If you’re looking for a ski trip that doesn’t involve burning a full week of annual leave, Saint-Gervais makes a brilliant choice for a long weekend.
We squeezed in a Wednesday to Sunday trip, flew from Bristol to Geneva with easyJet, and were on the mountain before you know it.
From landing at Geneva it’s a straightforward one-hour transfer up the road to Saint-Gervais — one of the easiest Alpine journeys we’ve done, and ideal if you just want to maximise time on snow rather than sat in a minibus.
Where We Stayed
We stayed in a great Airbnb (link here) which honestly couldn’t have been better located.
- 5 minutes’ walk to the main gondola (which is very new and modern)
- 10 minutes’ walk the other way into Saint-Gervais town
- Plenty of space, well equipped, with ski lockers and perfect for a ski weekend base
Being able to walk everywhere made the whole trip feel relaxed — no early morning bus stress, no fighting for parking, just boots on and out the door, down the hill to the gondola.
Saint-Gervais Town
Saint-Gervais itself is a really lovely Alpine town — pretty streets, traditional buildings and a nice buzz without feeling overrun.
There’s a great choice of places to eat, plus a couple of supermarkets which are handy for breakfasts and snacks. We ate out a couple of nights and weren’t disappointed:
- Restaurant 4 Épices – traditional Alpine food done very well
- Le Galeta – another excellent spot for hearty, classic mountain dishes
Both were very tasty and exactly what you want after a day on the slopes.
A special mention has to go to Boulangerie Pâtisserie La Choco Patinoire, just across the road from our apartment. Amazing pastries and brilliant filled baguettes — perfect for grabbing lunch to take up the mountain and saving a few euros.
The Ski Area: Domaine Évasion Mont-Blanc
The Domaine Évasion Mont-Blanc is a really decent sized ski area, with over 276 miles of pistes and 111 lifts. For a long weekend, it felt spot on — plenty of variety without feeling overwhelming. We boarded for three full days and explored a good amount of the area.
Day 1: Saint-Gervais Side
Our first day was spent on the Saint-Gervais side, easing into things with a great mix of blues and reds. The area climbs up to around 2,353m, and the views are stunning.
Highlights included:
- Coq de Bruyère – a brilliant ridge-line piste
- GDE Épaule – long, flowing and very enjoyable
We finished the day in true Alpine style with a stop at La Folie Douce. It absolutely lived up to expectations — great atmosphere, good fun, and some eye-watering prices. Thankfully it’s only a short piste and a drag lift back home, so no stress getting back afterwards.
Day 2: Over to Megève
Day two we headed over towards Megève. This involved starting the day with a long, leg-burning green run which was… character building. Warm spring snow and south-facing slopes meant some routes were closed, so this was the only option. Thankfully the legs had some time to recover as we waited for the rather unusual TPH Rocharbois aerial tramway which connects the two sides of the village.
The north-facing slopes on the far side of Megève were in much better condition and much quieter. We spent a really enjoyable couple of hours cruising reds and blues before stopping for a well-earned beer in the sunshine — one of those moments that reminds you why spring skiing is so good.
Day 3: Les Contamines
For our final day we decided to mix things up and headed to Les Contamines. We caught the local bus (worth checking the timetable as it’s not super frequent), which was easy enough and well worth the effort.
Being a bit higher, the snow was noticeably better. We enjoyed a great morning lapping the blues down to the gondola before heading into the main bowl, which was busier but still fun.
The two pistes from the top of the TSD Bûche Croisée lift were real highlights, and the final download piste — Chon Lay — was only just open but great fun, full of switchbacks and a nice way to end the trip.
Final Thoughts
The Domaine Évasion Mont-Blanc is a really solid choice for a long ski weekend, especially for intermediate skiers and snowboarders. There’s loads of terrain to explore, the scenery is beautiful, and the mix of piste-side bars and restaurants is excellent — just worth checking menus before sitting down, as some definitely cater for a different budget to ours!
We went in early March, and while the snow lower down was starting to feel a bit marginal, higher up it was still in good condition and perfectly rideable.
With the short transfer from Geneva, flights from Bristol, and a genuinely nice town to stay in, Saint-Gervais is somewhere we’d happily return to — especially for another long weekend escape.
If you’re after maximum skiing with minimal faff, this one’s hard to beat.
Looking for other ideas for long ski weekends? Check out our trips to Mayrhofen, the Skiwelt and La Clusaz.
