This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
In Haute-Savoie, three neighboring towns allow you to descend spectacular slopes with Mont Blanc in front of your nose: Megève, Saint-Gervais and Chamonix, or the fabulous skiable trilogy from the roof of the Alps.
Megève, the posh
Coming across a huge pot of simmering frogs’ legs when leaving your hotel doesn’t happen commonly, even in France.
However, it is possible on Friday morning in Megève, market day, where sellers of food and tasty treats rub shoulders, such as Megévan ice cubes, small praline bites covered with meringue.
Even if this delightful town of just over 3,000 inhabitants is naturally associated with alpine skiing, it is even more so with the art of living. There are artisans and small producers, but also high-end accommodation and fine restaurants, including three Michelin-starred restaurants – including that of Anne Sophie Pic, the most starred chef in the world.
Between a tasty hot chocolate and a stroll through the streets beautifully brightened with lights, many visitors will purchase a Megève cross at the Joly-Pottuz jewelry store. They can also access the ski area, directly connected to the village by cable cars.
These lead to the very family-friendly Roquebrune sector, but also to the Mont d’Arbois sector, which offers more challenges and, above all, more grandiose settings. This is where it all began for skiing in the region, when Baroness Noémie de Rothschild wanted to recreate in France what she loved so much about St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Very frequented by the bourgeoisie, certain stars (hello, Charlotte Gainsbourg), a few crowned heads and moguls, Megève nevertheless retains a small, accessible village side. This, if we ignore those who dance on the tables of the La Folie Douce resto-bar at lunchtime or who treat themselves to wagyu beef at 160 euros per portion, at the very haughty Chalet Sauvage.
All these beautiful people always end up going back to ski, including near Saint-Gervais. It is the sister resort which forms with Megève (and others) the Évasion Mont-Blanc area, with 400 km of slopes and numerous ski touring routes.
Saint-Gervais, at skier height
Located between two world ski stars, the discreet village of Saint-Gervais seems a little lurking in the shadows. This is not surprising: its dynamic mayor, Jean-Marc Peillex, has always prioritized development on a human scale. Over the years, he has renovated the Belle Époque facades, the Baroque church and the pleasant streets to make it a welcoming place to stroll, while treading quietly on the tourist terrain.
In the heart of the village, the Mont Blanc tramway leads to the Houches ski area, modest but oh so breathtaking. It is surrounded by admirable peaks; no other French ski center allows you to get so close to the roof of the Alps. Gondolas also provide access to the Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area.
Also well equipped with delectable mountain restaurants – like the chic and rustic Tremplin de la Croix – Saint-Gervais has bicentennial thermal baths, managed by L’Oréal and perfect for soaking up your aching muscles. But after the hot water baths, nothing beats an immersion in Alpine culture in the neighboring town.
Chamonix, the legendary
World capital of mountaineering, cradle of the Winter Olympic Games, starting point of the highest cable car in France, Chamonix also serves as the anchor point of the largest glacier in France. The village is also the arrival point for the world’s longest descent from a glacier from a cable car (the White Valley, 25 km).
More than a ski resort, Chamonix forms a town linked by lifts to a community of skiable peaks, each more dazzling than the last.
From the top of Brévent (2525 m), we have a privileged view of the base of Mont Blanc and its needles, like jagged black pyramids, but also of all the surrounding Alps. Off-piste skiers leave there, others follow the Charles Bozon piste, panoramic from top to bottom – like everything else that descends here or in the neighboring area of Flégère.
Straight ahead lies the legendary Grands Montets sector, whose glacier is only accessible by ski touring from the fire in the cable car which led to its 3,275 meters. No matter: here is the capital of long-distance skiers who leave the beaten tracks to let their spatulas guide them to Argentière, the cute village which serves as a peaceful starting point.
For more urban action, you should rather invest in Chamonix and its pedestrian old town. This includes an Alpine museum, a cinema, and lively, well-hopped bars. There are also a multitude of restaurants where you can treat yourself to a raclette (at Sérac), a pierrade (stone-cooked meats, at Monchu) or a tasty tartiflette (almost everywhere), while waiting to return to the heights the next day .
Because the emotion of summits digs deeper. Especially when you are almost one with the imposing and intimidating mass of the colossal white lord of the Alps.
The author was the guest of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.