Walking In The French Alps With Inspired Travel
Walking In The Alps
The Mont Blanc region provides numerous opportunities to enjoy the mountains of The Alps. We have designed several options that can be mixed and matched to suit your interests and preferences. Depending upon your central location, there are plenty of places of interest in the area and, naturally, as we are close to Mont Blanc there are fantastic walks and stunning scenery. The walks can be as long or as short, gentle or strenuous as you wish. Following close discussions at the planning stage and prior to your departure we will provide detailed itineraries for your walks, maps and suggestions for places to visit.
The terrain is varied. There are wonderful strolls through meadows with babbling streams, waterfalls and forests. At higher altitudes there are stunning mountain walks with lakes, glaciers and towering peaks. Many of the high altitude routes are accessible by cable car, chair lift or train from alpine villages that enable you to enjoy the environment and the atmosphere of the mountains without the exertions of a strenuous climb!
Our Itineraries...
Based in the Annecy area ..
Walks through forests and alpine meadows could take you through the Bauges mountains. From the col de Tamie or Sambuay and La Tournette there are some stunning views and easily accessible paths. In the Beaufortain visit villages like Hauteluce, unchanged for centuries or Les Saisies where there are lovely walks along clearly marked routes which take advantage of a short drive to the summit of Mont Bisanne. A more strenuous walk could take you to the two hydroelectric lakes of Le Rocher du Vent or to the Col du Joly.
A short drive from Faverges is the town of Annecy. Situated at the head of the Lac d'Annecy, the old part of the town is a maze of narrow streets and waterways that are lined with shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The town has a lot to offer in addition to the historic centre with an interesting castle and museum. Why not take a boat trip to the nature reserve at Talloires and walk from there before returning to the old town?
To the north of Annecy is the Gorges du Fier which is a fascinating natural feature, formed during the Ice Age by meltwater, an is accessed by a walkway suspended 70m above the river. The gorge is short but very interesting. Nearby is Chateau Montrottier so why not visit here too?
Your accommodation ....
We have taken every care to find hotels that have character, are of different standards to suit all budgets and that are in excellent locations with access to a wide variety of activities and places of interest. They range from 3* and 2* hotels, including Logis de France to chambre d'hotes with a few rooms in a private house and also include family hotels hotels that offer good accommodation at budget prices.
Based in the St Gervais area...
We really do love the variety of landscape that is accessible from the centre of St Gervais les Bains. There are numerous walks that can include the peaks of the massif du Mont Blanc or Les Aravis with plenty of interest en route. It is also possible to use the summer cable cars(July and August) for access to the higher altitude paths and so maximise your enjoyment of the area. Just a few of the walks include the Glacier de Bionnassay - a walk through valley meadows with a steep bu rewarding climb to the glacier and ice fields of Mont Blanc. A short diversion can also take you to the peak of Le Prarion from where there are fabulous views of the Chamonix valley. The height gained is 212m, duration 1h30.
Continuing the glacier theme a walk along the Balcon Nord above Chamonix is a must and a great family day out! A cable car to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi for views of Mont Blanc and then a return to the mid station before walking to Montenvers and the Mer de Glace. From here its possible to extend your walk or spend and let the train take the strain!
Alternatively visit the Lacs Jovet which is a fine walk through the nature reserve of Les Contamines. There is quite a lot of climbing or the chance to shorten the walk if you wish - the route partly follows an old roan road with waterfalls on both sides.
Fancy a walk for lunch? Why not take the cable car to a high ridge and walk down an easy route to Megeve? A second cable car will take you to the summit of Mont d'Arbois with a final descent to the start point in Le Bettex. The choice is endless!
Based in Samoens...
Samoens is located within the heart of the Grand Massif in the valley of the Haut-Giffe. The village is very traditional and has had a long history; indeed it has been designated a national monument.
The village provides an excellent base for walking. The scenery is not as dramatic as the Mont Blanc but there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a variety of landscape and terrain and a short drive down the valley Chamonix is easily accessible. In the immediate facility there are many options:
Visit La Bourgeoise et Chamoissiere for a panorama of the valley and Mont Blanc. A days walk from Samoens could take you to Lac de Gers, Lac de Peche and sample the local produce such as cheese. Another day traverse from Golese to Bosseten through forests,meadows and a variety of landscapes; the day incorporates 700m of climbing. The Col de Jouplane with its mountain lake and view of Mont Blanc is also a possibility as is the Fer a Cheval circuit with its 32 natural waterfalls. There is also an artificial lake on the edge of the village that provides not only recreation but numerous walks around the lake which lead back to the village.
