A fight between two French ski resorts is reaching bizarre heights culminating in one mayor comparing the the other to Hitler and stating publicly that he would seek counsel from Donald Trump on how to construct a wall You could be forgiven for thinking you are in a Monty Python movie but this is the odd reality in Megève and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains The mayors of the neighboring ski resorts in the Haute Savoie region have been at loggerheads over the operations of shared lift infrastructure in the interconnected ski area The recent fight does not represent a shocking fracture between friendly neighbors but rather another chapter in a century-old rivalry between Megève and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains The shared location in the Haute-Savoie region at the foot of Mont Blanc has resulted in at times fierce competition for winter sport tourists Part of the rivarly stems from their very different historical background Megève was developed as a ski resort in the 1920s by the Rothschild family who aimed to create a French alternative to the Swiss resort of St Moritz and quickly gained popularity among the aristocracy and well-heeled Saint-Gervais-les-Bains had a long-standing history as a spa town and saw itself as more of a family resort by closely associating itself with the Mont-Blanc massif as a mecca for serious mountaineers with Megève hosting events such as the Polo Masters and Jazz Festival while Saint-Gervais hosts the Mont Blanc Country Festival and the Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc Ultra Trail Things came to a head between the two resorts when the syndicate between the three lift operating companies for the interconnected ski area fell apart The ski area is split up between three municipalities: Megève The area where the ski area connects across municipalities was managed separately but the contract with the current operator Société des Remontées Mécaniques de Megève (SRMM) This is where things became contentuous between Jean-March Peillex mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Catherine Jullien-Brèche the mayor of Megève (Demi-Quartier wisely stayed out off the argument) Peillex accused Jullien-Brèche of not following procedure and disregarding the candidacy of the Saint-Gervais based operating company STBMA and tattling to mommy or rather in this case the Prefect of the Haute-Savoie region This meant that instead of electing a new operator the former joined operation of the Crêtes ski area now has fallen apart and each municipality will now run its own lifts this causes the new problem of agreeing on certain issues with regard to lifts that cross from one municipality into another A new fight erupted between Peillex and Jullien-Brèche about the construction of a new lift that starts in Megève and terminates in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains with the parties disagreeing on just about everything down to the rate of depreciation Peillex in particular has not held back with his insults accusing Jullien-Brèche of trying to annex parts of Saint-Gervais-le-Bains and comparing her to Hitler saying he would not surrender an inch of territory to Megève and suggesting to instead build a wall with advice sought from none other than former U.S It’s not the first time Peillex has garnered publicity with outrageous statements the French mayor proposed to introduce a €15,000 “funeral deposit” for tourists hiking Mont-Blanc in a bid to deter poorly equipped foreign tourists from attempting to hike the famous French peak The competition between Megève and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains has driven both resorts to improve and diversify their offerings continuously making it one of France’s premier destinations for winter sports and alpine tourism this recent spat has turned into a war of roses that could put the ’24/’25 winter operations at risk One can only hope that both parties see the bigger picture and return to the table for negotiations rather than exchanging insults via social media “The best skiers in the world make it down La Verte in around two minutes,” says my guide Alexis Dautcourt as we stand looking down at the start of the legendary 3,343m-long tree-lined run that’s used for world cup downhill races the piste – green in name only – is not for the faint of heart turns and gives me a grin before adding: “But we will take it a bit slower.” La Verte is the most challenging – and thrilling – of the 55km of runs that sits within Les Houches ski area Lodged on the outskirts of Chamonix in the Haute-Savoie area of the French Alps the compact domain is a favourite with skiers for its runs carved through snow-covered pine and larch forests I had arrived at the 1,800m Plateau de Bellevue earlier that morning on the Mont Blanc Tramway from my base of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains The rack-and-pinion railway has been transporting passengers since 1909 depositing them some 500 metres further up the mountain at the Nid d’Aigle and the start of the Voie Royale trail to reach the summit of the “roof of Europe” rather I am here to explore this new-to-me ski area and we spend the day cruising down the wide empty slopes against a cinematic backdrop of the Fiz Massif and the mighty Mont Blanc pausing only to refuel at midday on the sunny terrace of La Cha restaurant I catch the last tram home and watch as the sun begins to slip behind the jagged mountaintops as we wend our way gently back down the mountain I had arrived in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains two days earlier taking the train from London to Paris and then changing for the TGV that speeds skiers from the capital towards the mountains I hopped on board the newly opened 10-person 45-million-euro (£37.5m) Le Valléen gondola and I was in the heart of Saint-Gervais and checked into the welcoming Coeur des Neiges hotel Saint-Gervais-les-Bains has long been a favourite with adventurers eager to summit the mighty Mont Blanc as well as travellers keen to soak in the town’s thermal waters the natural springs are renowned for their healing properties Saint-Gervais is also a favourite with skiers providing access to not only Les Houches but the Domaine Évasion Mont-Blanc an extensive ski domain with 400km of pistes that it shares with the nearby villages of Les Contamines Saint Nicolas de Véroce and Megève – the latter is famous for its A-list credentials and recently featured in an episode of the hit Netflix series Emily in Paris after coffee and croissant in the hotel’s cosy dining room I head to meet Alexis at the Alpin gondola the second – and recently improved – link of the new Le Valléen lift and the entryway to the ski domain Saint Gervais is not a ski-in/ski-out resort click on my skis and follow Alexis as he sets off down fresh corduroy tracks carving sweeping turns under a china-blue sky We spend the morning alternating between cruisy blues and more challenging reds stopping every so often to soak up the kaleidoscopic Alpine views When it’s almost time for lunch Alexis leads me down the tree-lined black Princesse piste and towards Le Boitet this slopeside restaurant is run by award-winning chef Emmanuel Renaut who also owns the three-Michelin-starred Flocons de Sel in nearby Megève Set in a traditional Savoyard chalet with a large sun-drenched terrace Le Boitet promises hungry skiers a more traditional menu than its fine-dining counterpart and at a more affordable price point We tuck into steaming bowls of pasta with truffles and generous portions of gooey croûte savoyarde and finish off with a generous slice of homemade tarte aux myrtilles Lunch is excellent but it’s by no means the only good meal that I enjoy during my time in Saint-Gervais the Alpine village is jam-packed with restaurants One night we dine at local favourite Le Rond de Carotte where I taste what quickly becomes the standout starter of my trip a free-range poached egg in a parsley sauce where juicy steaks are grilled to perfection over an open fire I indulge in an enormous burger served with a thick layer of melted Reblochon cheese at the recently opened Hotel Plan B I can’t leave town without trying the thermal baths and on my final morning I catch the newly opened – and free to use – elevator that links the town centre with the famed spa in the valley below it’s one of a host of green initiatives introduced by the local mayor and delivers me to the entrance to the Thermes I spend several hours soaking in the warm outdoor pools and plotting my imminent return to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed The classic French ski and spa resort of Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc is making great strides towards increasing sustainable mountain tourism with no less than three ground-breaking transport innovations this winter Saint-Gervais will become one of the few French mountain resorts to offer direct gondola access from major European railway lines marking a significant step forward in eco-friendly mountain mobility The newly-opened Le Valléen Gondola connects the SNCF train station at Le Fayet to Saint-Gervais village in just five minutes – twice as fast as by car –  with travel to Le Fayet from Paris taking only 4h25m by TGV during the main holiday period It will seamlessly connect with Le Valléen gondola and has a capacity of 2,800 people per hour It means skiers can be high on the slopes just seven minutes after getting off the train Then next August the resort is due to unveil France’s first wastewater-powered funicular the Ascenseur des Thermes It will offer an innovative hydraulic system and techniques have been designed by French company POMA using technology devised by Michael Farmer a British engineer living in Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc It will link the thermal baths to town centre in just three minutes “This isn’t just about transport – it’s about reimagining mountain access for future generations We’re proving that innovation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand,” commented Jean-Marc Peillex The Le Valléen Gondola connection is expected to reduce daily road traffic by 25% and three new lifts combined should deliver a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions taking approximately 15,000 cars annually from the local mountain roads and wider area The new lifts are in a long tradition of green mobility at Saint-Gervais with the Mont-Blanc Tramway Saint-Gervais offers two ski areas to choose from: Évasion Mont-Blanc (France’s third-largest ski area with over 400km of ski runs) and Saint-Gervais/Les Houches Off the Slopes its attractions include a thermal spa featuring 39°C natural springs Holiday companies have not been slow to notice the upgrades and what they mean for an improved ski holiday experience at St Gervais  “Le Valléen shows the commitment French ski resorts have to protecting the environment and improving eco-friendly accessibility. It’s a unique project that will remove traffic congestion in the town and add another element to the overall experience for visitors,” said Chris Thompson, director of chalet holiday company OVO Network which only operates in authentic mountain resorts “We’ve been expanding our range of properties in St Gervais over the last couple of years and now have some fabulous properties such as Chalet Woodman and Chalet Mussol – new for this year The addition of Le Valléen will add to St Gervais’ appeal year-round and we believe a growing number of British holidaymakers will choose to discover it for themselves.” snow reports and unmissable features direct to your inbox every week with our weekly ski update If you want to subscribe to our monthly newsletter snow reports and unmissable features direct to you inbox with our weekly ski update Snow and Mountain Lifestyle news and entertainment Most people either drive, ride a bus, or take some sort of shuttle to the resort to go skiing, but the Mont-Blanc area has its own stunning way to get to the mountain. In the summer, the Tramway du Mont-Blanc takes riders from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains up to the Nid d’Aigle taking them through a variety of stunning alpines landscapes Of course it’s the winter we care about, and the tramway will take skiers and snowboarders from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains to the Plateau de Bellevue at 1800 meters and the Les Houches ski area. Chamonix Ski Bum took a ride on the tramway and shared his experience A one-way ticket for an adult on the tramway costs 22.20 €, or just about $22.86 USD. Round trip tickets go for 34 €, while kids round trip passes can be purchased for 28.90 €. Certainly not a bad price for such a stunning ride. Get the latest snow and mountain lifestyle news and entertainment delivered to your inbox. nolan@unofficialnetworks.com Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work... Auction house Lyon & Turnbull is holding an early season London viewing of its annual sale of vintage ski posters Presented in partnership with Tomkinson Churcher more than 70 lots with estimates ranging from £300-£10,000 will be on show at L&T’s London gallery just off Hyde Park from 28th November to 3rd December ahead of the sale on 21st January curated by poster specialists Sophie Churcher and Nicolette Tomkinson from the turn of the 20th century through to the 1960s At a time when the first ski resorts competed to be recognised as the most glamorous some of the finest designers and artists were commissioned to create stylish posters urging holidaymakers to visit Posters promoting renowned destinations in Switzerland (Arosa Gervais Les Bains) and Italy (Cortina & The Dolomites) are accompanied by other examples from Victoria See also: Handel Hendrix House Dressed for Christmas © 2024 Arts & Collections - All Rights Reserved cosiness and character of smaller ski resorts then follow in the snowy footsteps of travel writer as a he carves a route through the Haute-Savoie region of France shining a light on the area’s smaller ski resorts often overlooked in favour of Morzine and Le Gets He discovers plenty of unique advantages for skiers both on and off the pistes Dotted among the Haute-Savoie’s snowsport superstars such as Morzine and Les Gets are many smaller Although the names featured in this story may be new to you many in France are familiar with them and soon thanks to the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps the views from the restaurant’s windows stretch over Lake Geneva and far into Switzerland You don’t have to sacrifice quality in these resorts, either. In Les Confins, for example, La Chenillette serves up exceptional Savoyard cuisine in its chalet-style building Through its immense windows you can admire the Aravis mountains beneath which thread 63km of cross-country skiing trails Not only is Les Confins an official cross-country skiing World Cup site it’s also – with nearby La Clusaz – going to host cross-country events during the 2030 winter games There’s often much excitement to be had in medium-sized resorts, too. Le Grand Bornand recently hosted the Biathlon World Cup, an event that inspired the sort of atmosphere you’d expect from 20,000 hollering spectators, many of them ringing cattle bells. You can try biathlon for yourself in Le Grand Bornand, using the rifle ranges just outside of the village has a reputation for snowsport excellence and for being one of the prettiest towns in the Haute-Savoie Just down the road – but with considerably fewer visitors – is Combloux famous for its elegant Baroque church tower and supreme views of Mont Blanc Like many of the region’s small resorts it plugs in (via cable car or chairlift) to hundreds of kilometres of slopes connecting to not only Megève but Saint-Gervais too In the wide Giffre Valley Morillon is part of the Grand Massif quintet of resorts that include Flaine You’ll have to trust me on this one: cold water swimming On the edge of this small and welcoming village is the appropriately named Lac Bleu which thanks to being fed by an underground river remains both clean and above freezing throughout the year Bastu74 is a wood-fired sauna and changing facility on the side of the lake and hosts people who want to take a dip in water that I began by being entirely unconvinced about this activity but gained some confidence when my guide talked me through various breathing exercises and literally held my hand as we stepped into the water After some initial discomfort I focused on that breathing and I was able to stay in the lake and swim for about three minutes returning to the water in-between 15-minute sauna sessions Feeling entirely refreshed after that experience I was ready once again to clip back into some skis the renovation of which was completed in December 2024 It’s therefore a smooth and comfortable journey from Saint-Gervais town past views across the valley to Mont Blanc There’s another big advantage to staying in mid-sized Saint-Gervais: the thermal baths (the full name of the town is Saint-Gervais-les-Bains). The facility at Les Thermes was founded in 1806 and now soothes weary mountain-goers in its hot tubs using the newly opened wastewater-powered lift that descends from Saint-Gervais to the baths in the valley below Easy access is another theme of the Haute-Savoie’s resorts Roads are kept clear of snow (although snow tyres are highly recommended if you’re driving) and Even better: many of the ski buses are free Paris and Lille link the Haute-Savoie by rail to the UK with many resorts served by the line running via Saint-Gervais – just five hours by train to Paris’s Gare de Lyon Each of the Haute-Savoie’s smaller resorts come with big personality cute Alpine architecture and their own unique character trying