Aussois Village Guide 2026
Aussois is a quiet, sunny and excellent value family village in the Haute Maurienne, perched on a south facing balcony at around 1,500 m with around 55 km of gentle, uncrowded pistes. It is a genuine old Savoyard village with a fort, stone houses and big mountain views, the kind of calm, affordable base that beginners and young families come back to year after year. Book it if you want low prices, short lift lines and easy skiing in real French mountain scenery. Skip it if you want a big linked area, demanding terrain or any kind of nightlife, because Aussois is small, gentle and quiet by design.
By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026
Aussois at a glance
| Village altitude | around 1,500 m, roughly 4,900 feet |
|---|---|
| Ski area | Aussois, around 55 km of mostly gentle pistes |
| Top lift | around 2,750 m |
| Lifts in the area | around 10 serving the village ski area |
| Village type | quiet, sunny old Savoyard balcony village, great value |
| Best for | families, beginners, intermediates, value seekers |
| Nearest airport | Chambery, around a 1 hour 45 minute transfer |
| Area day pass | around $40 for the local Aussois area |
| Season | roughly mid December to mid April |
Photos via Google. Contributed by Francois, Thomas Chaignon, Pascal Lacroix, Frederic BARBIER.
What Aussois is really like
Aussois sits on a sunny south facing balcony above the Maurienne valley at around 1,500 m, a real old village of stone houses, a historic fort and a working community rather than a built up station. The ski area rises gently behind it toward around 2,750 m, sunny and quiet, and the views across the Haute Maurienne to the high peaks are some of the best from any small village in the French Alps. It feels calm, local and genuinely affordable.
The honest character to understand is that Aussois is a small, gentle area, not a big linked domain. The skiing is friendly and uncrowded rather than challenging, and a strong skier will cover it in a day or two. For the full mountain breakdown see our Aussois ski resort review.
Where to stay in Aussois
Accommodation is mostly apartments, gites, chalets and small family hotels in and around the old village, with the best bases close to the lifts or an easy walk from the centre. Because Aussois is compact, most lodging is within reach of the slopes and the restaurants, which makes it an easy, low stress base for families. Check the short walk to the nearest lift before you book.
A week in Aussois is some of the best value in the Alps, typically landing under $2,000 to in the $2,000 to $4,000 band per person for a comfortable apartment or chalet. Catered chalets and larger groups can move into the $4,000 to $8,000 band, but the whole appeal here is a high quality family week without big resort prices.
Skiing from the village
The Aussois ski area is around 55 km of mostly green and blue pistes, with a good spread of reds and a few blacks higher up, served by around ten lifts and rising to about 2,750 m. It is sunny, quiet and ideal for beginners and improving intermediates, with short lift lines and space to learn, and the higher runs give stronger skiers enough to enjoy for a few days. It is one of the gentlest, most relaxed areas in the Haute Maurienne.
What Aussois does not have is a big linked domain or serious steep terrain. For more variety you are close to the other Haute Maurienne areas and the larger resorts up and down the valley. Compare the options through our Maurienne Valley region guide and the nearby Val Cenis village guide, or weigh it against Saint Sorlin d Arves.
Apres ski and evenings
Evenings in Aussois are quiet and family friendly. A handful of welcoming bars and restaurants serve hearty Savoyard food, and the rhythm is a relaxed drink and a long dinner rather than any kind of party. For families and couples after a peaceful week that calm is exactly the draw, and it keeps the village affordable.
If you want nightlife you are in the wrong village, and that is fine: Aussois is for people who want quiet. Our guide to the best apres ski resorts in Europe points you elsewhere if a lively bar scene matters.
For families and non skiers
Aussois is one of the best small family bases in the French Alps. The gentle sunny slopes, the ski school, the nursery areas and the calm, compact village all suit children, and the low prices leave plenty in the budget for lessons and treats. It is the sort of place where children learn to ski without crowds and parents relax about cost.
