AROUND SAINT GERVAIS
St. Gervais is a delightful old original town at an altitude
of about 850 metres above the valley below.
The mountains in the
St. Gervais area have an excellent record for reliable snow
conditions in the winter. The whole area has so much to offer
with the widest range of activities imaginable in both summer
and winter, for the young and the 'not so young'.
The wooded
mountains and views are magnificent and are an absolute paradise
for skiers or mountain walkers. While you explore or ski, young
children can be looked after at the crèche or kindergarten at Le
Bettex, where there are also activity clubs for older children.
In summer you can walk for miles on marked paths, in meadows or
high altitude, including the well loved 'balcony walks' along
the Chamonix valley. Megève, the beautiful town well known by
the rich and famous, can be easily reached by car within about
10 minutes or more leisurely with spectacular views via the very
efficient mountain lift system.
Chamonix, immediately at the
foot of Mont Blanc (4810m), can be reached by car within 25-30
minutes and a visit by cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi
(3804m high) near the summit of Mont Blanc is absolutely
breathtaking. SEASONAL ACTIVITIES:
WINTER: Ski, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, tobogganing,
snow shoe walking (snow hikes over special routes), snow park
(for special snow activities), ski entertainment area for young
children, crèche facility & kindergarten at Le Bettex (next
village up the mountain from St. Gervais).
SUMMER: tennis, walking, fishing, horse riding, golf (also
championship courses at Megève and Chamonix), mini-golf,
cycling, mountain biking on marked trails, canoeing, white water
rafting, canyoning, kayaking, rock climbing, hot-air ballooning
(discovery flight), water sports lake with beach (20 mins),
summer tobogganing at Megève and Chamonix, summer skiing on Mont
Blanc.
SUMMER & WINTER: ice-skating, ice dancing & ice hockey (Olympic
ice rink), swimming, paragliding, hang-gliding, thermal baths,
mountain railway (St. Gervais to Mont Blanc), activity clubs for
children (Le Bettex), sports centre (Megève), mountaineering at
Chamonix (with professional guide). SKIING INFORMATION
The skiing area is integrated into the Megève domain with 360kms
of pistes and over 100 lifts and is ideal for mixed ability
groups. The pistes themselves vary from pretty tree-lined runs
amongst the evergreen forests to large open areas, catering for
skiers of all standards, beginners, intermediates and the really
advanced. There are snowmaking machines on many runs during the
winter for guaranteed skiing. Some areas are specifically
allocated for snowboarding and there are large areas for safe
off-piste skiing. The mountains included in the lift pass are
Mont d'Arbois (1833m), Mont Joux (1958m), Mont Joly (2525m),
Rochebrune (1754m), Cote 2000 (2014m) and Jaillet (1757m).
MOUNTAINEERING
The 4810m summit of Mont Blanc rises on the communal territory
of Saint Gervais. From the resort, mountaineers can follow the
famous 'Voie Royale' to Mont Blanc, conquered in 1855 by an
Englishman named Hudson. Start with an excursion on the Mont
Blanc Tramway before walking towards the Tête Rousse mountain
refuge and a stop over near the 'Aiguille de Goûter'. Climb the
'Dôme du Goûter' towards the Vallot mountain refuge and the
final ridge to the summit at 4810 metres. It is advisable to
hire one of the experienced professional mountain guides, who
have offices at St. Gervais. GOLF INFORMATION
There are championship courses at Megève, only 15 mins (11kms)
by car from St. Gervais and also at Chamonix about 30 mins
(24kms) away. Mini-golf is also available at St. Gervais.
TENNIS INFO:
There are 4 regularly prepared clay courts and
4 hard courts at the Sports Complex in St Gervais. prices
start at 10 Euros for a i hour session. There are indoor
and outdoor courts in Le Fayet by the thermal spa. |
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