out the slopes and finding a place that ticks your boxes While you may find that you prefer the big resort bustle there’s also a good chance you’ll find the perfect Haute-Savoie village or town where you’ll feel part of the scenery instead of one of the crowd Olly Beckett is the founder of A Plan To Go (aplantogo.com), which provides travel plans for independent travellers. You can also follow Olly on Instagram @aplantogo Sports Tourism News works with a number of affiliate partners Products are sold directly by agents and operators We may earn a commission should you choose to book any tickets or packages About UsThe TeamOur ValuesAdvisory Panel Our Clients What is a Smart City? Terms and ConditionsCookie PolicyRegistrationLogin © 2025 SmartCitiesWorldSmart Cities World Ltd "+ articleTitle +" This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the commune of Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc has been committed to sustainable development seeking to reconcile respect for nature with the development of tourism This commitment has been recognised by the award of the Flocon Vert label Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc is the first resort to be directly awarded 2 flocons a distinction that recognises the town’s ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable region On 6 September, Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc will mark a turning point in sustainable mobility with the inauguration of the “Valléen” a unique gondola lift linking the SNCF station and the market town of Le Fayet to the centre of Saint-Gervais village in just five minutes the result of two decades of commitment to sustainable development on the part of the municipality is the symbol of a transition towards a mountain environment that is more respectful of the environment and accessible to all gives us an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Le Valléen Le Valléen’ is the latest key element in this strategy and will make these ambitions a reality by offering an environmentally-friendly alternative to the car for getting to and around the resort all year round The “Le Valléen” lift embodies a long-standing commitment to sustainable mobility in Saint-Gervais “you can’t carry out projects for a community without thinking about the long term” Although the lift was built in just over a year the project took around three years to bring to fruition Jean-Marc Peillex points out that the ‘Valléen’ concept did not originate with him but was a reworking of projects encouraged by Laurent Wauquiez and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region which pushed resorts to develop Valléen lifts The aim was simple but ambitious: to create a form of mobility that didn’t exist before and to facilitate or create links between villages or tiered communities stretching from 580 metres to 4,809 metres at the summit of Mont Blanc lends itself particularly well to this kind of initiative “Saint-Gervais is the most unevenly built commune in Europe used to be called “Les champs d’en bas” because after the Glacier de Tête Rousse disaster in 1892 buildings began to spring up around the station “Saint-Gervais is a beginning and an end,” explains Jean-Marc Peillex “Our station is a terminus and therefore also a point of departure We are the terminus and departure point for journeys on major international rail lines and for the TGV des neiges at weekends in winter even if we don’t have the privilege of having it all the time Saint-Gervais is also the beginning and end of the Léman Express coming from or going to the Geneva region and the Greater Geneva area We are also the beginning and end of the Mont-Blanc Express different from the traditional SNCF tracks we are the beginning and end of the Mont-Blanc tramway which in winter serves our second ski area “Les Houches Saint-Gervais” and in summer takes mountaineers up to the Nid d’Aigle their starting point for the ascent of Mont Blanc Jean-Marc Peillex talks about his desire to revitalise his region: “I would describe myself as an opportunist a term that Jean-Pierre Raffarin used at the inauguration of the Thermes lift when he jokingly described me as a ‘subsidy racketeer’ I am simply attentive to the opportunities that present themselves This proactive attitude has enabled us to finance several projects with European funds in collaboration with our Italian partners When Laurent Wauquiez announced that he would finance 30% of the valley lift projects with a ceiling of €10 million in subsidies I naturally said to myself: “Why not us action-oriented approach has enabled us to bring ambitious projects to fruition for the municipality” The “Le Valléen” lift project in Saint-Gervais didn’t happen overnight “You don’t carry out a route and a project of this scale without following a thoughtful and gradual process,” explains Jean-Marc Peillex on his way back from a meeting at the departmental council he came up with an idea as he passed a roundabout where three of the four branches had already been laid out “I asked myself: ‘What if we created this fourth branch This idea of a cable car to the ski slopes had already been considered in the 1980s but abandoned in the face of the controversy it generated Jean-Marc Peillex then decided to take up this idea by tracing a line from this roundabout the intermediate resort of the main Saint-Gervais ski area He brought together the mayors of the neighbouring communes concerned but their municipal councils did not agree the project was moved to be located entirely within the Saint-Gervais municipality the mayor of Megève advised me not to link up with Le Bettex but to move the arrival point closer to the town of Saint-Gervais by bringing together all the parties involved from the outset – including the government departments in particular the DDT and the DREAL – the latter expressed its support for the project while suggesting that it should be closer to the station we decided to place the lift close to the SNCF station” “We need to have the courage to make the project a reality” determined not to let this project become a theoretical concept like so many others this is not the first time he has overcome obstacles He recalls the construction of the bridge at the entrance to Saint-Gervais which he and his municipal team managed to get the département to carry out between 2010 and 2012 the houses would vibrate as the lorries drove through the village with its grimy walls we’ve transformed Saint-Gervais into a pleasant place with terraces everywhere and a real village life we’re going to create a new link with similar virtues to those we created with the bridge” Thinking up a project and wanting to see it come to fruition is the first step then it’s a question of ensuring its financial feasibility and funding Convinced of the need to build the low-carbon mobility infrastructure of the future the Haute-Savoie Departmental Council is providing substantial financial support alongside the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Region (€9,000k) and the municipality (€1,000k) as part of the State-Region Plan Contract (CPER) The balance of the investment (€13,800k) will be borne by STBMA The Valléen is a 100% low-carbon means of transport designed to relieve congestion on the only road between Le Fayet and the centre of Saint-Gervais By reducing road traffic by almost 15,000 cars a year the Valléen will cut CO2 emissions by around 15% making a significant contribution to the fight against global warming The objectives of the Valléen lift go far beyond simply reducing the number of cars on the road “It’s about creating something new,” explains Jean-Marc Peillex but the essential thing is to enable residents to benefit from all the public services.” At present these residents pay the same taxes as those who live in the market town of Saint-Gervais but access to essential facilities such as the ice rink they will be able to take full advantage of the public services to which they contribute financially “When you put in place a valley lift you have two options: either you integrate it into a genuine mobility policy with a new vision or it is regarded as a simple ski lift” This new vision applies to villages such as Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce where public transport has disappeared since the association with Saint-Gervais 50 years ago “The 250 inhabitants of Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce are cut off from the rest of their commune,” notes Jean-Marc Peillex the logic behind “Le Valléen” is to create a real backbone of mobility: “From the station you can go to Sallanches or Chamonix to work but once you arrive in Saint-Gervais how do you get there The answer was quickly found by imagining a public transport service that would operate all year round so that “Le Valléen” would not be reduced to a tourist cable car.” a new public transport service will be launched linking Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce and the hamlets that follow to “Le Valléen” and extending as far as the Pratz sports centre “It’s a real revolution,” says Jean-Marc Peillex “it’s rare to find in a town of our size a public transport service that runs every hour “We’re introducing a whole new approach to mobility,” insists Jean-Marc Peillex This will require residents to change their habits If you say to someone: ‘Now you’re coming down to go skiing’ We’re going to offer them the chance to use the shuttle bus to get to Le Valléen to make it easier for them to get to the ski area and avoid parking problems” The second issue raised by Jean-Marc Peillex is the financial barrier “Our first users will be our residents,” he explains “Le Valléen is designed first and foremost for them although tourists will also benefit from it It is the tourists who will ensure the financial equilibrium of the project Without the integration of this transport into the package of our ski lifts and skiing for which the delegatee provides considerable financial support this project would not have seen the light of day.” which recently decided to offer free public transport to all residents Saint-Gervais has taken a similar decision the sacrosanct principle of equality before a public service prevented the creation of preferential fares for permanent residents we have decided to offer all residents a free pass for the first year” To facilitate access to the “Le Valléen” lift three categories of pass have been introduced “School transport will be accessible via Le Valléen” The Region has played a key role in eliminating the bus between Saint-Gervais and the Lycée du Mont-Blanc and the pupils will be dropped off at the cable car to take the Valléen to the lycée” The Communauté de communes Pays du Mont-Blanc’s “school pass” which allows pupils to take advantage of winter and summer activities will also give them access to Le Valléen from 15 December the commune has innovated by creating the “Pass SaintG’air” “When people talk about Saint-Gervais they often say ‘I’m going to Saint-Ger’ so we played on this nickname to invent this pass” which will pay its delegate to offer it to residents “This represents a cost of around €180,000 for the municipality” justifying this decision by the desire to eliminate the financial barrier he is realistic: “I’ll be honest we won’t be doing this indefinitely.” Jean-Marc Peillex looks back at the commissioning on 3 August of the “Thermes lift” an inclined lift powered by the weight of waste water we had already recorded more than 5,000 journeys” “If you multiply that by an average occupancy of ten people per cabin that’s more than 50,000 people transported in a fortnight” This long-awaited project is an integral part of the municipality’s new mobility strategy linking the thermal park to the entrance to the village of Saint-Gervais and already transforming local life “That’s why I’m talking about a revolution in mobility and not just ‘clean’ or ‘decarbonised’ mobility as some environmentalists or national administrations are saying,” insists the mayor Jean-Marc Peillex recalls that the car has long been perceived as the symbol of freedom when those who could not afford it were forced to use public transport pointing out how rising living standards enabled many to gain access to individual mobility we’re offering something a little different,” he explains “We are creating alternatives that will allow people to enjoy a new freedom that of individual mobility without having to buy or use their vehicle.” With this in mind with automatic systems that will prevent the cabins from turning unnecessarily when there is no one there thus offering a new approach to mobility in the mountains Le Valléen doesn’t just make it easier to get around: it also helps to improve the quality of life of local residents by reducing noise and pollution while enhancing the tourist appeal of the area By linking the Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area to major urban centres such as London visitors can arrive by train and reach the slopes without ever using their car A feat that will be further enhanced by the replacement of the second section linking the centre of Saint-Gervais to Le Bettex scheduled for the start of winter 2024-2025 There are no slow months when the resort is completely empty although of course we receive visitors from all over the world The ‘background noise’ for our tourism activity comes mainly from the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region and the Geneva area The idea is to create infrastructures that serve the residents first and foremost because that’s the core of my policy we design projects for the benefit of permanent residents and then we scale them so that tourists can enjoy them too Le Valléen will enable people to come by train with their bikes and spend a weekend in Saint-Gervais it will even be possible to travel from Brussels to Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce without a car We’re not in the seasonal services business secondary residents and tourists share the same space as the locals; there is no distinction tourists will no longer have to ask us if transport is available We’ve set up a real permanent link that makes it easier for them to come here” Le Valléen is part of a wider vision of sustainable tourism development By facilitating access to winter and summer activities such as mountain biking and paragliding it will make Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc a year-round destination of choice attracting local tourists and contributing to the local economy “The second link in the Le Valléen chain is the replacement of our gondola lift linking Saint-Gervais to Le Bettex itself built on the skeleton of the first cable car dating from 1936 The renovation will be completed by 15 December It will be a gondola lift with ten-seater cabins but complying with tourist cableway regulations This new equipment will be able to transport up to 2,800 people per hour As a pioneer in the introduction of sustainable mobility solutions in the mountains Saint-Gervais has already started to share its experience ” The Thermes lift is arousing a lot of curiosity We’ll be welcoming delegations from France and abroad including members of the Geneva airport environment committee Each region requires an approach tailored to its specific characteristics What we have succeeded in doing is breaking the deadlock of the impossibility of carrying out such projects There were many valley lift projects in Haute-Savoie By getting all the parties around the table and having the courage to take the plunge to confront the defenders of dogma and to take a few knocks you also need to know the funding network and know how to convince them to make it feasible Our project should act as a trigger for other similar initiatives even in remote mountain regions or rural areas of France I think it will make many people think” Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc is showing the way to a new approach to tourism and mobility in the mountains built around balance and respect for the environment where the quality of life of the local people is at the heart of its actions This pioneering initiative confirms the town’s determination to be at the forefront of sustainable tourism offering its residents and visitors a mountain that is accessible lively and sustainable for future generations If you're unhappy with your product in any way Simply email us at shop@goodbeerhunting.com SHIPPINGAll orders will be processed and shipped in about a week's to ten days time This isn't always perfect (we're not Amazon) so if you have a rush please email us ahead at shop@goodbeerhunting.com to make sure we can pull it off in time Your email or personal information will never be shared or sold to anyone Longreads and photographic journeys documenting our ongoing worldwide adventures in beer My legs manage on their own as I run down the familiar trails from my home in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains towards Les Contamines.  The weight on my back—a mere five kilograms or about 11 pounds—is soon to be the envy of many a hiker burdened with towering packs stuffed with every imaginable necessity My trail companion Quentin’s bag is a mirror of mine without the pen and paper but with a snug compartment for his camera Through the entry to the Contamines park and along the Roman road that was built here some 2,000 years ago my brain is still focused on this morning’s work Did I dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s before leaving for five days?  