Combloux
Combloux is a beautiful, traditional Savoyarde village situated just 4kms from
Megève and 30kms from Chamonix and enjoys striking views of the Mont Blanc massif. Combloux
village features stone and wooden chalets and traditional farms nestled in a breathtaking landscape.
For more information about Combloux, visit www.combloux.com.
Combloux village, known as the 'Pearl of Mont Blanc' has a charming, community, ‘working village’ feel to it with plenty of good restaurants, shops, deli’s, banks, doctors, dentists, a crèche and a Baroque church. Not forgetting the ecological lake and stunning views of Mont Blanc. There is a first class Tourist Office in the centre.
On the doorstep
Cordon, called the 'Balcony of Mont Blanc' is with some of the best
panoramic views. It has a beautiful onion-domed Baroque church and is 5km from Combloux. There are lots of delightful walks. It has a small ski area with sunny aspect.
Megève is a ritzy, trendy town as well as being an authentic old Savoy village. It has managed to retain much of its charm while growing into an elegant resort. Boutiques, bars and restaurants now line the old cobbled streets around the 14th century church. Baroness de Rothschild developed the resort to host royal visitors in the 1920s.
Praz-sur-Arly is a small village beyond Megève. Good walking and attractive family skiing in mid-season when the snow-line is fairly low.
Across the valley
 Plateau d’Assy - a quiet village above Passy with a superb modern art church,
Notre Dame to Tout Grace (pictured right at night), with original work by Matisse and Chagall.
Plaine Joux is an area just above Plateau d’Assy, where you can watch paragliders taking off. There are some beautiful walks and views from here.
Lac Vert is a crystal clear, green lake a short drive or walk from Plaine
Joux. It is easy to walk around and has a pleasant cafe terrace with stunning Mont Blanc
views.
In the valley
Sallanches is an old market town, completely rebuilt in mid-19th century after a third catastrophic fire. It has an attractive town square, a river with tree-lined avenues, a great market on Saturday mornings, shopping area and a large hypermarket.
 Cascade de L’Arpenaz - an easy drive will take you to this spectacular waterfall just north of Sallanches, at the village of Luzier. Just through the trees from the car park, water curls out into the air 2300feet above and dashes down the last 800feet of sheer rock into the small pool beside your feet. There are picnic tables in the nearby meadow.
Lac de Passy is a shallow artificial lake and beach in the valley. A lovely setting for bathing from May to September. It is a nice picnic spot and children's area, also windsurfing, fishing, etc.
Tramway du Mont Blanc is one of three surviving rack and pinion railway lines; it is the highest railway in France, leading up to the 'Eagle's Nest'. Its summer terminus is at 2370m, where sightseers have a short walk out to the Bionnassay glacier and the more serious climbers and high mountain walkers begin their adventures. The line began as an audacious project in 1904, which aimed to take the rail over Mont Blanc and into Italy. It was
abandoned in 1914 because of the war, and work was never resumed. This explains the temporary appearance of the top terminus, which is built around one of the steepest sections of track. The amenities are basic but there is a ticket office and a very welcome refreshment kiosk.
The journey starts from a small ticket office and waiting room in the yard of the mainline terminus at
Le Fayet. It runs through the street past the entrance to the Thermal Park then starts to climb to the first stop in St Gervais, and on through woods beyond that until it emerges into alpine meadowland and its second stop on the ridge at Bellevue. This is a beautiful area with views up the Arve valley, and towards Chamonix and Mont Blanc. In winter it is part of the ski resort of Les Houches, and end of the line for the trains, which are used to bring skiers up from St Gervais.
Towards Les Contamines
Les Houches is a ski resort in the winter, halfway from Le Fayet to Chamonix. The Prarion slopes have short steep runs and pretty off-piste when the snow is good. This can also be reached at Bellevue by the Tramway du Mont Blanc.
St Gervais is a famous old spa town and pretty tourist resort. It has a church, park, shops, bars and restaurants. There are extensive walking and skiing areas outside the town.
Bionnassay - This small village is on the left of the valley towards Les Contamines (up a steep narrow mountain road - not for the timid driver). In summer, it is a very popular base for walking - there is a particularly nice circuit from the village up to Bellevue continuing upwards along the ridge just below the Tramway du Mont Blanc railway line and finally dropping back through the forest to the village.
Les Contamines is the village at the end of the valley from St Gervais. It has good walks, a famous church, the
'Notre Dame de la Gorge', and a large, varied ski area above the tree line.
