Author: Romain Boisaubert

From legendary trails to high-altitude festivals, Chamonix Mont-Blanc is establishing itself as one of the summer capitals of the French Alps. Sport, culture, nature, photography, science and music: the 2025 season promises to be more vibrant than ever. Here's a round-up of the highlights not to be missed. ALSO READ: Chamonix: mountain activities, highlights, restaurants, hotels... What to do this summer in the Mont Blanc Valley? 1. Chamonix Film Festival - From 10 to 16 June To open the season, the Chamonix Film Festival returns for a 5th edition dedicated to mountain, adventure and wide open spaces enthusiasts. Screenings, meetings...

Dévoluy, in the mountains between Drôme and Hautes-Alpes, is increasingly becoming a cycling destination. Gravel, mountain biking, raids, cyclosportives: the destination is multiplying the formats, routes and events to appeal to two-wheeled enthusiasts. Here's a round-up of the major new events to be discovered this summer. A new gravel route to explore the high plateaux This is one of the summer's major new features: the Tour du Dévoluy gravel route is now officially signposted and available online. ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about the major redevelopment of the leisure centres at La Joue du Loup...

Summer 2025 promises to be full of new features for mountain bike enthusiasts in Les 2 Alpes. With its high altitude, new reworked trails, technical innovations and renowned ambassadors, the Bike Park confirms its status as a must-see playground for riders of all abilities. The return of mountain biking on snow The famous "Highway to Heaven" track, one of the Bike Park's emblems, is back in action. Located at an altitude of between 3,200 m and 2,600 m, it offers mountain bikers the chance to ride on snow in a unique setting at the top of the glacier. ALSO READ: Mountain bike events not to miss!

In Val d'Isère, summer is experienced differently. With its unspoilt nature, invigorating altitude and off-the-beaten-track experiences, the Savoyard resort cultivates a summer version of the mountain art of living. Here are five original suggestions for filling up on unforgettable sensations and memories. Sleep under the stars... or almost There's nothing like a night in a refuge to get away from it all. Val d'Isère has two emblematic refuges that can be reached in less than two hours on foot: the more committed Fond des Fours refuge, ideal for experienced hikers, and the recently renovated Prariond refuge, perfect for a first night in the...

Alpe d'Huez, France's outdoor mecca, is packed with events this summer. From mountain biking to trail running, triathlons, solidarity challenges, climbing and legendary cycling routes, the Isère resort has a packed calendar of events. June 5 - Alpe d'HuZes: climbing to beat cancer A symbol of courage and solidarity, the Alpe d'HuZes is a charity event in which participants, on foot or by bike, climb the legendary Alpe d'Huez ascent up to six times. Last year, this Dutch challenge raised over...

With almost 50 establishments open in summer, the resort of Les 2 Alpes has established itself as a Mecca for Alpine gastronomy, far from the clichés of raclette and fondue. Here, we cook "à la française", with heart, skill and a sincere attachment to the land. From Michelin-starred restaurants to neighbourhood pizzerias, here's a round-up of the best places to go this summer. Award-winning high-altitude gastronomy A culinary gem perched at an altitude of 1,650 metres, Le P'tit Polyte, the restaurant in the Chalet Mounier, remains one of the jewels in the crown of Les 2 Alpes. Under the leadership of chef Guillaume Barengo, the establishment has been...

In Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, the art of high-altitude living is taking on a whole new dimension with the opening of "La Belle Vie", an aqualudic and wellness area designed as a serene interlude facing the mountains. With its evocative name, "La Belle Vie" combines gentleness and contemplation in a well-kept setting, open to nature. LIRE AUSSI : Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, the new Eldorado of mountain wellness? Three pools allow visitors to recharge their batteries whatever the season: a 16-metre outdoor pool bathed in Alpine light, a combined indoor/outdoor pool maintained at 33°C, and a relaxation area...

On Monday 5 May 2025, Bourg-Saint-Maurice will be experiencing a highlight in its cultural life with the exceptional appearance of Julie Gayet. A committed actress, director and producer, she will be at the Cœur d'Or cinema for an evening of film and discussion around her latest film, "Olympe, une femme dans la révolution", which she co-directed and in which she also plays one of the lead roles. The screening will start at 8pm and will be followed by a discussion with the actress, giving the public a rare opportunity to explore the themes of the film in greater depth and to talk directly to the artist. This event is part of the...

The summer of 2025 promises to be a thrill for fans of thrills on two wheels. The Bike Parks are back in action, offering mountain bikers networks of dedicated trails, wooden and earthen modules, banked bends, undergrowth passages and many other infrastructures designed for all levels. Here's a round-up of the best Bike Parks to discover this summer. 1. 2 Alpes Bike Park - Isère With its 103 kilometres of trails and more than 11,000 metres of vertical drop, the 2 Alpes Bike Park is one of the giants of mountain biking in France. ALSO READ: The...

With the arrival of summer, Serre Chevalier Vallée Briançon is gearing up for an exciting season. Ski lifts open, festivals, sporting competitions, gourmet events: here's everything you don't want to miss this summer. LIRE AUSSI : The bike park in Serre Chevalier is getting a new course for this summer The high-altitude ski area is ready to welcome you From 21 June, hikers, mountain bikers and other mountain enthusiasts will be able to access the ski area via the ski lifts. The entire ski area will close on 31 August. Cycling: a summer of mountain passes...

