Flaine is a ski area in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps, and is a part of the linked Grand Massif domain. It is in the territory of the communes of Magland and Arâches-la-Frasse. Flaine is linked to Samoëns, Morillon, Les Carroz and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, with 267 km of pistes in total. It featured the first 8-seater high speed chairlift, Les Grands Vans, and the first snow cannons to be installed in Europe. Flaine is often called the "big snowy bowl" due to it having one of the best snow records in the Alps. It is a modern, car-free resort with a wealth of amenities, all in close proximity to the accommodation.
History
An encounter between Man, Mountain and Art
The site was discovered in 1959 by the geophysicist Éric Boissonnas and the Swiss architect Gérard Chervaz, who went on to succeed in their bid to create a fine example of urban development, architecture and design, where short-term profitability would be second to aesthetics and care of the environment.
Éric and Sylvie Boissonnas entrusted Flaine’s design to Marcel Breuer (1902–1981), the eminent Bauhaus architect whose structural designs are well-known around the world. These include The "Palais de l'Unesco" in Paris, the Whitney Museum, The Atlanta-Fulton Central Branch Library, Flushing Meadows Sports Park in New York City, and the Bijenkorf in Rotterdam. Breuer is also known for his innovative use of materials (i.e. tubular steel) in creating his iconic furniture designs. With one of his signature pieces being the Wassily Chair.
Functionality and integration
Right from the design stage, Éric Boissonnas and Marcel Breuer were careful not to disturb the natural surroundings and integrate the resort into the receiving mountain. In other words, the general layout blends in with the environment's contours, and the different levels which make up the resort can not be seen from one to the other. The result is a feeling of privacy and tranquillity.
The master plan; the ski runs designed by champion Émile Allais; the technical network for electric cables; gondola lift stations on the same level as the ski runs; even the colour of concrete reminiscent of the surrounding rocks:- everything was inspired by the ambition to find a balance between functionality and integration.
Construction
The construction of the resort was not without difficulty. Chappis and Pradelle left after Breuer joined the team, Boissonnas fell out with the government official in charge of planning France's winter sports industry and when local landowners found out that Boissonnas was a billionaire they threatened to block the building of the access road to the resort until they received adequate compensation. The result was a three-year delay and huge cost overruns, and led to greater state involvement in French ski resort development. By the time the resort was opened on 17 January 1969 it had probably cost Boissonnas the equivalent of around $250 million from his personal fortune at 2005 prices.
The site is divided into two areas which are joined by two free lifts. The upper area, Flaine Forêt, at an altitude of 1700 m, consists of a number of apartment buildings named after constellations, the Éric et Sylvie Boissonnas Auditorium, shops, offices and restaurants. The lower area, Flaine Forum, at an altitude of 1600 m, has more restaurants, shops, bars and accommodation.
The resort boasts a wealth of monumental works of art - "La Tête de Femme" by Pablo Picasso, "Le Boqueteau" by Jean Dubuffet, and "Les Trois Hexagones" by Victor Vasarely.
New developments
Hameau de Flaine is just outside the main resort and in between this and Flaine is "Flaine Montsoleil", a new development which has the same 'ski-in, ski-out' feel as the main resort but constructed in a more traditional alpine style.
More apartments like Montsoleil are going in just above the Hameau next to the golf course. Opened in 2011, it has been called "Le Refuge de Golf" (The Golf Refuge).
Location
Flaine is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Geneva Airport, approximately 3 hours drive from Lyon, and 30 km from the A 40 motorway (l'Autoroute Blanche). It is close to resorts Les Houches, Les Contamines, large ski area Chamonix-Mont-Blanc as well as the Portes du Soleil region — notably resorts Les Gets and Morzine. Trips to Italy via the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Courmayeur are also possible.
Bus services are available several times a day to Taninges in the Giffre Valley (where resorts Morillon and Samoëns are situated) where buses to Geneva and Chamonix can be accessed. The bus service is run by Transdev Alpbus.