Megève: how to get there and where to stay. Megeve Ski Resort Entertainment and apres ski
Megève is one of the most popular ski resorts in France. Here you will find unrivaled skiing on well-groomed pistes along picturesque fir-covered slopes, gastronomic surprises from famous chefs, and luxurious shopping. In addition, the resort can offer its guests hospitable chalets and a rich après ski program - everything you need for a complete winter holiday.
Business card
What to see, where to visit
Megeve in France is a pretty Savoyard village with cobbled streets and cozy mansions. An important role in its formation was played by the architect Henri-Jacques Le Meme, the author of chalet-style houses. He came here in 1925 at the invitation of Baroness Rothschild, who decided to turn Megève into the “French St. Moritz.” Le Mème designed more than 200 Mégevan chalets, giving the resort a coherent architectural appearance.
However, the architect built his own house-workshop in the spirit of Le Corbusier, and today this building is a local landmark. Other interesting places include the Calvary of Megevan - an ensemble of 14 chapels with wooden sculptures and frescoes depicting the suffering of Jesus. They are installed along a winding path that starts in the eastern part of the village and climbs up the mountain, replicating the Jerusalem Way of the Cross. At the end of the 19th century. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Megève to climb his Golgotha.
Trails, slopes, lifts
Megève, together with its neighboring resorts, form the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area with a total length of slopes of about 445 km. Most of them are accessible directly from the village.
For beginner skiers and snowboarders, simple trails are equipped on the slopes, fenced off from the main stream. There are about 80 of them in total; the most spacious and longest are located in the Mont d'Arbois area. There are 60 red slopes: these include descents from Le Jaillet, Combloux and other slopes. The most difficult slopes (29 of them), as well as extreme off-piste slopes, can be found in the Mont Joly area, Mont Joux, Cote-2000, Rochebrune - for example, a track named after the famous skier Emile Allais, or the 220-meter Les Mont Blanc d'Or for giant slalom. They are not very long, but steep and lumpy: only real professionals can conquer them.
The ski areas are also suitable for snowboarders, but the most interesting in this regard are Mont Joux, Le Jaillet and Combloux, where there are snow parks, and Cote-2000, where there is a boarder cross track.
There are several prestigious ski schools in Megeve: Ecole du Ski Français, Ecole de Ski Internationale, Ecole de Freeride. They accept both adults and children from 4 years old for training.
Entertainment and active recreation
Megève has plenty of options for those who love an active pastime: cross-country ski trails starting right from the hotels, snowshoe trails, a sports palace with an indoor skating rink, swimming pool, climbing wall, ping pong and outdoor fitness center skating rink, horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, dog sledding, flying club and much more.
There are also more relaxing entertainments: 3 cinemas, a theater, 2 museums, art galleries, a beauty salon, a bridge club, a thermal park in the village of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, located 10 km from Megève. For shopping lovers there are numerous boutiques, antique shops and souvenir shops. In the evening you can relax in one of the restaurants, jazz clubs (by the way, the local Jazz Club des Cing Rues is considered one of the best jazz clubs in France), piano bars, discos or casinos.
Local cuisine and wines
The resort of Megeve in France has about 90 restaurants, 30 of which are in the mountains, and more than a dozen are awarded Michelin stars - this gives Megeve the title of gastronomic capital of the French Alps.
Most establishments specialize in national Savoyard cuisine, offering their guests Savoyard-style kebab, tartiflette - potato casserole with bacon and cheese, raclette made from Reblochon cheese baked with vegetables, fondue from local cheeses, etc. All this, in particular, can be tried in restaurant Les Flocons de Sel (2 Michelin stars), Le Carousel, LAlpage, Enfants Terribles, etc.
In addition, the village has restaurants serving Italian cuisine (for example, Di Vino) and oriental cuisine (L’Indochine Aux Caves). Chalet Du Mont D'arbois, Fer A Cheval, Alpette, etc. are famous for their wine cellars.
Family holiday
In Megeve there are 5 children's mini-clubs, a children's ski school, and 2 kindergartens. With children, you can go to Santa Village, a swimming pool with a children's area, or the Cote 2000 Aventure amusement park.
