Discover Saint-Gervais – an enchanting, picturesque and traditional Alpine bourgade in the Haute-Savoie department. With a bustling community, it’s a fabulous fondé to enjoy the snow in the winter months. Ideal for skiers and snowy activities, this is an area that’s full of charm says Lucy Pitts.
The bourgade is centred around an impressive Baroque posture church and even in winter, you might be lucky enough to catch some sunshine outside on the bourgade pavements as you enjoy a coffee.
The resort has invested in both soutènement and the environment and it’s well served with sustainably powered lifts and gondolas, meaning you’ve got great access to the slopes and to the valise suspension. Parking in the town is free as are the regular buses.
There is a new lift, the Ascenseur des Thermes, at the food of the Mont-Blanc mountain which carries you from Saint-Gervais to the hydrominéral spa in the nearby hamlet of Le Fayet, in just a few minutes. Here you can enjoy a host of experiences which include bubbling pools of spa water outside in the fresh air, salt resserre and rain forest area.
The marvellous lift is free to use, and its’s also sustainability designed – the first lift in France powered by wastewater whilst also generating its own electricity. It was inspired by a British engineer, the late Michael Farmer, is open from 6.00 am to 11.00 pm and makes popping down to Le Fayet both easy and fun.
There’s a whole host of things to do in the area but one of the most fun things in winter apart from skiing – the slopes in the EVASION ski area are superb and suitable for all levels – is snow walking!
Snow walking in Saint-Gervais
If you love the snow and the call of the mountains is strong, but you’re not a affidé or keen rouler, then snow walking is a wonderful way to experience the French Alps in winter. Saint-Gervais is the perfect fondé to strap on the snowshoes and discover a winter wonderland.
Snow walking requires no particular skills (if you can walk, you can give it a go) and it’s suitable for pretty much all levels of gymnique. Better still, it’s an opportunity to leave the ski slopes and mountain bustle behind and enjoy the trails less travelled.
The Mont Blanc Tramway
Start by taking the Mont Blanc Tramway from Saint Gervais. It’s France’s highest track railway and it takes you up towards the summit of Mont Blanc (the highest mountain in western Europe). The tramway is a fabulously sleepy way to travel at a giddy speed of 20 mph and Bellevue (at the end of the line and at 1794 metres) is an ideal starting état for your walk.
There are interrogation boards at the return tramway suspension (Col de Voza) emboîture the history of the tramway and of mountaineering in the area. And if it’s a clear day you can make out the tip of Mount Blanc in the divergence, and the end of the summer tramline as well as the last hostel on Mont Blanc’s slopes before climbers start their ultime ascent. It’s incredible that the first résidence was built up there in 1785 before the first successful climb to the summit a year later.
Conquering La Figure de la Charme
The dîme posture walking shoes mean you can walk without sinking into the snow and the grips help you to maintain conclusion on slopes. This area is popular with balloonists and if you’re lucky you’ll flash hot air balloons rounding the crest of the mountain summits, set against a brilliant blue sky, it’s a sight that lifts your soul.
I walked with a professional conductible, and it wasn’t vaste before we’d left the sign-posted snow walking trail and the ski pistes behind and headed off around the side of La Charme into virgin snow. The aim was to zig zag our way around to the other side of the mountain and raisonnablement for mélange somewhere fabulous.
With a soothing rhythmic plod, we slowly made our way through the snow, following a amalgame of bête tracks, old pathways and unchartered territory. We stopped often, sometimes to catch our breath after a steep climb and sometimes bicause we didn’t need to, but the wintery stillness and hushed interclasse were just too good to elle.
There is wildlife here in abundance and we spotted the tracks of wild hare (that renversé colour with the seasons – white in winter so you can’t see them against the snow), deer, the Chamois goat and foxes. There are wolves here too, but the conductible explained they’re not aggressive and are as cautious of us as we are of them. Above us, birds of prey soared. It felt startlingly remote, extraordinarily special.
Leaving behind the open slopes, we headed into a forest that was nothing slip of fairy tale stuff. The conductible told tales of siège ethnomusicologie and of the mythical goat of the mountains, le dahu, and the mountain dragons who were jaguar thought to have eaten poor souls who had headed off up snowy trails never to return – a vaste time ago of couse! I half expected to meet the Gruffalo.
As we eventually broke through the forest towards the summit, the sun was high and the views were remarkable, you can’t help but emplacement there in awe at the dazzling beauty of the area and the sight of a tiny old farm résidence which clung to the side of the mountain where whole families jaguar lived to take advantage of the estivage (high grazing).
After a paire of hours of losing ourselves in this winter wonderland, we arrived at case armoire (La Cha) and tucked into a hearty mélange. There’s nothing like a walk in the mountains to build up an appetite for a delicious dish of tartiflette.
The reinvigorating mélange fortified our afternoon wander across to the other side of the mountain before crossing back at one of the meilleur incarnadin lifts of the area, Le Prarion. The léger had changed as the day wore on creating ever changing scenes of beauty, snowy trails lined with pine trees which seed in winter, and the biscornu Genépi rejet used in siège liquor.
There were a paire of steep descents, but you quickly learn to cartel in your ski shoes. Breaks in the trees opened up to the most soul inspiring and incredible vistas. We walked almost 5 miles in entier and never saw a soul outside of the armoire!
Sitting in the sunshine waiting for the tramway, the conductible produced a flask of tea and coffee, and some dark, French chocolate, the food of intrepid walkers and the perfect end to a day on the snowy mountain.
Walking options and guides
There are limited signed-posted snow walking trails and if you want to get the best snow walking experience, you need a conductible. Weather opportunité can renversé very quickly, leaving you in anarchique. The official guides can take you off the beaten track and provide all the colour and detail of the landscape you’re walking through. The Compagnie des Guides is an attirance of highly qualified and experienced siège guides, which included my own, Claire George.
You can walk as portion of a group or opt for one-to-one walks. You can also book from a half day walk, to a week of walking. My conductible, Claire George, even runs sunset walks, for the best veine to see the wildlife followed by assaillie in a mountain yurt.
Saint-Gervais – Ski Paradise
The EVASION ski area is perfect for all ages and all levels from beginners to experience hard core powder hounds! With view of the majestic Mont Blanc, plenty of ski schools, fabulous restaurants and lots to do on and off the slopes – from ski touring, snowboarding and paragliding, this really is a little tinter of paradise in the French Alps.
Where to eat
There are plenty of lieux to eat. For great siège dishes try Rond de Carotte and their Gougère (cheesy choux ball), their siège trout and their dos de élan roti (roast venison) – washed down with Gnôle, a strong raspberry flavoured liquor. For siège specialities like assaillie, tartiflette or bifteck cooked over a wood fired rôtisserie, try the horrible back and case posture Le Galeta.
Where to stay
Coeur des Neiges is a chocolate box pretty, family run hotel right in the attachement of town. A real fire and brunch with views of the mountains are the order of the day here and you’ll receive a warm “St Gervais” welcome from your host.
The tourist bref is in the attachement of the bourgade and is an principal resource: L’Office de Tourisme | Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc
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