-How to travel
By car: Channel tunnel, autoroute A26 to Troyes; A5 to Langres; A31 to Dyon; A39 to Bourg en Bresse; A40 to Passy/ Saint-Gervais. Take Sorti 21 to St-Gervais and Les Contamines Montjoie. Distance Calais-Les Contamines Montjoie 1000 km.
By plane to Geneva airport (Easyjet etc.) and Ouibus (book before by internet €25 oneway ticket) directly to Les Contamines Montjoie.
-Les Contamines Montjoie
This village is at an altitude of 1167 m. west of the Mont Blanc mountain. The vallee is oriented north-south and it is country-like with several authentique villages and neighbourhoods. Les Contamines lays at the end of the vallee and has maintained its old character.
In the main street you can find the shops like the butcher, the bakery, supermarkets, bookseller, sports and the tourist-office. On thursday there is a market with regional products. Many restaurants and hotels can offer you a good lunch and dinner.
The ski area is south of the village. In and around the village there are many walking ways and there is a free shuttle bus. In the village and in the vallee there are several baroque churches.
-Nature
The flora and fauna are breath-taking in this area, since 1972 the nature reserve of Les Contamines was installed. There is an aboundance of plants, in springtime you can see a variety of Primula and Crocus etcetera in the neighbourhoods.
-Ski area
The ski area of Les Contamines/Hauteluce has 120 km. of pistes between 1164 and 2500 meter altitude and there is a high prevalence of snow due to the mountains of the Mont Blanc.
The pistes are subdivided in 8 green, 11 blue, 18 red and 9 black types of pistes. Many different nice restaurants are scattered around the ski area.
When you prefer a larger area for skiing, you can take the EVASION MONT Blanc skipass. This pass gives access to the ski area of Contamines, St.Gervais, Mégève, St.Nicolas de Véroce and La Giettaz.
Skipasses are available online by visiting www.lescontamines.net or available by at the desk of the ski-station.
Ski-lessons are given by the ESF, online booking by www.esf-lescontamines.net
The ESF-office is next to the Tourist-office in the center of Contamines.
Nanny service is also available.
-What to do in the neigbourhood
–Saint Gervais is situated in the beginning of the valley with a nice shopping area with many pubs etc. and beautiful buildings dating from the 20th. You can also enjoy a stay in the local Spa. There is a mountain-train starting in Le Fayet, which leeds you to 2372 m. altitude at the Bionassay-Glacier.
–Chamonix with a large shopping area and famous hotels and restaurants. The cable cabins can bring you to the Aiguille du Midi.
–Mégève is very mondain with a picturesque shopping area and restaurants with many fashion shops.
–Genève is at 1 hour driving-distance, pay attention at the matorway pass.
–Through the Mont Blanc Tunnel you can visit Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin in Italy and experience the Italian atmosphere.
-Walking in the mountains in summertime
Walking maps and guides are available in the documents map. The famous Tour de Mont Blanc is running through the valley and brings you to Italy, Switzerland and France.
Alongside the walking way there are many and well-equipped huts. Also the GR5 runs through the valley from north to south. The IGN maps 3531 ET and OT gives you the details of the area. In the surroundings of Hauteluce there is the Tour de Beaufortain.
-Huts refuges and gîtes.
Squatered in the area you find many huts and refuges, like Chalet de Truc, Chalet de Miage, Tré la Tète, Nant Borrant, Croix de Bonhomme, La Balme and Mont Joli. In the lower parts of the valley there are many Gîtes.
-Important internet adresses
www.lescontamines.com for information about touristinfo, ski-area, weather, etc.
www.esf-lescontamines.net for ski-lessons.
www.lescontamines.net for ski-pass information.