Gervais Megève is the ski area’s party spot, with an open view of Mont-Blanc. Every day during the season, a show (dancers, music, costumes) runs from 1pm to 2pm, followed by après-ski from 2pm to 4pm, with DJs and dancers. Access is for skiers only: pedestrians and pets are not allowed.
Photo: © Megève Tourisme
Source: lafoliedouce.com, “Saint Gervais – Megève” and “Après-ski & clubbing” pages.
And if the weather doesn’t play along
The resort offers a combined pass of 4 hours’ skiing plus entry to the thermal spa, ideal for a mixed-weather day. We have detailed the wellness options in our article on the thermal baths and spas of Saint-Gervais.
For real-time conditions, webcams, weather and snow depth: saintgervais.ski
Staying in Saint-Gervais
Our chalets and apartments in Saint-Gervais are selected for their access to the lifts and their comfort after a day’s skiing. Discover our properties in Saint-Gervais.
