I was recently lucky enough to be able to take my girlfriend Rachael for a weekend in the Alps to celebrate her birthday. This would be the first time either of us had experienced the Alps in the height of the summer. We had both regularly frequented this beautiful mountain region throughout the colder months but were both excited to be swapping our salopettes for shorts and our ski goggles for sunglasses. So what did we get up to? Well….
We took a crack of dawn flight from London Gatwick on Thursday morning and after collecting our rental car we arrived at our accommodation early afternoon. Our accommodation for the weekend was to be the stunning Chalet Twenty26 in the resort of Morzine. The chalet sleeps 12 between 6 ensuite bedrooms and has all the facilities you would expect of a luxury chalet in the Alps, plus many more. We arrived to be greeted by Shasta, the chalet manager and her team. We were met with a cool refreshing welcome drink and shown to our room for the weekend. The first thing that caught Rachael’s eyes was a beautiful bunch of flowers sat on the sideboard with a card addressed to her. The card was a birthday card from the owners of the Chalet. It was a lovely touch and a great start to our holiday.
After settling into our room we headed downstairs for a tour of the chalet. We explored the cinema room, spa area and bar internally before heading outside to explore the outside facilities which included a swimming pool with counter current, a hot tub, a barrel sauna and stunning landscaped gardens which meandered down to a stream at the bottom of the garden. Everything about the chalet was perfect.
After the tour we decided to head into Morzine and up the Pleney lift to admire the views and to enjoy a chilled drink. The weather was very warm and there were lots of mountain bikers and hikers enjoying the many trails and paths that meandered their way across the mountains. The views from the top of the Pleney down over Morzine were pretty special and we could pick out the resort of Avoriaz in the distance.
Our intention had just been to head up the gondola and to enjoy the views and peacefulness at the top whilst having a drink. Whilst we achieved this and relaxed in the sun for a couple of hours, curiosity got the better of me and instead of taking the lift back down to resort level we decided to walk down the mountain. Now there is nothing unusual about this, after all the mountain is covered in hiking trails. What I might add though is that we hadn’t set off with the intention of going for a hike – we were both wearing flip-flops.
We enjoyed our walk down, although I wouldn’t recommend doing it in our choice of footwear. The main highlight of the walk was heading through the small, pretty hamlet of Atray which had lovely mountain farmhouses and a small spring with fresh chilled water, perfect for cooling us down.
After our long trek we headed back to the chalet, had a quick dip in the hot tub and then got ready to head out for a bite to eat. Tired from our long day and early flight we both decided to have a light and quick dinner and headed to Ô Chalet, a premium burger restaurant in the centre of Morzine. The burgers were delicious. They offered local speciality cheeses and chunky prime beef burgers.
The following day we got up nice and early and enjoyed the delicious breakfast that was prepared for us in the chalet. The menu was extensive with a variety of choices but being a creature of habit I opted for some of the tastiest poached eggs on toast that I have experienced. Fuelled up and with bulging bellies we hopped in our hire car and headed an hour down the road to the popular town of Chamonix for some sight-seeing. I had travelled to Chamonix previously with work but this was Rachael’s first experience of the picturesque charming town.
A summer holiday in Chamonix offers a vast choice of experiences and activities to enjoy. Before our break we had pre-arranged for massages in the chalet that afternoon so didn’t get to spend as much time in Chamonix as we’d hoped but still managed to cram in some good sight-seeing.
We started off by heading straight to the Montenvers mountain railway which took us up the side of the mountain, with stunning views along the Chamonix Valley. At the top we enjoyed the panoramic views of the Mer de Glace glacier and, feeling energetic, we headed down to the ice caves in the glacier. The glacier has been melting at an alarming rate in recent years so what used to be a couple of staircases down to the caves has now become one of the largest sets of stairs I have ever seen. They snaked their way down the side of the valley. The last thing on our minds on the way down was the climb back up as we eagerly made our way down to the cool caves below. Once in the caves we were impressed by the ice sculptures and cool temperatures inside. Then came the realisation that it was time to brace ourselves for the long hike back up the stairs to the train at the top.
