Téléphérique Prodains Express

The Bord de Retrait, the pickup machines.

They are scattered all over the resort: at the top plateau welcome center, the main tourist office in the center, and the bottom of the Prodains Express cable car.

There is never a queue at these machines.

You scan your phone, the machine spits out your active plastic passes in about five seconds, and you're sorted.

Now, those 19 winding mountain hairpin bends are famously steep and twisting and if you are someone who gets carsick, it can be absolute torture.

Our first bit of advice is simple: eat a light meal, look straight out the front window of the van, and let our driver know so they can take those corners extra smooth.

But Liam, the ultimate top-tier bypass hack for the 19 hairpins is to book your transfer to the bottom of the Prodains Express cable car instead.

Yes.

The battle of the gateways.

Do you head up the winding mountain road to the top plateau, or do you get dropped at the bottom of the cliff to take the massive Prodains cable car?

Right.

Let's get into the nitty-gritty of this because this is where 90% of first-timers make a massive mistake.

When you book a transfer to Avoriaz, you can't just tell the driver, "Take me to Avoriaz," and fall asleep.

You have to specify which of the two main entrance gates you need, the top Plateau Welcome Center or the bottom Prodains Express Cable Car.

It's like arriving at a massive airport with two completely different terminals that are miles apart.

If you turn up at the wrong one with all your gear, you are in for a very stressful, very sweaty walk across the snow.