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Partway between Geneva and Chamonix, the Grand Massif
is made up of four highly scenic traditional villages
set in the Giffre valley. Samoëns,
Sixt Fer
à Cheval, Morillon
and Les
Carroz together offer a host of undiscovered
treasures from La Jaysinia botanical gardens in
Samoëns with 8000 mountain plants from all over
the world to the Gouffre Jean-Bernard which, at 5255
feet, is one of the deepest chasms on the
planet. See the famous chevrotin cheeses being
made in Sixt or have afternoon tea on a working
farm. Take a day trip to the 700-year-old port
of Yvoire on the shores of Lake Geneva where, not
surprisingly, fish is the local speciality in many
restaurants. Don’t miss the huge glacial
amphitheatre, the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval near
Sixt. Its steep slopes are one of the great
natural wonders of Europe and legend has it that the
surrounding mountains were at one time inhabited by
ibex whose hooves were covered in gold.
Activity-wise, white water rafting is very popular in
the Giffre valley and if you’ve always wanted
to try paragliding, Mieussy is where the sport was
invented in 1978. The Grand Massif also offers
the chance to be initiated into the underground art
of speleology.
The Portes du Soleil is named after a pass, Gates of
the Sun, which gets the sun throughout the day
because of its position on south-facing slopes and
the combination of summer sunshine and a wealth of
activities makes Portes du Soleil an irresistible
year-round destination. For starters, there are
400 miles of marked hiking routes and more than 24
lifts open throughout July and August to help you
navigate your way round the valleys. Then there
are some 500 miles of mountain biking trails with 8
permanent downhill courses, including a two-mile
descent in the resort of Les Gets.
Chairlifts are specially adapted to carry bikes so
there’s no excuse for not getting off the
beaten track.
On Thursday 20 July 2006, the legendary Tour de
France passes through our featured
resort of Samoëns.
At the heart of Portes du Soleil, Les Gets is the
mountain biking capital of the Alps.
There’s no doubting the resort’s
credentials – in 2004, Les Gets hosted the UCI
Mountain Bike World Championships. If
you’re feeling brave enough, you can test your
skills on a section of a World Cup downhill
course. But don’t worry; there are also
green tracks for beginners and families with young
children.
Abseiling, rafting, trekking with donkeys, potholing
and micro lighting are just some of the other things
you could get up to on holiday in the area. In
summer, the sun warms the lakes to an average
temperature of 22 degrees which makes swimming
against a backdrop of forests and green pastures
intensely pleasurable. Thrill seekers should
have a go at canyoning down the middle of a waterfall
and then plunging into a rock pool, there’s
nothing quite like it. Or, with Lake Geneva
close at hand, why not try wakeboarding. This
rapidly growing sport is similar to snowboarding only
it takes place on the water.
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Set amid forest,
Samoëns is the only resort in France to be
listed as an 'Historic Monument'. Once a
thriving stone-cutting centre, Samoens still
retains an ancient church, medieval fountains
and a variety of old rustic buildings. The
Indiana Park is great woodland adventures for
children and adults.
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Les Carroz is a spacious, sunny, family resort
with pavement cafés and interesting
little shops centred around a main square.
There is an 18 hole golf course & swimming
pool complex for entertainment.
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Morillon is a
traditional village with a 16th century church,
with a very friendly atmosphere has always been
popular with French families, particularly the
Blue Lake leisure park.
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Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty
with the magnificent 'Cirque du Fer à
Cheval' and its wonderful waterfalls and
natural reserve, Sixt is still largely unknown
outside France. A centre for mountain
excursions and climbing.
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A centuries-old farming village that is an
absolute mecca for mountain bikers. Les
Gets is rich in trails and downhill courses,
which attract riders from all over Europe.
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It is a charming, traditional village that is a
world away from the hustle and bustle of modern
life and yet it's one of the closest resorts to
the Channel and only an hour from Geneva.
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The
region is easy to get to via direct motorway
links from Geneva or by TGV train to Cluses,
with regular bus links between the
resorts.
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