This large ski resort looks luxurious and wonderfully beautiful, but is actually a huge disappointment.

Sometimes it's better to do your research well, right? For example, when it comes to your beloved winter sports. It's a shame if you blow 10k and end up having a ‘meh’ vacation.

So, which ski resort should you skip?

It looks quite pretty, but maybe it's just not quite right. Portes du Soleil is a large and well-known winter sports area in France and Switzerland, consisting of thirteen ski areas between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva. Gigantic, indeed. But... The quality of the slopes is not always that good: sometimes the snow is too hard or there is even too little snow. Icy patches, bumpy descents, and unprepared slopes can seriously ruin the skiing experience. Due to the relatively low altitude of some parts of Portes du Soleil, the snow quality can vary. Especially in warm winters or at the beginning and end of the season, the snow can quickly disappear or turn into slushy mush. It slides a bit less nicely, huh. Well, that doesn't apply to all slopes, as there are 600 kilometers of slopes. I mentioned it: gigantic. And that has its downsides too.

The size of Portes du Soleil is both an advantage and a disadvantage. With so many ski areas and slopes spread across France and Switzerland, it can be quite confusing. Many skiers indicate that the area is not always easy to find. People constantly get lost. And sometimes it's all a bit old.

In some parts of the area, the lifts are outdated, slow, and not always comfortable. Long waiting times during peak season don't help either. In an area that attracts so many visitors, winter sports enthusiasts expect more modern facilities. And it's busy, usually. Portes du Soleil is popular with winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world, and you especially notice that during school holidays and weekends. The crowds mean that the slopes can sometimes be overcrowded and waiting times at the lifts increase. Going outside of peak season is therefore already the biggest recommendation, if you still want to come here. But we're skipping it for this money. Because it's certainly not free. Hi Lech and Val Thorens, here we come.

Image: @clairerose