St Gervais

The traditional Savoyard town of St Gervais at 850m boasts a long history as a leading alpine resort. Ski lifts were first installed in the 1930s and the renowned thermal baths have attracted visitors to their therapeutic waters since 1806.

The area retains much of its original character and, unlike some purpose built resorts, you'll be in no doubt that you are nestling in one of France's historical alpine towns.

St Gervais and the surrounding villages are steeped in local culture. There are some magnificent Baroque churches as well as alpine culture and farm museums. Throughout the year the town plays host to firework displays, festivals, fetes and concerts, from rock and jazz to comedy and classical recitals.

St Gervais is also well equipped with all the facilities a resort town needs. There's a good selection of bars, restaurants, creperies and takeaway as well as train station, sports shops, banks, dentists, doctors and pharmacists, several supermarkets for. On Thursday the market comes to town where you will find local delicacies. A huge "Carrefour" hypermarket in the nearby town of Sallanches is also worth a visit.

Other places nearby

With so much on offer, there’s no real need to leave the St Gervais valley, but if you do decide to travel further a field, then popular places include:

Chamonix just half an hour away, sits at the foot of Europe’s highest and most dramatic peaks. From there you can take a trip up Europe’s highest cable car to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi, taking you to the dizzying altitude of 3842m where the views are out of this world.

Annecy town is an hour away and can be reached by car or train. This chic medieval town sits on the shores of Europe’s cleanest and perhaps most beautiful lake. You can easily spend the whole day exploring its ancient streets and monuments, or just do a spot of shopping and discover its many cafés and restaurants. From the quay side you can swim, hire pedalos and motor boats, or relax in the lakeside gardens.

Megève with whom St Gervais shares the ski area with is, also worth a visit for it's designer shops and cobbled street.

Yvoire and Evian are 2 pretty places on the lake Geneva. Yvoire is a medieval village beautifully decorated in flowers which has won it many accolades and it has been part of the Association of Most Beautiful Villages of France for the last 20 years

For a truly international experience you could always pop over the border to visit Switzerland, or make a trip through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Italy for pasta and chianti in the picturesque town of Cormayeur or Aosta. All easily accessible for day trips.

The neighbouring villages all have their individual charm and offer a range of activities. The following list are close enough to drive to for an afternoon's entertainment: Bionnassey, Combloux, Cordon, Passy, Plateau D'assy, Praz sur Arly, St Nicolas de Veroce, Argentiere, Les Houches

Relaxation & health

Although mountain sports activities tend to dominate, there are many options for the less sporty, or for those who simply want to relax.

All around are great spots for a leisurely picnic. Sit in an alpine meadow, admire the wild flowers, listen to the cow bells, enjoying your favourite book or just take in the views.

To really spoil yourself you could always take a trip to the thermal baths. Here you can receive a variety of health and beauty treatments in the world famous spa waters. The thermal baths also have an excellent swimming pool, as does St Gervais, where you can swim on your back looking up at Mont Blanc and the Dome de Miage mountains.

Massage, aromatherapy and beauty treatment sessions are available and can be provided in the privacy of your own apartment with qualified practitioners.

Links to tourist offices

St Gervais

Les Contamines

Megève

Chamonix

Annecy

Geneva

Yvoire

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