Author: Romain Boisaubert

Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs - In La Thuile de Vulmix, on the heights of Bourg Saint Maurice, then in the summer in the Chapieux valley, Aline and Mathieu Michaud-Ruaz lead a life punctuated by the seasons, milking, haymaking and markets. It's a tough but chosen life, built around their sheepfold, La Fya, where some 180 animals - ewes, lambs and rams - make up an increasingly rare landscape: that of family-run, sustainable farming rooted in the land. It was in 2022 that the couple, originally from the valley, made the definitive switch to this method of...

At an altitude of 2,300 metres, Serre Chevalier continues to expand its facilities for beginner skiers. Following the opening of the Pontillas gondola lift in December 2023, which has transformed access to the Villeneuve sector, and the inauguration of the beginners' covered carpet last winter, the Méa plateau is preparing to welcome a new facility: the Pré de Jeanne ski lift. At 450 metres long, this new lift will complement the two lifts already in service on the plateau, Clot and Méa. The aim is clear: to offer beginners a spacious, progressive and above all safe learning area, with the guarantee of optimum snow cover throughout the season...

At the entrance to Briançon, in the "15/9" district, a familiar silhouette has stood for over a century. Its stone walls have long echoed to the rhythmic footsteps of the alpine hunters, soldiers of the cold and the summits. Soon, this military setting steeped in history will be given a second life: on 5 December 2025, the former Colaud barracks will open its doors as the 4-star Garrigae Caserne de Briançon hotel. Carefully transformed, the former barracks of the 159ᵉ Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine now combines heritage and comfort. Its 83 rooms and suites invite you to relax, while the large bays formerly dedicated to recruits...

In a resort where seasonality is the rhythm of economic life, one establishment has defied the rules of the game for a quarter of a century. L'Escale Blanche, run by Martial Debut, remains open twelve months a year, supported by a loyal team and a strong attachment to the mountains and to Tignes. Long before it was a restaurant, L'Escale Blanche was a mountain hut, set up on the outskirts of the village before the dam was built. "There are still vestiges of the refuge in the building, including an original wall that has been preserved inside," explains Martial Debut. He took over the establishment...

At the start of the new school year, the mountains don't take a break. Quite the contrary: in Bourg Saint Maurice and Les Arcs, every season offers its share of discoveries and thrills. With its legendary mountain passes, raging rivers and breathtaking panoramas, the Tarentaise valley is a huge playground. Here are five experiences you should try straight away. 1. cycle tourism, the little queen in majesty Whether you prefer the pure effort of a mountain pass, the freedom of an electric bike or the thrills of pump track, cyclists will find paradise here. The legendary routes of the Tour de France cross paths with routes that have been adapted...

Just a stone's throw from the lake, a discreet façade houses one of the liveliest spots in the resort: La Palette des 2 Boules. Here, at the same table, you'll find ski patrollers still in their uniforms, seasonal workers who've come to relax, and loyal tourists who've known the place for years. At the helm are Samuel Lepage and Gabriel Libert, two figures well known to the regulars, who took over the business from Laurent Guignard, nicknamed 'Boulélé'. Samuel arrived in Tignes in 2011 and started behind the counter in November 2014. Gabriel joined him in 2017. Ten years later, the two...

At the foot of the Villaroger forests, on the slopes facing Tignes and Saint-Foy, Anémone Marmottan has swapped her professional ski bib for a farmer's smock over the last few years. Here's a report. On the family farm, founded by her grandparents and rebuilt by her mother in the 1990s, she and her brother perpetuate an ancestral skill: making Persillé de Tignes, a unique cheese combining cow's and goat's milk, a testament to a part of Alpine history that has now disappeared. "When you're born on a farm, you quickly get your foot in the door," smiles Anémone....

Tignes is no stranger to downhill mountain biking, hiking along alpine trails and strolling around the lake. For the past few weeks, however, there has been a new sight on the 4×4 tracks: the all-terrain electric scooters of "Trot'Tignes", a project launched by Sébastien Roure. Having settled in the resort seven years ago, this mountain enthusiast from the Paris region first worked as a skimmer for a number of seasons, before Covid encouraged him to stay on all year round. "The idea was born on 23 June last year," he says. "I wanted to offer an activity that would allow people to...

In the heart of Tignes, a stone's throw from the lake, La Croisse is much more than a simple café-snack: it's a veritable institution for seasonal workers, locals and a few tourists passing through in search of authenticity. Jean-Baptiste Sindou-Faurie and his partner David Rouxel have been at the helm of this relaxed establishment for the last five years. Originally from Isère, he first moved to Tignes to "discover skiing, then enjoy summer in the mountains". Season after season, he has become attached to the energy of the resort, to a life where "you're always enjoying yourself, no matter what the...

In Tignes, beyond the slopes and the tourists passing through, there is a network of associations that keep the village alive all year round. Among these initiatives, the EchoTignes association, which has been in existence for over twenty years, has established itself as a key player for both permanent and seasonal residents. Béatrice Davico, treasurer of the association and manager of Oxygène École de Ski & Snowboard - Ski Shop Tignes, sums up its mission: to create links, offer a variety of activities and support local life. The association currently has around 120 members, mainly locals, but also seasonal workers who, for €10 a...