Saint-Gervais-les-Bains to Refuge de la Croix de Bonhomme It’d been 18 months since we arrived in the region, and we’d yet to undertake this most famous of hikes: the Tour du Mont Blanc, or TMB, a circular, 160-kilometer (100-mile) route around the highest peak in the Alps, legendary for its late-summer ultramarathon, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc we’d decided to do this itinerary in early June as a good way to get in shape for the summer season Our goal: to taste local beers along the way and delve into mountain hospitality.  thick grass surrounds the Refuge de la Balme but as we begin to approach the mountain pass known as Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and I’m happy that he’ll trot along with us for the first two days a few hikers have wedged themselves into the tiny cabin that serves as shelter for this very reason: The weather is wretched but they don’t reduce the bite of the hail that’s pinging off my body.  a mountain hut is called a refuge; in Italian albeit with a spaghetti-shaped accent: rifugio I’ve stayed in refuges that were on the left side of rustic and in one that offered Wi-Fi and a five-course dinner menu since I’m usually coming in after having done some type of exhausting sport: a place to sleep without being cold and a feeling of comradery with the keepers The Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme is famous for all three The staff looks at our bags and assumes we’re serious runners come to the area early to do a reconnaissance for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc among the most famous trail races in the world I’m flattered but quickly explain the real purpose of our tour to Noe Pennetier “So you’re running around Mont Blanc to drink beer?” he asks.  I’m looking for special beers that speak to mountain culture.”  He loves it and calls another member of the staff over to chat about the journey “We try to do as much with local ingredients and producers as we can Both of these are inspired by refuge keepers.” He’s got a white and a blonde for me to try: La Tresse de la Gardienne from Brasserie de l’Antidote La Tresse has the lightness I tend to go for in a white beer the lightly hoppy Barbe du Gardien is only served in mountain refuges which somehow adds to the feeling that this evening niched away in the mountains is special and fleeting As the sun sets over the Beaufortain range behind us The first step of the (Beer) Tour du Mont Blanc has gone off without a hitch Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme to Hotel Del Viale The lingering snow is packed tight and we slip and slide down “Lean into the slope,” I tell my upper body the ice adds a new rip to my shorts.  our main objective of the morning is the Col de la Seigne From this side of Mont Blanc—or Monte Bianco since we’re now in Italy—the walls of rock and ice seem sharp Later we’ll see one of the most dangerous rock faces in mountaineering—les Grandes Jorasses a wall of rock and ice that should be unclimbable And yet humans have somehow found a way up.  this pass is their version of les Grandes Jorasses we pass groups whose eyes will soon illuminate with the sight of the glaciers gooey purée I made from sweet potatoes and spirulina turns out to be a filling lunch we spot a mini-fridge with cans of Saint Bernard beer The logo shows a trail runner and a mountain We don’t think twice about grabbing one of these session IPAs to drink alongside our first cappuccinos of the Italian part of this trip A little bitter but with unmissable citrus and fruity (but not sweet) notes for us it’s just as nice as the rich alpine grass must be for the cows The road below is dotted with hikers who’ve had their fill of the trails today long road that descends almost directly to Courmayeur But down there they’re missing my favorite view of Mont Blanc the tongues of glaciers and the spines of ridges drop down to the valley floor stopping only at the intimidating swaths of rock fields.  but still below the interminable scrambling needed to cross the rock fields I’m in the spot where trail runners usually find themselves I don’t quite feel like I completely fit the trail-runner culture either A pack of six trail runners catches up with us with logos splashed all over their clothes and a way of running in sync that borders on militaristic The competitive side of this sport has yet to tease me in The Italians don’t bother with long switchbacks: The turns seem to be the shortest length they could cut the trail without it becoming totally vertical flat stones—this is typical of the Aosta valley covered in a layer of dust and smelling far less than fresh.  and I jump into a rotation to get ready in double time: We grab showers wearing the leggings that double as our pajamas with fleeces buttoned up over our naked torsos All our other clothes are drying on the windowsill Sitting around a too-small table some 45 minutes later with a pair of runners we’d crossed earlier on the trail we’re waiting for the best pizza in Courmayeur the best pizza in Courmayeur from a restaurant that opens before 7 p.m With more than a half-marathon gnawing at our stomachs waiting until most restaurants open is not on the table The only thing we want on the table is a pizza.  is exactly what we were looking for: no-frills pizza from a stone oven In one shot we order our pies plus a white and a few pale ales from local brewer Bierra Courmayeur With names like Aiguille Blanche (the White Needle) or Les Dames Anglaises (the English Women) the beers reference famous corners of the Mont Blanc range Though I’m usually wary of anything heavy or over 5% ABV Les Dames Anglaises surprises me with its approachability If there is a beer perfect for eating Italian pizza with a homemade red sauce and not too much cheese “See you at home!” These words echo behind Pierre as he takes off the next morning before 7 a.m He’s going to run our next two days of the tour in one then catch the train back to Saint Gervais Pierre is a formidable competitor in trail races The first two days were a mere warm-up for him whereas Quentin and I are already starting to feel the fatigue I know there is always someone faster than me and I know that I’m faster than a lot of people But I secretly wish I could just push through the pain or the hesitation or whatever it is that makes me not as fast as Pierre.  Maybe it’s not fear of pain or hesitation that makes me slower than Pierre Maybe it’s just an inability to rush when I’d rather linger Why run 10 hours in a day when I can hang around in Courmayeur we begin the steep climb out of Courmayeur into the Val Ferret it’s quiet and verdant—my favorite valley for winter back-country skiing but only because the Grand col Ferret is so high above us Snowy switchbacks finally lead us to a windy view back over the valley The replies to my “Bonjour!” are heavily accented How strange to pass two dozen of my countrymen here The Tour du Mont Blanc has become a bucket-list adventure for many in the States you’ll lose touch with what inspires dreams and imagination in your people A rolling descent from the pass means the last five kilometers (about three miles) disappear in a half hour nearly the first hikers to arrive for the night reserving the overnight stays has become obligatory It takes away some of the spontaneity that traveling with a tent gives I am sure I could happily run another 10 kilometers But maybe it’s for the best that we’re a bit bored—isn’t that the root of feeling disconnected That feeling we’re chasing when we come out into nature Learning to appreciate being bored is a meditation exercise Staring at the little road below the refuge and forward over the flanks and hollows of the mountain And not a single full sentence crosses my mind Quentin arrives with pints of blonde ale from the same Swiss brewery as yesterday: Les Bières du Grand Saint Bernard and in the glaring sun it goes down way too fast Quentin skips up to the bar to order us two more there’s a softness of young florals and honey like the wildflowers in the mountains in early summer.  I should be rejoicing that dessert is a bowl of fruit—not something you often get in mountain huts—but instead I’m bemoaning that it’s not a big slice of cake and I’m starting to feel my calorie deficiency A nutrition coach and aide extraordinaire to the ultra-trail champion Mathieu Blanchard she offered some precious advice: “At night after a long run you have to recuperate the calories burned that day and try to get ahead for tomorrow.”  What would I do without someone like her to enable me At the first rays of sunlight we’re awake and silently squishing all our gear back into the packs Breakfast includes fresh milk from the cows outside a glaring benefit to staying at a working farm Last night’s chill still lingers in the air as we run down to La Fouly Here it’s time to wait for Cécile and Elvire Our two friends who live in Switzerland were also up before dawn to catch the train before hitchhiking to this meeting point they’re happy to join us for two days as part of their own training program The girls are fresh and chattering about their summer running plans.  and I turn off my brain until we reach Champex at a small lake situated between two passes The surrounding village is sweet but not wild There is a running joke in the region that you can always tell when you’re on the Swiss side of the mountain range because of how tightly and neatly their wood is stacked outside the chalets All the lawns indeed seem trimmed with scissors and there isn’t a single space between logs that’s big enough for a wood beetle to make its home.  this propensity to compare myself to other runners is part of why I don’t compete in trail races and not push myself to the limit just to be faster than someone else If I had a nobler reason or something to prove A small hut after midday does not offer lodging, but it does serve l’Echapée, a beer from Martigny, the Swiss city far below us. It’s a good thing we like it, because the waitress misunderstands my order and we end up with full pints, plus a bottle of a white ale from the La Valaisanne brewery notoriously independent and proud of its Alpine values is inviting enough for us to stay and sip slowly The white beer that we share is possibly one beer too many Our pause has given other hikers that we’d doubled a chance to catch up Back on the trail we dutifully overtake them “These girls are faster than us even when they’re drinking the day away!” Words like that snap me out of my jealousy of Cécile Even if 25 kilometers and a pint of beer on just a sandwich have left my legs as wobbly as spaghetti tonight I stuff myself full of bread and cheese Would Alix be proud of my nutrition choices?  A shiny-headed British runner named Andrew who we’ve been leap-frogging along the route since Italy He has a different approach to trail nutrition: “I drink a pint and then eat a burger every day for lunch when I’m running these trips He loves the nature of our journey and has the same relaxed attitude about running as we do but this year I’m running the Swiss Peaks.”  Of course, running the TMB seems like something for lightweights when you’re training for a 360-kilometer (223-mile) ultra-trail race like the Swiss Peaks Trail.  France welcomes us with easy descent in the high pastures before making us scramble down to the Col des Montets This is by far the biggest scam of the trip we immediately have to climb back up toward la Tête aux Vents.  This is a detour from the classic tour route and a seemingly evil decision by Quentin After four days and 100 kilometers (62 miles) he’s decided we should climb nearly straight up “It’s so good up there in the Aiguilles Rouges but on the fourth ladder of the climb he admits he’s never been before this is my dream!” I’m happy to indulge his dream and across the valley sprawls the whole Mont Blanc range At the top we picnic and weigh a big decision: Will we run all the way to Les Houches via le Brevant people have been warning us that the Brevant section of the trail is too snowed over to cross But these are the same people on their first-ever long-distance hikes Cécile and Elvire decide to forgo the snowy path and follow a trail back down to the valley to catch their train home they send us a text that they passed Andrew enjoying a huge beer and a burger at a restaurant close to Plan Praz.  Quentin and I finally feel like we are exploring Our way of navigating reads like instructions on a treasure map: “After weaving between the rock walls and the snowy slopes begin to climb down knifelike stones to Les Houches.”  just getting this far gives us such a sense of achievement that I call ahead to Quentin “What if we just finish tonight and run the last 20 kilometers back to Saint Gervais?” He shouts back something that sounds like “Hell yeah!”  But that is before three kilometers of stony switchbacks Once we reach the auberge we’d booked for the night neither of us feels up for another 20 kilometers Thirty-eight turned out to be enough.  Les Houches is the beginning and end of the TMB for many people and here we meet the widest mix of nationalities to date We bunk with a Chinese girl who giggles when I try to make conversation the only option—we drink with a pair of Kazakhs Though I was not too enthusiastic when we first opened them the little beers bring back memories of having a drink with friends alongside the canal in Paris Surrounded by the infectious excitement of hikers from around the world +970 meters (+3,182 feet) to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains The joy of running a loop that leads home is that you can spend the whole way imagining the meal you’re going to enjoy Running for six days leads to fantasizing about food for large swaths of the day Imagining my veggie burger is only interrupted by the joy of reaching the flowering village of Bionassay At noon on the dot, we reach our adopted hometown of Saint Gervais, at the opening time of l’Eterele, our local pizza joint. Two bottles of ice-cold Marmotte beer later distribute their beers within only a 30-kilometer (18-mile) radius and as we climb home we pass their workshop with a wave.  Only when we reach the back door of our chalet do we feel it: We’ve run the (Beer) Tour du Mont Blanc and our legs and stomachs have taken great care of us we’ve outrun the mental weight of our jobs outrun the fear of the elements or not having “enough” gear outrun the need to compare ourselves to or compete with others and confirmed our suspicion that you should always stop for a beer and always check the trail out yourself.  and Publications that’ll drive you to drink The Danish man’s death comes just one day after four other hikers “died from exhaustion” on Mont Blanc after being stranded 13 July 2016 - L'Oréal has submitted a firm offer to Rivadis Group for the acquisition of the Société des Thermes de Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and licence to use the Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc brand the Rivadis Group has granted exclusive negotiation rights to L'Oréal The Mont Blanc’s pure water is protected by a unique ecosystem its virtues have been recognized for over two centuries The thermal spa of Saint-Gervais was created in 1807 and is today one of Europe's most important thermal spa resorts Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc products are formulated with 100% Mont-Blanc thermal spring water natural extracts of Alpine plants and offer a range of products for the care and protection of the face and body The acquisition should be completed in the next few months after approval by the municipality of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and consultation of Rivadis Group employees Through our 2024 Annual Report, take a deep dive into beauty – our vocation and sole focus for the past 115 years. Discover the excellence of the L'Oréal model through the most significant initiatives of the year. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. French authorities have opened an investigation I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice French rescue officials have found the bodies of two Italian and two South Korean climbers close to the peak of Mont Blanc on the French side after they went missing over the weekend in bad weather The Chamonix-Mont Blanc search and rescue team found the two pairs of climbers at an altitude of 4,700 meters (more than 15,400 feet) on the Alps’ highest peak. They died of hypothermia, rescue officials said. The unaccompanied climbers had alerted rescuers on Saturday afternoon, but weather conditions continued to deteriorate, preventing rescuers from reaching their location from the ground or by helicopter. Two other Korean climbers were successfully rescued on Sunday morning at an altitude of 4,100 meters (more than 13,400 feet) after rescuers deployed a highly complex operation. French authorities have opened an investigation. In December last year, a British woman and her son died after an avalanche swept through an off-piste area of the French ski resort. The 54-year-old mother and her 22-year-old son had been skiing with other family members, according to the Bonneville public prosecutor’s office. Another skier, reportedly an instructor, has been left injured and a hiker was killed in a separate area after the avalanche on Mont Blanc. An FCDO spokesperson said at the time: “We are supporting the family of two British people who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.” The avalanche hurtled through an off-piste section of the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort. I arrived in Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to an ecstatic atmosphere It was the eve of the opening ceremony for a massive infrastructure project promising to revolutionise transport in the old spa town Saint-Gervais located in the picturesque and authentic Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc region of France is already one of the most accessible French ski resorts for British skiers It’s a 50-minute drive from Geneva Airport I’d highly recommend the train journey: there’s nothing like seeing those sweeping rock faces and pine forests speed towards you before the first snow of the Alps taking you to the village of Bettex (1,400m) and the bottom of the main slopes as well as the wastewater-powered funicular connecting Saint-Gervais to its world-famous thermal baths (Les Thermes) comprised an 18-month project led by Saint-Gervais’ formidable mayor they’ve transformed the resort experience: cutting journey times Saint-Gervais is now the only resort in the Alps to have a gondola system connecting you straight from the train station platform to the slopes—all in under 10 minutes While I missed the inauguration at the top of Le Valléen the following morning Their efficiency and sleek design were a world away from the rickety chairlifts and cramped cable cars of other resorts and I was intrigued to hear that further renovations of Saint-Gervais’ lift system were imminent With the iconic Tramway Mont-Blanc already in the process of upgrading quite unlike neighbouring Megève and Chamonix Like Gastein in Austria and plenty of others with much of its architecture dating to the late 19th century I was reminded of a Jacquelyn Lawson Christmas card: the whimsical lampposts and gingerbread house hotels giving it a charm amiss from purpose-built ski resorts As Mayor Peillex would later tell me over dinner Saint-Gervais is not a ski resort—it’s an all-around town as much for the local families that live there as the tourists who come to ski My three nights in Saint-Gervais were to be at the Hôtel Coeur des Neiges: a darling three-star lodge tucked away behind the village church and meeting all the criteria of a rare gem the à la carte accommodation feels more like an oversized bed and breakfast; the local owner A roaring log fire greeted me in the little lobby-cum-lounge flanked by boutique cabinets stuffed with purchasable Savoyard fare: fromage and a few healthy bottles of Génépi Hôtel Coeur des Neiges glows with character—much like Saint-Gervais itself Sebastian has done a fantastic job of guaranteeing the guest experience from the Continental breakfast in the morning overlooking the snow-capped Aravis Range available in several sizes with differing balcony views I soon discovered that the lounge’s fur-clad sofa is the perfect place for a pre-dinner café or apéritif perhaps with some complimentary Tête de Moine cheese you’ll hear few footsteps on the ground floor’s Turkish rugs (spare Sebastian’s) and can relax to the soft jazz music playing by firelight the free Facilibus shuttle to Le Valléen/L’Alpin changeover station stops outside Saint-Gervais’ Tourism Office after filling up on cappuccino and Bircher muesli I picked up my kit from the Couer des Neiges’ downstairs ski room and headed out for the slopes Having rented a pair of local Dynastar skis from Blanc Sport a charming family-ran workshop on Saint-Gervais high street I was keen to test them on some freshly groomed snow The relatively low altitude of Saint-Gervais’ three main villages (the eponymous Saint-Gervais and Saint-Nicolas) means that conditions at base camp are remarkably different to up-top I quickly rose out of what I discovered to be a river of fog filling the Arve Valley my first peek at Aiguille d’Aujon’s bold cliff face was to dazzling sunlight I couldn’t help feeling smug to have such good weather compared to just a few hundred metres below the only slopeside village in Saint-Gervais with a few pleasant chalet-style hotels the Saint Gervais red can take you down to the village proper the piste is only open after a heavy snowfall less so the fresh powder (although snow coverage was pretty good) as I was sticking to Saint-Gervais’ well-maintained and virtually infinite 263km of piste (445km with the Evasion Mont-Blanc pass) Also at Bettex is a selection of après-ski restaurants (while I eyed up the grandiose Le Spot I eventually settled on L’Embuscade—a much shorter queue for vin chaud if you can stand sitting outside) and Saint-Gervais’ ESF branch I’d highly recommend booking an ESF guide for the day as I did—they’ll show you the best spots according to the weather conditions that day having an ESF guide allows you to skip those arduous lift queues (few that they were in Saint-Gervais) the only way is up to the summit of Mont d’Arbois (1,833m) Riding the more retro Bettex-Arbois gondola I got my first view of Saint-Gervais’ signature and main attraction: Mont Blanc (4,809m) It’s a fair boast to say that the highest mountain in Europe is on your doorstep and yet it’s one Saint-Gervais is (rightly) keen to make Saint-Gervais and connecting Les Houches (where I skied on day two) offer the best view of Mont Blanc out of any French resort—including Chamonix—and the views kept getting better as my guide and I went further up forested blues and some more challenging reds the higher you climb Intermediates and beginners are king here (experts less so) with a decent range of sub-areas to suit all tastes thanks to its relatively low profile and ample north-facing terrain the resort is a freerider’s dream following a heavy powder dump with a good bowl under the Mont Joly chair and some of the best tree-skiing in the so-called “Magic Garden” between the Lanchettes and Radaz lifts leading up to Côte 2000 (2,014m) Further excellent tree-skiing can be found around Princesse: a long rolling black which was so fun I had to do it several times over Given the location of Saint-Gervais’ La Folie Douce (which isn’t quite the hyper-hedonistic affair of Val Thorens or Val d’Isère) my advice would be to get to the summit of Mont Joly (2,525m)  (Saint-Gervais’ highest point) as soon as possible The Mont Joux chair leading that way is by far the resort’s busiest towards lunchtime thanks to my guide’s queue-cutting privilege the Mont Joly chair (a kick in the keister from the 1980s) is forced to close Epaule (2,137m) is your next-best bet: from there you can see as far as Geneva (60km) on a good day from where many of Saint-Gervais’ weekend commuters come Riding the Epaule chair in Mont Joly’s shadow I disembarked to find myself again face-to-face with Mont Blanc—this time with a full view of its colossal massif I can’t understate its effect on the mountaineer: the ultimate romantic Sublime; one you can lose yourself in for minutes You’ve not seen the Alps until you’ve seen Mont Blanc up close I took the Chevreuil red down from Mont Joly to Mont Joux (1,958m): some nifty twists with mogul fields in between and a final wide section expert skiers and boarders were rocketing down so my guide and I opted for the opposite: the wonderfully tender Finance blue back to Bettex just as golden hour was igniting the trees While the rose-gold sunset lit up Mont Blanc I bid farewell to my guide and boarded L’Alpin back to Saint-Gervais Saint-Gervais has many excellent mountain restaurants to pick from—the tragedy of my flying visit was that I couldn’t try them all Over gingham tablecloths on the restaurant’s sunny terrace the serving staff lay dishes of venison and truffle pasta Ran by Michelin star chef Emannuel Renaut (best known for his three-star Flocons de Sel in Megève) Le Boitet exemplifies how Saint-Gervais has changed in the past 15 years what was once a popular pub for pisteurs and local families is now a sleek I encountered photos of the old establishment: pictures of mountaineers past at a bar front that’s no longer there that’s part of the price for becoming an international resort—a bargain I would later discuss with Mayor Peillex my guide and I stopped at the much humbler La Cha: an old-fashioned canteen serving large When the weather’s beautiful in Les Houches (as it was for me) there’s no better spot for a digestif than in the restaurant’s canvas sun loungers: Combloux and the Aravis Range ahead a flock of Alpine chough on the breeze above Be sure to try La Cha’s Sapinette: a spruce-based liqueur sweeter than Austria’s Zirbenschnaps which will keep your chest warm as you hurtle down the mountain Having sampled Saint-Gervais’ plentiful offerings on day one, my guide and I headed to adjoining Les Houches for a Sunday jaunt. This was partly an excuse to ride the Tramway du Mont-Blanc (TMB): the highest railway in France reaching over 2,370m from its origin at Le Fayet to the Nid d’Aigle (the start-point for climbers ascending Mont Blanc) the iconic rack-and-pinion railway is undergoing extensive modernisation Part of the project is already complete—including Saint-Gervais’ TMB station which has a well-stocked gift shop and café kiosk should you need an extra espresso en route I’d recommend pre-planning when you’ll set off (as mentioned you can pick up a coffee and pastry at the station) once past Col de Voza (1,650m) your first glimpses of Mont Blanc appear through the canopies leaving you in full view of the cloud-capped Toblerone Doubling down from the spectacle the day before Les Houches’ ski area is not just face-to-face with Mont Blanc When our tram arrived at the aptly named Bellevue (1,800m) I realised that the ridge we’d been travelling up was Mont Blanc’s northwestern flank you can feel the icy wind tumble off the cyan Bionnassay Glacier Les Houches’ 50km of slopes seems an obvious second choice to Saint-Gervais I couldn’t believe that my guide and I were the only skiers on the piste Les Houches comfortably rests in Mont Blanc’s long shadow which protects any snowfall from the long arm of the sun While there’s even less party than at family-focused Saint-Gervais we began on the Mur des Epines red (which felt more like a short black) before switching to the La Verte black (which felt more like a long red) While Saint-Gervais’ sheer diversity trumped Les Houches’ La Verte trumped any slope I’d tried the day before You may know it as the Kandahar Les Houches held since the early days of Alpine skiing: 3,343m long and 870m in descent I could hardly comprehend the sheer speed and endurance of those athletes who’ve braved ‘The Green’ black Perhaps the only downside of La Verte is the cable car required to reascend you can always skip the next few shuttles with a bite to eat from the Kitsch Inn’s kitchen (pardon the pun) we took a series of gentle blues towards Prarion (1,900m) before skiing the Fontaine red down to the bottom of the Crozat chair This piste crisscrosses the summertime route for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc—Chamonix’s claim to fame and arguably the most famous ultramarathon in Europe While I can’t imagine the pain of sprinting up (and down) the steep slope descending the Col de Voza red as the sunset began and Mont Blanc consumed the sky While it may not be at the top of your list Les Houches is proof that the places that are harder to get to tend to be worth it Riding the TMB back to Saint-Gervais after a day on the slopes I couldn’t help thinking the sweeping vista was some kind of prize: pale golden lights splitting the various seams of a massive valley-bowl I was lucky to have three great dinners and an equally good lunch while staying in Saint-Gervais giving me an excellent view of the resort’s diverse options having checked into Hôtel Coeur des Neiges I went for a pre-dinner drink at Le Nordique and a decent selection of Alpine beers and white wines They also serve cheese and charcuterie platters in case you’ve gone out on an empty stomach Following Le Nordique, I dined at Rond de Carotte: a chic wee dining grotto serving gourmet dishes with a rustic touch In a low-ceilinged backroom with bright white walls I sampled their craft Gin du Mont Blanc—produced by a Scot in Europe’s highest distillery—with a dram of local eau de vie to finish the meal they’ll still be serving the caramelised apple dessert with a mousse and almonds—less melt-in-your-mouth so much as yourself melting into it On night two, after my first day of skiing, I needed a hearty meal. The tourism office recommended Le Galeta—conveniently next-door to my hotel—and I couldn’t be more glad I listened Le Galeta is about as traditional a Savoyard restaurant as you can get filling what looks like a 19th-century barn with a bonfire’s worth of meaty woodsmoke The first sight on entering was a massive stone fireplace over which chefs were grilling local pork and beef; on heavy tables under low rafters French families chortled around raclette sets My final dinner in Saint-Gervais was at the Amancette in Saint-Nicolas the Amancette is Saint-Gervais’ only five-star hotel built on the site of the town’s former bakery (in honour of it the hotel has its own in-house bakery available to locals at a non-five-star price) Combining a sort of timber postmodernism with touches of festive cottagecore and a delicious signature perfume throughout the hotel the Amancette offers by far the most luxurious board in the resort—and dining From my deconstructed bruschetta to a bouillabaisse of fresh char finished with a tray of sweet treats straight out of the Grand Budapest Hotel La Table d’Armante at the Amancette is I could see why Mayor Peillex picked it for our discussion—showcasing the best his resort had to offer Both La Table d’Armante and Le Galeta were a world away from where I stopped for lunch before leaving Saint-Gervais: PlanB, a hotel and restaurant in Le Fayet They’ve pulled out all the stops to be ‘hip’ (an eclectic The place was filled with young locals enjoying a range of quirky dishes from ‘millefeuille’ lasagne to Japanese karaage chicken On the morning of my departure, I figured the best way to ease into a day of travelling was at the spa. Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais are the resort’s original claim to fame—and with good reason Their healing properties have been well-documented since at least 1806 when Swiss notary Joseph Marie-Gontard constructed a small bathhouse on the site the massively upgraded facility was the favoured spot of Janine Charrat the acclaimed French ballerina who suffered major full-body burns in 1961 Charrat visited Saint-Gervais often and thanks to the hot mineral springs For pedestrians, reaching Les Thermes is now easier than ever due to the new state-of-the-art funicular, Ascenseur des Thermes departing from Saint-Gervais’ high street unlike Le Valléen and L’Alpin the funicular doesn’t require a lift pass over 300,000 passengers have used the funicular since its inauguration in August 2024 Exiting the funicular’s elevator-like compartment The great white Art Deco building beautifully contrasts with the verdant gorge formed by the rushing Bon-Nant River As geothermal steam rose from vents in its rooftop the cabins of Le Valléen threaded the narrow slit of sky above visitors are greeted by a massive cosmetics store stocked with exclusive Les Thermes’ products and A large information mural details the waters’ healing properties in French particularly for those suffering from arthritis as well as dermatological and respiratory conditions After paying the three-hour fee (€49 off-season it’s a fairly smooth process to enter; if you don’t have €2 for the locker I’m a big advocate of spas as après-ski partly for muscle recovery but also as a mental reward I appreciated Les Thermes all the same: from sensory hammams and sauna to a ‘rainforest area’ with various sensory water treatments I filled my hands with fresh fruit and a cup of herbal tisane instead Les Thermes alone are a reason to visit Saint-Gervais Hôtel Coeur des Neige Prices start at €130 per night excluding breakfast La Cha Bistro du Mont Joly Arriving by train travel from London to Paris Gare du Nord with Eurostar. There are then direct trains from Paris Gare du Lyon (a short distance away) to Saint-Gervais Le Fayet from Friday – Sunday. French railways: https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/ Arriving by air Geneva is the nearest airport and is served by various airlines including SWISS Car is the quickest option and it takes roughly 45min – 1 hour Ski hire: Blanc Sport Lift passes: https://www.ski-saintgervais.com/en/h1-tarif-evasion-mt-blanc Ski school: https://www.ski-school-saint-gervais.co.uk/adults/ Snow-show walking: https://evolution2.com/en/saint-gervais/snowshoes-hike-in-saint-gervais?v=2520 Thermes Saint-Gervais: https://spa.thermes-saint-gervais.com/en/Tarifs Robert Thorne’s trip was hosted by Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc Tourist Board The Leman Express will connect passengers from Geneva to St-Gervais-les-Bains without changing trains with the line due for completion by December 2019 For other transport options from Geneva to Chamonix, check out our 'Getting Here' guide SeeChamonix.com is a SeeTheWorld destination have died in an avalanche that took place in the Mont Blanc mountain range of the French Alps The avalanche occurred at 2,300 metres elevation and measured 400 metres wide They were skiing with an instructor out of a designated area at the ski resort of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the Haute-Savoie when the avalanche was triggered by skiers above The instructor was also buried but rescued by other skiers Five other skiers were in the area but not buried including the husband and father of the deceased Police said an inquiry has been opened to establish the circumstances of the deaths “Zero risk doesn’t exist off-piste,” Jean-Luc Boch the president of the Association of Mountain Station Mayors “There is a risk and that risk exists even if you are accompanied by professionals by ski instructors … there is always a risk weighing over you Never forget that in the mountains security is the most important thing and you have to be extremely careful Get the digital edition of Gripped for your chosen platform: Five deaths in just two days on Mont Blanc: a hiker from Denmark slipped off the path and