The French Alps are the highest mountains in Western Europe, so local ski resorts are extremely popular with both professional and beginner skiers. Here are the famous resorts of Chamonix, Megeve, Le Arc, La Plan and Courchevel, which France is rightfully proud of, and where skiing is possible all year round. And although the snow on the Alpine slopes lasts from November to May, there are trails near the glaciers that can be skied even in summer.

Megève is one of the most visited French ski resorts. Thanks to its beautiful nature and unique climate, the resort became famous in the 1920s, becoming an excellent alternative to the famous St. Moritz, since everything here is aimed at preserving the unique atmosphere of the Savoyard village. The center of Megève is a pedestrian zone, where vehicles are prohibited from entering. You can only get around here by horse-drawn carriages, which race along the cobblestones past ancient houses, cozy restaurants, and numerous shops, of which there are more than two hundred in Megève.

Megève is one of the most popular ski resorts in France. Here you can enjoy unrivaled skiing on well-groomed slopes running along picturesque, spruce-covered slopes, and gastronomic surprises from famous chefs, and luxurious shopping. In addition, the resort can offer its guests hospitable chalets and a rich après-ski program – everything you need for a full winter vacation.

Megeve is located in the southeast of France, in the department of Haute-Savoie. It is part of The Best of Apls community – along with Zermatt, St. Moritz, Chamonix, Davos and other ski resorts in Europe.

From the history of Megève

In 1976, Baroness Noémie de Rothschild decided to look for a ski resort in her homeland that could compete with the then favorite of the aristocracy – St. Moritz. Her Norwegian instructor recommended that she visit Megève. Impressed by what she saw, the Baroness built the Palace Mont d’Arbois hotel here five years later, which helped the border town transform from a remote village into a super resort, welcoming not only fashionable bohemians of all levels and stripes, but also crowned persons. But Megeve’s popularity gradually faded: having learned to stand on skis, bohemians and the nobility gradually moved to more fashionable resorts with more intensive skiing. But Megeve still remains the most stylish and elegant alpine resort, attracting more and more new fans with its enchanting atmosphere, excellent conditions for gentle downhill skiing and opportunities for relaxing with children.

History skiing is closely associated with this resort. In 2012, Megève celebrated the 100th birthday of one of its most famous and respected citizens, Emile Alli, who, even at such a respectable age, still skied with enviable regularity.

After the First World War, Megève became a very popular place where French bohemians regularly came. One of the branches of the Rothschild dynasty currently lives permanently in Megève.

Megève has the incomparable atmosphere of a real old town, with a pedestrian zone, medieval houses and a square with a beautiful church and bell tower.

Roger Vadim, Gerard Philippe, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Amadeo Modigliani, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Brigitte Bordeaux – the heroes and ghosts of the past seem to have never left Megève, except for the logos of fashion brands in shop windows remind of the 21st century. It was called the “21st arrondissement of Paris”, an icon of style, the film “Dangerous Liaisons” was born here and the legendary restaurant of Jean Cocteau Les Enfants Terribles still exists in the Mont Blanc Hotel. Over time, this resort has only become better. Megeve is the embodiment of the famous French l’arte de vivre, not a new-fangled, but a real aristocratic town with narrow streets, a cozy center and cute wooden chalets, built in the style of an old Savoyard farm.

What to see, where to go

Megeve in France is a cute Savoyard village with cobblestone streets and cozy houses. An important role in its formation was played by the architect Henri-Jacques Le Mem, the author of chalet-style houses. He came here in 1925 at the invitation of Baroness Rothschild, who decided to turn Megève into the “French St. Moritz”. Le Mem designed more than 200 Megève chalets, thanks to which the resort acquired a holistic architectural appearance.

However, the architect built his own house-workshop in the spirit of Le Corbusier, and today this building is a local landmark. Among other interesting places, one can note the Megève Calvary – an ensemble of 14 chapels with wooden sculptures and frescoes depicting the suffering of Jesus. They are installed along a winding path that begins in the eastern part of the village and climbs uphill, copying the Jerusalem Stations of the Cross. At the end of the 19th century. thousands of pilgrims flocked to Megève to climb its Golgotha.

On the central square of Megève you can see a church built in the 13th century, near which there is a monastery and a medieval tower. In addition to ancient buildings in Megève you can also see modern chalet-style buildings, from which a beautiful view of the surrounding fir-spruce forests opens. All this splendor can be seen, including from the air, by flying over the mountain slopes in a hot air balloon, helicopter or private airplane.

Not far from Megève is the thermal park “Saint-Gervais-les-Blanc”, famous for its mineral water springs, which are not inferior in their healing power to the famous waters of Karlovy Vary Var.

Trails, slopes, lifts

Megeve together with neighboring resorts form the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area with a total length of trails of about 445 km, there are also cross-country ski trails here. Most of them are accessible directly from the village.

