Hiking & Walking
There are few places with the variety and spectacular scenery of the Giffre valley. At the chalet you’ll find books with suggested walks and maps of the local area and beyond.
Easy Family Walks
Morillon, Samoens and Taninges are connected by the Giffre river, along which there are multiple paths for walking and cycling. Morillon has Lac Bleu by the Giffre, which is ideal for picnics or taking in one of the many family activities there. Samoens has the Lac aux Dames, two connected lakes, with one reserved for fishing and the other for bathing, paddleboards and a driving range.
The Giffre runs through Sixt, Samoens and Morillon from the waterfalls of the Cirque du fer-a-Cheval, around 16km away – all of which is walkable by the river on the flat. The Cirque is spectacular bowl created by a mountain range which borders Switzerland, with waterfalls fed by melting snow and natural springs. Most of the shorter walks here are flat, so it’s possible to walk for several hours if the family are enthusiastic enough. There are small cafés and snack bars to break up the walks.
Many of the Grand Massif lifts run in the summer, allowing walkers of all abilities and ages to walk high on the mountains, with the Samoens and Morillon 1100 lifts being closest to the Chalet. Drive over to Flaine for the highest point on the Grand Massif, where the lift takes you to a desert at 2,550m and snow in August.
Mountain Walks
There are an unlimited amount of more demanding walks. It’s possible to walk for several days through the mountains, stopping overnight at remote refuges where guests are well looked after.
It’s a stunning place to walk with an immense variety of terrain and scenery. In a single walk you can skirt alpine likes, plunge into pine forests, emerge into wildflower meadows and summit a rocky mountian peak. Taking one of the summer lifts like Samoens GME or Flaines Grandes Platieres can put you right at the top of a mountain to start, with views of Mont Blanc and almost unlimited route options. You can spend the day at 2000m+ with relative ease.
You’ll see a lot of wildlife – it’s not unusual to see golden eagles soaring across the valley from the chalet balcony, but you’ll also see bearded vultures and buzzards in the skies, sometimes flying with the paragliders from the top of Samoens 1600.
On a typical walk you might see pine martens, ibex, chamois and marmots. Perhaps you’ll also see mouflon, wild boar, ptarmigan or even wolves, though they’re incredibly stealthy and the nature reserves are huge.
‘La Chasse’ (the hunt) is part of the local Haute Savoie culture, generally running from mid-September until mid-February, with rifles used to hunt mainly wild boar. It is permitted to walk & cycle in all areas including where hunting is taking place, but you’re advised to wear brightly coloured clothing and check out the various apps & web sites which will advise where it’s taking place.
Winter Walks
It’s possible to take on significant walks in winter, but as a famed ski destination there are a lot of addition risks – snow, ice, very low temperatures, all exacerbated by altitude. Snow-shoeing and ski-touring are popular, but we’d recommend a guide for any off-piste activities, particularly given the shorter daylight hours.
The lifts obviously run from mid-December to mid-April and can be used by hikers, so getting up into the mountains is fairly straightforward. Hiking beyond when the lifts close gives you the mountain largely to yourself – just the piste machines motoring around the mountain side, or the odd snowmobile making a supply drop to a café.
Nordic walking through the mountains can be really rewarding, particularly in the nature reserves near Sixt where you may see some great wildlife – chamois, perhaps golden eagles, buzzards or rarely, wolves.
As described above, be aware of ‘la Chasse’ and plan your route.
Secure your dates!
Simply send an email to tim_j_sharpe@hotmail.com and we’ll talk you through it, or send us a WhatsApp/text at +44 7980 681207.