The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities

Canyoning in the Alps - Photo: Undiscovered Mountains. The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.

The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.

As summer arrives in the Alps, the snow melts away revealing a spectacularly lush and colourful landscape with green pastures carpeted with alpine flowers teaming with butterflies, set against a backdrop of gnarly cliffs and glaciers with raging rivers and waterfalls cascading down to the valleys.

For outdoor lovers, the mountains also transform into a veritable adventure playground with everything from paragliding to rafting on offer!

Road Cycling in the Alps. Photo: Undiscovered Alps. The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.
Road Cycling in the Alps. Photo: Undiscovered Alps. The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.

Adrenalin junkies will love sliding down the natural toboggans, abseiling down waterfalls and jumping into clear alpine pools canyoning ,  testing out their head for heights on a via ferrata or even going underground caving or to do a via souterrata (underground via ferrata).

Nature lovers will adore walking in the mountains and staying in one of the many high mountain refuges amongst the chamois and marmots with the howls of wolves now a relatively common experience, especially in the Southern French Alps.

Families will have fun rafting together on the roller coaster rapids, rock climbing and swimming in the beautiful Alpine lakes.

Canyoning in the French Alps. Photo: Undiscovered Mountains. The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.
Canyoning in the French Alps. Photo: Undiscovered Mountains. The Southern French Alps are the Best Part of the French Alps for Summer Activities.

Bikers will appreciate the summer lift access to well designed single track descents and roadies will get high on endorphins from summiting a Tour de France mountain pass!

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Saalbach to Host 21st World Games of Mountain Biking

World Games of Mountain Biking Marathon in Saalbach - Saalbach to Host 21st World Games of Mountain Biking.

Saalbach to Host 21st World Games of Mountain Biking

Saalbach’s World Games of Mountain Biking will be held on 05th – 08th September 2019.

New for this event: The Cross-Country category celebrates its comeback!

Over 1,000 athletes from over 20 nations will battle it out for the title of the World Games Champion between 05th and 08th September at Saalbach. Five marathon distances between 21 km and 80 km demand every effort from the athletes while pushing them to their limits.

World Games of Mountain Biking Marathon in Saalbach - Saalbach to Host 21st World Games of Mountain Biking.
World Games of Mountain Biking Marathon in Saalbach – Saalbach to Host 21st World Games of Mountain Biking.

A choice of five distances is offered again this year at the World Games of Mountain Biking. Marathon newcomers can try out the Marathon 21 with 891 metres altitude difference, while experienced marathon riders can pedal between 1,160 and 2,920 metres of altitude difference on distances 31, 42 and 58 over the grass mountains of Saalbach Hinterglemm. If you have underestimated your energy levels and would spontaneously like to attempt a longer distance, you have the option to do this at each junction during the race.

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Planning your summer holiday in the mountains and beach – our next trip

The view from the top of the Skyway Monte Bianco - Punta Hellbronner- Amazing rotating gondola that takes you up to the highest point in Italy to see the Mont Blanc and all the surrounding mountains. Photo: The-Ski-Guru.

The summer holidays are coming upon us and I am counting the days to leave this hot city and have some days off. I have been planning this summer holiday for at least half an year and cannot believe it is finally coming! We will be going to the mountains and the beach in one trip, to please all the members of the family.  Even though I will be having a couple of meetings here and there, it is still time to spend with the family and enjoy being and playing outside.

I love planning where we are going to go each year. For winter we always go to the Alps driving, and we have done already 5 years of going to Pila, just up from Aosta, one going to Madonna di Campiglio and one adding Courmayeur to the end of our stay in Aosta/Pila. We always travel by car, as we take all our equipment with us, and we are well positioned in SE London to get to Folkestone for the Eurotunnel station.

Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel - can't wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.
Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel – can’t wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

Summer is not different. I find that purchasing flights for the family during the kids’ school holidays is very expensive, plus I do love our road trips. So off we’ll be going soon to Folkestone to board the Eurotunnel and get into another adventure.


One thing to remember is to get the car lights stickers that are obligatory for UK cars driving in the Continent, so you do not blind the cars coming the other way, the yellow vests per each person in the car, a triangle and I am not sure if the breathalysers are still requested in France. It was the case, then I’ve read that it was not the case anymore – just check online before travelling just in case! Have all these things inside the car, reachable if you are stopped by the police, not in your car boot, as you could be fined if you need to get out to get them!

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Verbier Summer News- Read the summer news to plan your holiday to Verbier!

The Verbier Bike Park and its trails of VTT and Downhill. Photographer: KifCat. Verbier Promotion.

Verbier Summer News: Verbier is starting its summer season with lots of news for making your holiday unforgettable.

The Verbier Infinite Pass or VIP Pass comes with any lodging where you pay the tourist tax at Verbier or Val de Bagnes, and allows you access throughout the resort and surrounding areas. This pass is valid from 4th June till 28th October 2018.


What is new for Summer 2018:

  • Free mountain lifts (pedestrian pass) until the top of Mont-Fort, of 3,330 meters.
  • 50% off bike lift pass for bikers
  • 50% off the pitch and putt golf course and 30% off the course at Les Esserts (par 69)
  • 50% off the aerial walkway
  • 1 free admission to one of the secret concerts at the Verbier Festival
  • Free Indoor swimming pool in Mondzeu.
Verbier is one of the well known destinations for biking, with 7 trails of different difficulty. Photo by Céline Ribordy - Verbier Promotion.
Verbier is one of the well known destinations for biking, with 7 trails of different difficulty. Photo by Céline Ribordy – Verbier Promotion.

What is new in terms of lodging and restaurants.

Vie Montagne: located in the centre of the resort, it has a gourmet restaurant and also a new micro-brewery. The site also offers a magnificent view of the mountains. For groups of up to 20 people.

More information

For more information on summer in Verbier (more actualised to summer 2021), check this post! 

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Spot on St Anton am Arlberg in summer: Just the way summers should be

On the 150 kilometers of the "Arlberg Giro" cycle race from St. Anton via Bludenz, the Montafon, the Silvretta and back, the athletes overcome 2,500 vertical meters Photo credit: TVB St. Anton am Arlberg / photographer Patrick Säly

St. Anton am Arlberg: Revitalise, be dynamic and discover pastures new:
Just the way summers should be.

Many people know St. Anton am Arlberg as a world famous winter sports destination. But when temperatures start to climb, St. Anton am Arlberg reveals its multifaceted summer life – where visitors can experience the birthplace of alpine skiing, as an original mountain village. This is the time to discover the hidden treasures of this holiday destination, get better acquainted with the mountain lodge hosts and immerse yourself in the pristine natural landscapes. A Tyrolean alpine setting and the perfect stage for a whole host of sporting events. For example, those seeking an adrenalin rush will find it at the ”Arlberg Adler“ mountain triathlon and “ARLBERG-Giro“, while more peace-loving guests will find their inner selves at the „Mountain Yoga Festival“. The spotlight is on the extended Verwalltal Valley during summer 2018.www.stantonamarlberg.com

 

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