** Please enquire if you would like to stay for more than 7 days or arrive mid-week. We are more than happy to accommodate you and we try to be as flexible as we can! **
The chalet is very spacious, which makes it comfortable for up to 10 people, perfect for both groups of friends or families, with 4 bedrooms (3 of which have either a large double bed or two single beds and 1 room which has a double bed plus 2 single beds – ideal for children or a family).
The lounge and dining area are open plan with large patio doors into the garden. An open fireplace creates warm, cosy evenings.
A second smaller lounge area on the mezzanine level has a TV (with French channels) and a DVD player.
The Kitchen has recently been renovated. It is clean and bright and has plenty of space for storage, as well as a large fridge, there is also a second fridge/freezer available for use.
The kitchen is fully equipped and has everything that you may need for your dining experience, including fondue and raclette sets.
There are 2 family bathrooms with showers over the bath and an en-suite shower room in the larger bedroom.
Downstairs is a dressing room for ski boots and ski-wear/bike-wear and storage, with it’s own handy, external entrance.
A ski locker is located just outside the house.
On this level there is an extra toilet and you will also find a large washer/dryer machine.
There is a front garden facing the Mont Blanc massif and a rear garden below, great spaces for making snowmen and playing in the snow.
Access to the chalet is by a private path and external stairs just off from the main road. 2 internal parking spaces are provided just across the road.
The chalet is conveniently located in the centre of the village, but being set back from the main road, it is still private and quiet.
Just a stone's throw away is a selection of French and English restaurants, a bank and cash machine, a post office, the tourist office, a local museum and supermarket.
GUEST INTERACTION
The person who welcomes guests lives in the neighbourhood. She shows them the house and is available to answer all their questions. If they encounter problems during their stay, she is always there to help. This availability is very reassuring for our guests who are very satisfied with this set up.
SHOPPING
There is a great little Carrefour supermarket just 2 minutes away. It has a fresh meat and cheese counter and some great wines and breads.
The boulangerie, who also makes chocolate, is located opposite the Mairie’s office building, and we now have a new Fromagerie just opposite the chalet!
EATING
Le Chavanne just along the road is a typical french restaurant. It has a small menu, and it does a good ‘menu du midi’ each day with a starter, main course and dessert for 13€. A good place to enjoy a pitcher of cold beer out in the sun.
If you travel further up the road there is an English run restaurant, Le Delice, which does fab burgers and has a little beer garden.
Opposite Le Delice is a takeaway Pizza place, lovely thin crust pizzas but only open from 6 - 9.
10 minutes walk further is an Indian restaurant, Gandhi, which offer an amazing lunch time menu for 12.50€ - You won’t need to eat dinner later that day.
If you turn right out of the house there are a few restaurants on the bend of the road, opposite the Bellevue lift. Le Basillica is a very friendly family run restaurant offering some typical and more unusual french food.
The kitsch Inn is just behind the telecabine building and is another English run place, with typical English food.
OUT AND ABOUT
There is a learner slope (le Tourchet) just 5 minutes walk from the chalet but you can take the bus (just one stop) if you prefer. To access the Bellevue and Prarion lifts up to the main ski area of Les Houches, there is a bus to these lifts or it is about a 15/25 minute walk to each. Plenty of buses run in the winter (normally about 4 an hour) and they are free with your ski pass or Carte d'Hote. The bus stop is a minute away from the chalet. These buses also take you to the other slopes in the Chamonix Valley, as well as the gondola up to the Aiguille de Midi, Mont Blanc and the mountain train to the Mer de Glace. All ski-slope car parks are free except the Brevent car park in central Chamonix.
A local train station is just a 10 minute walk away which runs down to Saint Gervais les Bains and up into Switzerland
SKIING
Les Houches sits at the foot of Mont Blanc, and from the summit of the ski area you will be thrilled by a 360° view of the surrounding area
The ski area of Les Houches extends from an altitude of 950m to 1900m.