Towards Chamonix
Le ligne de Haute Savoie - The high speed TGV from Paris arrives at St Gervais-le Fayet, one of the most interesting outposts of the French railway system. On the other side of the platform is this SNCF narrow
gauge railway, which runs 34km to Vallorcine where it connects into the Swiss Martigny-Châtelard railway. There is a
fascinating 45 minute journey to Chamonix through the industrial area of Chedde then up the steepest (1 in 11) non-rack section of track in the world through the narrow Gorge de la
Diosaz. The line criss-crosses the road and river by several bridges, tunnels and viaducts with the main road viaduct towering above. After Les Houches is a relatively gentle run beside the
River Arve into Chamonix. Beyond Chamonix the line climbs up the valley to Argentière and tunnels through the Aiguille Rouge mountains to complete another 30 minute journey into Vallorcine. The SNCF trains do not continue down into Switzerland because this involves a rack section of track - passengers have to change to Swiss trains at the border.
Chamonix is 25km from Combloux and a world famous ski resort which hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Its golf course was founded in 1934 and extended to 18 holes in 1972. Chamonix is a good centre for steep walks and tough skiing. You can take a spectacular cable car ride up to the Aiguille du Midi, and across into Italy.
Le Brévent is a mountain which peaks at 2525m above Chamonix. It's served by cable car on the north side of town. It has spectacular views and is popular for paragliding in summer, and tough skiing in winter.
Mer de Glace ('Sea of Ice') - the rack and pinion Montenvers railway east of Chamonix climbs to the Mer de Glace at 1913m. This is a very popular 5km trip and trains leave every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day. In summer there is a special 7am train for climbers setting out on the grand ascents to the various mountain refuges, and there is also a school for beginners to ice climbing and easier mountain paths for walkers. Construction of the line involved some major engineering works to build bridges, tunnels and viaducts, and the stations display the history of the deaths and hardships this involved. There is a photogenic walk back down to Chamonix, crossing the track in several places and a refreshment bar about halfway down.
The Montenvers terminus has observation platforms overlooking the very spectacular Sea of Ice, which is 7km long, 1200m wide and 200m thick. It is hard to appreciate the scale without binoculars to spot the
people walking on the glacier. There is a short cable car descent to the edge of the glacier where a tunnel and cave has been carved into the ice. A walk inside the ice cave is an
unforgettable experience. Since the glacier is flowing at about 8mm per hour the ice cave moves down the mountain at a rate of about 75m a year and a new cave has to be cut each season.
Aiguille du Midi - at 3842m or nearly 2½ miles high, it is the third peak to left of Mont Blanc. This is the departure point for skiing the
Vallée Blanche, or climbing Mont Blanc. There can be serious queues at Chamonix for this cable car so book your tickets in advance. The atmosphere is very thin and cold at the top
and the sun is very strong! Choose a very clear day and make an early start.
Vallée Blanche - Famous and spectacular 12 mile long unpisted ski run from the top of the Aiguille Du Midi to Chamonix, starting with a hair-raising walk down icy steps! Not difficult to ski but a guide is essential because of dangerous crevasses that can open up overnight.
Mont Blanc Tunnel entrance is near Chamonix and it is an 11km drive right through
Europe's highest mountain into Italy, from where you could climb the Italian side of Mont Blanc or try the skiing at Courmayeur. In summer,
it's possible to drive a 170km round trip returning to Chamonix via the Aôsta valley, St Bernard Pass and Martigny in Switzerland.
Glacier de Bossons - the small village of Les Bossons at the west end of Chamonix gives its name to the biggest glacier in Europe, with access by foot or chair lift. Less crowded than the
Mer de Glace.
Argentière - uninspiring village 8km beyond Chamonix, but also a Mecca for skiers
worldwide. From here there is cable car access to the Grands Montets ski area for some of the toughest skiing in the world.
Le Tour and its glacier - a small village beyond Argentière almost on the Swiss border. There are good summer walks, and is has a small uncrowded, ski area with easy runs. It is also home to the Reserve Naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges - a nature reserve.
Day trips
Annecy is the capital town of the Haute Savoie. The old town is fascinating
to walk around. Flowers line the canal walks, bridges and courtyards and the narrow streets are lined with small restaurants and outdoor snack bars. There is lots of shopping, theatres and cinemas, and a street market every Tuesday. The
magnificent lake, said to be the purest in Europe, is popular for bathing, water sports and boat trips.
Annecy is a lovely 60km drive from Combloux via Flumet and over the col to Les Clusaz, or via the spectacular gorge to Ugine and up the west side of the lake - perfect for a circular tour. The south west end of the lake is excellent for a lunch stop, for example at
Le Chalet at Duingt.
Geneva is 70km and about 55 minutes from Combloux. It has a vibrant city life, international airport, shops, park, and famous Jet
d'Eau fountain, on beautiful Lac Leman - the largest lake in Europe.
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