Discover one of the biggest ski areas in the world: Les Portes du Soleil. 12 resort villages linked across two countries. Ski France and Switzerland on the same lift pass, without ever taking your skis off. Hop on and off the border every day, without taking the same chairlift, or explore all the ski areas, one resort and one day at a time, or weather permitting, do the Portes du Soleil circuit, skiing 10 ski resorts in one day ! The options are unlimited, with 197 lifts, 285 ski runs, and over 650 km stretching over 14 different valleys along the French-Swiss border ! Two weeks are not enough to cover everything…
Settle in a ski-to-the-door chalet with hot tub and sauna, let our Chef treat you with 5 course gourmet dinners with pairing wines, and with cooked breakfast every morning. Just put your feet under the table, and relax and enjoy the company and the scenery. Ski – Eat – Sleep – Repeat !
DESTINATION : THE ALPS.
The Alps. The home of Alpine traditions. It all started there. A place where skiing is not just a sport, but a deeply rooted culture and a way of life, that started several hundreds years ago as a means of transportation. Where a lot of fascinating stories are waiting to be rediscovered. Ancient customs and rich folklore dating back from pre-Christian times can still be found in the form of art, rituals, processions, and food. The regional diversity results from the mutual isolation of Alpine communities and remote valleys long time inaccessible to modern influence.
Common customs revolve aroud raising cattle, which was a crucial economic factor for settlers. The mountain “cattle drives” are still vividly preserved, when herdsmen and dairymen drive the cows up to the mountain meadows erly summer, to the sound of cow bells, and bring the cattle down from the upland pastures for the winter, with all stages accompanied by festive ceremonies: cow fighting, yodelling – from the German word jodeln, which means “to utter the syllable jo” – used by herders calling their stock or to communicate between alpine villages, along with Alphorn blowing. And the famous cow bells that help find the cows to bring them in when it gets foggy.
The Alpine Arc, spanning across from France to Albania.
The Alps are a majestic place to visit to experience nature at its best. After a fun day of skiing, indulge in some delicious Alpine comfort food, that tends to follow a simple – and winning ! – formula: mix and match cheese, potatoes, and meat (charcuterie, ham, lardons etc.), the differences residing in the cheeses used and the preparations. Apart from fondue (which means “melted” in French), raclette (which comes from the French racler, to scrape), tartiflette, reblochonnade, and croûte, you can try diots (sausages that come in many forms, cured, uncured, smoked, or mixed with other ingredients), or crozets (square-shaped pasta made with buckwheat flour), or rösti, gröstl, schnitzel, or polenta depending on which side of the Alps you end up. And let’s not forget the fabulous berry tarts that you will find on most menus.
Book your flights to arrive on Saturday the 12th of January, or Saturday the 19th of January. Send me your flight details as soon as your flights are booked so I can organise your transfers for you.
You will be picked up at Geneva Airport, with two options: a shared transfer is included in your package, or we can also organise a private transfer at an extra cost, let us know when you book. There will be a driver in the arrivals area with your name on a card regardless of the option you choose.
The transfer time between Geneva and Morzine is about an hour and 15 mn. It is situated in the Northern French Alps half way between Evian on Lake Geneva (Lake Leman) and Chamonix – Mont Blanc. Enjoy the transit through spectacular scenery as you climb the alpine roads into the mountains.
The chalet is ready to be accessed from 4:00 pm. If you arrive earlier, they will endeavour to get it ready earlier but with no guarantee. They can store your baggage and you can go out for a walk or explore the village in the mean time.
Plan each day with your group according to weather, and preferences.
Wednesday is your free day to sleep in, have a break, explore the village, go shopping, sign up for other activities, or ski some more. It’s all up to your mood and energy levels. You are on holiday after all, and it’s nice to have your own down time.
Wednesday is also the Chef’s day off, so you will be able to have a nice dinner out in town. Let us know what you are after and we can book a restaurant for you.
More exploring of the area, with the possibility of skiing La Grande Terche in St Jean d’Aulps, a hidden gem off the beaten path. a stand-alone ski area which isn’t joined to the main resorts – it’s only a 15 mn drive – but far enough to keep the number of visitors much lower… all still included in your lift pass.
Check-out is at 10:00 am on the Saturday but if you leaver later, they can store your luggage for you. Some will ski the morning if they have a late evening flight. let us know when you book and we can add a half-day on your lift pass.
The departure times of your airport transfer is scheduled for you to arrive 2 hours before your flight, and they will allow extra time at certain times of the day and certain times of the year (like during the Geneva Motor Show for example) to allow for heavy traffic.
A TASTE OF THE FRENCH AND SWISS ALPS PACKAGE
PRICE PER PERSON
*TWIN/DOUBLE: € 3297
* For double occupancy, you supply the partner.
SINGLE: € 4267
Your package includes :
The package doesn’t include:
Options:
CLICK ON THE MAP FOR AN INTERACTIVE VIEW.