Non skiers do well with winter walking, snowshoeing, the historic fort and the big sunny views, plus easy trips along the valley. It is genuinely quiet, so anyone wanting buzz should look elsewhere. Our best French resorts for families and the best Alpine resorts for beginners help you place it against the alternatives.
Getting there
Chambery is the nearest airport at around a 1 hour 45 minute transfer, with Lyon and Geneva also within reach at a little more, and the Maurienne valley has good road and rail links, so a car free trip by train to Modane and a short transfer up is realistic. Private transfers and shared shuttles run in season, and a hire car adds flexibility for the valley. Arrange a transfer or hire car through our transfer partner and put cover in place through our travel insurance partner before you travel. For more options see our guide to ski resorts near Chambery.
Lift passes, lessons and ski hire
An Aussois day pass runs around $40, among the cheapest lift tickets of any decent Alpine area, and multi day and family rates bring it down further. A wider Haute Maurienne pass is available if you want to ski the neighbouring areas on some days. Compare current pass options through our lift pass partner, book lessons through our lessons partner, and sort skis or a board through our ski hire partner.
When to go
Aussois is sunny and south facing, so the core season from January to mid March gives the most reliable cover, with snowmaking backing the main runs. Christmas and New Year are busier, late January is quiet and good value, and March brings warm spring skiing on the sunny slopes, best in the mornings before the snow softens. Families wanting the calmest, cheapest week should aim for January outside the holidays.
The honest bottom line
Aussois is the Haute Maurienne for people who want quiet, sunshine and real value: a genuine old Savoyard village at around 1,500 m, around 55 km of gentle uncrowded pistes, and some of the cheapest lift passes in the Alps. You trade a big linked area and any nightlife for peace, low prices and easy skiing in beautiful southern Alpine scenery.
For families, beginners and value seekers it is one of the best small bases in France. Strong skiers who want a big domain, or groups who want a lively resort, should look at the larger Maurienne and Tarentaise resorts instead. If you want this trip priced by specialists, tell us your dates and budget below and we will route your brief to operators who know Aussois and the Haute Maurienne well.
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For a faster quote on where to stay in Aussois, send the short form below and operators who know the village will price your dates and group.
Common questions
Is Aussois good for families?
Yes, it is one of the best small family bases in the French Alps. The gentle sunny slopes, the ski school, the nursery areas and the calm, compact village all suit children, and the low prices leave plenty in the budget for lessons. Children learn to ski here without crowds.
Is Aussois good for experts?
Not really. The area is gentle, mostly green and blue with a spread of reds and a few blacks higher up, and a strong skier will cover it in a day or two. Experts based here use the wider Haute Maurienne areas and the larger valley resorts for more demanding terrain.
Is Aussois cheap?
Yes, it is some of the best value in the Alps. A comfortable week typically lands under $2,000 to in the $2,000 to $4,000 band per person, and the day pass is around $40, among the cheapest of any decent Alpine area, with family and multi day rates lower still.
Is Aussois ski in ski out?
Partly. The village is compact and most lodging is within an easy walk of the lifts, with some properties close enough to ski back to. Check the short walk to the nearest lift before you book, as full ski in ski out is limited.
Can you ski other areas from Aussois?
Yes, on some days. Aussois has its own friendly area, and the wider Haute Maurienne pass and the larger valley resorts give you more variety nearby, including Val Cenis up the valley. Basing in cheap, quiet Aussois and travelling for a bigger day out is the smart play.
How do you get to Aussois?
Chambery is the nearest airport at around a 1 hour 45 minute transfer, with Lyon and Geneva a little further. The Maurienne valley has good rail links, so arriving by train to Modane and taking a short transfer up is realistic, and shuttles and hire cars run in season.
Plan your Aussois trip with specialists
Send one brief and vetted operators return tailored proposals covering the right chalet, transfers, passes, lessons and a driver if you want one. No fee to you, ever.