At the foot or at the top of the massifs, four trails for an invigorating immersion. With the only luxuries, simplicity and nature in majesty.
Air bubble in Morzine
Around the Lac des Mines d’Or, a few minutes from the center of Morzine, Aurélie has installed one, two and then three bubbles of 18 m², the last of which, completely perched, culminates at a height of 6 meters in the fir trees. Surrounded by a wooden walkway, this dome-cabin melted into the canopy accommodates a maximum of two people. In the evening, you can enjoy your choice of a hot meal (stone grill, raclette, etc.) in the shared chalet or a Savoyard plank to take to your nest before gazing at the stars through the treetops. Same principle for breakfast (mini pastries, fresh bread, oranges to squeeze yourself…) that you nibble in the middle of squirrels and birds. A jacuzzi with a view, just a stone’s throw away, allows you to take full advantage of the pleasure of lazing around in the mountains.
Bubbles of the Gold Mines (Tel: 06 82 66 46 34). €200 per night with breakfast in La Bulle perchée, €250 with dinner.
Read alsoNorthern Alps: ten mountain hotels to go with children
Bivouac authorized in the Vanoise Park
Do you dream of pitching your tent in the middle of nature to wake up in the mountain pastures, surrounded by gentians, marmots and ibexes? To camp near Lac du Lou? To see the sun rise on the Grande Casse? Breakfast at the foot of Mont Pourri? It is possible but regulated! From June 1 to September 30, the Vanoise National Park authorizes bivouac around 23 refuges, for a fee of 5 euros per person and the use of a compact tent to put away before 8 am. To benefit from it, all you have to do is book “your place” under the stars beforehand. Then take advantage, if necessary, of the picnic room, the toilets, or even a half-board formula and a pack including tent, blanket and mattress to be collected on site. What a pleasure to camp in freedom!
Read alsoFrom the Alps to the Pyrenees, four new hikes to try this summer
Venetian atmosphere in Chanaz
Charming asset of Chautagne, in Savoie, the adorable village of Chanaz can be discovered at the end of the Savières canal, an aquatic link between Lake Bourget and the Rhône, in an interlacing of winding alleys, old houses and stalls of craftsmen who have come to resurrect old trades here (miller, roaster, soap maker, etc.). The good news ? Up to now with relatively few character accommodations, the micro-city is welcoming this spring, instead of the old shipyard, a new eco-designed pocket address with 25 rooms and 11 apartments: the Shana Hotel. Ideal for a stopover, as a couple or as a family, just a few pedal strokes from the ViaRhôna and the minimarina.
Shana Hotel & Residence (Tel: 04 58 39 01 15). From €95 per night.
Read alsoSummer in Savoie Mont-Blanc, between unmissable sites and wild haunts
Green fizz in Saint-Martin d’Uriage
At the foot of the Vercors, Belledonne and Chartreuse mountains, chef Christophe Aribert, who has two stars and is ultra-committed to environmental responsibility (Plastic Free label, locavore menu, selection of natural, artisanal and ethical products, etc.) has just to open its Maison du Chef, in an old building from the 1920s. Just a few steps from the main building, which already has five rooms, café A and the gastronomic table, the place has four rooms in soft colors, a shared kitchen , a herbal tea room and a wellness area with relaxation baths. A cocoon of softness surrounded by greenery (park, vegetable garden, greenhouse, fruit trees, etc.) to soothe body and mind.
Aribert House (Tel: 04 58 17 48 30). Count between €210 and €490 for a double room in La Maison du Chef.
Read alsoVercors: family, unmissable or sporty, three itinerant hikes to do
.