Where to stay
The choice of accommodation options in the French resort of Megeve is very diverse. There are several luxury 5* hotels here
An authentic alpine village located at an altitude of 1113 meters above sea level - this is what we can briefly say about the ski resort of Megève (France). But connoisseurs of the ski mecca will immediately add: an hour’s drive from Geneva airport opens a distinctive alpine town that has managed to preserve its individuality and has a whole range of services of the highest quality, capable of providing a premium class holiday!
Characteristics of the Megeve resort
As regulars of Megève say, winter sports at the resort feel like royalty, and the residents of the village have the true art of real French life!
- Height difference in Megeve - 1113 - 2226 m
- Length of hiking trails - 50 km
- Number of lifts - 117
- Total length of ski slopes - 445 km
- The length of the longest descent is 3.6 km
- Cross-country ski trails - 43 km
- Toboggan runs (toboggan) - 2 pcs. 520 m each
The town is home to approximately 4,500 people, while the number of hotel beds for tourists exceeds 44 thousand! The ski resort offers 82 restaurants, 200 shops and boutiques, and many spas and health centers.
An important fact testifies to the quality of the ski slopes and accompanying services: Megève is a member of the prestigious group of ski resorts "Best in the Alps", which unites 12 European ski centers (St. Moritz, Kitzbühel (see Bavarian Alps of Germany and Austria), Chamonix, Davos, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Seefeld, Zermatt, Lech Zürs am Arlberg, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Grindelwald and St. Anton am Arlberg. Each of They provide exceptional service to tourists throughout the year.
Megève ski areas
- Rochebrune (1754 m) - 49 slopes, 20 lifts
- Mont D'arbois - Megeve (Mont D'arbois (1840 m) - Megev) - 11 lifts, 27 pistes
- Jaillet - Portes du Mont Blanc (Jaillet (1580 m) - Portes du Mont Blanc) - 8 lifts, 22 pistes
- Combloux (Combloux, 1757 m) - 8 lifts, 30 pistes
- Zhieta (Giettaz, 1930 m) - 7 lifts, 28 slopes
- Cote 2000 (Côte 2000, 2014 m) - 1 lift, 1 slope
- large cabins – 3
- small cabins – 5
- chairlifts – 28
- rope tows – 42
The amazing location of Megève - in the heart of the ski area of the Mont Blanc Alpine peak - has become a favorable factor for the development of skiing and tourism; it is called Eldorado for skiers and snowboarders, for curious tourists and connoisseurs of primeval nature, for those who crave peace and relaxation.
From Megève, taking a bus, you can go to Geneva (about 1.5 hours away), or straight to Chamonix - wander through its small streets full of charm, admire the Mont Blanc peak - the highest peak in the Alps and Europe. Another beautiful town nearby is Annecy, which is called the Venice of the Alps. It’s worth checking out the famous Annecy markets and, in your free time, strolling along the picturesque streets decorated with endless flower balconies.
Megève webcams
Entertainment and apres ski
Megeve hosts a huge number of different cultural events and important world-class events throughout the year.
Among the entertainments typical of the resort are walks in real carriages driven by well-groomed horses, sleigh rides and dog sledding, and airplane flights over the top of Mont Blanc. For shopping, Megève has prepared luxury boutiques, exquisite antique shops, sophisticated jewelry stores and art galleries.
Time after skiing can also be spent visiting wellness centers, which offer a wide range of treatment and body care services, as well as tasting the finest haute cuisine in Michelin-starred restaurants.
The country of Mont Blanc, set in a unique natural environment, provides Megève with the rare gift of luxury and true natural authenticity - the resort is renowned for its very friendly atmosphere, filled with a spirit of respect for local traditions.
Advantages of Megève
There is always good snow on the upper slopes
- Large selection of good restaurants
- Good shopping opportunities - top notch shopping, fun and lively evenings
Flaws
High prices for service
- Sometimes there is insufficient snow coverage on the lower slopes
Address of the tourist center in Megève: Megève Tourisme B.P. , 24FR-74120 Megève, tel. 0033 450 212 728.
How to get to the Megève ski resort
The closest international airports to Megève are:
- Geneva (87 km from Megève)
- Saint-Exupéry, Lyon (170 km)
- Chambery (95 km)
- Grenoble (160 km)
Next, you should use the services of local airlines that fly to Megève airport. For example, from Geneva such a flight lasts 1 hour. The flight to the resort from Moscow will take approximately 6 hours.