Dévoluy is preparing to enter a new phase. To boost its appeal and underpin its ambition to be a dynamic mountain all year round, a vast project to upgrade its leisure centres has been launched. Over three years, La Joue du Loup and Superdévoluy will see their recreational areas completely redesigned, to offer residents and visitors a range of innovative activities adapted to all four seasons. La Joue du Loup: aquatic innovation and leisure activities At La Joue du Loup, the transformation will be spectacular. The existing outdoor swimming pool will give way to a new integrated aquatic complex...

Courchevel is set to experience a revolution on two wheels this summer. Mountain bikers will be able to discover a brand new blue route, designed to combine fun, accessibility and safety: "La Pradam". This brand new route will link Courchevel Village to Lac du Praz via a fluid, fun and above all safer route than the carriage roads used until now. With its 2.2 kilometres of gentle descent and 300 metres of negative gradient, this trail fills a gap in the resort's cycling offer and completes the arsenal of trails that criss-cross the resort's forests and mountain pastures....

It's a meeting as cult as its name slams into the dust of the trails: Mountain of Hell, or MOH for those in the know. From 20 to 22 June 2025, the resort of Les 2 Alpes will once again tremble under the crampons of 1,400 riders ready to throw themselves into the void, tyres in the snow, from the 3,200 metre high glacier. The finish line? The village of Venosc, 2,300 metres below. In between: chaos, fun, sweat and a route as infernal as it is legendary. A race that defies...

As the winter season draws to a close, property prices in the mountains continue to rise. According to a recent study by SeLoger, prices in the resorts have jumped by 21.8 % in four years, well above the 6.8 % recorded nationally. But beneath this general dynamic, there are marked contrasts from one mountain range to another. Here's the survey. The Northern Alps: highs... also for prices Unsurprisingly, the Northern Alps are at the top of the league. The average price here is €6,478 per square metre. And some resorts are even flirting with the heights of Paris. À...

In the mountains, there are some technical garments that you keep to hand all year round, because they never give you away. Peak Performance's new Freelight Crew, launched this spring 2025, falls squarely into this category. Designed for both high-intensity and long-term use, this long-sleeved T-shirt ticks all the boxes of a good outdoor companion: lightweight, thermoregulating, hard-wearing, ultra-breathable and versatile enough to take you hiking, spring skiing, trail riding or mountain biking. Technology for comfort On the textile side, Polartec® Power Grid™ is the star....

Summer 2025 promises some great mountain escapes for mountain bikers of all abilities in Serre Chevalier. The valley's Bike Park is adding an ambitious new route: the "Grand Serre Che". This new route, which will be accessible from this summer, will link Briançon to Monêtier-les-Bains via the peaks of the ski area, with a return via the valley. A truly panoramic loop through the passes and emblematic villages of the Guisane valley. A signature itinerary between passes, crests and villages Designed for fans of long-distance touring, this route is directly inspired by the winter concept of linking...

La Plagne isn't just about skiing in winter. Come summer, the Savoyard resort changes tempo without losing any of its energy. Sports fans, families, the curious, music lovers or chess enthusiasts: there's something for everyone in the dense, rhythmic and resolutely eclectic programme. Here's an overview of the events that will get the heart of the resort beating from June to August 2025. From 5 to 11 July: chess takes to the skies Perched at an altitude of 2,000 metres, nearly 500 players from 25 countries will gather at Plagne Soleil for the 5th International Chess Festival....

A piece of Courchevel's history is about to change hands. On Saturday 24 May 2025, the resort is organising an auction like no other: 160 legendary gondolas, those of the Chenus and Ariondaz, will be offered for sale from €300 each. It's a rare opportunity to walk away with a piece of suspended history, somewhere between nostalgia and mountain design. The Alpinium hall in Courchevel Le Praz will be hosting this unusual event, which is just as much for mountain lovers as it is for interior design enthusiasts and collectors. ALSO READ: Exceptional offers in the boutiques of...

It's a world first: a board game transformed into an immersive, fun, life-size course in the heart of an Alpine resort. From 2027 onwards, the Les Sybelles ski area in Savoie will be home to a unique tourism experience inspired by the successful Trek 12 game. The aim is to offer a new way of discovering the mountains, accessible all year round, combining sport, contemplation and adventure. Launched in 2020 by French studio Lumberjacks, the Trek 12 series quickly won over board game fans. This strategy game in a "roll & write" format (roll the dice + take notes) plunges players into the...

Inflation, climate, energy costs: the mountains could be shaking in their boots. And yet, skiing is doing well. Very well indeed, according to the latest annual report by consultant Laurent Vanat, presented this week at the opening of the Mountain Planet trade fair in Grenoble. The 2025 edition takes a comprehensive look at the 2023/2024 season, confirming an unexpected trend: in an uncertain world, snow is staying the course. A sector that can withstand anything... except price rises The figures are in: 366 million skier-days were recorded around the world last winter, an increase of just...