fell to his death He was hiking in steep terrain near Saint-Gervais-les-Bains A hiker from Denmark fell to his death in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps on Wednesday Rescue workers announced on Wednesday that the 61-year-old had slipped off a path he was hiking through a steep area near Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the Haute-Savoie department before falling 30 meters Four climbers - two Koreans and two Italians - were found dead on Mont Blanc on Tuesday they were on their way without a mountain guide and died of exhaustion Here are the best ski chalets in Europe to book for your next escape to the slopes, most within touching distance of the best ski resorts in Europe. For more places to stay, see our edit of the best Airbnbs for skiing in Europe and the best ski hotels in Europe SwitzerlandIf you’re looking for ski in/ski out access this classical wooden chalet makes an excellent choice with its near-perma snow-dusted rooftop in impossibly pretty Nendaz There's an outdoor pool for brisk dips before a spell in the jacuzzi flop onto the sofa and stoke the fireplace for a film with the family Non-skiers are well-cared for too: bike tours SwitzerlandThis bijou villa checks off all the hallmarks of a traditional ski chalet cosy lanterns adding a glow to chilly nights The skiing area around this chalet isn’t huge with a wealth of hiking trails to explore on days spent off the slopes You’re also well-positioned for day trips to other pretty hotspots including Interlaken Sleeps: FourPrice: From around £106 per night SwitzerlandYou’ll have to take the chocolate box-worthy cogwheel train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen to reach this villa as the village where it sits is blissfully car-free But after a zippy 11-minute chug through snow-dusted hillsides A thoughtful renovation has transformed this villa into a coolly minimal Scandinavian retreat Top notch furnishings in cool neutral tones leave room for the views to take centre stage Look out to far-reaching views over the Lauterbrunnen valley and surrounding mountains right outside your window best enjoyed on the terrace with a morning brew as the sun rises over the peaks FranceThere’s more than enough room for all the family in this sprawling ski chalet which is sat atop a quiet hillside in Les Xettes with glorious views all over the Gérardmer Valley plus a room with four beds for kids to bundle up in and a sizeable living room with a terrace hop into the jacuzzi or ease muscles in the sauna before challenging your fellow travellers to a game of boules or foosball Your ski passes will be waiting for you when you step through the door and massages are also available upon request Sleeps: 12Price: From around £395 per night BelgiumForget olde worlde little wooden chalets – you’ll not find any such tweeness here from the clean minimal lines stretching up around the triple-height space to the expansive windows that frame vistas over the rolling hills to the cosy up/down-lighters that greet you as you sit in the Nordic hot tub under the stars this is the one to book; you’re surrounded by two hectares of countryside with not a hotel nor neighbour in sight Sleeps: EightPrice: From around £401 per night AustriaYou’d half expect Succession’s Roy family to be set up on the sofa here Here you get that five-star hotel feel while retaining the exclusivity of your own private villa – literally as guests are entitled to unlimited access to all the facilities at the neighbouring Hotel Aurelio There’s a private spa with an 18-metre indoor pool along with a refreshment bar kept well stocked with an assortment of fruits The private chef will serve dinners to be enjoyed with friends and family in the ultra-smart dining room before it’s time to tuck up in the home cinema for a film night and don’t forget to squeeze some skiing in – you’re among some of the choicest slopes in the Austrian alps as does its helipad and gentle off-piste track leading guests directly to the runs This doubles up as a stellar slope for tobogganing or torchlit skiing Two buildings – Maso and Masetto – combine to form Cesa del Louf respectfully restored using recycled woods to preserve the traditional aesthetic and character of the original structure Eco-focussed travellers will rejoice at the class A1 energy classification (underfloor heating costs extra and fuel consumptions are low) Rays of glorious mountain light slice through large windows in the spacious living area as do the thick rugs thrown over comfy sofas This elegant simplicity continues into the bedrooms where reclaimed wood sets the tone and lucky master suite guests can soak with a Dolomiti view from the bath sauna and pretty pool with a counter-current cater to any bad visibility days as does the cinema room and artworks by local artists and sculptors from Val Garderna and the painter Raimond Mussner The pair scoured France’s rambling antique markets from Annecy to Lyon for one-off pieces Their haul – everything from antique skis and sledges to large terracotta vases – is artfully placed throughout each room to form a curated but refreshingly relaxed and imperfect picture They sanded down the chalet’s orange-glazed wood to reveal soft blonde some of which was then painted in calming hues for a more spacious and less twee rendition of a cosy mountain hideaway suntrap balconies now serve as cinema seats for breathtaking views of pine forests winding through the valley Reindeer rugs flung over deep sofas alongside gingham chairs set a casual while Danish-style dark wooden chairs and wrought-iron lamp shades confer a soft contemporary edge It is a strain to imagine leaving the deliciously comfortable beds deep iron tubs and roaring log fire of this cosy alpine hideaway for the slopes or the understated restaurants tucked away in nearby mountain villages FranceMegeve is not short of gorgeous chalets but Le Chalet by Zannier hotels is a standout with its pared-back take on traditional mountain romance Twelve spacious suites and a three-bedroom cottage have a dipped-stone staircase the storybook windows – all honour the region’s traditional chalet style while soft furnishings and contemporary tables fill these historical bones with gentle modernism The result is a time-warp escape with modern-day comforts Linen bedspreads and sofa cover stick to inoffensive earthy tones and sharp bolts of mountain sunshine illuminate rustic vases and pots lining reclaimed wooden shelves keeps guests busy when they’re not making the most of the ski-in ski-out situation while a long soak in the spa’s hot tub followed by a body scrub using Aesop products is something to ski back for AustriaThis ski-in ski-out newcomer to the Oberlech’s genteel slopes The Arula Chalets have an understated elegance Alcoves and bookcases are tastefully lit and designed with restraint in mind contemporary lights are suspended above a sleek and simple dining table Nine spacious bedrooms leave the wooden walls and ceiling to do the talking dressed in thick moody curtains and velvet headboards while the children’s bunk room is playfully lit up by coloured ceiling lights The designers operate in that relatively untrodden space where expense and taste coexist – the overall effect is a sophisticated spin on Alpine cosiness as does the bespoke furniture – from Danish chairs to industrial wall lights – while a grand piano dominates the vast living space and invites late-night singalongs A cinema with a long line of deep sofas keeps disgruntled skiers entertained when the weather turns but it’s the spa with its infrared cabin and handsome indoor pool that may even trump skiing in the pleasure stakes for a blow-the-budget 30-person ski extravaganza the design mission is ‘elevated modern riff on the simple life’ Ferme Fougere has kept a dignified dose of singularity Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels Ski holidays don’t have to be all about pushing yourself to conquer the steepest piste or master the sharpest turns; they can also be an opportunity to treat yourself to a relaxing massage or bliss out in a bubbly jacuzzi Where to pamper yourself with spas and massages in the Chamonix valley Here are our favourite ways to pamper ourselves after a hard day on the hill - go on Lots of Chamonix hotels have their own private spas; luxurious cocoons of relaxation in tranquil surroundings If you’re not fortunate enough to be staying in a plush hotel you can still enjoy the facilities by paying on entry Most charge a basic fee for access to the pool sauna and steam room with the option to pay extra for treatments and massages Right in the heart of Chamonix is the Grand Hotel des Alpes; their spa features a swimming pool with wave machine steam room and a tempting menu of massages and relaxation treatments to choose from The hotel also has a lovely bar area with an old-fashioned elegance to it where you can unwind with a drink afterwards Hotel Aiglons does a particularly good deal that incorporates access to the spa with a two course lunch in their excellent restaurant The spa includes an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub with a magnificent view of Mont Blanc and two wooden cabins housing a steam room and a sauna; you have to be quick on your toes as you dash through the snow from one to the other Hotel Heliopic has a rather liberated open-plan thing going on so you can migrate from spa to bar and enjoy a glass of wine in your bathrobe while the band plays The spa is the height of luxury with all the usuals as well as an ice grotto If you're really pushing the boat out, give Le Bachal Spa at Hameau Albert Premier a try Not only is it incredibly chic and soothing with it's indoor/outdoor swimming pool and fitness suite but you can also combine it with lunch at the hotel's double Michelin starred restaurant - ooh la la Tucked away behind Super U on the high street is a little hidden gem; Hotel Le Faucigny Despite not being one of the biggest or fanciest hotels in Chamonix they have an excellent spa designed like a vaulted mineral cave with jacuzzi sauna and relaxation room where you can indulge in a variety of massages If you're at the Vallorcine end of the valley, you can avail yourself of the excellent spa and gym facilities at Mont Blanc Spa - as well as a large indoor pool there is also a steam room The spa by Cinq Mondes offers various treatments including waxing this immense and very grand old building houses countless steam baths sensory rooms and other treats - both inside and outside If you get peckish you can help yourself to fresh fruits a traditional spa set in landscaped gardens with all sorts of bubbling whirling waters both inside and outdoors it has long been a popular place for people to benefit from the therapeutic properties of the natural thermal waters As well as enjoying the relaxation aspects you can also book appointments to see specialists in dermatology For a completely unique experience, you can even be massaged in the mountains! Step inside Snow Angel’s tent for a natural high and enjoy a Thai Hawaiian or deep tissue massage at over 2000m with the peaks of the Mont Blanc massif surrounding you The cold dry air of the Alps can leave skin feeling less than radiant and as for helmet hair, pfff… There are a number of salons in Chamonix offering haircuts and beauty treatments; one of our favourites is Le Salon Swedish-run with an international team of super friendly staff the main salon on Rue du Lyret and a smaller drop-in salon on Avenue Michel Croz Book My Spa Jean-Marc Peillex is the mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains a French village situated at the base of the highest mountain in The Alps: Mont Blanc it’s been a popular year-round holiday destination since the early 1900s Mayor Peilliex has a message for anyone seeking to climb Europe’s most famous peak during the middle of the summer heatwave As the high summer heatwave continues throughout Europe Peillex is imposing a €15,000 ($15,370) deposit to cover rescue and possible funeral costs for any climber attempting to summit Mont Blanc He’s calling it an insurance fee for the pseudo-alpinists defying all given recommendations to stay off the mountain His latest response is a statement to prove the climb is no joke right now and is extremely dangerous “It’s like these people think they are going to Disneyland or on the London Eye It may sound cynical for me to compare all this to Russian roulette but the fact is so many people climb Mont Blanc thinking it’s a game without any real risks,” -Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex The most popular track to reach the summit is the Goûter route It’s an incredible glacial traverse that leads guests from Saint-Gervais or nearby Chamonix to the top The long route requires suitable conditions and a perfect weather forecast Since all stars must align for the route to be even possible it’s a bucket list climb and all the more satisfying closures and poor conditions continue during the month of August Alpine guides are left with no choice but to refuse tours and deny guiding tourists on hazardous routes these unhappy visitors are attempting to reach the summit on their own The mayor reported up to 70 attempts per day A startling number of tries and a number which he says is on the rise Mayor Peillex voiced the average cost of a rescue on the mountain was €10,000 ($10,320) and funeral costs were €5,000 ($5,160) “It is unacceptable for the French taxpayer to cover those costs.” Although technically Mayor Peillex does not have the legal power to close the Goûter route he obtains the power to impose the deposit The mayor is willing to do whatever he can to deter people from risking their lives to reach the area Mayor Roberto Rota of the ski resort town Courmayeur has called Peillex’s deposit plan “surreal” stating “the mountain is not a property.” The 2022 European summer heatwave has caused increased avalanches not to mention avalanches are deadly and will wipe out anything or anyone in their path Assessing risk is rule number one when it comes to exploring the mountains Though one of nature’s most beautiful gifts even in summer the mountains can be unforgiving and one must respect the dangers they can impose Wouldn’t it be easier to just close the route if it’s currently that dangerous or put up a sign up during unsafe times that says something to the tune of; “if injured on this route no rescue services will be provided.” There’s something to be said for Darwinism and not endangering rescue personnel There’s also something to be said for not punishing everyone for the actions of a few morons What do you expect with all the advertising and internet pointing for every city idiot to go live the ‘mountain lifestyle’ Please sign in with your Snow-Forecast account details below Create a free account to receive instant Snow-Alerts and save your favourite resorts on your personal MySnow page Saint Gervais Weather (Next 3 days): The snow forecast for Saint Gervais is: Light rain (total 6.0mm) at first then becoming colder with a dusting of snow on Wed morning Temperatures will be slightly above freezing (max 3°C on Tue morning Saint Gervais Weather (Days 4-6): Moderate rain (total 18.0mm) Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Sun afternoon Several North American ski areas that are still open plan to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars Day tomorrow Use our Saint Gervais ski hire interactive map to find exclusive snow-forecast discount codes Get the best value ski and gear hire in Saint Gervais The above table gives the weather forecast for Saint Gervais at the specific elevation of 1875 m. Our sophisticated weather models allow us to provide snow forecasts for the top, middle and bottom ski stations of Saint Gervais. To access the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider view of the weather, check out the Weather Map of France Click here to read further information on freezing levels and how we forecast our temperatures Overall 4.3 Based on 39 votes and 21 reviews The whole Evasion Mont Blanc area remains exceptional with great tree-line skiing for all abilities and some challenging off-piste in the snow bowls off Mont Joly and Cote 2000 A good range of mountain restaurants from chic and pricey to home cooked value Much recommended and following earlier comments the picturesque but mighty slow Chattrix lift in the St Nicholas area will be replaced by a 6 seat TSK for 2020 Overall: 4.3 Based on 39 votes and 21 reviews Read 20 more reviews of Saint Gervais or submit your own View detailed snow forecast for Saint Gervais at:snow-forecast.com An investigation in France had already concluded with no action taken A mother and son caught in an avalanche in the French Alps while skiing were killed in a “tragic accident” and her 22-year-old son Archie died after the avalanche swept through an off-piste area in the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains resort near Mont Blanc on December 28 held at Manchester South Coroner’s Court on Wednesday heard the experienced skiers were on a family holiday and were familiar with the area Coroner’s officer Claire Smith confirmed the two were caught in the avalanche and later recovered from the snow She said an investigation in France had concluded with no action taken Senior coroner for Manchester South Alison Mutch asked: “Is it the case that the view of the French authorities appears to be that this was a tragic accident?” Ms Smith replied: “That’s my understanding Ms Mutch said: “It’s very sad and I think just a very difficult situation for all.” she said: “It is very clear that the French authorities have investigated the circumstances and the indication is that there are to be no proceedings in that country “The evidence I have heard