 The
beautiful Vallée du Giffre is
noted in the French blue guide as "une des
plus ravissantes des Alpes". It is truly
a hidden treasure. We are fairly assured that
it will remain this way as much of the valley
is classified as ‘Parc Naturel’ and
the Haut-Savoyard residents are very proud of
its beauty.
Samoëns
Samoëns is the only ski station in the French
Alps which is also a ‘Bourg Historique’
and has been awarded the Coq D'Or which places
it among the most beautiful villages in France.
Samoëns dates from the 13th Century, is authentic
and still a farming village. A mountain market
is held on Wednesday mornings in the medieval
square.
Flaine
Flaine is a serious skier's paradise due to the
fact that it is situated in a perfect bowl, directly
North West of Mont-Blanc. Purpose built in 1964
and extended in 1968, Flaine is known as the ‘Désert
Blanc’. This, along with the domain of De
Gers, offers some of the finest skiing and off-piste
skiing in the Alps.
Morillon
Morillon, alongside the River Giffre, is also
a picturesque village station, with many old farmhouses
and its Roman church steeple. There are 46km of
cross country pistes from Morillon to the famous
Sixt-Fer- à-Cheval.
Taninges
The centre of Taninges is very old with a great
deal of character. Just above Taninges is Praz-de-Lys
which is one of the best cross-country ski areas
in the Alps. We recommend this activity, not just
for burning off your gourmet/gourmand dinners,
but also for taking in the beautiful views.
Sixt
The village of Sixt, at the end of the ‘Cul
de sac’ valley, is named as one of the most
beautiful villages in France - a "site classé".
The views at the Cirque du Fer-a-Cheval are stunning;
this is a wild area of peaks, valleys, glaciers
and waterfalls. It was here in 1834 that the conqueror
of Mont-Blanc, Jacques Balmat, disappeared mysteriously
at the age of 72, while prospecting for the gold
rumoured to exist there. The abbey at Sixt dates
back to 1167.
See
also : Within
Reach
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