Guided, multi-day treks, French Alps

The Haut Savoie offers one of the most unspoilt and spectacular settings in the Northern French Alps, with spectacular views of the Mont Blanc Massif, in the adjacent Chamonix valley. The Haut Giffre valley is blessed with the Sixt-Passy nature reserve which at 92 square kilometres is one of the largest in France. The altitude span of the reserve - from 900 metres up to 3,096 metres - ensures a richness and variety of flora and fauna rarely encountered elsewhere.

The local geology of our valley - mainly soft rock such as limestone and shale - lends itself to fantastic rock formations, immense U-shaped glacial valleys and horseshoe-shaped cirques. When watching the contorted strata of an immense rock wall, it is hard to contest the tectonic plate theory and the consequent folding of the Alps!

The valley also manages to keep some of its original agriculture and we will encounter people that still do the 'transhumance' - walking up in early summer with all their livestock in order to spend a couple of months in small huts at high pasture - where cheese production still takes place.

Samoëns village
Samoëns village is the only mountain resort in France to be classed as a conservation village, which has helped it maintain its unique charm, character and a very French feel. Situated in the wide and sunny Haut Giffre valley, it is located in the heart of the French Alps, yet it's just an hour from Geneva.

Travel information
Travel is not included in the cost of our holidays, although we provide transfers from Geneva for £50 per person (£25 each way). Geneva airport is serviced directly by at least six U.K airports and three airlines, including EasyJet, BA and Swiss International Airlines.

Travelling by train is an excellent way to start your holiday. Geneva can be reached from London Waterloo in about eight hours and requires a change in Paris and it's only a further ten minute train journey to the airport station, where we will collect you. Visit Rail Europe for further information.

If you choose to drive, the chalet is approximately nine hours from Calais and we will supply directions in our pre-holiday pack at the time of booking. There are numerous ferry crossing daily, with both P&O Ferries and Sea France from Dover to Calais. P&O Ferries also have routes from Hull to Zeebrugge and to Rotterdam.

Please note, this is indicative information only for flights and ferries. We recommend that you check flight or ferry information with the respective operators before booking your holiday with us.