is that both Katharine Vokes and Archie Vokes were experienced skiers who were struck by an avalanche and very sadly lost their lives as a consequence of that She recorded conclusions of accidental death for both No family members were present at the hearing but the coroner’s court was told they were content for the inquest to proceed in their absence Ms Mutch said: “I’d like to take the opportunity to extend my condolences to the family of both Archie and Katherine Vokes at the loss of two loved family members enjoying an activity it’s clear they were extremely experienced in and gained a significant amount of enjoyment from.” Bonneville public prosecutor’s office said a manslaughter investigation had been opened by police after reports the avalanche may have been caused by cross-country skiers Ms Vokes was chairwoman of the Oglesby Charitable Trust a director of their family-owned property company Bruntwood deputy chairwoman of the Royal Exchange Theatre and a trustee of charities Shared Health Foundation and Focused Care Mr Vokes was a personal trainer at Form in Manchester and had achieved his level 1 skiing instructor qualification in Canada last year Shortly after their deaths a family spokesman said: “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of our beloved “Words cannot express how terrible we all feel nor the hole in our lives that has been left by this tragic accident.” Mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains imposed measure after dozens of ‘pseudo-mountaineers’ ignored warnings Climbers attempting to reach the summit of Mont Blanc from a popular path in France will have to pay a €15,000 (£12,640) deposit to cover costs in case they need to be rescued Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, from where climbers can make it to the top of the highest peak in western Europe via the Goûter Route imposed the measure in response to dozens defying warnings and engaging in what he described as “a game of Russian roulette” The finer detail specifies that €10,000 would cover the cost of a rescue and €5,000 a funeral Local guides suspended their operations along the route which is accessible to climbers of any skill level with the local administration strongly advising people to avoid it protracted heatwave has made conditions on the mountain more perilous Peillex said dozens of “pseudo-mountaineers” had ignored the warnings He described how five Romanian visitors had attempted the ascent “wearing shorts trainers and straw hats” and had to be turned back by mountain police “People want to climb with death in their backpacks,” he added “So let’s anticipate the cost of having to rescue them because it’s unacceptable that French taxpayers should foot the bill.” The peak can also be reached by taking the Ratti path from Courmayeur can limit ourselves to reporting sub-optimal conditions along the routes but asking for a deposit to climb to the top is really surreal.” Debate over the safety of mountain activities this summer has heightened amid the heatwave and since 11 people were killed when a huge mass of ice broke away from a glacier on the north side of the Marmolada Mayors of towns surrounding the Marmolada closed off key access points due to safety concerns but some climbers tried to circumvent the ban a path leading up to Monte Cervino from the Italian side was temporarily closed off after 13 climbers were rescued following a landslide More than 100 people have died on the Goûter Route over the past 20 years described “witnessing rockfalls throughout the day and night” The dry conditions across the Alps have been exacerbated by little snowfall during the winter and spring temperatures that were above normal This article was amended on 5 August 2022 An earlier version incorrectly stated that Mont Blanc is Europe’s highest peak I’m writing this report a little bit broken more as a result of a double dose of apres-skiing… Fresh snow but zero visibility results in apres-ski at La Folie Douce Yesterday a bunch of us decided to use our Mont Blanc Unlimited lift passes to visit Saint Gervais in the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area is a lovely resort with miles and miles of pistes plenty of easily accessible off-piste and beautiful views of Mont Joly and the surrounding peaks I say “so I’m told” because whenever I’ve been there I’ve managed to time it perfectly with a blizzard and zero visibility I’ve rarely seen beyond the tips of my own skis in Saint Gervais the white-out was the result of snowfall that had started the night before and continued all throughout the day bringing a welcome top-up to what were previously quite patchy pistes We took the Bettex cable car and gondola up to Mont Joux where conditions were great; the pistes were flat as a pancake underneath a squeaky layer of fresh light snow Everything between Mont Joux at 1958m and Mont Arbois at 1840m was in fine fettle and well covered Below that things were looking a bit more dubious though and once we'd gone below the mid-stations of either La Princesse or Le Bettex there were large patches of earth emerging through a thin layer of rather wet snow Saint-Gervais is a big area though and there is plenty to explore higher up Off the sides of the pistes and amongst the trees were swathes of untouched powder; Saint Gervais is predominantly a family resort which means that most people stay on-piste and fresh tracks can be found all day long without having to venture too far Another bonus feature of Saint Gervais is that much of the ski area is amongst pine forests so the trees give a welcome bit of definition on days like yesterday when everything else just looks white and swirly After a few laps of increasingly swirly whiteness we decided it was time to retreat for lunch There are two dining options to choose from here - either the self-service La Petite Cuisine There is plenty to choose from and it is all freshly made but it is quite pricey we didn’t see many families feeding their tribes of kids here The main reason people come to La Folie Douce is for the apres-ski show the music gets pumped up and the performers get everyone dancing on the tables outside musicians and DJs strut their stuff and all of a sudden you realise just how many people consider a fancy dress costume to be a vital element of packing for a ski holiday We may not have given our ski legs much exercise that day but they had a good 2 hour dance workout instead By the time the show was over we were ready to ski back to the lift station and head home - by now it was completely impossible to see a thing other than unsteady figures weaving in and out of vision like confused ghosts Two cable cars down, one minibus back to Chamonix, and it was time for round two… apres-ski at Chambre Neuf with No Limits It usually kicks off around 5:30pm and lasts about 2 hours with a short break in the middle so stock up on enough beer to see you through bagsie yourself a spot on the table and sing yourself hoarse The best thing about apres-ski is that by 7:30pm you feel like you’ve had a night out so you can go home for an early night and do it all again tomorrow If you're wondering about heading over to St Gervais, you can find out how to get there and also check in advance which lifts and pistes are open on our Live Lift Status page. Tributes have been paid to Kate Vokes, 54, and her 22-year old son, Archie. A criminal investigation is underway as further details become clear. UPDATED A statement from the family on Sunday said “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of our beloved “Words cannot express how terrible we all feel nor the hole in our lives that has been left by this tragic accident “We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve together as a family.” Mother and son were with a guide they had known for years and were part of a group of five people from the same family when the incident occurred The avalanche was triggered at an altitude of 2,300 meters on the slopes of Mont Joly on Thursday Eight people were affected by the incident Five English people from the same family were off piste near the Mont Joly chairlift with an instructor when they were hit by an avalanche It is being reported that they may have been skiing above the British group and triggered the avalanche Reports in many UK national newspapers report that the two were cross-country skiers This is unlikely as cross-country skiing is done mainly on prepared tracks at low altitude It is more likely they were off piste ski tourers Official statements in French have described the two as ‘ski randonee’ and google translate often mistakenly calls this cross-country skiing A post shared by avalanche geeks (@avalanchegeeks) The avalanche was 400m long and the risk at the time was Level 2 on a scale of 5 31 people were involved in the search and rescue operation that took 5-hours Post mortem examinations are set to be carried out on the two deceased The Bonneville public prosecutor’s office say that a manslaughter investigation has been opened by police in nearby Chamonix Saint-Gervais mayor Jean-Marc Peillex said the weather conditions were too unstable for such risky outings Archie Vokes was a personal trainer at Form in Manchester and in 2022 had achieved his level 1 ski instructor qualification in Canada Ms Vokes was chair of the Oglesby Charitable Trust deputy chair of the Royal Exchange Theatre and a trustee of charities Shared Health and Focused Care “We are supporting the family of two British people who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities,” said the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office A spokesperson from the Haute-Savoie regional government said: “An avalanche 400m long occurred this Thursday at an altitude of 2,300 meters and near the Mont-Joly chairlift located in the Mont-Joly ski area “A major search and rescue system was immediately deployed by the emergency services reinforced and commanded by the high-level gendarmerie platoon mountain (PGHM) of Chamonix “The final report shows two victims dead one lightly injured and five other people unhurt prefect of Haute-Savoie would like to send his sincere condolences to the loved ones of the victims and his thoughts to those involved in this avalanche He also thanks all the personnel who made it possible to carry out the search operations.” Around 110 people are caught in avalanches every year in France Kate Vokes was a well-known figure in her home city of Manchester and was closely involved with several charities Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig said Ms Vokes would be “very sadly missed” in the city “This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to Kate and Archie’s family and friends on their loss,” she said “Kate Vokes played a significant role in Manchester and was a great champion of many social and cultural causes in our city The council leader added Ms Vokes “believed passionately in the positive social impact that business could have” For the Spirit of the Mountains – PlanetSKI: Number One for ski news Content copyright © 2025, PlanetSKI Ltd. | Privacy policy | Terms & Conditions ‘A family is decimated, and we are very sad in Saint-Gervais,’ local mayor says and we are very sad in Saint-Gervais,’ local mayor says A British mother and son have been killed in an avalanche as they skied off-piste on Mont Blanc The avalanche swept the two skiers to their deaths and left another injured in the French Alps on Thursday It hit an off-piste area of the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort at an altitude of 2,300 meters (7,545 feet) The 54-year-old mother and her 22-year-old son were skiing with three other relatives when they were swept away by the barrage of snow near the Mont Joly chair lift Prosecutors said the British mother and son were skiing off-piste with an instructor who was also caught in the avalanche but was later rescued along with three other people The pair were found dead after a major five-hour search and rescue operation A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of two British people who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.” The six skiers were travelling off-piste “in the Pirolettes corridor near the Mont Joly chairlift and the Saint-Gervais ski area possibly caused by two touring skiers who were located upstream” according to the Bonneville public prosecutor’s office they also confirmed “only the ski instructor was equipped with an avalanche victim detection device” which enabled him to be pulled out and rescued from underneath the snow quickly A manslaughter investigation has been opened by state police in Chamonix who will examine the cause of the avalanche a 31-year-old hiker was found dead after falling on the slope of the Ecrins mountain range The hiker had veered away from hiking paths to look at mountain goats with a friend local broadcaster France-Bleu cited rescuers as saying It came after at least five people were killed in a devastating avalanche southwest of Mont Blanc in the French Alps in April. Two of the victims were local tour guides. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications InstagramXThreadsSnapchatTikTokYouTubeLAD Entertainment Home> News> UK News The British mother and son who died in an avalanche on the French Alps have been named Kate Vokes, 54, and her son Archie Vokes, 22, from Manchester, lost their lives on Thursday (28 December) after the avalanche swept through an off-piste section of the resort of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains near Mont Blanc They could not be rescued despite a five-hour search and rescue effort deployed on the day, involving 20 rescuers, two dog teams A hiker was also killed in a separate area, as another skier A spokesperson from the Haute-Savoie regional government previously said: "An avalanche 400m long occurred this Thursday "A major search and rescue system was immediately deployed by the emergency services "The final report shows two victims dead "He also thanks all the personnel who made it possible to carry out the search operations." Ms Vokes worked multiple roles as a director of their family-owned property company Bruntwood deputy chair of the Royal Exchange Theatre a chair of the Oglesby Charitable Trust and a trustee of charities Shared Health and Focused Care Mr Vokes was a personal trainer at Form in Manchester with a level 1 ski instructor qualification in Canada A family spokesperson said: “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of our beloved “Words cannot express how terrible we all feel nor the hole in our lives that has been left by this tragic accident “We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve together as a family.” Alexandre Merlin, director of the Saint Gervais led Bains ski area, told MailOnline: "The snow conditions are very unstable it's difficult to know what will hold or not the snow cover is not compacted and it is rather dangerous to go out Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex told BFM television: "It rained and we are very sad in Saint-Gervais." Topics: UK News, Travel 'A family has been decimated,' says local mayor after death of British mother and son while skiing on Mont Blanc range News | World A criminal inquiry was opened in France on Friday following the deaths of a British woman and her son in an off-piste avalanche apparently triggered by other skiers as the pair – aged 54 and 22 – disappeared under a 400m-long torrent of ice and snow on the slopes of Mont Joly part of the Mont Blanc mountain range in the Haute-Savoie department An investigating source said on Friday: "They were surprised by an avalanche around Saint-Gervais-les-Bains made up of a ski instructor and his students when they were hit at a height of around 2300 meters." Survivors included the women’s British husband who – like the victims – has not yet been publicly named Only the instructor was wearing an ‘avalanche victim detector’ who said: "Three out of the eight skiers were buried in the snow and a search party was mobilised very quickly "The instructor was detected and pulled out but the man and woman who were buried perished following a far more complex and long search.’ The source added: "The initial theory is that another party of skiers higher up triggered the avalanche." Public prosecutors at Bonneville confirmed that a manslaughter investigation had been launched with judicial police investigating on site There was another Alpine fatality on the same day when a man aged 31 fell 500m from a rocky ridge in Chantepérier Bring criminal prosecutions against Grenfell Tower cladding firms Family of teenager with cancer ‘fell to floor’ after reaching £100,000 target Make more of London this autumn with these exciting experiences Local broadcaster France-Bleu said rescuers explained the hiker had stepped away from hiking paths to look at mountain goats Dozens of mountain rescuers set out to search for the trapped skiiers finding a man and woman dead and a third person injured Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex said the weather made conditions in the off-piste area dangerous There are enough marked paths to ski on," he told BFM television A spokesperson for the Haute-Savoie regional government confirmed that rescue teams were called to the avalanche one lightly injured and five other people unhurt," said the spokesperson He also thanks all the personnel who made it possible to carry out the search operations." Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it was supporting the family of two Britons who died VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason At UKC/UKH we are all experienced internet users and as such we understand why some people want to use Ad Block to remove annoying and distracting advertising that proliferates on some web sites We don't feel that UKC/UKH should be considered as such a site We have developed a site that has subtle and appropriate advertising; we don't use pop-ups we don't force you to read adverts before you can see content and we don't use third party ad servers dishing up totally inappropriate advertising We have worked incredibly hard over the years to make sure that we keep a good balance between advertising and editorial content Please could you consider disabling Adblock when visiting UKC/UKH Mr Peillex also announced a tongue-in-cheek proposal to make climbers pay a €15,000 deposit to cover rescue and funeral costs in response to increasingly heavy rockfall occurring mostly in the Grand Couloir — also known as 'Death Gully' local guides stopped working on the route and authorities strongly encouraged climbers to seek alternative objectives as high temperatures increased instability in the couloir In a statement Mr Peillex said that the warnings and withdrawals from the route had done little to discourage climbers claiming that around 50 "pseudo-alpinists" had since attempted the route in what the mayor called "a game of Russian roulette." they said that they would come back the next day!" "Their stupidity forces me to show authority and to sign a decree to close the Tête Rousse and Goûter huts after consultation with the prefecture and the President of the Saint-Gervais guides." The order became effective from 5 August and the refuges will remain closed until further notice "How sad to be forced by a few lawless spoilsports to take a decision that should not need to be taken," his statement reads Although the normal route is not currently "banned" the closure of the huts is a de facto closure given the safety quota-driven requirement for climbers to pre-book accommodation if not ascending the mountain in a day On 18 June, scientists measured a record high temperature of 10.4°C at Col Major (4,750m) near the summit of Mont Blanc (4,807m) A video shared widely on social media shows rocks trundling down the Goûter Couloir on 4 August following weeks of scorching temperatures in the region Mr Peillex's €15,000 pre-climb deposit proposal was widely reported as an genuine measure in mainstream media Mr Peillex told UKC that a deposit would be almost impossible to legally enforce and that his comment was more an attempt to create a media buzz "to respond "idiotically" to the "idiots" who continue to defy death and the recommendations." such a measure is very difficult to put in place if not impossible — it is more the reaction and awareness that is anticipated," he added "These suicidals cannot leave with death in their backpacks without the whole world knowing that their recklessness has consequences: In terms of risk for the rescue workers and financially (the average cost of a rescue is €10,000 and the average cost of a funeral €5,000)." Mr Peillex appealed for longer-term solutions to minimise the risk of death on Mont Blanc and on other popular routes as climate change increases objective dangers in the Alps "Instead of believing that we will be able to reverse the climatic changes decided by the masters of the universe instead of thinking that the situation only concerns 2022 by no longer practising certain climbing routes stop teasing the demons or playing with fire) in periods determined in consultation with mountain professionals and at the same time bringing forward and extending the mountaineering season (May This shift should also impact the timing and duration of lift access to particular mountains in high-risk periods Mr Peillex has long been a vocal proponent of tighter regulation of western Europe's highest mountain - which attracts 15,000-20,000 summit attempts annually - linking overcrowding ill-equipped climbers and charity stunts to an increase in deaths and rescue call-outs More than 100 people have died on the Goûter Route in the past two decades Mr Peillex has threatened to permanently close the Goûter refuge His campaigns have divided climbers and outdoor enthusiasts many of whom believe the mountains should be a place of freedom without excessive rules or restrictions stating that a maximum of 214 climbers per day with pre-booked accommodation at the Goûter hut would be granted access by a "brigade blanche" patrolling the peak In a UKC interview in 2018 Mr Peillex commented: "Mont Blanc is stormed up by many climbers but also by pseudo-mountaineers whose attitude and practices are disrespectful of the natural environment basic rules of safety and also of laws and regulations enforced by the state." Mr Peillex wrote a letter to President Macron imploring him to take action in protecting the mountain environment and within this zone non-emergency camping or bivvying on or near the Goûter route became forbidden and roped teams restricted to a maximum of three people Mr Peillex's proposals for restricting access to the mountain have regularly conflicted with the opinions of mayors and authorities in Chamonix and Courmayeur, who have long supported the ongoing bid for Mont Blanc's UNESCO World Heritage status He has cited concerns of overtourism increased property prices in the St Gervais commune and a lack of adequate protection for Mont Blanc "Access today is not regulated because the state and some "politicians" want to believe in the idea of an area of freedom in order to protect a very lucrative business for the few (travel agencies...)" Mr Peillex told UKC in 2018 The mayor favours the introduction of a permit system on Mont Blanc's normal route he said: "In all of the important tourist sites in the world there are systems of quotas and controls (North American National Parks Why should an overcrowded route escape this and who is having trouble controlling it?" Let's transfer this to N Wales: A Snowdonia National Park Authority spokesperson said: "Snowdon is stormed up by many climbers but also by pseudo-mountaineers whose attitude and practices are disrespectful of the natural environment [and] basic rules of safety..." So let's close the Crib Goch ridge - or introduce permits The SNPA spokesperson said: "In all of the important tourist sites in the world Its interesting that he talks of extending the season and suggests the lift access could run earlier The lifts not running out of the regular season (historically) would be a disincentive to many but if they start them earlier then maybe we should just re-adjust when we climb there I've not climbed in the European Alps since 2017 and it was in a pretty alarming state then and have been thinking I might have to go in May or June next time I'm not sure simple going earlier quite works or at least not in the sense that June is the new August Snow doesn't consolidate quicker than historically I think you have a very skewed judgement of risk of you think that's in any way a fair analogy the status of Mont Blanc as the highest peak in Western Europe means it can attract certain groups of climbers ("pseudo-climbers"?) who for various reasons overestimate their own abilities and underestimate the objective hazards and risks of the route Given that the sole aim of these groups is to stand on the summit it seems reasonable to close an extremely hazardous route but leave open other routes that present fewer objective hazards (although require slightly more technical ability) perhaps what is happening is that the transition from winter to summer conditions is just happening faster but going when the temperatures are colder and there is more snow cover must be safer even if its harder work Less chance of benightment in June than August as well I've climbed in the Alps in May a couple of times and it certainly was harder work lots of breaking trail and precarious corniced snow crests (and not many lifts) if more people went earlier there would be more chance that someone had broken the trail for you Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Two were part of group skiing off-piste with instructor when avalanche occurred A British woman and her son are reported to have died in the French Alps after an avalanche in the Mont Blanc mountain range. The two were part of a group reportedly skiing far outside the designated slopes with an instructor when the avalanche, measuring 400 metres wide, occurred at an altitude of 2,300 metres near the ski resort of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the Haute-Savoie on Wednesday. The 54-year-old woman and her 22-year-old son had been skiing with other family members, according to the Bonneville public prosecutor’s office. Mountain gendarmes said the avalanche appeared to have been set off by a group of skiers higher up the slopes. A third skier, the instructor, was also buried but was wearing an avalanche detector and was quickly found. He was said to have sustained light injuries. Five other people escaped, including the husband and father of the deceased. Mountain police said an inquiry had been opened to establish the circumstances of the deaths. The victims have not been named. Jean-Luc Boch, the president of the Association of Mountain Station Mayors, said there was no such thing as risk-free, off-piste skiing. “Zero risk doesn’t exist off-piste,” he told FrenchInfo. “There is a risk and that risk exists even if you are accompanied by professionals, by guides, by ski instructors … there is always a risk weighing over you. Never forget that in the mountains security is the most important thing and you have to be extremely careful. Mountains, like the sea, are always stronger than us.” In another accident, a 31-year-old walker who left a track to “see some chamois [a goat-antelope]” died after falling 500 metres in the Écrins range at Isère near Grenoble. Base yourself next door for the same excellent skiing Everybody needs good neighbours – especially when they share one of the loveliest ski areas in France Not quite chalk and cheese – more like cashmere and wool I had skied Megeve before and was instantly entranced by this immensely pretty village that’s lit up every winter by an enormous Christmas tree Horse-drawn sleighs add a touch of magic to the cobbled streets It’s all very refined and terribly well bred But beauty comes at a price – not surprisingly as it was developed as a French rival to St Moritz it fills up every weekend with Swiss visitors who don’t mind paying €25 (£22) for a cocktail There are some budget-friendly places in Megeve (Just follow the seasonaires to the Wake Up bar.) But if you’re watching what you’re spending it can get a bit wearisome constantly hunting down a cheap(ish) pizzeria or lunching on baguettes This time I was travelling with short break specialist Ski Weekender which gives an affordable flavour of Megeve from the genteel and less expensive surroundings of Saint-Gervais As the package includes airport transfers and lift passes Saint-Gervais has the elegant architecture you would expect from a 19th-century spa town along with an agreeably laid-back atmosphere Must be all those calming thermal springs that put everyone in such a relaxed mood I tried them out myself at Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais whose outdoor thermal pools resemble a large yin and yang Just the spot for a late afternoon soak in warm bubbling water as the snow gently fell and the sun disappeared behind the mountains I could have taken a spin round the Olympic ice rink where the admission price of €4.50 is half that of the sports centre in Megeve To the west of the town centre is the cable car that takes you up to the beginners’ area at Bettex and then onwards to Mont Joux blue and red runs goes along wide tree-lined pistes – a blessing when the wind picks up and you need a bit of shelter As this was during last season’s winter of more snow than we knew what to do with It needed a bit of off-piste ploughing through powder to get to this restored 19th-century barn but my reward was an €18 croute savoyarde – huge slabs of country bread smothered with Beaufort cheese and ham and baked to a sizzling gooeyness Mountain restaurants always command a premium so anything under €20 for a generous main course is a bonus in France A few zigzagging runs and a quick chairlift later I was at Mont d’Arbois and finally spotting piste signs pointing the way to Saint-Gervais’s more famous neighbour It’s here that the Mont d’Arbois cable car arrives from Megeve and joins Saint-Gervais carefully coiffed ladies in fur coats were elegantly chilling out on the chairs outside of La Pause d’Arbois sandwich shack – a scenic place for an affordable baguette like its equally sophisticated counterparts Cortina is filled with people who have no desire to ski but enjoy promenading in the crisp mountain air (who can blame them?) – leaving more room on the slopes for us actual wintersports fans Also at Mont d’Arbois is a branch of La Folie Douce the entertainingly raucous apres-ski bar and restaurant chain that’s been spreading around the French Alps over the past few years (It even opened a branch on chic Deauville’s beachfront – rather like a Megeve-sur-Mer.) It seems slightly at odds with both Megeve and Saint-Gervais neither of which is known for boisterous nightlife But as it’s in a no man’s land between the two in addition to its more expensive La Fruitiere restaurant enjoyed with or without the accompaniment of dancers in brightly coloured onesies From here there’s a choice of runs into Megeve proper You can access another of Megeve’s major ski areas and cruise through the woodland runs that swerve down the forest-covered mountain Just leave enough time to get back to Mont d’Arbois for a final dash through the woods to get to the Bettex cable car I settled into the warm interior of Le Galeta whose specialities were generous platters of meat grilled over a wood fire – big enough to share both in the restaurants and the bars (not counting the town’s Michelin-starred restaurant And while Saint-Gervais didn’t have its posh neighbour’s somewhat rarefied atmosphere it shared the same approach to life in the shadow of Mont Blanc – languid and leisurely Mary Novakovich travelled with Ski Weekender, which offers three nights’ B&B at the stylish three-star Hotel Coeur des Neiges from £349pp. The price includes transfers from Geneva airport and a full Evasion Mont Blanc lift pass. PARIS (AP) — An avalanche in an off-piste area of a French ski resort swept two British skiers to their deaths the British Foreign Office said in a statement Friday The pair are reportedly a 54-year-old mother and her 22-year-old son has been left injured and a hiker was killed in a separate area after the avalanche on Mont Blanc “We are supporting the family of two British people who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities,” according to the British Foreign Office The avalanche on Thursday swept through an off-piste area of the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort at an altitude of 2,300 meters (7,545 feet) the administration for the Haute-Savoie region said in a statement Dozens of mountain rescuers set out to search for skiers trapped finding a man and a woman dead and one person injured An investigation was opened into the cause of the avalanche Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex said the weather conditions were too unstable for such risky outings There are enough marked paths to ski on,’’ he told BFM television Leafs and Panthers players discuss Game 1 of round 2 of the playoffs Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast Could we see another indefinite pause on postal service in the country Negotiations are underway again as Canada Post and the workers’ union try to cut a deal to avoid a lockout or strike later this month listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices Foreign minister makes formal complaint about ‘interference’ on the highest Alpine peak Italy has reignited a dispute with France over Mont Blanc border rights after French authorities imposed measures that encroached on Italian territory who in the past has stoked tensions with France over other issues said he had written a formal letter of complaint to the French government via the Italian embassy in Paris expressing his “strong disappointment” over the “interference” on the highest Alpine peak The dispute began in October last year after local authorities in Chamonix Les Houches and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains set up a natural protection zone in an area of more than 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) on Mont Blanc intended to prevent tourist overcrowding including measures banning paragliding and poorly equipped hikers Di Maio was pushed to intervene after a deputy with the small far-right party Brothers of Italy raised questions in parliament over concerns that the French were trying to monopolise the holiday destination. Read moreThe French measures include a ban on any kind of vehicle and on taking pets to the area. There are also strict rules to protect plants and wildlife “Such unilateral measures cannot and must not affect Italian territory,” Di Maio said It is not the first time the countries have squabbled over the area surrounding the Rifiugio Torino ordered Alpine guides to close off access to the Gigante glacier on the Italian side Fournier argued that access was denied for security reasons which came a few months after French authorities used bulldozers to shift a border marker 150 metres into Italian territory provoked outrage among leaders in Courmayeur Di Maio’s move has been celebrated by Brothers of Italy which until now accused the government of “indifference” over the matter wrote on Twitter: “Brothers of Italy denounced the unacceptable French invasion of Mont Blanc We cannot tolerate yet another attack on Italy.” saying: “We just need national