 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
My family and I (2 grown ups and 2 kids 8 & 5) have decided that after enjoying the alps so much for our recent ski trip we really want to see the mountains in the summer, as such we have decided to go to belle plagne with esprit for our summer vacation and are looking to tag on a few days either side of the main week to extend the holiday. We have decided to fly with easyjet rather than drive and pick p a hire car over there, so have some flexibility in airports - was thinking of flying to genera and then back from nice or something similar.
So basically looking for any other suggestions or recommendations from fellow snowheaders with experience of French / France family holidays within a few hours drive of la plagne or either of the airports above.
Hope some of you can help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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reded78, if you're thinking of heading to Nice, there's the Gorge du Verdon, and the Alpes-Maritimes to explore. You could go via the Col du Lauteret, Monetier-les-Bains and Briancon, before heading down past the Lac du Serre Poncon and Sisteron via the orchards and vineyards of the Haute-Alpes. Very different to La Plagne.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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reded78, ...very near La Plagne, head up from Bourg St Maurice and stay in Peisey Nancroix - beautiful working village with immediate access to the Parc Nationale du Vanoise - wonderful place - take the kids up to stay in the refuge at the entrance to the park, or further up to the first high cabane. Horse riding up into the woods and across col from Les Granges just up the valley. Great people in the tourist office there, and they'll point out all sorts of good things to be done.
the couple who run this b&b are wonderful:
/www.thebestbedandbreakfastfrance.com/travel-advice/bed-and-breakfast-peisey-nancroix-v236.html
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks guys - just the sought of suggestions I was looking for.
We normally do the First Choice / THomson package holiday thing but really fancy a change this year.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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reded78, Whist in La Plagne drive over to Italy for lunch! Basically you go to Bourg St Maurice drive up to and through La Rosiere and then the Petit St Bernard pass and down into Italy, have lunch in La Tuille or if you fancy it you can go on to Courmayer etc!
There is usually some patches of snow to be seen on the pass even in the height of summer.
Take cash, the restaurants and petrol stations on the Italian side don't seem to take credit cards in the summer 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another place you could try in the area is the lake near Chambery airport, it is the largest freshwater lake in France and not quite as busy as Annecy. A couple of resorts on Lac du Bourget are Aix les bains and Bourget du Lac, lots of accommodation is available in Summer. Only light aircraft fly into Chambery airport during the Summer months so even if you decide to stay at the campsite at the end of the runway (right on the lake shore) it will still be pleasant.
As Hells Bells, mentioned you are also in easy driving distance of the med from La Plagne. It takes us between 4.5 and 5 hours to drive from Champagny to Agde, lots of other seaside resorts along the South Coast are reachable in a similar driving time. If you can avoid travelling on a Saturday your journey will be a lot quicker and less stressful (it took us over 7 hours on the first Saurday of August the other year).
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Suggestions sound great - this will be our first non-skiing visit to France so really looking forward to it, and know the kids will love swimming in lakes, horse riding etc, and I'm sure the misses and I will be able to struggle by enjoying the food and wine etc.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Has anyone visited Bozel (in the Courchevel valley) or thereabouts in the summer? It seemed to me like a nice compromise between working town (e.g. Bourg St Maurice) and somewhere a bit quieter, but would be nice to hear from someone with first-hand experience. Like the OP I've thought about taking a summer holiday in the Alps but probably not this year as our youngest daughter (would be 3 years old by the summer) would probably not get the most of the hiking etc.
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Bozel is beautiful in the early summer, as is Champagny. The village at the end of the road, Pralognan, is wonderful.
reded78 May I suggest you take the kids rafting down the Isere, I think they allow them from 5 or so on the shorter course. Not sure about the swimming in lakes, they tend to be very cold
valais2, The Entre le Lac mountain hut is a very basic hut, not as comfortable as the refuge Rosuel at the top of the Landry valley
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kieranm, We were also worried about or 5 year old being to young, that's why for our first trip we are going to use esprit who I can highly recommend and hoping that their summer service is just as good (if not better) than their winter offering.
The days tagged onto the begginning and end are our extra "adventure time" to see if we can get by on our GCSE French and experience the real France.
johnE, Checked it ur rafting advice, looks like their youngest is 8, although I have seen that esprit offer a family river thing for 5 and above.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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reded78 Why not go summer skiing at Tignes when you are there? As long as you don't expect an experience equivalent to winter & go up on a nice day you will probably love it. Even if you don't ski, it's probably worth taking the kids up the glacier to make a snowman & have a snowball fight in high summer. Another activity to look out for is the ropes & bridges type adventure courses - which sometimes cater for very young children.
You'll love the Alps in summer.
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Was already panning a day out in tignes whilst in belle plagne as that was the venue of our last skiing trip in February. To be honest if esprit did some summer accommodation in tignes we would definitely go there, but for our first trip we thought the "safety" in terms of kids entertainment /clubs offered by esprit was worth going to belle plagne for.
I've noticed on the tignes summer website it talks about locally run kids clubs etc, does anyone have any info or experience of tignes in the summer and the number of kids (English) in the clubs etc. we won't want to use the clubs all the time but my eldest is very sociable and loves being around other kids - I think her and her little brother would murder each other by the end of the week if they had to spend all their time together.
W loved the look of all the activities in tignes especially watching people do their jumps int the lake.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just an update if anyone is interested - intinary
Flights booked to Geneva
Pickup hire car
2 nights in annecy - touristy stuff around the city and lake
Week booked with esprit in la plagne - hopefully lots of kids activities
2 nights in hotel at mouth of the Gorge du Verdon
2 nights near nice
Return flights booked from nice
I'll update after the trip to point out the highs and lows, looking forward to it - certainly going to be different to sitting on the beach in Greece for a fortnight!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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reded78, We know Belle Plagne well and during the Winter there are not many better places, however never been there Summer but friends of ours did Esprit in Belle Plagne 2 Summers ago and had a brilliant week. We have done Espirt Winter and from talking to our friends their standards do not drop in the Summer. You will enjoy. Looks a great round trip you have organised.
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