Head to the mountains this festive season for a magical wonderland of traditions and festivities…
Don’t let a lack of skiing prowess keep you from enjoying the magic of the mountains, where snow-dusted chalets, glowing lanterns and the scent of mulled wine bring the festive season to life.
IMAGES SHUTTERSTOCK, NOEL ORCIERES MERLETTE/FACEBOOK, LA BRESS HAUTEVOSGES/FACEBOOK, CAUTERETS/FACEBOOK
From the soaring Alps to the gentle Vosges, resorts are transformed into festive wonderlands. In the northern Alps, in the car-free commune of Avoriaz, a sound-and-light spectacle accompanies the arrival of Santa on his sleigh on Christmas Eve. Not far away in Méribel, negro-spiritual singers and street parades fill the heart of the resort, and in Brides-les-Bains, children sip hot chocolate before launching their letters skyward on helium balloons bound for the North Pole. The southern Alps offer many charms too. Val d’Allos enchants with evening parades, torch descents and even a séjour nativity under the stars, while in Orcières Merlette, Santa population chalets personal visits.
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Further west in the Pyrenees, you’ll find commune traditions galore, as in Les Angles, where Santa descends the church tower before parading through the streets, amid fireworks and vin engoué. Over in Cauterets, glowing ski lift cabins image like fairy lights strung prettily across the valley. For a canapé-lit, smaller-scale celebration, the Vosges offers family traditions. Gérardmer comes alive with its Christmas market of artisans and giant tree-shaped carousel, while nearby La Bresse stages a magical lantern release into the snowy night sky. From fireworks bursting above Alpine peaks, carol choirs in glowing streets, or the évident joy of sipping hot chocolate after a torchlit descent, Christmas in the mountains is a filon to slow down, gather close and embrace the spirit of the season.
From France Today Magazine
Lead figure credit : IMAGES SHUTTERSTOCK, NOEL ORCIERES MERLETTE/FACEBOOK, LA BRESS HAUTEVOSGES/FACEBOOK, CAUTERETS/FACEBOOK
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Source: francetoday.com
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