From the summit one has a spectacular 360° view of the Mont-Blanc massive, and with 55 km of slopes meandering through the forests, you will discover the real pleasures of skiing.
The international reputation of Les Houches is built on the World Cup downhill piste "la Verte", but the resort is also an ideal terrain for learners, particularly with the new beginners' area, at the top of Prarion. The forest trails are a delight for skiers and snowboarders of all levels.
ESF hold the ‘Piou Piou’ lessons for little ones near the lake, and there is also a beginners area in the village for the little ones.
When needed, artificial snow coverage is assured by more than 120 snow maker machines, positioned throughout the pistes of Les Houches.
As well as down hill skiing and snowboarding, in Les Houches and of course the rest of the Chamonix Valley, there are Nordic Ski paths where you can discover winter nature in all it's beauty, on cross-country pistes 'Ski de Fond' and snowshoe paths 'raquettes'. Les Houches offers 2 Nordic Ski trails: Les Chavants offers free access to cross country skiers combining snow fields and forests, and the trails of the Prarion require a lift pass as they are at high altitude.
WINTER FUN
For more winter fun you can find:
* Snow Shoeing (with or without guided walks)
* Ski de Fond (cross country ski-ing)
* Evolution 2 and Cham Aventures for lots of guided activities on the mountains and glaciers
* Watch Ice Hockey Matches in Chamonix
* Ice Skating here in Les Houches or in Chamonix
* Dog Sledging
AND IN THE SUMMER:
* Take the Aiguille du Midi cable cars to view Mont Blanc, “Step into the Void” and walk to Lac Blue. You can take nice easy path across the mountain over to the Mer de Glace visitors centre
* Travel on the Mer du Glace train to the glacier and visit the new Glaciorium, crystal museum and Ice Cave
* Take the Grands Montets Cable car for an amazingly close view of the Argentiere Glacier
* Take the Flegere lift and hike up to the beautiful Lac Blanc
* Walks across the Brevent side on the Petit or Grand Balcon Sud paths
* Walk up to Refuge du Belleachat and then further to Lac du Brevent where you can take the cable car and telecabine down into Chamonix
* Visit Parc du Merlet (Lovely terrace restaurant with views of the Bossons Glacier)
* Walk to Chamonix along the Promenade de l’Arve (from Les Houches Gare to Les Gaillands)
* Walk up to Statue of Christ (on the way to Parc Merlet) and Lac Noir
* Visit the newly refurbished Les Houches Museum de Montagne
* Take the Tramway du Mont Blanc from top of Bellevue Cable car or from down in Saint Gervais up to the Bionnassey Glacier
* Take the Bellevue lift for another walk around the Bionnassey Glacier over the fantastic suspension bridge
* Childrens’ play area, Tennis courts, Forest walk and Fishing at Lac Chavantes, just past the Prarion Telecabine
* Visit the museums and exhibitions in Chamonix, as well as the many shops and restaurants
* Chamonix Swimming Pool - indoor and Outdoor.
* Ice rink in Chamonix (all year round with Ice Hockey matches)
* Indoor and outdoor climbing walls
* Museums in Sallanches and Saint Gervais on mountain topics.
* Evolution 2 and Cham Aventures for lots of guided activities on the mountains, glaciers and rivers
* Paragliding
* Lac Passy swimming lake and beach
* Servoz Gorge
* Italian QC Termes in Chamonix and St Gervais thermal baths
* Golf course in Les Praz
And plenty more to be found..........
Rental is normally for a minimum of 7 days from Saturday (after 4pm). If you are looking for other days and lengths of stay please do enquire.
The price includes all heating, hot water and electricity during your stay as well as a clean at the end of your stay.
Bed linen and towels are not provided. If you cannot bring your own linen and towels we can organise them to be hired at a cost of 20€ per person which you can pay on arrival. You just need to tell us what you need a few weeks beforehand.