Buy air tickets to Megève
To Megève by train
12 km from Megève is the Sallanches railway station, towards which a direct TGV train runs every weekend in winter. Sallanches station has a good direct bus connection to Megève.
To Megève by bus
Every 2 hours from Geneva, the capital of Switzerland, a comfortable bus service Starshipper (tel. 04 56 12 40 59) runs from Geneva, the capital of Switzerland, delivering skiers to the foot of Mont Blanc and to Megève. Travel time is 1 hour 30 minutes. Ticket price is 10 euros. Opening hours: from December 14 to April 30.
Regular bus lines of the SAT company (tel. 04 50 21 25 18) provide transport links to all localities of Haute-Savoie, including: Combloux, Sallanches, Saint-Gervais, Le Faye ( le Fayet), Megève and Chamonix. SAT also offers its visitors a wide range of guided bus tours, the best way to experience the history and culture of the French Alpine region.
Direct SAT flights to Megève (daily, 4 times/day, round trip):
- Route No. 82: Chamonix - Le Fayet - Megeve - Praz
- route no. 83: Sallanches - Combloux - Megève - Praz sur Arly
) is located in close proximity to Mont Blanc, in the very southeast of the Haute-Savoie department, at an altitude of only 1100 meters above sea level.
The town itself is a center of cultural and nightlife, developing as a resort since the 20s of the 20th century and is very convenient for living. Due to its relatively flat terrain and low altitude, it is comfortable for guests of all ages and skill levels, and the dense forests surrounding it make a stay here enjoyable at any time of the year. In 2004, Megève became the twelfth member of the prestigious Best of the Alps ski resorts club (BOTA, except for Chamonix from France).
Winter holidays
Skiing is carried out in three zones: Combloux, Jaillet and La Giettaz - Cordon, combined into one zone Les Portes du Mont-Blanc with a total length of slopes of about 100 km (the total length of slopes in the Evasion Mont-Blanc region is 445 km). There are a total of 63 trails (18% green, 27% blue, 44% red and 11% black) with an elevation difference of only 900 meters. For the most part, the trails are wide and simple, and the terrain is quite simple even on the “red” slopes. Many slopes intersect with the routes of neighboring resorts in the valley, so while skiing you can go on more serious routes of the resort of Saint-Gervais - Mont d'Arbois (Mont d'Arbois, 1840 m) and Mont Joux (1958 m), on the slopes Rochebrune - l "Alpette, 1871 m) and Cote-2000 or on the opposite slope of the valley - in Jaillet (1580 m) and Torraz (1930 m). In general, in the valleys of the southern foot of Mont Blanc it is quite difficult to understand where one resort ends and another begins, therefore, living in the same Megève, you can freely ski on the slopes of Chamonix, Argentiere, Le Tour, Les Houches, Les Contamines Montjoie, Combloux, Praz sur Arly, Cordon, Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas de Veroce, Passy and Servoz.
Also in Megeve you can find good conditions for virgin skiing, a snowboard park on Monjou, a boardercross track on Rochebrune, 3 ski schools, a specialized freeride school, a ski kindergarten Club des Piou-Piou la Caboche (for children 3-5 years old, classes group), 75 km of flat skiing and hiking trails, snowshoeing routes, a modern sports complex with a swimming pool, fitness room, indoor skating rink, tennis courts, climbing wall, paragliding club, bowling alley and outdoor skating rink.
The slopes are served by 34 lifts (together with the Evasion Mont-Blanc region - 113) and 270 snow guns (snow problems are not uncommon in Megève).
Megève is famous for its apres-ski holiday - there are 50 restaurants here (plus another 30 in the mountains), many of which are among the best French establishments of this kind. In addition, Megeve has a theater, a casino, a jazz club (considered one of the best in France), more than 200 shops and boutiques of famous brands and, of course, countless bars and cafes. Saint-Gervais has 45 restaurants, a discotheque, a concert hall, a cinema and a bridge club. Not far from Megève there is the thermal park of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains with mineral springs.
