Walking. Or hiking. You choose…

When does a walk become a hike? We're not really sure, but its a great way to relax and unwind. Enjoy the stunning landscape nature has to offer, with beautiful walks (and hikes) in the Giffre Valley. Trails are well marked, with distances in kilometres, and time estimations to each destination on the map.

Leaf through the local walking guide books (there's a couple of copies in the chalet), and see which routes might take your fancy. Choose from easy, flat strolls around the lake, through the forest and alongside the river on the valley floor, or take a more challenging route up to one of the refuges high on the mountain.

Cycling, in all its many forms

This is a heaven for road biking… Cols galore: Joux Plan, la Ramaz, la Columbière, and plenty more to challenge you. We have plenty of secure storage in the basement for your pride and joy if you’re bringing your own bike along. Alternatively, we can put you in touch with local hire companies who have a stock of good-quality road bikes for hire.

There’s plenty of mountain biking trails in the Grand Massif in the summer, with both ski lifts being open to get up top without the pain of peddle power. Its mostly quite technical trails, suitable for experienced mountain bikers, with lots of bumpy red runs!

For those who like to take it a bit easier, electric bikes take the hard-graft out of cycling uphill. These have really opened up the possibilities for a day exploring the forest trails along the valley floor, or heading up to some of the refuges.

Rafting

Get a unique perspective of the valley (and an adrenaline fix if you want one) with a rafting trip along the River Giffre. We can put you in touch with local partners to arrange tailored trips for white-water rafting, including all the gear. With qualified guides, often speaking good English, they really help you get the most from the river, and of course, keep you safe.

 Climbing

Via Ferrata is a mountain route equipped with fixed ladders, cables and bridges, to make it more accessible to climbers.   There's an awesome route starting a ten minute drive away in Sixt, at the Gorge des Tines.  Experienced folks with the right kit can just turn up and go.  

Our friends at ZigZag offer guided climbs, with a fully-qualified climbing instructor, and all the safety gear. Completing the full circuit usually takes about three hours, including getting kitted up. The minimum age for the Via Ferrata in Sixt is about ten years old, as below this, the shorter ones tend to struggle with some of the reaches.

 Swimming

Open air swimming is a glorious thing. Samoëns boasts a beautiful open air swimming pool, and Morillon has lake swimming at 'Lac Bleu'.  Both come with beautiful views of the mountains.  Or for the serious wild swimmers, there are plenty of mountain lakes to discover up on high.