Les 3 Vallées – In the summer, the world's largest ski area reinvents itself as a vast open-air playground. From Courchevel to Orelle, via Méribel, Les Belleville and Val Thorens, the 2026 season is packed with new features under the banner of «Infinite Mountain Experiences». Thrills, gourmet dining, family activities or revisited heritage: a look at what awaits visitors and locals this summer. What's new on two wheels and at altitude Mountain bikers are in for a treat. In Courchevel 1850, two iconic bike park trails are set for a makeover: La Louza,...
Author: Romain Boisaubert
In just a few seasons, Les 2 Alpes has undergone a spectacular transformation to establish itself as an essential reference for mountain running. Between 1,600 and 3,600 metres above sea level, on the edge of the Écrins National Park, the destination has become a playground where Sunday joggers, enthusiasts and elite athletes meet. Two brothers, an association, a network of 17 routes The turning point dates back to 2021, driven by Lucas and Laurent Sabot. The two enthusiasts founded the association «Les 2 Alpes Trail», which now has nearly 300 members...
Les 3 Vallées – From Courchevel to Orelle, the ski lifts are opening up access to the summits this summer for hikers, mountain bikers and lovers of panoramic views. Generally in service from 4th July to 28th-30th August 2026 depending on the sector, they nevertheless operate to specific timetables and closing days for each valley. Here’s everything you need to know before packing your bags. Courchevel Valley Lifts open 7 days a week from 4th July to 30th August. Méribel Valley Lifts open 7 days a week from 4th July to 30th August, except for the Pas du Lac (closed on Saturdays). Brides-les-Bains Lift open…
Get ready to get your adrenaline pumping. This summer, Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves (Les Sybelles) is hosting a brand-new attraction: the SlalomFly, described as Europe's biggest zip line with bends. Located on the heights of the village, it's being added to a summer season that the resort promises will be full of new features and highlights, for both visitors and locals. The concept is enough to make you dizzy. Over almost 987 metres of descent, participants will experience twists and turns of 360° and 720°, all with an unbeatable panorama of the Aiguilles d’Arves. An activity that is as impressive as it is fun,…
From 23 to 28 August, the Haute Tarentaise is dedicating a whole week to Manouche jazz for the third edition of its festival. This year, the event invites spectators to journey to Eastern Europe with the Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra (BGKO), the headliner for four evenings of concerts. Building on over a decade of artistic commitment and performances in more than thirty countries, the BGKO remains true to its passion for traditional music from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. This promises colourful and exotic evenings, at the heart of the villages of the…
What if, for a day, we swapped the Savoyard peaks for Italian terraces? Five Tuesdays during the summer, a bus will take the curious from Haute Tarentaise to Aoste, a city founded by the Romans and rich in architectural treasures. On the agenda: a guided crossing of a mythical pass, the colourful market of the old town, and a good dose of Transalpine idleness. «The idea is to organise a discovery itinerary between Tarentaise and the Aosta Valley,» summarises Jean-Marie Chevronnet, lecturer-guide and head of heritage and culture services at the Arcs tourist office. A guide at...
From 20 June to 30 August 2026, the Serre Chevalier high-altitude resort will reopen its ski lifts and, with them, a life-size adventure park at an altitude of over 2,000 metres. But this summer, the real novelty awaits visitors from August onwards, with a brand-new adventure trail featuring giant slides and a suspension bridge. The lifts will be opening in stages over the coming weeks. From 20 June, the Casse du Bœuf chairlift, in the Villeneuve sector, will kick things off by providing access to 70 % in the bike park. From 27 June, it’s the turn of…
What if we parked the car in the garage this summer? The Haute Tarentaise Community of Communes (CCHT) has an acknowledged ambition: to facilitate travel within the region without relying on cars, twelve months of the year. «The ambition is to make the user journey easier and to find solutions to the individual car all year round,» summarises Léa Bertrand, mobility officer at the CCHT. Buses all year round to Tignes and Val d’Isère This is the big new feature of the season. The S82 and S83 routes of Cars Région, which connect Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Tignes and Val d’Isère in...
Imagine an operatic aria rising in a stable, an Argentinian bandoneon echoing between the mountains, musicians from grand stages set up a metre from the audience, surrounded by livestock. This is the promise of Concerts à la ferme, returning for a second edition from 26 to 28 June in Haute Tarentaise. The idea sprouted in the mind of Hélène Paillette, General and Artistic Director, during the 2020 lockdown. «The Ministry of Culture had launched calls for projects to get artists out of their usual concert halls. It gave me the idea of going to a farm…"
She was known for her miles of cycling bliss along the Isère, lost in vegetation with the birdsong in stereo. Now, the Haute Tarentaise greenway is adding another string to its bow. This summer, the 24-kilometre cycle route connecting Séez to Villaroger is transforming into an open-air art gallery with the photo exhibition «Reflets du vivant» (Reflections of Life). Around a bend, between rivers and alpine landscapes, walkers will stumble upon a collective open-air mural. The photographs, from a call for submissions open to professional photographers as well as...