Just a stone's throw from the shores of Lake Tignes, Julietta 23 offers a taste of Italy at an altitude of 2,100 metres. A 100 % transalpine restaurant, with instant tiramisu and products straight from the Botte, run by Martial Debut, a well-known figure in the resort and long-standing manager of L'Escale Blanche. READ OUR DOSSIER - "Tignes, the sports resort par excellence" When he arrived in Tignes in 2000, the resort was still open 365 days a year. "That stopped that year, but we've stuck with it. L'Escale Blanche remained open all year round", he recalls....

In Tignes, on the south shore of the lake, Le Terril Blanc is a rare landmark: the resort's only 2-star hotel, open summer and winter, with a breathtaking view over the turquoise waters and peaks of the Vanoise Park. It's an address that has cultivated a family spirit and unbeatable value for money for over half a century, without denying its roots. Built in 1967 by Béatrice Leclercq's parents on land donated by her grandfather, the establishment was one of the very first buildings in the new resort. "It was a wedding present from our grandfather...

In the heart of Tignes, between the shops that make life in the resort so lively, there's a shop window that catches the eye of gourmets. Behind the counter at La Fromagerie du Lac, wheels of Beaufort cheese sit alongside fragrant tommes, local sausages and fine charcuterie. Here, 90 % of the products come directly from Savoie. The adventure began fifteen years ago, when La Fromagerie du Lac set up shop at Le Palafour. Two years earlier, the family had chosen to leave their native Portugal to come and live in Tignes. "We were already working in a hotel in the resort,...

Courchevel doesn't slow down in August. From baroque music in churches to high altitude auctions, sporting challenges and village festivals, the mountain can be experienced at a walking pace. As the weeks go by, one event follows another to create a summer score that's as varied as it is convivial. On 12 August, the church of Saint-Bon will be decked out in the dazzling sounds of the 18th century with the Ensemble Sarbacanes, a quintet of wind instruments and harpsichord, winner of the EEEmerging+ programme and acclaimed by the critics. The following day, the Camerata de Monte-Carlo, a string orchestra without a conductor, performs...

In the heart of the Alps, the Chevril dam imposes its concrete curve on the turquoise lake. But behind this technical feat, impounded in 1952, lies one of the most striking and moving episodes in local history: the disappearance of the old village of Tignes. At the end of the 1940s, post-war France was betting on major hydroelectric projects. The Tignes valley was chosen as the site for an extraordinary structure: 180 metres high and 300 metres long, capable of holding back 230 million m³ of water - the equivalent of 100,000 Olympic swimming pools. The works...

At an altitude of 2,100 metres, facing the turquoise lake and eternal snow of La Grande Motte, the "Marmottes golf course" offers a breathtaking setting. Here, drives are played under the curious gaze of chamois, and putts are attempted against the backdrop of the peaks of the Vanoise National Park. And behind this extraordinary course is a man who orchestrates the summer season: Alexis Le Meur, Director of Golf de Tignes. "The golf course was created in 1969 with just nine holes," says Alexis. Twenty-two years later, in 1991,...

In the heart of Val Claret, the discreet façade of Sport 2000 Jubike hides a veritable den of enthusiasts. Here, in summer, you can breathe in the mountain air to the rhythm of crampon tyres. And behind the counter is a familiar face in the resort: Julien Blard. He arrived "by chance" fifteen years ago and has never left. "I came here on holiday to see some friends who were doing the season. I got hooked straight away: the scenery, the atmosphere, the activities... Since then, I've been here every winter and every summer. From being a seasonal worker in a sports shop, this outdoor enthusiast became manager, taking over...

In Tignes' Val Claret, on a balcony overlooking the mountains, a hotel unlike any other blends the festive spirit of the Andes with the authenticity of high altitude. Welcome to the Ynycio, a four-star establishment belonging to the Montagnettes group, designed just three years ago to add a touch of soul and warmth to your stay at altitude. Just a stone's throw from the ski slopes in winter and the hiking trails in summer, this atypical cocoon welcomes families, couples and groups of friends in an atmosphere where the peaks dance to the Latin beat. Designed and built from scratch by...

The wind is stronger, the air purer and the silence almost total. Perched at an altitude of 3,456 metres, the summit terrace of the Grande Motte cable car offers a breathtaking view: below, the still-vibrant glaciers, the jagged relief of the Vanoise National Park, and as far as the eye can see, a tangle of peaks, snow and rocks. This is the starting point for Altitude Expériences, one of Tignes' flagship summer adventures. A unique vertical immersion into the world of high mountains. "This cable car is an icon, it was built in...

It's a place apart, suspended between sky and glacier, at an altitude of 3,032 metres. At the top of the Tignes funicular, facing the Grande Motte, Le Panoramic is not just a high-altitude restaurant: it's a logistical and sensory adventure designed by Maison Bouvier, where the authenticity of a wood-fired barbecue embraces the grandeur of the summits. In summer, the tightly-knit team get out the braziers, turn on the music and sizzle up the meat and vegetables on the vast sunny terrace. "As soon as we can, it's barbecue time," smiles Romaric Rouard, head chef. "We cook outside, in contact with hikers, summer skiers and...