A haven for newbies
Once they’ve got the hang of the basics, those who are looking to make their first foray onto the slopes have plenty of choice, as 81 of the 138 ski runs are rated as “easy”. The blue-graded run “Piste Le Col” takes skiers down a gentle south-facing slope from Tête des Annes (1869 m), and is the perfect place for a skiing debut. Another ski run suited to beginners is the “L’Abondance-Piste”, which, stretching from the top of the La Floria ski lift all the way down to the bottom of the Le Grand-Bornand-Chinaillon lift, is one of the longest runs in the Savoy Alps.
For those with a little more experience there are a total of 16 red-graded runs, including the longest in the ski area, the 4-kilometre “L’Envers-Piste”. An absolute must for advanced skiers is “La Noire de Lachet”, a mogul run starting right at the summit.
In addition to everything you would expect in a ski area, such as a comprehensive network of 29 conveniently situated lifts, the skiing network of Le Grand-Bornand also has some surprises in store for its visitors. Skiers can make use of three competition runs, a slalom course, and a picturesque “Freeride” area on Mont Lachat.
Every Tuesday visitors to Le Grand-Bornand-Chinaillon get the chance to pull some turns under the stars, as the ski runs “L’Abondance” and “Les Cyclamens” (either side of the Gettier lift) are open and floodlit.
The main attraction for snowboarders at Le Grand-Bornard is the “Le Park du Grand-Bo” snow park (1800m), which ranks among the 10 best snow parks in the French Alps. Within a total area of 5 hectares, the snow park has a halfpipe, a 700m “boardercross” run, 4 jumps, a practice area and a “railzone”.
The cross-country skiing facilities at Le Grand-Bornand ensure that skiers with even the most exacting standards will be satisfied. In the Bouchet Valley, as well as further up in the mountains at Chinaillon, visitors will find a total of 43 meticulously prepared trails winding their way through the breathtaking high-alpine landscape. On some of these trails skiers are following in the tracks of the famous French biathlon world champion Sylvie Becaert, who made use of them in training. 9 of the trails start off in Le Grand-Bornand village itself. Each of these are between 1.5 and 14.5 kilometres long, and there are also some skating sections. Additionally, there is a Biothlon area and a practice area located in the centre of the resort. 4 further trails, each with a length of between 2 and 12 kilometres, are to be found in the area around Le Grand-Bornand-Chinaillon.