For beginner skiers and snowboarders, the slopes are equipped with simple trails, fenced off from the main stream. There are about 80 of them in total; the most spacious and long ones are located in the Mont d’Arbois area. 60 red trails: these include descents from Le Jaillet, Combloux and other slopes. The most difficult trails (29 of them), as well as extreme off-piste runs, can be found in the Mont Joly, Mont Joux, Cote-2000, Rochebrune area – for example, the run named after the famous skier Emile Alli, or the 220-meter Les Mont Blanc d’or for giant slalom. They are not very long, but steep and hilly: only true professionals will be able to conquer them.

The skiing areas are also suitable for snowboarders, but the most interesting in this regard are Mont Joux, Le Jaillet and Combloux, where snow parks operate, and Cote-2000, where there is a border cross track.

The resort is surrounded by three mountain ranges, where the height of the skiing area ranges from 1113 to 2350 meters.

The resort has a developed system of lifts, of which there are more than 50, which greatly simplifies the climb to the start of the slopes. The largest skiing area in Megeve is Evasion.

Professional skiers ski on the slopes of Mont Joly, where difficult slopes are located. The Mont Dorbois massif is connected by a swing road with the Rochebrune-Cot-2000 mountain range, from which a gondola lift runs to the center of Megeve. Another region, Les Jailles, is located away from the rest of the ski areas and is not connected to them by lifts.

The slopes of Megeve seem to be specially created for calm, comfortable skiing: beautiful, surrounded by snow-covered fir trees, smooth and mostly not very difficult. Ideal for family skiing until lunch, they do not make you strain or think about the technique of skiing. However, for those who want to raise the level of adrenaline in the blood, there are interesting places: the famous unprepared descent of Emile Allais from Arpette with an impressive slope or the calmer and quite long black runs of the resort, for example, in Cote 2000 (Cot 2000).

In Cote 2000, experts will be able to enjoy the exciting sensations of freeriding. Mont d’Arbois is famous for its wide runs and stretches for many kilometers to the southwest. This station stretches to Mont Jou and ends on the steep, requiring good preparation, slopes of Mont Jou. Here, at an altitude of 2350 m, is the highest point of the station. The longest run, the “Princess” 3.8 km with a height difference of 770 m.

If the virgin land above Megève is already developed, you can go to the neighboring always snowy Le Contamine or Chamonix (30 minutes by car).

Ski schools

Several prestigious ski schools operate in Megève: Ecole du Ski Français, Ecole de Ski Internationale, Ecole de Freeride. They accept both adults and children from 4 years of age.

Entertainment and active recreation

In Megeve, there are plenty of options for those who love active pastime: cross-country skiing trails starting right from the hotels, snowshoeing trails, a sports palace with an indoor skating rink, swimming pool, climbing wall, ping-pong and fitness center, an outdoor skating rink, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, an aviation club and much more.

There are also more relaxed entertainments: 3 cinemas, a theatre, 2 museums, art galleries, a beauty salon, a bridge club, a thermal park in the village of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, located 10 km from Megeve. A separate section can be devoted to the variety of shops in Megeve. All Parisian brands can be purchased in the town’s boutiques. There are about 200 of them. Armand Allard, the famous founder of the brand, decided to sell his products only here, in his homeland. In addition to designer stores, shopping enthusiasts will find antique shops, art and jewellery galleries here.

In the evening, you can relax in one of the restaurants, jazz clubs (by the way, the local Jazz Club des Cing Rues is considered one of the best jazz clubs in France), piano bars, discos or in a casino.

And for those who want to celebrate Christmas in an unusual way, Megeve offers exciting Christmas tours to famous ski resorts, because at this time you can enjoy not only skiing, but also excellent cultural program.

Don’t forget to come to the small Megeve airfield to fly four-seater planes over Megeve, Mont Blanc and the White Valley – thrills are guaranteed, especially if the pilot decides to entertain the passengers a little. All winter months in Megève are filled with social events: a snow polo tournament, dog sled races, the Snow Golf Cup and all kinds of ski competitions of various levels.

The resort’s nightlife is not very vibrant: young people gather at Palo Alto Up & Down, a more respectable crowd – at 5 Rues and in hotel bars.

Local cuisine and restaurants

The Megève resort in France has about 90 restaurants, 30 of which are located in the mountains, and more than a dozen are awarded Michelin stars – this provides Megève title of the gastronomic capital of the French Alps. Most establishments specialize in the national Savoyard cuisine, offering their guests Savoyard kebab, tartiflette – potato casserole with bacon and cheese, raclette made from Reblochon cheese baked with vegetables, fondue made from local cheeses, etc. All this, in particular, can be tried in the restaurants Les Flocons de Sel (2 Michelin stars), Le Carousel, LAlpage, Enfants Terribles, etc.

In addition, the village has restaurants serving Italian cuisine (for example, Di Vino) and oriental cuisine (L’Indochine Aux Caves). The wine cellars are famous for Chalet Du Mont D’arbois, Fer A Cheval, Alpette and etc.

