One of the best beginner set-ups in the Alps (Inghams rates it 5/5). There are gentle nursery areas right in the village, often with free or low-cost beginner lifts and travelators, and easy green and blue runs above the resort. Being on snow at the door means no bus rides in ski boots. Book ski school and equipment hire in advance for peak weeks. First-timers usually only need the cheaper Avoriaz-area pass, not the full Portes du Soleil pass.

Excellent (Inghams 5/5). Plenty of blue and red runs around Avoriaz, and you can ski across into Switzerland (Les Crosets, Champéry, Morgins) and down to Morzine and Les Gets. A full Portes du Soleil pass makes sense for confident intermediates. Some links between areas take time and include flatter or busier sections, so start tours early and check the last lifts home.

Good (Inghams 4/5). The famous Swiss Wall (Chavanette), a steep, often icy mogul run on the Swiss border, is a rite of passage, and there's good off-piste on fresh-snow days. Hire a mountain guide for anything off-piste. Experts may find the area more cruisy than steep compared with Chamonix or Val d'Isère.

Strong (Inghams 4/5). Avoriaz has a long freestyle history, several well-kept snowparks including a beginner park and kids' zones, and boarder-friendly ski-in/ski-out lodging. The downside is flat linking sections and some drag lifts on routes into Switzerland.

Car-free and pretty in snow, with horse-drawn sleighs, the Aquariaz tropical indoor water park, snowshoeing, dog-sledding and pedestrian passes for the lifts. But there's limited shopping and culture, and it's quiet if you don't ski. Morzine below has more variety and can be reached by cable car.

Very family-friendly. Nobody needs to cross a road, there's ski-in/ski-out lodging, and a well-known children's ski village (Village des Enfants) offers lessons and care for little ones on snow. Nursery slopes are close to accommodation, and Aquariaz gives you a bad-weather option. Book children's ski school and childcare well ahead for school holidays. Sleigh or snowcat luggage transfers add a hassle with small children on arrival.

Lively in season, with a handful of popular bars (several with a British crowd) and some live music and clubbing. It's livelier than most family resorts but smaller and more spread-out than Morzine or Val Thorens, and quieter outside peak weeks.

At 1,800 m, Avoriaz is the highest village in the Portes du Soleil, with slopes up to roughly 2,250–2,450 m and snowmaking on key runs. It catches plenty of snow off the northern Alps, so it's usually the most reliable base in the area. Best months are January to March. Early December and April are riskier, especially on lower runs and the low-altitude links elsewhere in the Portes du Soleil. The slopes are open and exposed, so storms can close lifts.