The views on the way back down seemed even more beautiful than they had on the way up. Once we were back on the valley floor, we headed into Chamonix for a walk around the town, stopping off in a souvenir shop to buy a fridge magnet, something we do in every destination we visit. We also picked up some lovely posters of the panoramic mountain scenery and then tucked into a traditional French baguette for lunch in the blazing afternoon sun.
After lunch we headed back to the Chalet where we arrived just in time for our massages. We’d both opted for a 1 hour full body massage. Or in my case a 30 minute massage, 15 minute doze and 15 minute full blown sleep complete with snoring. I was shattered. It must have been good though as I woke up rejuvenated and with legs that felt like jelly.
That evening we decided to go for our favourite alpine meal, Raclette. After wandering the streets looking at a number of restaurants we opted for Le Grillon, a restaurant specialising in local dishes. We were very happy with our choice. The food was delicious and the fact that we could sit outside and enjoy the fresh mountain air made it all the more pleasant.
The following morning we were awoken by the sound of the cowbells from the cows in the field opposite. It was certainly a much nicer alarm clock to wake up to than the sound of my usual piercing iPhone. After another delicious breakfast we decided to walk to the Cascade de Nyon waterfall, just down the road from the chalet. Our initial route was blocked by a herd of local cows. As we drew close it started out like a scene from a Western Movie. We stopped in our paths, as did they and after the longest staring contest in the history of cow stares we eventually gave in and took another route.
The Nyon waterfall was peaceful and picturesque. Whilst we stopped to take photographs, a group of people Canyoning abseiled straight into the shot. If we had been staying longer I definitely would have taken part myself, even with my fear of heights.
After grabbing a bite to eat we took a trip up to the neighbouring resort of Les Gets. Les Gets in the summer is almost as popular as it is in winter and the week that we were there was a particular busy week. It was the week of the annual Crankworx Mountain biking festival and event. There were more people on bikes than there were on foot. All of Europe’s biggest mountain biking teams had come to compete and watching the event was a real spectacle.
After an hour or so of watching the downhill mountain bikers compete we headed back to the chalet to enjoy the wellness facilities before freshening ourselves up for the gourmet Japanese meal that we would be treated to in the Chalet that evening. As we relaxed around the pool we could hear the cowbells again and hear the river at the bottom of the garden. It really was bliss. After snapping back to reality we freshened up for the evening and headed down for canapés and a glass of Champagne in front of the outdoor fireplace.
That evening we were treated to a 7 course Japanese Kai Seki tasting meal. The food was prepared onsite by the chalets executive chef and was delicious. The flavours from each dish tingled on the tongue and our hosts recommended wines that matched perfectly with the meal. It also gave me a chance to try chopsticks again. I was a kid last time I used them and let’s put it this way, age hasn’t taught me anything when it comes to divulging in Japanese cuisine. Still I refused to give in to the temptation of cutlery…until the sorbet came out anyway. That evening we sat and enjoyed the company of our fellow guests, listened to music and enjoyed a little too much of the chalets’ wine selection. Some of us a little more than others. Needless to say, Rachael didn’t make it down for breakfast the following morning and wasn’t too keen on my driving down the many hairpin bends on the way back to the airport.
Rachael and I had a lovely weekend in Morzine. The chalet was the ideal base from which to enjoy this picturesque mountain region and the team at Chalet Twenty26 were the perfect hosts. From the food to the cleanliness of the chalet, everything was exemplary and we would love to return.
You too could enjoy a luxury weekend break in Morzine. I would strongly recommend a stay in Chalet Twenty26 with its incredible facilities and hospitable staff. If you’d like to know more about the chalet or any of the other properties that we offer in Morzine then give us a call on +44 1202 203 659 and we would love to share our experiences or simply drop us an email. We would love to tell you why we love the Alps in summer so much and would love for you to have the opportunity to experience it too.
