Grand Massif - Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval

However years ago the well known climber and founder of the Alpine Club, Sir Alfred Wills, made Sixt his base for discovering the area and built a chalet in the village. Home to stonecutters since the 15th century, it holds France's 'prettiest village' label.

Life is centred around the 12th century Abbey and is quite simple - a few shops, post office, mini-market, a few cafés and restaurants and a bakery that makes some 'sinful' cakes.  At 6.30pm every Sunday the Tourist Office invites visitors to enjoy a welcome drink of 'vin chaud' while on Thursdays there is tomme cheese making at Cash'ta (free tasting!).  Wonderful walks, snowshoe outings, dogsledding, a challenging 'via-ferrata' (a type of ladder fixed directly onto the rock), ice climbing and village discovery visits, are also available.

There is a regular ski-bus service from Sixt to Samoëns and Morillon.

Only a 10-minute drive beyond Samoëns, Sixt is only a 30-minute drive from the motorway exit near the TGV train station of Cluses and only 1-hour drive from Geneva.

Follow the links below

Why Sixt?

·          A very pretty, undiscovered village, set in outstanding scenery

·          Superb walks, uncrowded pistes

·          Access to the massive Grand Massif ski domain

·          Easy access from the motorway, train station or Geneva airport

Childcare in Sixt

See Samoens info, please click here

Activities in Sixt         

Snowshoeing, ski touring, dog-sledging, ice-climbing, Via Ferrata climbing (depending on the weather)…

Dog sledding

Northern Area High Giffre:
Intelligence planning trips (duration 20 to 30 minutes)
Tel: 04 50 34 13 79

Reservations are home to the Nordic area located at the tourist office in Samoens. As of December 19, 2009.

09/10 rates:

Adult – 35

4-10yrs – 17.50

Under 4 with adult - free

Snow trekking: afternoon or day trips…

Stéphane FERRAND :

Tel : +33 (0)4 50 89 56 47

Mail: s.ferrand@wanadoo.fr

Mountain activities

Ski touring, Vallée Blanche, rock climbing, ice climbing, via ferrata ...

Bureau des Guides et Accompagnateurs de la Vallée du Giffre

Tel : +33 (0)4 50 34 43 12

Internet : www.guidesmontagnes.com

Parapente / Paragliding

Les Tontons Volants

Opposite Grand Massif Express - Samoëns

Tel : +33 (0)4 50 89 82 30

Internet : www.samoens-parapente.com

Walking

Over 100 km of signposted footpaths providing access to 5 mountain huts and conservation areas: “Cirque du Fer a Cheval”, the Cascade “du Rouget”, the “Gorges des Tines”

Ice Climbing

Sixt Fer à Cheval is one of the main sites for ice climbing in France. For both beginners and the more experienced there are 60ish itineraries from 40 to 500m high. The 'vallon de Sales' sector is perfect for beginners. The Sixt Fer à Cheval sector is for the more experienced with ascents that progress up to grade 7.

James MONET
Phone : 04 50 34 10 49 ou 06 22 38 10 75
Email : v.monet@wanadoo.fr

Library

Library in Sixt Fer à Cheval is open all year long.

Opening times:  Outside school holidays - Every Wednesday and Saturday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
During school holidays: Every evening from Monday to Friday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm

Tariffs :
0,70€ per book

Markets

Market Samoëns:

Every Wednesday morning (from 8am to 13H), year round, will wander about the market in Samoëns Savoie. You will find all products of our region as well as numerous articles and household textiles, and accessories.

Market Morillon:

Wednesday evening, from 16H.

Most activities take place in the nearby villages of Samoens and Morillon.

Eating Out and Après-Ski in Sixt

Restaurants and bars.  The closest cinema is at Samoens.

Other amenities in Sixt

Cash point, library.

On Sundays, at 18.30: welcome drink at the Tourist Office with an introduction to the resort.

Weekly guided tours of the village (on Tuesdays): discover the village life and its history, sample some local products… Every Thursday, discover Tomme de Savoie cheese making.

Exhibitions at the Maison de la Reserve Naturelle

In Samoens (5km): Market on Wednesdays, doctors, pharmacy, physiotherapist, hairdresser, laundry/dry cleaning, bakeries, several sports shops…

Farm products sold at the Cash’ta: +33 450 34 91 90.

There is also a farm situated in the very picturesque Hameaux Palme-Dessous, just 2 km outside

Sixt Fer à Cheval. The farmer sells local traditional farm products.

All the above information is for information only. For the most up-to-date information please visit the resort tourist office website

Sixt Tourist Office

Tel +33 450 34 49 36

www.sixtferacheval.com  or check www.samoens.com

Access to Sixt            

By Road: Driving distance from Calais 543 miles (approx 7hrs40)

From Calais, take A26 Motorway towards Reims and Troyes, then Dijon, Mâcon then ‘Autoroute Blanche’ Motorway (A40 Mâcon – Cluses)  Exit Cluses Scionzier. Follow signs to Samoens. Sixt is 5km after Samoens.

It takes approximately 25 minutes from the motorway exit to Sixt Fer a Cheval.