Group lessons at a ski school for adults will cost 142 euros (5 lessons of 3 hours), for children from 5 to 13 years old - 125 euros, individual lessons - from 40 euros per hour. Rental of a set of ski equipment - 28-40 euros per day, depending on the class. Accommodation in hotels in Megève itself in the high season will cost no less than 140-180 euros per day, but prices in hotels in Saint-Gervais are somewhat lower.
The easiest way to get to Megève is from the airports of Geneva (70-110 km depending on the route), Chambery (85 km) and Lyon (180 km), although the resort itself has a small high-altitude airport, and in Saint Gervais - railroad station.
The ski season lasts from mid-December to mid-April.
Vacation with children
Children should definitely visit the town of Santa Claus, Santa Village. Special children's playgrounds have been opened to teach the basics of skiing. The pool has a children's area. The adventure park in Megève has a route for children aged 5 years and older.
Ski passes
Megève can hardly be called a cheap resort, but prices for ski services here differ little from other mountainous regions of France.
A one-day Megeve ski pass (325 km of slopes in the areas of Rochebrune, Mont d'Arbois, Jaillet, la Giettaz, Combloux, Saint Gervais and Saint Nicolas) will cost approximately 32-35 euros for adults, 26-28 euros for children (under 14 years old) ) and 29-32 euros - for pensioners (over 60 years old).
The Cham Ski pass (includes the Chamonix valley, excluding Les Houches) costs 31-44 euros for 1 day and 130-186 euros for 6 days.
There are also several cheaper passes for each valley separately www.combloux.com/prices-ski-pass-3.html.
Ski passes are free for children under 5 years old and adults over 80 years old. Discounts for children under 5 to 14 years old and adults over 60 years old.
Entertainment
After a day of sports, you can spend the evening in restaurants and bars. Some of the restaurants offer excellent gourmet cuisine. The city has nightclubs and casinos.
Transport
Getting around Megève
A free bus runs around the resort, connecting the ski areas of Rochebrune, Mont d'Arbois, Cote 2000, Jaillet, Cassioz and Princesse.
How to get to Megève
The nearest airports are in Annecy, Chambery, Grenoble, Leon and Geneva.
SNCF trains connect you to the St Gervais les Bains / Le Fayet stop, which is 12 km from Megève. Next by bus or taxi.
There are regular bus services from Megève to the cities of Sallanches and Geneva.
Megève is one of the most popular ski resorts in France. Here you will find unrivaled skiing on well-groomed pistes along picturesque fir-covered slopes, gastronomic surprises from famous chefs, and luxurious shopping. In addition, the resort can offer its guests hospitable chalets and a rich après ski program - everything you need for a complete winter holiday.
Business card
What to see, where to visit
Megeve in France is a pretty Savoyard village with cobbled streets and cozy mansions. An important role in its formation was played by the architect Henri-Jacques Le Meme, the author of chalet-style houses. He came here in 1925 at the invitation of Baroness Rothschild, who decided to turn Megève into the “French St. Moritz.” Le Mème designed more than 200 Mégevan chalets, giving the resort a coherent architectural appearance.
However, the architect built his own house-workshop in the spirit of Le Corbusier, and today this building is a local landmark. Other interesting places include the Calvary of Megevan - an ensemble of 14 chapels with wooden sculptures and frescoes depicting the suffering of Jesus. They are installed along a winding path that starts in the eastern part of the village and climbs up the mountain, replicating the Jerusalem Way of the Cross. At the end of the 19th century. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Megève to climb his Golgotha.
Trails, slopes, lifts
Megève, together with its neighboring resorts, form the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area with a total length of slopes of about 445 km. Most of them are accessible directly from the village.
For beginner skiers and snowboarders, simple trails are equipped on the slopes, fenced off from the main stream. There are about 80 of them in total; the most spacious and longest are located in the Mont d'Arbois area. There are 60 red slopes: these include descents from Le Jaillet, Combloux and other slopes. The most difficult slopes (29 of them), as well as extreme off-piste slopes, can be found in the Mont Joly area, Mont Joux, Cote-2000, Rochebrune - for example, a track named after the famous skier Emile Allais, or the 220-meter Les Mont Blanc d'Or for giant slalom. They are not very long, but steep and lumpy: only real professionals can conquer them.
The ski areas are also suitable for snowboarders, but the most interesting in this regard are Mont Joux, Le Jaillet and Combloux, where there are snow parks, and Cote-2000, where there is a boarder cross track.