borders to be respected on Mont Blanc.” Di Maio caused a diplomatic row with France in early 2019 after travelling to Paris to meet leaders of the “yellow vest’ movement Thanks to various mergings and associations of the many ski lift companies across the alps holders of the Chamonix "Mont Blanc Unlimited" lift pass now have summer and winter use of the nearby Les Contamines MTB trails & lifts included with the Unlimited pass All these areas let mountain bikers take the uphill effort out of the day and ride the mixture of man made and natural trails below them Getting back to Chamonix by bike is remarkably easy too with the options of either using the Tramway du Mont Blanc which then gives you another 800 or so meters of descending back into the Chamonix valley at the end of the day or cruising down to Le Fayet and jumping on the SNCF train to get you back to the centre of town in comfort The purpose made trail network from the St Gervais lifts is still in its infancy currently consisting of a easy beginner green loop at the top of the hill and a longer blue flow trail below the Bettex to Mont d'Arbois lift The green loop is a great introduction for beginner riders young and old with gentle gradients and rolls all the way round its 1.7km loop Whilst more confident riders can still find plenty to amuse themselves there the main attraction is the excellent blue graded "Whizz" flow trail dropping over 400m to Bettex With well designed and constructed berms and rolls you can ride from top to bottom with minimal pedalling or braking instead playing with the features and finding new ways to jump between corners on each lap The well maintained surface means you can have just as much fun on a hardtail bike as on something with more suspension travel Just watch out for the short boardwalk sections.. Away from the bike park trails, a quick look at the official bike map shows a range of trails snaking their way around the mountain, opening up possibilities to link from here to the neighbouring areas of Les Contamines or Megeve With the importance of skiing and forestry work to the local economy it is no surprise that the IGN map for the area shows even more 4x4 tracks linking the hamlets and villages providing the potential for long days on easy terrain surrounded by stunning views or long days exploring the narrow singletrack that links these paths Unlike the lifts in Chamonix, the St Gervais lifts run on a fairly tight schedule so the St Gervais to Bettex lift runs for 5 minutes whilst the Bettex to Mont d'Arbois also runs for 5 minutes every 30 minutes but at quarter past the hour letting you make the full journey in one go Whilst it can interrupt the flow of your day having to wait for the lift it does give excuse (should it ever be needed) to stop for ice cream more frequently Lift pass prices range from 10.40€ for an adult single uplift to 17€ for the full area day mountain bike pass Holders of the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass need to validate their pass at the St Gervais lift before use but if you already did this during the ski season you can walk straight on Find out more about summer pass prices and which options you have the lookout for some of the finest ski destinations is at its brink If you’re seeking options for ski resorts across the globe France should definitely feature on your search radar Whether you want to master your aerial jumps or indulge in a relaxing sojourn in a quaint mountain village plucked straight from a postcard this European wonderland brings together the perfect blend of adventure let us introduce you to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc a ski resort in the Haute Savoie region of France Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc boasts a plethora of features that set the standard as the perfect winter sports destination with 255 slopes extending over more than 500 km that are perfect for numerous sports including skiing they also have various ski schools that offer a range of activities for beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders this bespoke destination offers a range of experiences including sledging with huskies an igloo building exercise and paragliding over the ski slopes and admiring the magical landscapes of the Mont-Blanc region Scroll down as we deep dive into the amenities and experiences at Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc that put it a cut above the rest The Mont-Blanc Tramway enables you to access some of the most extraordinary snowscapes this tramway carries skiers and walkers up through forests and pastures towards the Bellevue Plateau (1,900 m) and the Les Houches / Saint-Gervais ski area offering panoramic views of the Bionnassay glacier Discover a variety of alpine landscapes along the journey and some of the most sumptuous views from the top Fête des LumièresTaking place from 27 December 2023 to 3 January 2024 also known as the ‘Fête des Lumières’ of Lyon For an entire week during the end-of-year holidays creating an unforgettable and incredible artistic spectacle shining brightly in different parts of the town Located at the foot of Europe's highest mountain the Saint-Gervais thermal springs have been flowing for over 6,500 years it is said that Saint-Gervais spring water boasts soothing properties and is the perfect place to relieve the tensions of body and mind thermal baths and hydrotherapeutic treatment cures A morning dedicated to healthy skinSpend a morning in the dermatology department at the thermal baths and enjoy the benefits of the Saint-Gervais spring water the team and the treatments provided during a hydrotherapeutic cure which includes body and face sprays and a thermal water bath Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service (updated April 1 2021) and Policy and Cookie Statement (updated April 1 The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast France - If Chris Froome wins the Tour de France on Sunday it won't have been an easy ride to the Champs Elysees After a pile-up forced him to run up part of Mont Ventoux last week the two-time champion escaped from another crash on Friday during a chaotic and spectacular penultimate Alpine stage held in stormy and wet weather Two days before the ceremonial ride to Paris causing many crashes and reshuffling places in the general classification But Froome was lucky enough to escape with no serious injury and even emerge with a bigger lead overall "A crash like that could have gone either way and I'm grateful that nothing is injured," Froome said Since he took his rivals by surprise with a daring downhill attack that earned him the race leader's yellow jersey on the eighth stage media reports have portrayed Froome as the inevitable winner Froome kept insisting that the Tour was not over who won the Tour in 2013 and 2015 and crashed out of the 2014 race hit the ground with former Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali in a descent soon after Romain Bardet launched a decisive attack to post the first French victory at this year's race quickly borrowed a teammate's bike and salvaged his torn yellow jersey after crossing the finish line 36 seconds behind Bardet The Frenchman climbed to second place overall after Froome's previous closest rival with two-time runner-up Nairo Quintana of Colombia moving up to third Froome slipped on road paint as he crossed a white line and hit the ground just 8 miles from the finish of the nervy 91-mile ride to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc featuring four ascents He was able to continue racing after swapping bikes with teammate Geraint Thomas "I think that I hit one of the white lines on the road and lost my front wheel," Froome said at the finish I'm lucky that nothing is seriously injured." Froome was descending at a relatively cautious speed of almost 28 mph when he fell cuts and bruises on his back and blood on his right elbow Froome understandably looked uncomfortable on Thomas' bike Froome caught up with the group of favorites in the brutal final climb to Le Bettex with the help of teammate Wouter Poels then put his arm around Poels to thank him for the support "I just lost a bit of skin but today," Froome said "It was great for me to have teammates all the way up until the finish there It was a great team effort and it feels great to be one day closer to Paris." Mollema was one of the many riders who fell in the damp weather with Daniel Navarro and Tom Dumoulin forced to abandon who crashed at a roundabout as his hopes of finishing on the podium in Paris disappeared Bardet was the day's big winner after posting his second Tour stage win Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez finished the stage in second place who joked with Peter Sagan at the front of the pack after a group of 20 riders immediately jumped away from the peloton The best-placed rider in the breakaway was Frenchman Pierre Rolland who lagged 22:51 minutes behind Froome overall at the start But the ideal scenario changed dramatically when the weather turned wet Michael Matthews was among the first escapees to be caught a few kilometers from the summit of the punishing Montee de Bisane a 12-kilometer climb with an average gradient of eight percent Rolland then moved away from his breakaway companions in the ski resort of Les Saisies with former world champion Rui Costa following right on his wheel But the Frenchman slid off the road on the descent and heavily hit the tarmac With his jersey lacerated and covered with dirt Rolland remounted his bike after consulting with the race doctor and finished the stage Froome needs to negotiate one more tricky mountain stage on Saturday before the ceremonial ride to Paris it's going to be really hard and I'm sure that I'm going to be a bit stiff after today," he said "Hopefully I can rely on my teammates and it's just one last push." A KILTED Scot ended up building one of the highest distilleries in Europe - where he lives alongside packs of wild wolves Former teacher James Abbott swapped his career at a posh English boarding school for a new life nearly 5,000ft high in the French Alps Now he brews his own award-winning whisky and gin that even impressed French President Emmanuel Macron while he’s also appeared on TV with Miss France But away from the limelight James leads a life of solitude on the Prarion Mountain which lies in the shadow of the imposing 16,000ft high Mont Blanc says: “I’ve seen one lone wolf on the Prarion Mountain where I live and distil but I quite often come across their paw prints on the other side of the valley in Saint Gervais the ski lift cameras catches them in groups of five or six every couple weeks which Tatler magazine recently voted the best private school in the UK He says: “I taught design technology and outdoor education but I was a wee bit of a black sheep teacher as I wore the kilt in class too.” But he gave up his job around six years ago to immigrate to Canada where he planned to train as a pilot However on a ski holiday to the French Alps he soon fell in love with the village of Saint-Gervais les Bains in the region of Haute-Savoie. “But the locals welcomed me into their community and even found me a little house to stay in.” It was there at 4,478ft - which is 65ft taller than Ben Nevis - on the mountain side where James decided to build a micro distillery to produce his own brand of Mont Blanc Gin and Whisky However there was just one - he hadn’t made either tipples before He admits: “It was a business I knew nothing about Gin was completely new to me as I was always a whisky drinker “But France is the biggest consumer of single malt whisky in the world There were no other distilleries in the area of Haute-Savoie so I thought I would give it a try “I bought two wee 100 litre copper pot stills then built a tiny cabin entirely from recycled materials “I have gas to power the stills and solar panels to power the lights and a pump to recycle the condensing water James was then given a contact for Tom Nichols who was a former master distiller for gin giants Tanqueray He adds: “Tom is regarded as one of the best distillers in the world “So I invited Tom and his wife over for a weekend one summer and we started distilling that afternoon “He’s been here five times now and has become something of a father figure to me.” Five years ago James’s Distillerie Saint-Gervais produced it’s first bottles of gin - but with a twist He explains: “I wanted a gin that you could drink neat The reason being my older friends in France don’t want tonic I made a gin you can drink straight from the bottle “It certainly caught the eye of a lot of Michelin star restaurant owners who enjoy using it with their foods “It’s quite bonkers as they will put it in pate And that’s where his Robertson tartan kilt comes in - as he needed to polish his image to sell his produce to high end restaurants He says: “I started wearing the kilt in France because it immediately smartened me up I couldn’t walk into these Michelin star restaurants with my gin looking like a mountain goat “And of course they always ask what I wear under it I tell them I never wear anything otherwise I wouldn’t be allowed back home but no more than I got wearing my kilt as a teacher in England.” However the Scot’s years of hard slog have started to pay off after a major drinks distributor began selling his product all around Europe While he was also given a major publicity boost in France when got to meet their President Emmanuel Macron and Miss France 2018 Maëva Coucke The 47-year-old says: “Miss France came to visit my distillery as she was making a TV show with a local Michelin star chef Emmanuel Renaut “Then the mayor of Saint-Gervais Jean Marc Peillex was being visited by President Macron and asked me if I wanted to present a bottle of gin to him I HAVE tried gin with hints of raspberries peach and even rhubarb with tonic water - but I have never had a gin with a hot orange squash mixer before But that’s the combination I was asked to try while on holiday to the French village of Samoëns earlier this year - and it was surprisingly delicious I had gone snowshoeing for the afternoon with French-based Englishman Jamie Carr who stopped for a break to ply us full of the local Mont Blanc Gin It was Jamie who told me about his kilted Scots friend James Abbott who distils his spirits high in the French Alps Have you ever tried Gordon’s without tonic However Mont Blanc Gin on its own was a revelation Fuelled by James’ spirits our group of snowshoers spent the rest of day charging down hills But one day I’ll return to France try James’s gin again - and maybe I’ll even get to drink it with tonic this time “My French is diabolical, so I practised a few phrases to say but when I was halfway stumbling through my first sentence, Macron replied in flawless English “It was really funny because he then explained to me that he isn’t a gin drinker but his wife Brigitte is He adds: “I am still a small set up and can only produce around 10,000 bottles a year but with the new distribution deal I could easily sell four times that “In fact the distributor now wants to invest in my business to help me make more - which is not bad considering I do it all myself from a tiny cabin.” In the summer James uses a quad bike to get to his high altitude home but when the winter sets in the dirt road turns into a ski slope meaning his home is only accessible by a skidoo It can get lonely but luckily I’m so immersed in my work I don’t notice “But I enjoy the mountain solitude - it’s like being a lone wolf.” Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here Would you love to work on high end chalet renovations with Mont Blanc as your backdrop?  Fancy spending your free time skiing trail running or biking in the Mont Blanc massif growing French registered property renovation company with a fully equipped workshop covering Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains and the Chamonix valley AW Rénovations specialises in all aspects of luxury chalet renovations and renowned for their quality of work and professional service AW Renovations strives to maintain a great working environment and a healthy work / life balance Joining AW Rénovations offers the opportunity to work as part of a great team of inspirational individuals AW Renovations would like to hear from you!: - Be excited to work as part of a multi-national team - Have a genuine passion for renovation work - Be constantly striving to learn and develop skill set - Speak French and/or English – if you do not speak French - Be qualified and/or have substantial proven experience in an aspect of the building trade (required to meet work permit requirements) Experience in one or more of the following areas is required: - Permanent French contract  (3 month probationary period) Monday-Friday (part time may be considered) - €22,000 - €36,000 depending on experience - 30 days holiday per year + public holidays - A work permit enabling you to live and work in France* This is an exciting opportunity to work with a great multi-national team If you have the qualities we are looking for, we'd love to hear from you.  Please get in touch with a summary of your experience and let us know why you would like to join our team: [email protected] *Non EU citizens require a work permit to live and work in France.  We have secured an exemption to allow us to recruit from outside the EU.  The permit application can take around 3 months and proof of your qualifications/experience will be required AW Renovations website Facebook Instagram Linkedin TCA will employ a number of Senior Duty Manager (Senior DM) positions to support the Management Team across the centres All Senior DMs will take a lead role in operating TCA centres centre safety and facilities on a day-to-day basis....