Summer Activities in the area

Mountain Walking: There are huge facilities for rambling and walking in the area; there are over 50 refuge huts on the Mont Blanc massif alone. Serious walkers can also do all or part of the famous Tour de Mont Blanc; alternatively, from the chalet, you can walk along the Sentier de Baroque which links 20 baroque churches and chapels in all the neighbouring villages. Via the ski lift network, you can reach all the high ridges and spend the entire day at the top of the mountains. Alternatively for climbers as well as walkers, you can travel up Mont Blanc to the Nid d'Aigle, via the rack and pinion railway which was built in 1901. In Chamonix, half an hour from the chalet, one can take the lifts up to the glaciers and visit the ice caves of the Mer De Glace. See www.compagniedumontblanc.com for more details.

Mountain Biking: There is an extensive network of mountain biking trails in the area and the ski lifts provide access to the higher routes. Bikes can be hired in St. Gervais for the novice, or you can bring your own. Click here for a link to mountain bike hire in St Gervais.

Tennis: The clay tennis courts in St. Gervais are some of the best in France. The town hosts a Men's satellite tournament in July every year for the enthusiast to watch, and also invites all visitors to social tournaments run by the club coach. These usually have a nominal entry fee and are followed by a barbecue.

Swimming: St. Gervais has a huge heated open-air swimming pool, but the real delight is the swimming available in the mountain lakes in the summer. The largest lake is ten minutes drive away and is a popular spot to sunbathe, windsurf or swim.

Other sports: Horse riding is very popular: there are plenty of places in the high pasture lands where one can hire horses. We can provide details of companies on request. Closer to home, St. Gervais has an olympic-sized ice rink with public sessions and the chance to watch high-level ice hockey matches.

All the children who come to the area enjoy spending a day or more on the Aero-Park assault course. This is very well constructed, with routes through the forest and zip lines across the lake, all carefully monitored by qualified instructors and with safety harnesses for all participants.

The Thermal Baths in St. Gervais also deserve a special mention. The waters here have been famous for over a century; for relaxation, to pamper yourself with a massage or for the specialist skincare they provide, the baths are open all year round.

• Ballooning
• Golf
• Rafting
• Canyoning
• Paragliding
• Glaciers

Find out more about the area at www.pays-du-mont-blanc.com.

Photos of the surrounding area in summer