There are several prestigious ski schools in Megeve: Ecole du Ski Français, Ecole de Ski Internationale, Ecole de Freeride. They accept both adults and children from 4 years old for training.
Entertainment and active recreation
Megève has plenty of options for those who love an active pastime: cross-country ski trails starting right from the hotels, snowshoe trails, a sports palace with an indoor skating rink, swimming pool, climbing wall, ping pong and outdoor fitness center skating rink, horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, dog sledding, flying club and much more.
There are also more relaxing entertainments: 3 cinemas, a theater, 2 museums, art galleries, a beauty salon, a bridge club, a thermal park in the village of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, located 10 km from Megève. For shopping lovers there are numerous boutiques, antique shops and souvenir shops. In the evening you can relax in one of the restaurants, jazz clubs (by the way, the local Jazz Club des Cing Rues is considered one of the best jazz clubs in France), piano bars, discos or casinos.
Local cuisine and wines
The resort of Megeve in France has about 90 restaurants, 30 of which are in the mountains, and more than a dozen are awarded Michelin stars - this gives Megeve the title of gastronomic capital of the French Alps.
Most establishments specialize in national Savoyard cuisine, offering their guests Savoyard-style kebab, tartiflette - potato casserole with bacon and cheese, raclette made from Reblochon cheese baked with vegetables, fondue from local cheeses, etc. All this, in particular, can be tried in restaurant Les Flocons de Sel (2 Michelin stars), Le Carousel, LAlpage, Enfants Terribles, etc.
In addition, the village has restaurants serving Italian cuisine (for example, Di Vino) and oriental cuisine (L’Indochine Aux Caves). Chalet Du Mont D'arbois, Fer A Cheval, Alpette, etc. are famous for their wine cellars.
Family holiday
In Megeve there are 5 children's mini-clubs, a children's ski school, and 2 kindergartens. With children, you can go to Santa Village, a swimming pool with a children's area, or the Cote 2000 Aventure amusement park.
Where to stay
The choice of accommodation options in the French resort of Megeve is very diverse. There are several luxury 5* hotels here
The atmosphere of an ancient mountain village has been preserved here, which is combined with a high level of service and well-equipped trails.
Large map of ski slopes around Megève. You can click to enlarge.
How to get there
In winter there are buses to Megève every weekend. The minimum cost of a train ticket is 116 €. The price of tickets depends on the age of the passengers, the time of train departure (daytime or evening) and the comfort class of the carriage. Travel time – 5 hours.
Megève can be reached by train in 3 hours. Ticket prices start from 35.9 €. The arrival point for all trains is the Sallanches railway station closest to Megève. The 12-kilometer stretch from Salange to Megève can be covered by bus for 4.5 € or by taxi for 40 €. The transfer will take about 20 minutes. 600 km from Megeve can be covered by car, driving along the A6 and A40 highways. The distance between Lyon and Megève is 180 km; by car you need to travel along the A43 – A41 – A40 highways.
When to go
The ski season at the resort lasts from mid-December to mid-April. Winter here is mild, the average daily temperature is +3 degrees. Sunny weather and lack of wind create comfortable conditions for skiing.
Megève Hotels
2 km from the city center at 1775 route du Leutaz there is a small fashionable hotel Flocons de Sel 5*. The hotel has 9 rooms, a fitness center, a spa and its own gourmet restaurant. A room in the winter months costs from 430 €.
In the center of Megève at 29 rue Ambroise Martin there is the Mont-Blanc 4* hotel. Its distinctive feature is the individual design of each room and the famous restaurant Les Enfants Terribles. The cost of a standard room is 295 €.
Not far from the center at 1295 route de Sallanches is the Chalet de l "Ancolie 2* hotel. Its cozy rooms, decorated with wood, offer excellent views of the mountains. Next to the hotel there is a bus stop that takes skiers to the ski areas. Room prices start from 105 €.
Transport connection
Megève maintains the atmosphere of a traditional Alpine village, so local authorities have banned vehicle traffic on the central streets of the village. Instead of a car, tourists can ride horse-drawn sleds. You can get to the ski areas by free bus. It runs on the route Rochebrune - RianteColline - LeBalcon - LeJaillet - ChapellesduCalviare at intervals of 20 minutes.
