The head in the peaks, the feet at the edge of the lakes: in the Alps, in the shadow of the Mont Blanc, we quickly let go to live in weightlessness! In winter, ski resorts invite you to jump on the slopes and rejuvenate yourself between mountain spas, altitude restaurants and voluptuous addresses. And in summer the pure air of the Alps calls more than ever to disconnect: hiking between two refuges, descent in white water or itinerary in the heart of the artisanal know-how all the paths lead to the alpine pastures!
Highlights of your trip to the Alps
In summer as in winter, going to the Alps is the guarantee to enjoy the exceptional landscapes that the French mountain offers. In the pre-season, you have to watch the magic of the first snow before you start on the slopes: downhill skiing, ski touring or cross-country skiing, skiing in the Alps is like fondue, at will!
But for non-skiers, family or not, everything is planned to enhance your trip in the Alps: cosy mountain spas, snowshoe hikes, and sunny terraces are open to the active and the contemplative.
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Where to ski in winter?
With 112 resorts, Savoie and Haute Savoie offer mountain holidays in all respects. Starting with the 3 Valleys which line up one of the largest ski areas in the world. In Courchevel, the refined, we combine skiing and shopping, in Méribel, we dive into the Savoyard atmosphere like traditional chalets, in Val-Thorens, the highest in Europe (2300 meters), we tutoie the peaks! In terms of altitude, Tignes is also on top of the podium: with the 2 Alpes, Val d'Isère and the Alpe d'Huez one of the few resorts where you can ski in summer. Avoriaz stands out for its pedestrian architecture (except for sleighs!) and its avant-garde between contemporary art exhibitions and music festivals. And in Saint-Gervais or Chamonix the gateway to the famous sea of ice, just lift your head to contemplate one of the most mythical summits in the world: Mont Blanc…
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What to do in summer in the Alps?
The mountain in summer is more suitable for roaming: the thousands of kilometers of marked trails invite to hiking, mountain biking or cycling; forests are the ideal playground for climbing trails; and the whitewater heralds all kinds of experiences, whether canoeing, kayaking or rafting. More classically, travellers can also opt for a tour in the Alps, along lakes for example, from Lake Annecy to Lake Bourget…
Between sport and relaxation in the heart of the Alps
From pure relaxation to extreme sports, travel in the Alps adapts to any desire. In the good season, we glide aboard a sailboat on Lake Annecy or we trace the history on the Napoleon route, that of the return from exile in 1815… Unless you prefer a paragliding flyby, a refuge hike or a tour among artisans at the heart of mountain know-how. In winter, many variations around snow sports are allowed, including the wildest ones like diving under the ice, zip-lining or galloping in the powder. And in all seasons, it is tempting to be pampered in the cozy setting of exclusive spas and palaces. Between salt walls and ice caves, treatments based on mountain products such as donkey milk or honey from beehives awaken all energies.
Gastronomy at the top
For your trip in the Alps, let yourself be tempted by the altitude cuisine that reaches peaks: about forty restaurants are starred in the Michelin Guide, a rare concentration! Wild herbs, the cult products of the alpine pastures like the Reblochon or the lamb of Sisteron, the great tables of Mont Blanc rival creativity. More unusual, the food trucks and other mountain cheese bars are not in any case flavors. During a family dinner in the Alps, mountain deli meat calls raclette or tartiflette and fondue accepts all variations. In Méribel, you can even enjoy it in a gondola under the stars! But if all these culinary specialities of the Alps are an incentive to gourmet, you must keep room to test the bugnes, the emblematic doughnuts of the Duchy of Savoy!