Have you ever been curious to visit the Alps in the summer? Have you ever wondered what goes on out of the ski season? Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to experience the very best of the Alps in the summer, sampling the very finest alpine summer activities on offer. I was delighted to accept the invitation to Sainte Foy to enjoy, first-hand, the stunning Chalet Pelerin. Here the management team create a bespoke itinerary of experiences, activities and dining that is completely tailored to guest preferences.
Let me tell you about my amazing “Pelerin Experience”…….
The Chalet Experience
Located in Le Miroir, a traditional hamlet located just outside the ski resort of Sainte Foy en Tarentaise is the luxury Chalet Pelerin. Wow! The chalet in keeping with the rest of the hamlet had a traditional stone roof and an expanse of wooden beams. As we set foot into the chalet we were taken in by the scent, Japanese garden…..very fitting for the chalet, where a sense of calm serenity is immediately apparent.
The chalet itself really focuses on traditional Savoyard features and cosy family living spaces. Beautifully appointed fixtures and fittings are on show throughout the property’s 5 bedrooms and reception rooms. I stayed in the Foglietta Suite, a large spacious room with a king size bed, gorgeous en-suite bathroom and doors that led onto the balcony with views of the Valley.
During the summer there really is no better place to sit and relax than the outdoor hot tub and surrounding seating areas. Not to mention the recently added pizza oven and barbecue, perfect for family holidays in the Alps. On top of all this, Chalet Pelerin has an oxygen treated pool complete with powerful contra flow system, a huge sauna and a steam room. Where better to relax after a busy day of summer alpine activities?
The Activity Experience
At Chalet Pelerin you can rest easy knowing that all aspects of your trip will be in place ready for your arrival. Robin, the Experience Manager, will have contacted you early in the booking process to gauge an understanding of which activities you would like to be drawn into your itinerary. Being a keen bean, naturally I ticked all the boxes. On arrival we were introduced to Jean-Noël, the head guide who would be running all of our activities. Here’s what I got up to during my stay at Chalet Pelerin….
Mountain Biking
One of the summer alpine activities I was lucky enough to sample was electro mountain biking. We met our guide Loic, outside the chalet and he was very insightful, giving local knowledge of the area and demonstrating the best way to use the bikes. Being a keen cyclist I thought I’d give it a go without the power assisted 3bhp motor, something that was regrettable as the weight of the bike was much more than I had accounted for. Once I had puffed along for 400 metres or so I gave in and hit the power, a pleasant change from the struggle beforehand.
The HAIBIKES bikes were excellent and gave us much more of an opportunity to explore the area than if we had to solely rely on man power. Once we reached Le Monal, which dates back to the 17th century we were able to appreciate the local heritage and culture around where the houses were built.
After a tricky descent through the woods we emerged unscathed and hungry for more. A brief road section led us in the direction of Villaroger where we had to navigate a narrow path which ran along side the Isere river. All successfully negotiated we had made it to Villaroger. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon was had by all, leaving many of us wanting to go on but as with most of these visits we were behind schedule!
White Water Rafting
Part of the summer alpine activity program at Chalet Pelerin is white water rafting, an ideal activity to cool you off when the sun is beating down. The venue we opted for was just outside of the ski town of Bourg St. Maurice. We were welcomed by our guide Patrick, a very experienced guide with good humour and a desire to share his passion of the river and the region.
Once we had all our gear sorted we carried our craft to the edge of the river and learnt how we were going to navigate the rapids along the way. Having rafted before, I volunteered to be at the front of the vessel. We successfully made it to our halfway point at Le Gothard where Patrick showed us a small lake which was geo-thermically heated, quite unique in the area.
During the second leg of our journey we encountered a couple of gorges, ideal for the adrenaline seekers out there as they provided many perches to jump from into the deepest parts of the Isere river. Being an adrenaline junkie, naturally I had to jump into the river from all places possible. Once back on board we sailed through the final rapid section without any casualties making it safely to the rendez-vous with the bus. All in all, a 20km long ride down the Isere river is definitely worth doing this summer.
Via Ferrata
A lesser known summer alpine activity is via ferrata, a form of rock climbing but with various aids such iron ladders and handles attached to the rock. We had the privilege of tackling the mighty Rocher du Vent in the Cormet de Roseland as part of our experience package. Once Jean-Noël and our mountain goat/guide Ludo had sorted our gear we began to hike up to the beggining of the course. After what felt like an eternity later, we made it! Well, to the start of the course at least……
Once we had got our breath back from the speed hike and had a hydration boost we split into two groups. I was part of team adrenaline, aptly titled as we were the thrill seekers in the group. I followed Jean-Noël and we were off, working as a team we made it up one of the harder sections before a quick reshuffle in the group we headed for the summit. Many spectacular views later we had made it to the top, a staggering 2,311m!
Many photos later, we re-hydrated and began the descent. The descent began in fact with a quick walk across the ridge line of the Rocher du Vent before we came to the cable that led to our way down. Going down was almost harder than going up due to the fact we couldn’t really see where we were going. We even managed to catch a glimpse of a Bouquetin, upon seeing us he hopped along the sheer cliff face and moved to a safe pasture. A speedy walk down back to the van was shared with dinner time for the local cows who were particularly vociferous, perhaps this was due to it being dinner time!
