Saturday
Arrival day, and a chance to settle in and meet your fellow guests.
Sunday
Our Welcome Wander will give you your bearings in resort, and finishes at the picturesque
lake at Gaillands, where we enjoy a picnic lunch, whilst marvelling at the spectacular
scenery of Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi.
After lunch we meet our rock-climbing and abseiling instructors at the climbing
area adjacent to the lake, for the challenge of scaling the rock-face and the fun
of abseiling back down. With various routes available, all ages and abilities are
well catered for, and enthusiastic youngsters will have time for several goes!
Monday
Today we take ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’, on a hiking trail which affords the very
best views across the Chamonix Valley to the Mont Blanc Massif. A scenic ride on
the Flégère cable-car takes the uphill strain at the start, and we then hike the
valley side, keeping eyes and ears open for local wildlife along the way.
After a stop to enjoy our packed lunch in the open air, the trail dips down to the
famous Chalet de la Floria, whose balconies overflow with flowers - the perfect
spot for a cooling drink or an ice-cream, before our final descent back into Chamonix.
To relax this afternoon, we have included free entrance to Chamonix’s excellent
leisure centre, with its indoor pool and waterfall, 130m water-slide, river-rapids
and water-jets, plus a jacuzzi, sauna and steam-room - the perfect way to refresh
tired legs!
Tuesday
A free day to relax, or a chance to pack in even more adventures – the choice is
yours! Opportunities include paragliding, the Forest Adventure course, canyoning
or maybe the famous Aigulle du Midi cable-car with its unrivaled views of Mont Blanc.
This evening is your Chalet Hotel team’s one night off, so enjoy a local speciality
dinner in one of the many traditional Savoyarde restaurants nearby.
Wednesday
A picturesque 12-mile drive takes us to the Swiss village of Châtelard, where we
take the steepest funicular in the world - a spectacular 140m rise up an incredible
87˚ gradient. From here, the ‘train panoramique’ brings us to the base of the 180
metre-high Emosson Dam and the lake behind. On the visit we hear of the story of
the hydro fossiled dinosaur footprints, and have time to explore at the top.
Thursday
We start the day with white water rafting on the Arve River, where the glacier-melt
waters make for an exhilarating ride! We are provided with wet suits, life jackets,
helmets and paddles while the instructor steers at the back.
After running the rapids, we relax on the banks of Passy Lake, a warm, mile-long
freshwater lake with its own sandy beach, ideal for swimming and for our picnic
lunch.
In the afternoon we stay on the lake and have a go at wind-surfing, keeping the
wet suits from earlier. Once you have mastered the basics, all you need is a little
breeze and some quick manouvers and you will be changing direction in total control.
It’s great fun for all the family.
Friday
Our final day starts with our Mountain Biking Safari, following our guide in the
foothills of the impressive mountains of Chamonix and Argentière.
After lunch we visit nearby Gorge de la Diosaz, with its suspended walkway leading
along the picturesque, steep-sided gorge, carved by millennia of thundering water
carving its passage through solid rock. The walkway takes us right up close to waterfalls,
mysterious rock-pools and over-hanging trees, reminiscent in parts of scenes from
Narnia or The Lord of the Rings, and all backed by the roar of the foaming torrent
below.
Our final dinner this evening is the family barbecue back at Chalet Hotel Sapinière,
with all your fellow guests.
Saturday
Time to head for home, or perhaps to move on for a
second week of adventures in another resort - the choice is yours!
All this for only £239 per adult - £195 per child
Simply add the above amounts to the relevant prices for Chalet Hotel Sapinière.