The Haute Savoie Region
Located approximately 1 hour from Geneva airport, the village of St Jean d’Aulps and the ski station of La Grande Terche offer one of the most convenient areas for skiing holidays. This is the gateway to the world-famous ski region of Portes du Soleil offering a vast area of skiiing across France and into Switzerland. It is easily accessible from Geneva by hiring a car or by airport transfer in the winter. We always hire a car because it allows so much more flexibility although there is a reliable network of ski buses and public transport in the winter that is specifically catered for tourists.
For those interested in French cuisine and the typical laid back pace of life this is a great place to visit in the summer where you can wander freely in the mountains and experience the alpine air and feeling of space. There are lots of cultural highlights in the area including the ancient churches throughout the valleys and the Abbey in St Jean d’Aulps. Lake Geneva is only 30 minutes away for the lake-side mediaeval villages and likewise, Lake Annecy is 60 minutes away during the summer.
La Grande Terche is one of those places where you still get the feeling you are in France and not in a purpose-built resort overtaken by package holidays. The reason we love it here so much is because of this and the fact that you can spend the majority of your time skiing and not fighting the crowds associated with many of the larger resorts. Undoubtedly, this region is best known for the excellent skiing but that is not all that it has to offer.