To explore the resort of Les Saisies is to escape life through a dream of nature. Its vast expanses reach altitudes between 1,600 and 2,050 meters. The “Savoy snow loft” unfolds over a 360° panorama view of Mont Blanc. Mountains, pine forests and a plateau will make you feel as though you were in Lapland. But here you have the sun as a bonus!
All around is the large Espace Diamant ski area which provides skiing for all styles. Perfect for experiencing a sense of freedom during family micro-adventures, while staying in France, for many, a stone’s throw from home.
Known worldwide since the Albertville Olympics in 1992 for hosting cross-country skiing and biathlon events, the Les Saisies area offers its share of Northern experiences that welcome being reconnected. A Reconnection to oneself, to nature and to others. No need to go far, nor to wait for the summer holidays, adventure is within reach of all sized mittens… in one of the most striking resorts in France!
Discovering the Grand Blanc
Engaging in physical activity in a natural setting has direct effects on health, and has a positive influence on mental health. A significant argument in these particular times. At Les Saisies, you will have the opportunity to discover nature walks, XXL format. Enough to significantly improve your good mood and adopt an always positive attitude.
Moreover, according to Météo France, the average snowfall since 1982 in Beaufortain and Val d’Alry is higher than that of the surrounding massifs.
The altitude, the proximity to Mont Blanc and the exposure of the faces are conducive to snow. Here, all skis are permitted between altitudes of 1050 and 2050 meters in the Espace Diamant ski area. A white paradise of 192 km of slopes which combines the charm of 6 ski-in ski-out ski resorts.
In the absence of ski lifts, you will have to go up the slope!
Part of the pleasure of cross-country skiing is the trip up. This is particularly good at the start of this season while the opening of the ski lifts is still controversial. To respond to the growing enthusiasm for this discipline, the Les Saisies resort has plotted a track with a vertical drop of 350 m suitable for discovering what cross-country skiing is all about. The “leash”, at the start of the Gentianes ski lift, allows you to climb at your own pace, in complete safety, and to get soak in the landscapes. Once at the top, there are several routes to choose from to go down!
For those who still hesitate between snowshoes and ski touring, there’s no need to choose. Try Hok Skiing! Being revamped by Canadians, this new practice combines ski touring and snowshoeing to get off the beaten track.
The challenge? Put on very maneuverable short and wide skis with sealskins (100% synthetic), to make your own path along the mountain. With walking shoes on, a good lift on the snow and a free heel, it has never been so fun to venture off groomed slopes, between snow-covered forests and mountain pastures! The aim of the game? Combine descents, climbs and long crossings, day and night.
A treatment of Nordic Nature to go white
Want to take care of yourself and enjoy a week of varied activities? Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Hauteluce, a friendly-sized village with a real personable feeling.
Over time it has managed to preserve a harmony between its traditional architecture and modern needs. Without forgetting the Hameau de Bisanne, nicknamed the “douiller hamlet” where you will find accommodation and services in an authentic area of preserved mountain pastures and forests.
Anne-Marie or Hélène, mountain guides and yoga teachers, offer to introduce and discover Nordic walking, snowshoeing (including a night out with locavore dinner at the farm), snowga (snowshoeing + yoga), conscious walking, snowshoe skiing (to combine hiking and sliding) and cross-country skiing …
Every day a new activity to discover, after a gentle muscular massage at the aqua sports center and a “healthy” breakfast at 1650 meters. In the evening, relax your muscles and prolong the benefits of this time in the snow, head to the Signal wellness area.
And for those who wish to combine the useful with the pleasant, the snowshoe trip can end around a good table. Odile and Patrick, the hosts, offer a gourmet tour of their farm. While Patrick offers a visit to his barn, with cuddles for the little calves as a bonus, Odile prepares dinner based on homemade specialties: homemade salad and cold meats, a stuffing (the ancestral Savoyard dish made of potatoes, smoked brisket and prunes ) cabris cheese, diots sausage or veal, desserts. Around the table, this family of passionate farmers is never stingy with anecdotes about the profession and the region.
A breath of fresh air in the heart of the large expanses of Les Saisies, to reconnect with the environment in its entirety.
Nature offers moments of contemplation
A balcony on Mont Blanc
The exploration begins with the arrival of the Chard du Beurre chairlift, sitting at an altitude of 1900 m. Two masterful totems in Corten indicate the path to follow to reach the “Balcony of Mont Blanc”, hidden behind a forest of fir trees.
The path continues from belvederes to belvederes, each time with a new view, revealing new hidden treasures. Tables, standing rests, giant chairs and views of the landscape enhance anyones sense of contemplation while facing Mont-Blanc, Pierra Menta and the Aravis massif.
For more privacy, head to the picnic tables and pergolas, or the giant hammock, for a nap in the great outdoors.
Insta’spots
And for those who don’t know how to live without their smartphones, don’t worry. Even in the heart of nature, you can stay connected! On skis, snowshoes or on foot, the Les Saisies resort has prepared a route that reveals breathtaking panoramas of beauty. Via a treasure hunt system, you can geolocate the most “instagramable” view points of the resort.
A must: make the first trail and discover the Insta’spots during sunrise, before the official opening of the area. This can be done with the community manager of the resort, who reveals his secrets to his most successful photos.
And for a group photo, head to the summit of Bisanne where the photo hot spot with Mont Blanc in the background.
