The Roc d'Enfer ski area in the Portes du Soleil

Planning a stay in the Vallée d'Aulps, in winter or in summer? Above Saint-Jean-d'Aulps, the Roc d'Enfer ski area is included in the Portes du Soleil lift pass.

Its runs wind through spruce forest up to 1,800 metres, and in summer the Grande Terche gondola takes walkers and mountain bikers up towards the Graydon pastures.

The Roc d'Enfer, the summit above Saint-Jean-d'Aulps

At 2,244 metres, the Roc d'Enfer stands between the Vallée d'Aulps and the Brevon valley, and the Brevon itself rises at the foot of the mountain. Its sharp ridge and steep flanks dominate the skyline above the village. The ski area that bears its name spreads across the mountain's lower slopes, on the Saint-Jean-d'Aulps side and the Bellevaux side. No lift links it to Morzine or Avoriaz. If you stay in Saint-Jean-d'Aulps, it is your home ski area, with the main circuit twenty minutes away by road. If you stay in Morzine or Les Gets, it makes a good day out on the same pass.

A ski area of forest runs, from La Grande Terche to La Chèvrerie

The Roc d'Enfer ski area has 50 kilometres of marked runs between 970 and 1,800 metres, with 8 green, 9 blue, 13 red and 2 black runs served by sixteen lifts. The Grande Terche gondola climbs from La Moussière, above the village of Saint-Jean-d'Aulps, to a plateau at 1,500 metres. On the other side, you can also start from La Chèvrerie, a hamlet in Bellevaux close to the Lac de Vallon.

The Roc d'Enfer circuit, the best way to discover the area, is a forest loop of some 20 kilometres linking Saint-Jean-d'Aulps and La Chèvrerie via the Graydon combe, with views out to the Dents du Midi and Lake Geneva. If you are bringing children, the plateau at the top of the gondola is a beginners' area and the ESF ski school is based at the resort. The trees also give you definition on days of poor visibility. For steeper, higher terrain, the same pass takes you to the main Portes du Soleil circuit.

The Roc d'Enfer in summer: hiking and alpine pastures

In July and August the gondola carries walkers and mountain bikers up to the plateau. From there, a walk of just over two hours takes you to the Graydon pastures, where cows and goats graze around a small chapel with Mont Blanc on the horizon. At Graydon, you can also taste the local cheese.

On the marked trails, you can stroll through the forest and pastures and past the old alpine chalets, or ride them by mountain bike. If you are aiming for the summit, the climb up the Roc d'Enfer features in our guide to the best hikes in Saint-Jean-d'Aulps.

Practical information for your visit

To help you plan a day on the slopes or a family holiday, here are the official resources:

• View and download the Roc d'Enfer piste map (Vallée d'Aulps tourist office).
• Book lessons or the Piou-Piou club for young children with ESF Saint-Jean-d'Aulps.
• Get around without a car on the Balad'Aulps Bus, which links Saint-Jean-d'Aulps with the other villages in the valley, as far as Morzine and Les Gets.

Staying nearby or settling in Saint-Jean-d'Aulps

Coming for a week on the slopes or a summer break? Book one of our holiday rentals in the Portes du Soleil. From Morzine, Saint-Jean-d'Aulps is only a quarter of an hour away by road.

If you would rather have a home of your own in the village, for a few weeks a year or all year round, browse our properties for sale in Saint-Jean-d'Aulps.

Already own a property near the Abbaye d'Aulps, the village's main heritage site, or close to the gondola? Our consultants at BARNES Morzine and BARNES Les Gets can value your property in complete confidence.