This month of March has been one of the busiest we’ve ever seen, with 9 corporate events running between Italy, France, Austria, and the UK. While we’ve been back to some renown destinations, like Courmayeur or St Anton, we are closing off the season in the less-known French ski resort of Flaine.
Although Flaine might not get the sparkly reputation of resorts like Chamonix, we do think it deserves some credit as it proved to be a solid destination for events. This article on onthesnow.co.uk does a good job listing Flaine’s perks. Here’s a summary of the main ones.
The historical side
Purpose built in the 1960s in a large bowl of powder facing West and aptly nicknamed the “big snowy bowl”, Flaine offers the widest range of skiing in the Grand Massif ski area. The resort is not the most picturesque and for some visitors the architecture is too much to take. But if you can ignore the concrete buildings and focus on the fluffy white stuff, you’ll find a resort with excellent facilities. The village centre is mainly car free, compact and convenient.
The cultural side
Flaine is regarded as a cultural landmark in France having been designed in the Bauhuas style by architect Marcel Breuer. As a result, it is a hub for modern arts and at the bottom of the slopes there’s a range of art by abstract artists, the most notable piece being a large Picasso sculpture of a woman’s head. In recent years, the resort has also undergone a number of refurbishments. The Totem, a hotel originally designed by Breuer, has been revamped and rebranded as the ultra-cool and minimalist Hotel Terminal Neige Totem.
The economical side
Among Flaine’s many attractions, is that it’s a resort that won’t break the bank. There are plenty of low-cost accommodation options available to appeal to a hip crowd of skiers who are more appreciative of Flaine’s artistic credentials than previous visitors. Newer chalet style accommodation is also available.
We do hope to keep Flaine in our destination portfolio for the winters to come. Experiencing quirky or less well-known ski resorts is part of our job, and one that we certainly appreciate!