Family vacation

In Megeve, there are 5 children’s mini-clubs, a children’s ski school, and 2 kindergartens. With children, you can go to Santa Claus’s town Santa Village, a swimming pool with a children’s area, or the Cote 2000 Aventure amusement park.

Where to stay

The choice of accommodation options in the French resort of Megeve is very diverse. There are several luxury 5 * hotels (Alpaga, Chalet Du Mont d’Arbois – property of the Rothschild family, traditional Savoyard Ferme de Maria, etc.), comfortable 4-star hotels (Arboisie HMC or Mont Blanc), more affordable 2-3 * hotels, as well as chalets, residences, apartments that can be rented for several days or for the whole season.

Hôtel L’Arboisie 4-star hotel

L’Arboisie is a chalet-style hotel located in the historic Rhône-Alpes region. It offers views of the Rhône-Alpes valley and the Alpine village. Megève.

A completely renovated wooden chalet built in the midst of picturesque Alpine nature, located on the Route du Mont d’Arbois, in the town of Megève, 1 hour drive from Geneva International Airport. The hotel offers comfortable and spacious rooms, professional service and a welcoming atmosphere. Number of rooms: 69 rooms. Room types: standard single, double and triple rooms; Suites.

In the rooms: balcony with mountain view; TV with satellite channels; CD player; high-speed Internet; mini-bar. Infrastructure: restaurant (French cuisine); bar; terrace; conference room; 24-hour service.

Sports and leisure: excursion service; sauna; Turkish bath; fitness center; outdoor swimming pool; umbrellas and sun loungers by the pool; indoor swimming pool; golf; bowling; skiing.

Lodge Park 4 stars hotel

Готель Lodge Park, збудований в стилі традиційного дерев’яного котеджу, знаходиться в декількох кроках від гірськолижних підйомників курорту Межев. Дуже затишно. Смачний сніданок. Персонал – сама люб’язність. У номерах ванна або душ, телефон, телевізор, міні-бар.

Тренажерна та масажна кімнати, паркінг і гараж, сауна, джакузі, кімната для семінарів.

Alpaga 5 зірковий готель

Готель Alpaga, з якого відкривається вид на долину Валь-д’Арлі і гору Монблан, розташований в гірськолижному курорті Межев у французьких Альпах. Відмінний у всіх сенсах готель.

Розташований в центрі, готель Alpaga Hotel знаходиться поруч з більшістю туристичних визначних пам’яток і ділових організацій міста Межев. Готель Alpaga Hotel пишається зручним розташуванням, сучасними зручностями в кожному номері і чудовим сервісом.

У номерах високошвидкісний інтернет, допускається розміщення домашніх тварин, кабельне / супутникове телебачення, кухня, мікрохвильова піч, фен, телевізор, телефон з прямим набором.

Інфраструктура: Бізнес-центр, Парковка, Трансфер з / в аеропорт, Устаткування для інвалідів, Консьєрж, Няня / Послуги по догляду за дітьми, Номери для некурящих, Ресторани, Конференц-центр (и), Ванна / купіль з підігрівом.

Спорт і дозвілля: Фітнес-центр, басейн, Екскурсійне бюро, Масаж / Салон краси, Тенісні корти, Гольф Поле, Сауна, Прокат велосипедів, Казино, Джакузі, Оздоровчий спа-центр, Закритий басейн, Відкритий басейн, Ігри, Кав’ярня / Кафетерій .

Fer à Cheval 5 зірковий готель

Готель Fer à Cheval розташований в самому центрі гірськолижного курорту Межев, всього в декількох хвилинах їзди від гірськолижних схилів.

Au Coin Du Feu 3 зірковий готель

Готель Au Coin Du Feu, виконаний в традиційному савойському стилі, знаходиться в 500 метрах від центру комуни Межев і гірськолижного підйомника «Шамуа». Відмінне співвідношення якість-ціна. Затишно, камін у вітальні, хороший сніданок. У номері багато місця для речей, шафи, комоди, все продумано. Нова сантехніка. Сауна. Атмосфера старовинного шале.

Що привезти

На курорті налічується понад 200 бутіків і магазинів, де можна придбати одяг та взуття відомих брендів (Hermes, Escada, Sonia Rykiel, Dior і ін.), Спортивне спорядження, прикраси Swarovski, французькі делікатеси, антикваріат, дизайнерські предмети інтер’єру, картини і т. д.

Як дістатися

Найближчий з великих міжнародних аеропортів розташовується в Женеві (80 км від Межева). З аеропорту до курорту можна дістатися на автобусі (наприклад, маршрутах AeroSki, що зв’язують Женеву з різними гірськолижними центрами) або на поїзді до станції Sallanches (12 км від Межева) і далі – на автобусі або таксі. На автомобілі з Женеви слід рухатися по автомагістралі А40.