There are some businesses that seem to exist outside the flow of time. In Séez (Haute Tarentaise), the Arpin spinning mill has been spinning and weaving wool since 1817 – more than two centuries of expertise that has become truly unique. Today, it is the last French spinning mill to produce fabrics from raw sheep’s fleece. A distinction that Fernando Almeda, the production manager who joined the company five years ago, sums up in a single phrase. «When a customer buys an Arpin product, they’re buying 50 % the product and 50 % a piece of its history.» View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arpin (@arpin1817)…
From 11 to 14 August, Haute Tarentaise will host the first edition of the Jours Heureux (Happy Days), an itinerant event entirely dedicated to humour and live performance. For four days, the villages of Séez, Val d’Isère, Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Villaroger will be transformed into open-air stages. Family comedies, quirky shows, acrobatic cycling displays and comedy showcases: the festival champions diversity, with performances taking place in outdoor settings or within the villages' iconic landmarks. The perfect opportunity to share convivial moments with family or friends. Four days, four villages The event kicks off on the 11th...
After almost six years at the helm of the Saisies resort, Olivier Reydellet arrives at La Rosière with an explicit ambition: to make the Haute Tarentaise resort a destination that's as lively in the summer as it is in the winter. Having barely unpacked his bags, he reveals his initial directions and the programme for an upcoming busy summer to Le Petit Montagnard. In his post since early June, Olivier Reydellet doesn't hide the fact that much remains to be built. But the roadmap is already clear: a revamp of events, an increase in cycling and trail activities, and the strengthening of cross-border links.
In Haute Tarentaise, there are walks that are as much about the scenery as the stories they tell. Starting from Les Chapelles, the Sentier des Hameaux (Hamlet Trail) invites families to step back in time by crossing seven authentic villages, testaments to a still-vibrant pastoral past. From hamlet to hamlet, walkers discover chapels and "bachals" – water basins in the Savoyard dialect – which remind visitors of the region's agricultural and mountainous roots. Each village has kept its water point, and the chapel of Mont Carmel is one of the highlights of the route. All this is punctuated by wide-ranging views of the Alpine summits. See…
Massif de la Chartreuse – What if true luxury was about slowing down? Between the shores of Lake Aiguebelette, the forests and the mountains, the massif has always cultivated an art of rejuvenation based on nature and simplicity. As summer approaches, several new establishments and experiences enrich this promise. On the heights of Novalaise, with views over Lake Aiguebelette, Mahila Essence offers an experience still rare in the massif: a refuge entirely dedicated to women. Coline, the host, has created this sanctuary to slow down, breathe and reconnect with oneself. On the agenda...
From 6 to 10 July, the second edition of Hautes Envolées promises a week of extraordinary performances spanning dance, aerial circus, hip-hop and participatory performances. With a highlight particularly anticipated: «Pigments», an impressive aerial spectacle presented 15 metres above the ground. For fifty minutes, the artists of the CirkVOST company will defy gravity above the spectators. Suspended from a monumental aerial structure, they will perform without ever touching solid ground. A dizzying ballet where each movement depends on the others. Because behind the physical prowess lies also a reflection on the collective. In «…
We often come to the mountains for their summits, alpine pastures, or panoramas. Yet, in the valleys of Valmorel and Aigueblanche, it's sometimes the water that steals the show. Spectacular waterfalls, impetuous torrents, high-altitude lakes, preserved wetlands, or thermal waters... Discover some of the most refreshing summer experiences. Right from the first few kilometres of walking, the tone is set. Starting from the hamlet of Mottet, the Cascade Loop takes hikers into the heart of the Morel valley. On this 8.3-kilometre route, the paths alternate between forests and alpine pastures until they reveal one of the natural jewels of the...
For almost half a century, the Cycling Grand Prix had disappeared from the local scene. On the 4th and 5th of July, this historic event will be reborn in Les Gets thanks to the impetus of the Wetzayers association. For forty-five years, it had been nothing more than a memory in the minds of a few enthusiasts. This summer, however, the Grand Prix Cycliste des Gets will come back to life. On 4th and 5th July 2026, the Wetzayers association will relaunch this road cycling competition that once marked the sporting life of the resort. A rebirth that should delight fans of Alpine climbs and lovers of mountain roads.
Villaroger – In the hamlet of La Gurraz, at the end of the road which goes up the Isère valley, the smell of hot bread is once again about to fill the alleyways. On June 21st, the Association des Fours du Mont Pourri will be organising the seventh edition of its «Bread Festival». In La Gurraz, bread is not just a recipe. It is a story of transmission. On Sunday, June 21st, several hundred people are expected in this small hamlet of Villaroger to participate in the traditional «Bread Festival» organised by the Association des Fours du Mont Pourri. An event which is returning…
Just a few hours from France, the Val de Bagnes offers a glimpse into a still-vibrant mountain Switzerland. Around Verbier and La Tzoumaz, paths follow ancient irrigation channels, mountain huts overlook glaciers, mountain pastures are explored to the rhythm of the herds, and raclette can be enjoyed all year round. Here, a change of scenery isn't a staged event; it stems first and foremost from the landscape. Villages clinging to slopes, pastures grazed by Hérens cows, high-altitude paths leading to refuges, and that very Swiss blend of precision, tradition, and managed nature.
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