By Rail: Cluses 30km - Shuttle bus +33 450 98 07 81 or Taxi +33 450 34 90 www.giffre-transports.com

Airports:

Geneva is 86km from Sixt (1 ¼ hours)

www.gva.ch/en

Chambery Airport is 124km from Sixt (1 ½ hours)

www.chambery-airport.com

Lyon Airport is 207km from Sixt (2 ¼ hours)

www.lyonairport.com

Grenoble Airport is 214km from Sixt (2 ¼ hours)

www.grenoble-airport.com

Airport Transfer

Pre-book your taxi transfer with Peak Retreats

From Geneva Airport to Sixt - from £71 per person return based on 4 people sharing. 

For all other transfer prices please click here

Getting around Sixt and Grand Massif

Frequent shuttles run between Sixt, Samoens and Morillon. Check with Tourist Office on arrival for a timetable.

Access Plan

Sixt France

Click on maps to enlarge

Resort Map

Sixt France

Alternatively try Les Gets and the wider 'Domaine du Soleil'.

Cross-country skiers will love the stunning tracks around the waterfalls of 'Fer à Cheval'. There are more than 60km of tracks in the area or enjoy superb views of Mont-Blanc from the 30 km of tracks at Joux Plane at 1700m.

You can’t ski from Sixt to the other areas of the Grand Massif, but you can ski back to Sixt using ‘Les Cascades’ piste - this 14 km piste takes you from the summit of Les Grandes Platières at 2,500 m down to the village of Sixt located 900 m further down the mountainside. A great descent through alpine meadows and forests on one of the finest pistes in the Alps. A forest ski run on the edge of the Sixt Fer-à-Cheval Nature Reserve where it’s not unusual to come across mountain goats. 14 km of quiet surroundings and breathtaking landscapes!

SIXT PISTE MAP

To see the Grand Massif piste map for 09/10 please see the resort guide panel on the top right hand side of the current page.

Please note that lift passes will need to be collected in Samoens. Ski school is arranged in Samoens (10 min drive or shuttle bus).

Samoens/Sixt Lift Pass

Save Time in resort and budget ahead by pre-booking lift passes. See below for prices.

PRE-BOOK* your 6 Day Grand Massif Lift-Pass with PR

Children under 5 and seniors over 75 receive a FREE lift pass. Proof of age will be required for reduced price passes.

Please note that there is also a cheaper lift pass called Massif covering only Samoëns, Morillon and les Carroz although we cannot pre-book this. Beginners are advised to buy this pass in resort (€159 for 6 days).

With a 6 Day Grand Massif lift pass you also get to ski one day on the Portes du Soleil ski area (Les Gets, Morzine, Avoriaz, Chatel…).

Samoens/Sixt Ski School

PRE-BOOK* your 6 Half-Day Group Ski/Board Lessons

Please note that a booking fee of £9 per party will be charged.

1 SKI: Adults, Children & Piou Piou: 20/12-2/1 09.30-11.45 or 14.00-16.30; 3/1-6/2 Mornings ONLY for Adults & Children, Mornings or afternoons for Piou Piou; 7/2-6/3 10.00-12.15 or 15.00-17.15; 7/3-16/4 ONLY 09.30-12.00 for Adults & Children, 09.30-12.00 or 14.30-17.00 (March) or 13.30-16.00 (April) for Piou Piou (*) NOT available 3/1-6/2 & 7/3-16/4

2 SNOWBOARD: Adults & Juniors (10 to 15 years old): 20/12-2/1 14.00-16.30; 7/2-6/3 15.00-17.15; 7/3-16/4 09.30-12.00

3/1-6/2 NO SNOWBOARD LESSONS  AVAILABLE                                                                                                     ALL TIMES TO BE CONFIRMED, SUBJECT TO CHANGES

Samoens/Sixt Individual Tuitions (09/10 prices, NOT pre-bookable)

If you want to take 1 hour of particular course during the holidays of February, we advise you to reserve the schedule of 9 to 10 am. You will be able to benefit fully from the skiing area without having any waiting.
Lessons take place every day, even on Sundays!

The ski school offers 2 kinds of hours: promotional and other hours
Private lessons can be arranged at the following times:

*Promotional hours (a minimum of 5 consecutive days is required for bookings)
From Christmas to the end of January: noon to 2 pm
School holidays of February: 9 am to 10 am
March and school holidays of Easter: 12.30 to 2.30
**Other hours (no possible booking in advance but during February French holidays between 12.45 and 2.45 pm) with a minimum of 5 consecutive days.

Individual tuitions can only be purchased directly from the ski school

Please note that prices are only an indication and are subject to change

Ecole du Ski Francais Village  +33 450 34 43 12

Ecole du Ski Français Samoens 1600   +33 450 34 40 86

Ski Hire Sixt/Samoens

Ski hire in Sixt/Samoens prices start from £35 for children (skis and boots) & £49 for adults (skis and boots) for 7 days. View here for Sixt/Samoens ski hire prices.

Mountain Restaurants

Le Tremplin

Cross Country

80 km of marked trails in the Giffre valley, flowing between forest and valley right up to the fabulous Cirque du Fer à Cheval.

From Samoëns to Sixt Fer à Cheval there are 46 km of marked ski trails and which are also equipped for the skating technique. For beginners there is the Glière sector (green - 2 km), Salvagny (blue - 5,2km), the Molliet (blue - 9,5 km), for those with a little more experience there is the 'loop of the Fer à Cheval' (16 km) or the long trail which links Samoëns to Sixt (27 km). The Col de Joux-Plaine sector (1700 m) has 30 km of trails (ski de fond/skating) and thanks to its high altitude, snow coverage is assured. The views from this sector are magnificent over the Mont Blanc mountain range and the Haut-Giffre valley.