Glacier Walking
On our final day at Chalet Pelerin we were thrilled to hear that we were heading off to the Italian ski resort of Courmayeur for a morning of hiking on the glacier. After the early transfer, we arrived before the masses at the base of the Mont Blanc Skyway, via La Rosiere and over the Col du Petit St Bernard and through La Thuile before arriving in Courmayeur.
All kitted up we were ready to go. The cable car that takes you from 1,300m all the way up to the Punta Helbronner at 3,466m revolves 360° giving spectacular panoramic views. At the summit of the Helbronner you could see all they way down the Courmayeur valley and over to the famous Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix. Amongst the other peaks visible are the Dent du Geant at 4013m, Aiguille du Grépon at 3,482m, Aiguille du Dru at 3,752m and the Aiguille Verte at 4,122m!
As we negotiated the shortened staircase down to the glacier we noticed that there was a wedding photo shoot going on….how bizarre?! As most of the costumed guests arrived, we fixed our crampons and set out for a tour with our guide, Ludo. We navigated around a couple of crevasses before heading out on to Col Oriental de Toule where we ventured towards the edge before taking a few snaps of the views of the Courmayeur valley. Before we headed back down to Courmayeur, we assembled at the Rifugio Torino, an altitude refuge where climbers can enjoy a lovely Italian lunch with a stunning view.
The Service Experience
The service we received was second to none. From the moment we arrived at the airport until the sad moment when we had to depart back to the UK. Welcomed by Robin the Experience Manager and Julie the Chalet Manager at Geneva, we were shown to our luxury vehicles which would be taking us around the area for the next few days.
We jumped into the vans and headed for the chalet. En-route we were offered a selection of snacks and refreshments which I took full advantage of, my beverage of choice was an ice cold beer but not just any beer…..La Blonde from the Brasserie du Mont Blanc is a beautifully crafted beer made from the water that flows from the glaciers high above Chamonix. Just what was needed after a 3:15am start!
We headed along the shoreline of Lake Annecy taking in the views and occasionally spotting a handful of para-gliders soaring above the lake using the thermals to perform all kinds of stunts and maneuvers. An added bonus on the journey to the chalet was a pit stop at the wonderful venue of Chez Ma Cousine. After a quick drink and some nibbles we set course for the chalet.
Upon arrival at Chalet Pelerin we were introduced to Jean-Noël, the head guide who would be running all of our expeditions, Nat our chef and Marie-Ann our host. All of whom were very welcoming and shared a real passion for the Chalet and the area.
Each dish we were presented with throughout the stay had been beautifully thought out and crafted using only the finest local ingredients, put together with great care and attention. From the chicken satay starter we had at lunch on arrival to the 20 day matured côte de bœuf at the secret alpage where we dined on our final evening, everything was sublime!
Mountain Eats
After a long day spent in the mountains rafting we were all slightly fatigued, we had a boost of energy injected in the form of a gourmet picnic arranged by our hosts. We arrived to find a beautiful sight of beers and other cold drinks chilling in the river and spread fit for a king! Tuna salads, local charcuterie, chicken on the bone, foie gras, home-made quiche and a delicious tarte aux pommes. A picnic to savour!
After our via ferrata experience we had a quick pit stop in the chalet to spruce ourselves up after a day of serious alpine activities. Following our quick turnaround we were whisked off to the secret location of the Alpage that belongs to Chalet Pelerin.
An Alpage was traditionally where the farmers used to live with the livestock. The animals below and the hay and other essentials up top in the building to keep the animals warm. Luckily for us, this Alpage has been lovingly restored in keeping with the property, with no sign of the cows…..only the smell of the beef!
We were treated by our hosts to a traditional Savoyard meal, canapes of smoked salmon and triple cocktail sausages were enjoyed by all, especially when accompanied by a glass of champagne. The meal itself composed of a local cheese fondue starter, followed by a show stopping 20 day matured Côte de Bœuf cooked on the open wood fire, simply perfect! We all thoroughly enjoyed the dessert which was a fabulous, fresh raspberry tart.
At this point a rather large bottle of Genepi made its way onto the table. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Genepi, it is a herbal liquor made from a flower that grows well over 2,500m. A fine end to a perfect evening we thought. But no, Robin took us outside and had a final surprise for us. Our very own private firework display! The display lasted for more than 5 minutes and was simply amazing. The perfect way to end our day and an amazing experience at Chalet Pelerin.
Many thanks to all the team at Chalet Pelerin for providing such a mind blowing experience over three glorious days last week. This is definitely something to experience, for the thrill seekers and for those who wants to go out and explore all that the Alps can offer in the summer.
The Pelerin Experience is one I can not recommend highly enough.
If you may be interested in visiting the Alps and staying in Chalet Pelerin this summer please do get in touch on +44 1202 203 659 or drop us an email.
