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Best Ski Resorts for a Long Weekend from London

Morzine is the best ski resort for a long weekend from London, because frequent short flights to Geneva plus a transfer of around 75 minutes get you from the city to the snow in half a day, in a real town with a huge ski area on the doorstep. Chamonix is the best for big mountain drama on a short trip, Avoriaz the best car free option, and Courmayeur the best quick hit of Italian charm. Below we rank the seven resorts where a Thursday or Friday flight buys you genuine skiing by Saturday morning, with an honest verdict on each. The organizing logic is simple: short transfer time from an airport with frequent London flights, because on a long weekend every hour on a coach is an hour off the snow.

How we ranked them

Transfer time is everything on a short trip

On a long weekend the maths is brutal, so we rank above all on transfer time from an airport with frequent, cheap London flights, then on whether the resort gives enough skiing to justify the trip. Geneva is the key hub, with the closest resorts barely an hour away, so almost every pick here flies into it. Our budget advice is to fly out Thursday evening or first thing Friday for three full days, to consider a shared transfer or a short self drive over a private car, and to go self catered, since you will barely be in the apartment anyway.

Chamonix town below Mont Blanc in winter

Snowy mountain road on a transfer in the Alps

The ranking

The seven best long weekend resorts

Morzine

Morzine is the best ski resort for a long weekend from London because the transfer from Geneva is around 75 minutes, the flights are frequent and cheap, and you arrive in a lively, real Savoyard town with the enormous Portes du Soleil on its doorstep. You can be skiing within half a day of leaving the city. It sits relatively low, so in a mild spell the snow down to town can suffer, the only real catch.

For: Groups who want the quickest door to snow trip with a real town and big area.

Skip if: You need guaranteed high altitude snow.

Chamonix

Chamonix is the best big mountain choice for a long weekend, with a transfer of around an hour from Geneva delivering you into one of the most dramatic mountain towns on earth beneath Mont Blanc. The skiing is serious and spread across several areas, and the town buzzes year round, so even a short trip feels like a proper adventure. The separate ski areas mean some bus hopping, which eats a little time on a short stay.

For: Confident skiers who want drama and a vibrant town on a quick trip.

Skip if: You are a beginner or want one tidy linked area.

Avoriaz

Avoriaz is the best car free option for a long weekend, a snow sure cliff top village around 90 minutes from Geneva where you ski from the door into the vast Portes du Soleil with no bus and no driving once you arrive. The higher altitude makes the snow more reliable than nearby Morzine. The brutalist architecture divides opinion and the final transfer leg can be slow in heavy snow.

For: Families and groups who want snow sure, car free skiing fast.

Skip if: You want a traditional town or low altitude charm.

Flaine

Flaine is the best value long weekend, a snow holding bowl around 75 minutes to 90 minutes from Geneva with ski in ski out lodging and a large area in the Grand Massif for less money than the trendier resorts. The short transfer and gentle terrain make it efficient and family friendly for a quick trip. The concrete architecture keeps prices down, which is the whole point on a budget weekend.

For: Value seekers and families who want a quick, cheap, snow sure weekend.

Skip if: You want a pretty village or nightlife.

Les Gets

Les Gets is a pretty, traditional village around 90 minutes from Geneva that shares the Portes du Soleil with Morzine, offering a calmer, more charming base for a relaxed long weekend. The skiing is gentle and family friendly and the town is genuinely attractive, a contrast to the purpose built resorts. Like Morzine it sits low, so snow reliability depends on the conditions.

For: Families and couples who want charm and easy skiing on a short trip.

Skip if: You want guaranteed snow or steep terrain.

Courmayeur

Courmayeur is the best quick hit of Italian charm on a long weekend, around a 90 minute transfer from Geneva through the Mont Blanc tunnel to a beautiful old town on the sunny side of the massif. The skiing is scenic and fun, the long Italian lunches are a highlight and the atmosphere is relaxed and stylish. The transfer crosses a border and a tunnel, so allow a little buffer for the journey.

For: Those who want Italian food, style and sun on a short trip.

Skip if: You want a large linked area or the shortest possible transfer.

Verbier

Verbier is our contrarian pick, a high Swiss resort around 90 minutes to two hours from Geneva that packs world class terrain and a smart scene into a short trip if you are happy to spend more. The snow is reliable and the skiing serious, so strong skiers get a lot from even a few days. Switzerland is pricey, so treat this as the splurge long weekend rather than the value one.

For: Strong skiers who want top terrain on a short trip and do not mind the cost.

Skip if: You are watching the budget or want the shortest transfer.

At a glance

Long weekend resorts compared

Rank	Resort	Airport and transfer	Best for	Budget band per person
1	Morzine	Geneva, around 75 min	Overall quick trip	$2,000 to $4,000
2	Chamonix	Geneva, around 1 hour	Big mountain drama	$2,000 to $4,000
3	Avoriaz	Geneva, around 90 min	Car free and snow sure	$2,000 to $4,000
4	Flaine	Geneva, around 75 to 90 min	Value short transfer	Under $2,000
5	Les Gets	Geneva, around 90 min	Relaxed and charming	$2,000 to $4,000
6	Courmayeur	Geneva, around 90 min	Quick hit of Italy	$2,000 to $4,000
7	Verbier	Geneva, around 90 min to 2h	Contrarian splurge	$4,000 to $8,000

See which resorts are quickest to reach in our ski resorts near Geneva transfer guide, the wider best ski resorts in France list, and the region hubs for the Portes du Soleil and the Chamonix valley, plus the full France guide.

Book the extras and save

Lift passes, airport transfers and lessons are where even a smart trip quietly leaks money. Booking ahead almost always beats the resort window price.

Compare lift passes Book a transfer Find lessons Reserve ski hire Travel insurance

Questions worth asking

Long weekend skiing FAQs

What is the best ski resort for a long weekend from London?

Morzine is the best ski resort for a long weekend from London, with frequent cheap flights to Geneva and a transfer of around 75 minutes putting you on the snow in half a day, in a real town with the huge Portes du Soleil on the doorstep. Chamonix and Avoriaz are close runners up.

Which airport is best for a quick ski weekend from London?

Geneva is the best airport for a quick ski weekend, with frequent short flights from London and the closest French resorts barely an hour away. Chamonix is around an hour, Morzine and Flaine around 75 to 90 minutes, which leaves the most time on the snow over a three day trip.

Is a long weekend of skiing worth it?

Yes, if you choose a resort with a short transfer. Flying out Thursday evening or early Friday gives you three full days on the snow and back home for Monday, and the closest Geneva resorts make that easy. The key is to avoid long transfers, since on a short trip every hour on a coach is an hour lost from skiing.

How much does a ski weekend from London cost?

A long weekend typically lands in the 2,000 to 4,000 US dollar band per person once you add flights, transfers, lodging, lift pass and hire, though value resorts like Flaine can come in under 2,000 US dollars. Self catering and a shared transfer keep costs down, and you will barely be in the apartment anyway.

Can you do a ski weekend without renting a car?

Easily. Frequent shared transfers and coaches run from Geneva to all the resorts here, and many are reachable in around an hour to 90 minutes, so a car is rarely worth the cost for a short trip. Avoriaz is car free entirely, and resort centers like Morzine and Chamonix are walkable once you arrive.

Which long weekend resort has the most reliable snow?

Avoriaz and Verbier are the most snow sure of these picks thanks to their higher altitude, while Morzine and Les Gets sit lower and depend more on the conditions and snowmaking. For a guaranteed weekend in a mild spell, choose the higher resort or check the snow report before you book.

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By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026. We update rankings and prices each year.